It is warned in the vaiṣṇava-tantra that one who puts Viṣṇu, Nārāyaṇa or Kṛṣṇa on the same level as the demigods is called a pāṣaṇḍī, or rascal. On hearing this question from Mahārāja Parīkṣit, Śukadeva Gosvāmī replied, "My dear King, your question is already answered, even before this incident." Because Parīkṣit Mahārāja wanted to clear up the situation, his spiritual master answered him very intelligently, "Why are you again asking about the same subject matter which has already been explained to you? Why are you so forgetful?" A spiritual master is always in the superior position, so he has the right to chastise his disciple in this way. Śukadeva Gosvāmī knew that Mahārāja Parīkṣit asked the question not for his own understanding but as a warning to the future innocent people who might think others to be equal to Kṛṣṇa.
Superior position
Bhagavad-gita As It Is
BG Chapters 1 - 6
The talk was going on between intimate friends, namely the Hṛṣīkeśa and the Guḍākeśa. As friends, both of them were on the same level, but one of them voluntarily became a student of the other. Kṛṣṇa was smiling because a friend had chosen to become a disciple. As Lord of all, He is always in the superior position as the master of everyone, and yet the Lord agrees to be a friend, a son, or a lover for a devotee who wants Him in such a role. But when He was accepted as the master, He at once assumed the role and talked with the disciple like the master—with gravity, as it is required. It appears that the talk between the master and the disciple was openly exchanged in the presence of both armies so that all were benefitted. So the talks of Bhagavad-gītā are not for any particular person, society, or community, but they are for all, and friends or enemies are equally entitled to hear them.
BG Chapters 13 - 18
In the first six chapters of Bhagavad-gītā the knower of the body (the living entity) and the position by which he can understand the Supreme Lord are described. In the middle six chapters of the Bhagavad-gītā the Supreme Personality of Godhead and the relationship between the individual soul and the Supersoul in regard to devotional service are described. The superior position of the Supreme Personality of Godhead and the subordinate position of the individual soul are definitely defined in these chapters. The living entities are subordinate under all circumstances, but in their forgetfulness they are suffering. When enlightened by pious activities, they approach the Supreme Lord in different capacities—as the distressed, those in want of money, the inquisitive, and those in search of knowledge.
Srimad-Bhagavatam
SB Canto 1
The Lord, being absolute, can accept service from His pure devotee even in the garb of an enemy. The Supreme Lord cannot have any enemy, nor can a so-called enemy harm Him because He is ajita, or unconquerable. But still He takes pleasure when His pure devotee beats Him like an enemy or rebukes Him from a superior position, although no one can be superior to the Lord. These are some of the transcendental reciprocatory dealings of the devotee with the Lord. And those who have no information of pure devotional service cannot penetrate into the mystery of such dealings. Bhīṣmadeva played the part of a valiant warrior, and he purposely pierced the body of the Lord so that to the common eyes it appeared that the Lord was wounded, but factually all this was to bewilder the nondevotees. The all-spiritual body cannot be wounded, and a devotee cannot become the enemy of the Lord. Had it been so, Bhīṣmadeva would not have desired to have the very same Lord as the ultimate destination of his life.
SB Canto 3
The evolutionary process of different types of bodies is something like that of a fructifying flower. Just as there are different stages in the growth of a flower—the bud stage, the blooming stage and the full—fledged, grown-up stage of aroma and beauty—similarly, there are 8,400,000 species of bodies in gradual evolution, and there is systematic progress from the lower species of life to the higher. The human form of life is supposed to be the highest, for it offers consciousness for getting out of the clutches of birth and death. The fortunate child in the womb of his mother realizes his superior position and is thereby distinguished from other bodies. Animals in bodies lower than that of the human being are conscious only as far as their bodily distress and happiness are concerned; they cannot think of more than their bodily necessities of life-eating, sleeping, mating and defending. But in the human form of life, by the grace of God, the consciousness is so developed that a man can evaluate his exceptional position and thus realize the self and the Supreme Lord.
SB Canto 4
It is a fact that the demigods control the different activities of the limbs of our bodies. Factually we are not free even in moving our eyelids. Everything is controlled by them. Dhruva Mahārāja's conclusion is that these demigods, being envious of his superior position in devotional service, conspired against him to pollute his intelligence, and thus although he was the disciple of a great Vaiṣṇava, Nārada Muni, he could not accept Nārada's valid instructions. Now Dhruva Mahārāja regretted very much that he had neglected these instructions. Nārada Muni had asked him, "Why should you bother about insult or adoration from your stepmother?" He of course said to Dhruva Mahārāja that since Dhruva was only a child, what did he have to do with such insult or adoration? But Dhruva Mahārāja was determined to achieve the benediction of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and therefore Nārada advised him to go back home for the time being, and in mature time he could try to practice devotional service.
SB Canto 5
Here the meaning of husband or guardian is clearly explained, people want to become a husband, a guardian, a governor or a political leader without knowing the actual meaning of such a superior position. There are many people all over the world—indeed, throughout the universe—who claim for some time that they are husbands, political leaders or guardians, but in due course of time the Supreme Lord desires their removal from their posts, and their careers are immediately finished. Therefore those who are actually learned and advanced in spiritual life do not accept any leader, husband or maintainer other than the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
SB Canto 6
When the living entity becomes free from false ego, he understands his superior position as a spirit soul, part and parcel of the pleasure potency of the Lord. Thus, due to Brahman, even while sleeping the living entity can enjoy. The Lord says, "That Brahman, that Paramātmā and that Bhagavān are I Myself." This is noted by Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī in his Krama-sandarbha.
SB Canto 9
This is an indication of the relationship between husband and wife. A great personality like Cyavana Muni has the temperament of always wanting to be in a superior position. Such a person cannot submit to anyone. Therefore, Cyavana Muni had an irritable temperament. His wife, Sukanyā, could understand his attitude, and under the circumstances she treated him accordingly. If any wife wants to be happy with her husband, she must try to understand her husband's temperament and please him. This is victory for a woman. Even in the dealings of Lord Kṛṣṇa with His different queens, it has been seen that although the queens were the daughters of great kings, they placed themselves before Lord Kṛṣṇa as His maidservants. However great a woman may be, she must place herself before her husband in this way; that is to say, she must be ready to carry out her husband's orders and please him in all circumstances. Then her life will be successful.
SB Cantos 10.14 to 12 (Translations Only)
By chance, two birds have made a nest together in the same tree. The two birds are friends and are of a similar nature. One of them, however, is eating the fruits of the tree, whereas the other, who does not eat the fruits, is in a superior position due to His potency.
Sri Caitanya-caritamrta
CC Adi-lila
A fraction of a particular thing is called a part, and that from which the fraction is distinguished is called the whole. Therefore the fraction, or part, is included within the whole. The Lord is the whole, and the devotee is the part or fractional part. That is the relationship between the Lord and the devotee. There are also gradations of devotees, who are calculated as greater or lesser. When a devotee is great he is called prabhu, and when he is lesser he is called bhakta, or a devotee. The supreme whole is Kṛṣṇa, and Baladeva and all Viṣṇu incarnations are His fractions. Lord Kṛṣṇa is therefore conscious of His superior position, and all Viṣṇu incarnations are conscious of Their positions as devotees.
Lord Viṣṇu cannot be placed within the category of the demigods. Those who are actually bewildered by the Māyāvāda philosophy and are still in the darkness of ignorance consider Lord Viṣṇu to be a demigod, in defiance of the Ṛg-vedic mantra oṁ tad viṣṇoḥ paramaṁ padam ("Viṣṇu is always in a superior position"). This mantra is confirmed in the Bhagavad-gītā: mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat (BG 7.7)—there is no truth superior to Lord Kṛṣṇa, or Viṣṇu. Thus only those whose knowledge has been bewildered consider Lord Viṣṇu to be a demigod and therefore suggest that one may worship either Lord Viṣṇu, the goddess Kālī (Durgā) or whomever one likes and achieve the same result. This is an ignorant conclusion that is not accepted in the Bhagavad-gītā (9.25), which distinctly says, yānti deva-vratā devān . . . yānti mad-yājino ’pi mām: The worshipers of the demigods will be promoted to the respective planets of the demigods, but devotees of the Supreme Lord will go back home, back to Godhead.
CC Madhya-lila
A sannyāsī is supposed to beg from door to door. He does not beg simply because he is hungry. His real purpose is to enlighten the occupant of every house by preaching Kṛṣṇa consciousness. A sannyāsī does not abandon his superior position and become a beggar just for the sake of begging. Similarly, a person in householder life may be very important, but he may also voluntarily take to the mendicant way of life. Rūpa Gosvāmī and Sanātana Gosvāmī were ministers, but they voluntarily accepted the mendicant's life in order to humbly preach Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu's message. It is said about them: tyaktvā tūrṇam aśeṣa-maṇḍala-pati-śreṇīṁ sadā tuccha-vat bhūtvā dīna-gaṇeśakau karuṇayā kaupīna-kanthāśritau. Although the Gosvāmīs were very aristocratic, on the order of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu they became mendicants just to deliver the fallen souls.
Other Books by Srila Prabhupada
Krsna, The Supreme Personality of Godhead
Lectures
Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures
There are many rules and regulation of the fighting. Not that "Because he is my enemy, I shall kill him any way." No. There are rules and regulations. If the enemy has broken his chariot, he is fallen down on the ground, the other party also will immediately get down from the chariot. Suppose he is feeling... If one is on the foot and another on the chariot, so he will be in superior position. So therefore the opposite party must also get down from the chariot and walk with him. That means the defeated enemy should be given all opportunities so he may not think that unnecessarily, in weak position, he has been killed. No. So Arjuna says... Arjuna, of course, did later on. When he killed Karṇa. Karṇa was without weapon, and he fell down from the chariot. Karṇa, after falling down from the chariot, and he was trying to raise the wheel of the chariot from the mud, so Kṛṣṇa asked Arjuna "That this is the opportunity to kill him. You kill him immediately." So at that time he had no weapons and he fell down from the chariot, and in that position he was killed by Arjuna by the order of Kṛṣṇa. This is violating the laws.
By nature I am active. By nature, because I am spirit, and by nature I am active. And my activities are exhibited even I am contaminated with this matter. And when you become purified from matter, do you think you shall be silent? Is there any reason? So do you...? To become Brahman does not mean to become void. No. To become Brahman means superior energy. With superior energy, we have to work with superior endeavor and superior energy and superior position. And therefore it is called, in the next line, bhajanty ananya-manasaḥ: "One who has become mahātmā, his symptom is that he's fully engaged in the loving transcendental service of Kṛṣṇa." He is mahātmā. How can you stop activities? Bhajanty ananya-manasaḥ, jñātvā bhūtādim avyayam. Why does he engage in that way? Because he understands that "If service has to be rendered, it is to Kṛṣṇa and nobody else. I have so long served my senses. Now I shall serve Kṛṣṇa, the proprietor of the senses." That is called mahātmā. You cannot stop your service because you are meant for service.
Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures
So it is in good words, vimukta-māninaḥ. Because it is said by Vyāsadeva or a devotee, little respectful, vimukta-māninaḥ, falsely thinking that he has become liberated. But when Kṛṣṇa says, because He is the Supreme Lord, He says that "He is a mūḍha. He is a rascal." Just like father can immediately call his son rascal or spiritual master can say, because superior position, a rascal. Others, the rascal may be addressed in an ornamented language. He is to be proved a rascal. But some, for friendly sake... Just like Kṛṣṇa, when He was talking with Arjuna, He directly did not say, "My dear Arjuna, you are rascal number one. You are rascal number one." Because friend. But He did not say that.
He's sleeping. You don't sleep and sit front. So therefore we should not ask favor. We can ask favor from anyone, but we must know that nobody can favor us unless it is sanctioned by the Supreme Person. We must always know. Not that because one is very, in a superior position, he can favor me. No, he cannot favor you unless it is sanctioned by the Supreme. Suppose we approach sometimes a rich man to favor us with some contribution, membership fees. But that rich man cannot favor us unless it is sanctioned by Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is there within himself, and if He says that "You give him this money," the man will give us. So we shall not be sorry. Suppose we go somewhere and he did not favor us. We should not be sorry. We should know that Kṛṣṇa did not dictate him. He is not so fortunate now; therefore Kṛṣṇa did not dictate him. So there is nothing to be sorry. This should be our principle.
Nectar of Devotion Lectures
Just like Rāmānanda Rāya. He was governor. He was Governor of Madras, but he was the, one of the most confidential devotees of Lord Caitanya. Lord Caitanya and Rāmānanda Rāya were talking together, and Śrī Rāmānanda Rāya was feeling little shyness because he did not belong to the brāhmaṇa community. He was governor, householder. So he thought that Caitanya Mahāprabhu was asking him question and he was answering, that means he was taking the superior position. So he felt little shyness.
Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures
So this is wrong theory that matter automatically takes the explosion or something like that. Matter is handled by some superior living being. Then it explodes or whatever you call. It reacts. Otherwise, it is not possible. And because the living being takes the superior position for explosion of matter or reaction of matter, therefore in the Bhagavad-gītā it is admitted that the matter is handled by the living being; it is inferior energy. Both of them are energies of the Supreme Lord, but one is superior energy, another is inferior energy. That is the statement in the Bhagavad-gītā. Bhūmir āpo 'nalo vāyuḥ (BG 7.4), this material things, earth, water, air, fire, they are inferior energy. And Kṛṣṇa says, apareyam: "They are inferior. There is another, superior energy." Apareyam itas tu viddhi me prakṛtiṁ parām: "There is another, superior energy." And what is that superior energy? Now, jīva-bhūtām, "These living entities." Jīva-bhūtāṁ mahā-bāho. The superior energy is not produced by the inferior energy. That is nonsense. The inferior energy is produced by the superior energy. This is perfect.
The devotee is praying that "Somebody is studying the Vedas, somebody is studying the Purāṇas, the smṛtis," śrutim apare smṛtim itare, "and somebody is studying Mahābhārata to understand God." But the devotee says, "I do not want to understand God. I want to worship Nanda Mahārāja, under whose..., in the courtyard of his house the Parabrahman is crawling." That is nandātma... That is the, I mean to say, superior position of nandātmaja, Nanda Mahārāja. So this is philosophy. Ordinary men cannot understand. But Vaiṣṇava philosophy is so nice that instead of becoming one with the Supreme, they want to become the father of the Supreme. This is Vaiṣṇava philosophy.
Sri Isopanisad Lectures
The, the importance of this material world is due to the living entities. This Los Angeles City is valuable so long the living entities are there. The body's valuable so long the living entity, soul, is there. Therefore it is superior. But that superiority is being misused. That is conditioned life. We are conditioned because our superior position than the matter, we are misusing. How we are misusing? We have forgotten that, although I am superior energy than the matter, but still, I am subordinate to God. That he is forgetting. The modern civilization, they do not care for God because people are superior than matter. They are simply trying to exploit matter in different way. But they are forgetting that we, either we may be American or Russian or China or India, we are all subordinate to God. This is the mistake. Kṛṣṇa bhuliya jīva bhoga vāñchā kare. They have forgotten Kṛṣṇa, and they want to enjoy this material world. This is their disease.
Initiation Lectures
So human life is meant for tapasya. Tapo-divyaṁ putrakā yena śuddhyed sattvam (SB 5.5.1). Don't be carried away by the general, menial, abominable tendencies. Therefore tapasya required. Tapa, we prescribe for tapasya no illicit sex, no meat-eating, no intoxication and no gambling. This is tapasya. This is tapasya. We have to accept if we want superior position of life. Tapo divyam. Tapasya, the aim of tapasya is to be situated on the transcendental platform of knowledge. Tapo divyam. So this life, this human form of life, is meant for tapasya and transcendental knowledge. This is the purport. Not to waste this life, this human form of life, ayaṁ deha. The cats and dogs also have deha, body. The... Analyze the body of a dog and analyze your body, what is the difference? No difference. There is blood, there is flesh, there is vein, there is so many things, all common things. Then what is the difference between the cat's body and dog's body and your body? The advancement of knowledge and consciousness.
General Lectures
So Caitanya Mahāprabhu says, āmāra ājñāya guru hañā tāra ei deśa: (CC Madhya 7.128) "Where you are living, you just try to deliver them. But you become a guru." "How I shall become?" Yāre dekha tāre kaha kṛṣṇa upadeśa: "Simply you instruct what Kṛṣṇa has said, that's all. Then you become guru. You don't require any other qual..." "No, I am not a brāhmaṇa; I am śūdra, I am this or..." That is also all right, because He said to Rāmānanda Rāya when... He was śūdra. He was talking with Caitanya Mahāprabhu but he was very learned devotee. So he was feeling hesitation that "Caitanya Mahāprabhu's coming from very high-grade brāhmaṇa, and He is sannyāsa. His position is very exalted. I am a śūdra. How I can advise Him?" He was questioning, and Rāmānanda Rāya was answering. So the answer-giver is in superior position, so he hesitated.
Philosophy Discussions
Does not know beyond nature there is another superior being, that is God. That is his lack of knowledge. That is the difficulty. If you are not perfect, where is that philosopher?
Śyāmasundara: He sees an intelligence acting in nature.
Prabhupāda: Anyway he accepts the superiority of nature, superior position of nature. He accepts it. So but beyond the nature there is a... the Supreme Personality Godhead. Mayādhyakṣeṇa prakṛtiḥ sūyate sa-carācaram (BG 9.10). Under My direction nature works. So he has no vision to see the background of nature.
Conversations and Morning Walks
1975 Conversations and Morning Walks
Prabhupāda: Kṛṣṇa is not meant for the Hindus, but Kṛṣṇa appeared in Hindustan. Therefore it is the duty of all Hindus to know Kṛṣṇa first. And they also conscious. Every Hindu knows Kṛṣṇa. Every Hindu observes the Janmāṣṭamī, Kṛṣṇa's birthday. But they are not very serious to understand Kṛṣṇa as a follower. Just like Christian. They admit they are Christian but don't follow the Christian principles. So that Hindus are also like that. Nobody is following Kṛṣṇa's instruction. Kṛṣṇa says, "I am God." Mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat: (BG 7.7) "There is no more superior person or superior position than Me," Kṛṣṇa says. And "God" means that. In the dictionary "God" means the Supreme Being. Supreme Being means nobody is greater than Him; nobody is equal to Him. That is called supreme. So here God personally says that mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat kiñcid asti dhanañjaya (BG 7.7). But this rascal will not accept. They will say, "No, here is another dini-kṛṣṇa." They will bring one competitor. That is going on. "God" means there cannot be any competitor.
1976 Conversations and Morning Walks
Prabhupāda: That's right. So the teachers.... Sometimes you become teacher; sometimes I become teacher. What is this?
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: They're trying to create a society where there are no superior-inferior.
Prabhupāda: That is not possible.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Classless society.
Prabhupāda: They are taking themselves the superior position to make it one.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: (laughs) Yes. That's a fact.
Prabhupāda: Yes. Just like some of the rascal swamis come here that "There is no teacher of.... No require teacher, no need of books."
1977 Conversations and Morning Walks
Prabhupāda: Yes. Mind is subtle matter. Bhūmir āpo 'nalo vāyuḥ khaṁ mano buddhir.... Bhinnā prakṛtir aṣṭadhā (BG 7.4). They are separated five material energies. Apareyam. They are inferior. Those who are in the mental platform, they are also inferior. The so-called philosopher, scientist and others, they are on the mental platform. Therefore they're inferior. Apareyam. These eight elements, those who are dealing with these eight elements, apara, inferior. And they are advertising that "We are superior." "The spiritual consciousness is brainwashed. We are superior." This is the fault. Of the inferior position, they are claiming superior position. Apareyam itas tu... And Kṛṣṇa is giving practical example: "Apareyam: this is inferior. Beyond this there is a superior nature. What is that? Jīva bhūta." Immediately. And still the rascal cannot understand what is superior, inferior.
Correspondence
1970 Correspondence
So it is very encouraging that people are coming to the extent of 40 heads, and they are trying to understand the importance of this great movement, and any sane man will be able to understand that. But I do not know why our students who are supposed to be the leaders of this movement will fight amongst themselves for supremacy. Our whole process is of surrendering.
We are taught to address others as Prabhu. Prabhu means master; and the leader of the masters is called Prabhupada. So if the Prabhus have surrendered to the Prabhupada, why there shall be such mentality of occupying the superior position? This is contradictory.
1972 Correspondence
Regarding printing Bhagavad-gita in Japanese language, first you get it translated and ready for printing, then we shall do the needful. Now that Kaushika is there, keep him nicely and engage him as he likes, he has got good experience.
Regarding your question, all should offer due respect to a Sannyasi. His position is always superior to all other inmates of the temple. He must always maintain that superior position by action & behavior.
| Page Title: | Superior position |
| Compiler: | Archana, Matea |
| Created: | 01 of Dec, 2008 |
| Totals by Section: | BG=2, SB=7, CC=3, OB=1, Lec=11, Con=3, Let=2 |
| No. of Quotes: | 29 |