SB 06.01.06 adhuneha maha-bhaga... cited

Expressions researched:
"adhuneha maha-bhaga" |"nanogra-yatanan neyat" |"tan me vyakhyatum arhasi" |"yathaiva narakan narah"

SB Canto 6

SB 6.1.6, Translation and Purport:

O greatly fortunate and opulent Śukadeva Gosvāmī, now kindly tell me how human beings may be saved from having to enter hellish conditions in which they suffer terrible pains.

In the Twenty-sixth Chapter of the Fifth Canto, Śukadeva Gosvāmī has explained that people who commit sinful acts are forced to enter hellish planets and suffer. Now Mahārāja Parīkṣit, being a devotee, is concerned with how this can be stopped. A Vaiṣṇava is para-duḥkha-duḥkhī; in other words, he has no personal troubles, but he is very unhappy to see others in trouble. Prahlāda Mahārāja said, "My Lord, I have no personal problems, for I have learned how to glorify Your transcendental qualities and thus enter a trance of ecstasy. I do have a problem, however, for I am simply thinking of these rascals and fools who are busy with māyā-sukha, temporary happiness, without knowledge of devotional service unto You." This is the problem faced by a Vaiṣṇava. Because a Vaiṣṇava fully takes shelter of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, he personally has no problems, but because he is compassionate toward the fallen, conditioned souls, he is always thinking of plans to save them from their hellish life in this body and the next. Parīkṣit Mahārāja, therefore, anxiously wanted to know from Śukadeva Gosvāmī how humanity can be saved from gliding down to hell. Śukadeva Gosvāmī had already explained how people enter hellish life, and he could also explain how they could be saved from it. Intelligent men must take advantage of these instructions. Unfortunately, however, the entire world is lacking Kṛṣṇa consciousness, and therefore people are suffering from the grossest ignorance and do not even believe in a life after this one. To convince them of their next life is very difficult because they have become almost mad in their pursuit of material enjoyment. Nevertheless, our duty, the duty of all sane men, is to save them. Mahārāja Parīkṣit is the representative of one who can save them.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Lecture on SB 6.1.6 -- Los Angeles, January 3, 1970:

Prabhupāda: (chants maṅgalācaraṇa prayers)

adhuneha mahā-bhāga

yathaiva narakān naraḥ

nānogra-yātanān neyāt

tan me vyākhyātum arhasi

(SB 6.1.6)

Today we shall discuss a very nice historical event, the story—history or story, whatever you call—of Ajāmila and his salvation. Before this chapter in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam there has been a very elaborate description of different kinds of hellish punishment. So far the Śrīmad-Bhāgavata is concerned, it contains the information of all other planets within this universe. So we get information of one planet which is about 800,000's of miles away from this planet. In that planet the Yamarāja or the personality or demigod who, I mean to say, tries the person who are very much sinful and gives him punishment... Just like here you have got the magistrate who tries the criminals and gives punishment according to the gravity of criminality, similarly there is no reason to disbelieve that in this vast kingdom of God, why there shall not be a magistrate like that? If in a small state, say this California state, there are so many magistrates, so many courts in different towns, and if you calculate, in comparison to this universe, what is this California state? You can see at night there are millions and billions of planets glittering in the sky, and this earthly planet is one of them. That's all. And in this earthly planet there are so many countries—America, Canada, United States, Mexico, India, China... There are so many countries, and there are so many cities. And each and every city, there are so many courts and magistrates. Just think that this planet is only a spot in comparison to the universal construction. So how we can think that there is no control, there is no government, everything has come out of its own course? This theory is foolish theory. There is controller. There is controller, and He is called Īśvara. Īśvara means God. There is management of God. It is very commonsense understanding.

Lecture on SB 6.1.6 -- Los Angeles, January 3, 1970:

So here Mahārāja Parīkṣit, he was very godly person. He was so great devotee that there is no comparison. He is... So he is asking, after hearing the hellish punishment of the criminals, he is asking,

adhuneha mahā-bhāga

yathaiva narakān naraḥ

nānogra-yātanān neyāt

tan me vyākhyātum arhasi

He is addressing Śukadeva Gosvāmī. He has accepted Śukadeva Gosvāmī as his spiritual master. Therefore he says, mahā-bhāga, "the most fortunate man." You have to select a spiritual master, the most fortunate man. And who is most fortunate man? One who has understood Kṛṣṇa, he is most fortunate man. Not that one who has got dozens of motorcars, he is most fortunate man. You do not know where he is going after this body. You see? He may be enjoying very nicely in this life, but he is not preparing for the next life. This life is preparation for the next life. The modern civilization does not know that every living entity is eternal; he is changing simply different phases of life. So if one is ignorant how he is changing his different phases of life, what is his next life, what he was in the past life... How one can know? One can know, śāstra-cakṣuṣāt. One can know from the scriptures, from the authorized books, as you know so many things. How you know that the moon planet or sun planet or this planet or that planet have got so many things, this or that? It is from the books. You have never gone to the moon planet, but you learn it from the books, authorized books. Simply you have to consult authorized books, you get learned yourself.

Lecture on SB 6.1.6 -- Bombay, November 6, 1970:

Prabhupāda:

...mahā-bhāga

yathaiva narakān naraā

nānogra-yātanān neyāt

tan me vyākhyātum arhasi

(SB 6.1.6)

There was topics of the different hellish conditions of life according to different sinful activities. There is description in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Fifth Canto, the different planetary systems of this universe, how each and every planet is different from the other by its atmosphere, by its inhabitants, dealings. Just like modern scientists, they are finding difference between this planet and the moon planet. They say that there is no living entity. That is not fact. They... Even though they have reached the moon planet, it is not a fact that there is no living entity. Accepting they reached the moon planet, they might have gone to the part where it is desert or barren land, because in each and every planet there is such possibility. In our, this planet also, when I was passing through the Suez Canal, it is horrible desert. So if somebody drops in that Arabian desert and concludes that there is no living entity in this planet, it is simply foolish. Similarly, these people are going, maybe going... First of all, I don't believe they have gone, frankly speaking. Even they have gone, they are landing in some part of the moon planet where there is no inhabitation.

Lecture on SB 6.1.6 -- Bombay, November 6, 1970:

Prabhupāda: Five hours day. And nineteen hours night. So, of course, I was rising, as usual, early in the morning, so I wanted to go out. So I couldn't go out before half-past-nine to the Regent Park, and it was full of snow and ice, and it is very difficult to walk. So just like in this planet there are different places of different conditions, so it is natural to accept it that different planets have got different atmosphere, different opulences, different kinds of population, living entities. Keśava tuyā jagat vicitra. Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura has sung that "My dear Kṛṣṇa, Your creation is variegated." There are different types. Similarly, there are planets where hellish conditions perpetually continue. Just like you can compare the northern pole. It is a hellish condition within this earth. And similarly, there are planets, so, and they are suffering. So Parīkṣit Mahārāja inquired that

adhuneha mahā-bhāga

yathaiva narakān naraā

nānogra-yātanān neyāt

tan me vyākhyātum arhasi

"You have described 'For this kind of sinful activities one has to take his birth in this kind of planet or this kind of place.' Now please let me know how these suffering living entities can be delivered from this suffering condition, different varieties of suffering condition." Ugra. Ugra means very acute. "If there is any means to deliver them?" So that answer is given.

Lecture on SB 6.1.6 -- Sydney, February 17, 1973:

Prabhupāda: This is a verse from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Sixth Canto, First Chapter, verse number six. (SB 6.1.6) In the course of conversation... Not conversation. Mahārāja Parīkṣit was hearing Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam from Śukadeva Gosvāmī. This Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is the summit of all knowledge. Vidyā bhāgavatāvadhiḥ. Amongst the Vedic scholars, the topmost knowledge means to understand Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Everything is there. (aside:) This noise has to be stopped. So in all subject matter—physics, chemistry, astronomy, religion, politics, sociology—everything has been fully described, and above all, the science of God is also described. Therefore it is called Bhāgavatam. Bhāgavatam, the word is derived from bhagavān, bhāgavatam. Bhagavān is the first nominative case from the word bhāgavata, and from bhāgavata-Bhāgavatam. Bhāgavatam means in relationship with God and in relationship with the devotees of God. Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam amalaṁ purāṇam.

Lecture on SB 6.1.6 -- Sydney, February 17, 1973:

So Vaiṣṇava is always thinking how people will be happy. This Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is going on just to make people happy. They do not know so many things and for which they are suffering in this material world in so many stages of life, in so many forms of life. Huh? They are transmigrating from one life to another. There are 8,400,00 species of life. Huh? In this way, actually their existence is being spoiled. Therefore Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is to give them right knowledge so that they may become happy. So this question was raised by Parīkṣit Mahārāja, that,

adhuneha mahā-bhāga

yathaiva narakān naraḥ

nānogra-yātanān neyāt

tan me vyākhyātum arhasi

"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. So Parīkṣit Mahārāja, not for himself, but for others he inquired this question: "My dear Śukadeva Goswāmī, I understand that these people are suffering so many different types of punishment. But how to rescue, rescue them? Is there any method to rescue them? If there is, kindly describe, kindly describe." Adhuneha mahā-bhāga yathaiva narakān naraḥ. Adhuna—now; iha—in this world; mahā-bhāga. Mahā-bhāga, the Śukadeva Goswāmī is described, mahā-bhāga, most fortunate. A Vaiṣṇava is most fortunate. Vaiṣṇava is most fortunate because he has got the shelter of Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa says,

sarva-dharmān parityajya

mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja

ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo

mokṣayiṣyāmi (mā śucaḥ)

(BG 18.66)

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.

So Parīkṣit Mahārāja addressed Śukadeva Goswāmī as mahā-bhāga, the most fortunate. Because he's perfect Vaiṣṇava, therefore he addresses, "My dear, the most fortunate," mahā-bhāga. Adhunā, "Now," yathaiva narakān naraḥ, "these people are suffering in the hellish condition of life. How they can be rescued?" Nānā ugra-yātanān. Very severe punishment they are undergoing. People cannot see. They have no eyes to see, you see? They suffer in great calamities, and still they cannot see that "I am suffering." Just like when you pass through the streets of Australia, we go daily, morning walk, big, big skyscraper buildings have been constructed, and people are making plans, designs, working very, very hard, lifting so many heavy things. These are very heavy tasks, but they are thinking, "It is very happiness." (laughter) They are thinking, "We are making progress, we are making progress. We are bringing stones and irons on head and putting together, and it is progress. We are very happy." (laughter) This is going on. This is called varāta māninaḥ(?). They are enamored by the external energy of the Personality of Godhead. These material things are products of the external energy of the Lord. Bhūmir āpo 'nalo vayuḥ khaṁ mano buddhir eva ca (BG 7.4). Bhūmi, the earth, the iron, stone, wood, they are nothing but transformations of earth. Similarly, apo, water. So whatever we are manufacturing here, they are simply combination of earth, water, air, fire, that's all. Nothing but. Tejo-vāri-mṛdāṁ vinimayam. Exchange of teja, fire. Teja means fire, vāri means water, and mṛd means earth. Just like the bricks. What is this brick? You take earth, you take earth and mix it with water and put it in the fire, it becomes brick. So whole thing, either earth, stone or iron, anything, they are simply mixture of these five elements. So I am spirit soul. I have been engaged in mixing these five things and big, big lumps and gathering them just like children play in the sea beach, gathering so much sand and making like this, big house, and then it is fallen down. So we are engaged in these material activities, but we forget at the same time that there is ready, atom bomb. As soon as there will be declared war, these things will be finished, immediately. These people are not declaring war. America is not declaring war against Asia, Russia or China. They are thinking because they know they have got the deadly weapons, atom, and that is the now diplomacy. When there will be war, the first dropping of atom bomb will be victorious. Aah, victorious.

Lecture on SB 6.1.6 -- Sydney, February 17, 1973:

So any slight deviation from the law and we are put into undesirable condition. That is a fact. Just like here, according to Vedic principle, the laws are given by Manu, Manu. From Manu, the word manuṣya has come, or "man." And there is Manu-saṁhitā. In the Manu-saṁhitā it is stated that if a man commits murder then he should be hanged. He should be hanged. That is followed by every human society. Why? Because the sinful activities which he has enacted, if he is punished in this life, then he'll not so suffer again in the next life. His punishment will be finished. So that is a favor. If a murderer is hanged, then that is a favor shown by the government, because the next life you'll not have to suffer. So when Parīkṣit Mahārāja inquired,

adhuneha mahā-bhāga

yathaiva narakān naraḥ

nānogra-yātanān neyāt

tan me vyākhyātum arhasi

"Kindly describe how these sinful men who are suffering, how they can be rescued from this sinful reaction?" So Śukadeva Goswāmī replied,

na ced ihaivāpacitiṁ yathāmhasaḥ

kṛtasya kuryān mana-ukta-pāṇibhiḥ

dhruvaṁ sa vai pretya narakān upaiti

ye kīrtitā me bhavatas tigma-yātanāḥ

He says, "My dear King, that unless he makes atonement for the sinful activities in this life, then next life he'll have to suffer." This is the answer. Ihaivāpacitim yathāmhasaḥ. Aṁhasaḥ means sinful activities, as he has done. How he has done? Kuryān manah-ukta-pāṇibhiḥ. Just see. We are committing sinful activities even by thinking, even by thinking. If I think that "I shall kill that man," this is mental activity. Still it is sinful. Manaḥ uktiḥ. If I unnecessarily chastise you by words, "You rascal this and that," so many..., that is also a kind of sinful activity. And if I commit by action, oh, that is sure. Therefore it is said, kṛtasya kuryān mana-ukta-pāṇibhiḥ. Pāṇibhiḥ with hands, or by mind or... The concession for this age, when we think of any sinful activities it does not affect us, but when we actually... Suppose I'm thinking of killing you. This thinking of killing you is also sinful, but unless I kill you, the sin is not so prominent. In this age that is a concession. But we are actually thinking, feeling, and willing and acting so many sinful activities that we do not know. That is the ignorance. So dhruvaṁ sa vai pretya narakān upaiti. If he does not atone in this life... Just like if I take some money from you, if I do not pay you, then I will have to pay four times next life. That you do not know. Four times, many times, with interest. Just like bank gives you interest, you have to pay. But we cheat so many people. We are thinking that we are very clever: "I can cheat so many persons and take money and enjoy." That is atheistic. Ṛṇaṁ kṛtvā ghṛtaṁ pibet yāvaj jīvet sukhaṁ jīvet. The atheistic philosopher... Everything there are in Indian Vedic culture. Everything is discussed—atheistic, theistic, scientific, everything is there.

Lecture on SB 6.1.6 -- Honolulu, June 8, 1975:

Prabhupāda: Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. (chants three times with devotees responding) (chants verse word for word with devotees responding:)

adhuneha mahā-bhāga

yathaiva narakān naraḥ

nānogra-yātanān neyāt

tan me vyākhyātum arhasi

(SB 6.1.6)

So Śukadeva Gosvāmī... The whole Bhāgavata is talking between the spiritual master and the disciple. Śukadeva Gosvāmī is the spiritual master, and Mahārāja Parīkṣit, king, is the disciple. At the time of his death he had only seven days remaining. He was aware that only seven days remaining. So Mahārāja Parīkṣit left his kingdom and sat down on the bank of the Ganges, and fortunately his spiritual master also came.

Lecture on SB 6.1.6 -- Honolulu, June 8, 1975:

So here also Parīkṣit Mahārāja, he heard so many things, but he is very much perplexed that "How these suffering men who are put into this hellish condition of life, not all, some of them?" So he is asking, "My dear sir, you have explained so many things. They are very nice." Adhunā, "just now"; iha, "in this connection"; mahā-bhāga, "O the great fortunate"; mahā-bhāga yathaiva narakān naraḥ. Yathā eva, "and as"; "from this hellish condition," narakāt, "from the hell"; the human being, nāna-ugra-yātanān... They are put into the hell means they are suffering very severe type of pains. Nāna-ugra-yātanān neyāt: "They become free." Tan me vyākhyātum arhasi: "Now leaving aside all other topics, kindly let me know how these men can be delivered from this hellish condition of life." This is his praśna.

So we may declare very foolishly that we are independent. That is the foolishness of the modern civilization.

Lecture on SB 6.1.6 -- Nellore, January 5, 1976:

Prabhupāda:

adhuneha mahā-bhāga

yathaiva narakān naraḥ

nānogra-yātanān neyāt

tan me vyākhyātum arhasi

(SB 6.1.6)

This is from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Sixth Canto. This is our latest publication, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Therefore I am taking advantage of this publication to present before you. So in the Fifth Canto of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam Śukadeva Gosvāmī has given a vivid description of the naraka planets or the hellish condition of life. Fifth Canto, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Śukadeva Gosvāmī has given a vivid description of the naraka planets, or the hellish planets. So this verse I am quoting from the First Chapter, Sixth Canto, that Parīkṣit Mahārāja is asking Śukadeva Gosvāmī "How the people suffering in hellish condition of life can be delivered?" (break) Let him... (break) This is the beginning of the Sixth Chapter of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.

At the end of the Fifth Chapter, Śrīla Śukadeva Gosvāmī has given description of the hellish planets. You have seen in the sky. There are millions and millions of stars or planets, and they are divided into three groups. Everything is described in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. So as it is said in the Bhagavad-gītā, ūrdhvaṁ gacchanti sattva-sthāḥ (BG 14.18). (break) ...sattva-sthāḥ, meaning that those who are in the sattva-guṇa, modes of goodness, they are promoted to the higher planetary system. Madhye tiṣṭhanti rājasaḥ: "Those who are under the influence of passion, they remain in the middle planetary system." And those who are in the lowest grade of tamo-guṇa, adho gacchanti tāmasāḥ. So Parīkṣit Mahārāja, after hearing the pitiable condition of persons in the hellish planets, he became sympathetic. Therefore he is putting the statement before Śukadeva Gosvāmī. Adhuneha mahā-bhāga yathaiva narakān naraḥ: "My dear sir, you have described about the hellish condition of the suffering persons. Now kindly give me any enlightenment how they can be delivered."

Lecture on SB 6.1.6 -- Nellore, January 5, 1976:

Means anyone who is engaged in devotional service, he is already on the Brahman platform. Therefore a devotee means he is already in the Brahman platform, or spiritual platform. So Parīkṣit Mahārāja became very anxious how this suffering humanity can be saved. Here it is said, nānā ugra yātanāt neyāt tan me vyākhyātum arhasi: "Kindly give me some enlightenment how these people can be saved from this severe type of suffering." So at the present moment in this age of Kali people are so fallen low that they do not know what is going to happen in the future. They are dismissing the whole problem by saying that there is no next life. This is very precarious condition of the modern civilization. So as there are comfortable life, we can see there are discomfortable life also. So there is understanding of pāpa and puṇya. Especially in the human form of life one should know what is pāpa and what is puṇya. The human life is responsible life.

Lecture on SB 6.1.6 -- Honolulu, May 7, 1976:

Prabhupāda: (devotees repeat) Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Canto Six, Chapter One, verse number six. (devotees repeat)

adhuneha mahā-bhāga

yathaiva narakān naraḥ

nānogra-yātanān neyāt

tan me vyākhyātum arhasi

(SB 6.1.6)

Adhuna—"just now"; mahā-bhāga—"O the most fortunate." Parīkṣit Mahārāja is addressed as mahā-bhāga. Mahā means great, and bhāga, the same bhāga from the word bhaga, bhāga. Bhagavān and bhāgyavān, mahā-bhāga—these terms are applicable to the very, very great fortunate, opulent. Actually Bhagavān, this word, is applicable to Kṛṣṇa. Therefore in the Bhagavad-gītā, you will find, whenever Kṛṣṇa is speaking, Vyāsadeva has written, śrī bhagavān uvāca. Real Bhagavān is Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam (SB 1.3.28). Everyone has got little fortune, opulence, but nobody is comparable with Kṛṣṇa. Therefore in the śāstra it is said, kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam: "Real Bhagavān is Kṛṣṇa," The supreme controller. Īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ (Bs. 5.1). But if one has got little favor of Kṛṣṇa, he is called bhāgyavān, not Bhagavān; bhāgyavān, fortunate. The word is coming from the same bhaga. I have several times explained. Bhaga means richness, bhaga means influence, bhaga means bodily strength, bhaga means knowledge, bhaga means beauty, and bhaga means renunciation. Aiśvaryasya samāgrasya vīryasya yaśasaḥ śriyaḥ (Viṣṇu Purāṇa 6.5.47). And bhaga means reputation, fame. So these are the symptoms of bhaga. So Parīkṣit Mahārāja, although nobody can be equal to Kṛṣṇa... Bhagavān means asamaurdha. Nobody is equal to Him; nobody is greater than Him. That is Bhagavān. I am fortunate, you are fortunate, but we have got many equals and many greater than. But when you reach somebody where you find nobody is equal to Him and nobody is greater than Him, that is real Bhagavān. This is a logical conclusion, who is Bhagavān. Nowadays so many rascals they write, "Bhagavān." Bhagavān. That is blasphemy. If Bhagavān likes, such persons should be punished. But Bhagavān excuses. That is another thing. So Bhagavān is Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam (SB 1.3.28). Nobody should try to become equal to Him. That is not possible.

Lecture on SB 6.1.6 -- Honolulu, May 7, 1976:

Prabhupāda: So narakāt naraḥ. We should always remember that if we commit some sinful activities there is punishment. That has been described in the previous chapter, Fifth Canto. Therefore Parīkṣit Mahārāja... That is Vaiṣṇava. Parīkṣit Mahārāja is Vaiṣṇava. He is very unhappy that so many living entities, they are rotting in this naraka, hellish condition of life. So he is asking,

adhuneha mahā-bhāga

yathaiva narakān naraḥ

nānogra-yātanān neyāt

tan me vyākhyātum arhasi

"I am very sorry that so many living entities are suffering. So if there is any way to give them relief?" That is Vaiṣṇava. And avaiṣṇava sees another person is suffering; he doesn't care: "Let him suffer." We have come to that state. I heard from one of my disciples that here, in New York, if somebody is killed on the road, nobody will care. Is it a fact?

Devotee: Yes.

Lecture on SB 6.1.6-8 -- New York, July 21, 1971:

Prabhupāda: (chants maṅgalācaraṇa) So today I shall speak to you about glorification of the holy name of God. This was discussed between Mahārāja Parīkṣit and Śukadeva Gosvāmī in connection with one brāhmaṇa who was very much fallen and addicted to all kinds of sinful activities, but he was saved simply by chanting the holy name. So this is from the Sixth Canto of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. (SB 6.1.6)

In the Fifth Canto of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, the universal planetary system have been very nicely explained, and within the planetary system there is some planet, some planetary system which are called hellish planet. Actually in every scripture, not only in Bhāgavata, in other religious scripture, the description of hell and heaven are there, some way or other. So in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam you'll find where are those hellish planets, how it is distant from this planet. Just like modern astronomy, they have got calculation, how far the moon planet is there from here, what is the distance, what is the distance between earthly planet, the sun planet. Similarly, there are hellish planets also. Just like... We have got practical experience. Even on this planet, there are different conditions of atmosphere. Western countries, nearing the North Pole, the climate is different from India because it is near the equator. As there are differences of atmosphere and condition of life within this planet, similarly, there are particular planets also, the condition of life, atmosphere and everything different.

So after hearing all these descriptions of hellish planets... As there are heavenly planets, there are hellish planets also. So Parīkṣit Mahārāja inquiring from Śukadeva Gosvāmī,

adhuneha mahā-bhāga

yathaiva narakān naraḥ

nānā ugra yātanān neyāt

tan me vyākhyātum arhasi

(SB 6.1.6)

"Sir, I have heard from you about many hellish planetary description, and the men who are very much sinful, they are put into those planets." But Parīkṣit Mahārāja is a Vaiṣṇava. Vaiṣṇava is always feeling for others' distress. That is Vaiṣṇava. (aside:) Don't make this sound. (indistinct) Vaiṣṇava—para-duḥkha-duḥkhī. They're very much afflicted with others', I mean to say, miserable life. Just like Lord Jesus Christ, he presented himself as very much afflicted with others' miserable condition of life. So all the Vaiṣṇavas, devotees... It doesn't matter which country he belongs to or which sect he belongs to. Anyone who is God-conscious or Kṛṣṇa conscious... Therefore to blaspheme a Vaiṣṇava, a preacher of God's glory, is great offense. Kṛṣṇa, or God, will never tolerate offense on the lotus feet of a Vaiṣṇava. So here Parīkṣit Mahārāja is asking... Because he's a Vaiṣṇava. Mind that. A Vaiṣṇava is actually feeling... Para-duḥkha-duḥkhī kṛpāmbudhi. These are the adjectives of the qualifications. (aside:) Sit down. Kṛpāmbudhi means ocean of mercy, kṛpāmbudhi. And para-duḥkha-duhkhī. Vāñchā-kalpa-taru. Vāñchā-kalpa-taru means everyone has got desires, but Vaiṣṇava can fulfill all desires. Kalpa-taru. Kalpa-taru means desire tree. There is a tree which is called desire tree. Here, in this material world, you get a fruit, a particular type of fruit, from a particular type of tree. But in Kṛṣṇa-loka or Vaikuṇṭha planets, all the trees, because they're spiritual, so you can get anything you like from any tree. That is described in the Brahma-saṁhitā, cintāmaṇi-prakara-sadmasu kalpa-vṛkṣa (Bs. 5.29). Kalpa-vṛkṣa means desire tree.

Lecture on SB 6.1.6-8 -- New York, July 21, 1971:

So they were busy, nānā-śāstra-vicāraṇaika. They were consulting many authoritative scriptures, how to put people in the right religious way of life. Nānā-śāstra-vicāraṇaika, sad-dharma-saṁsthāpakau. Why? Lokānāṁ hita-kāriṇau, actually for doing welfare activities to the people in general, not for themselves. A Vaiṣṇava is liberated, and he can keep himself liberated always, anywhere, any place, without any hindrance, simply by chanting this Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma... So... But still they are very much anxious for the conditioned souls. (break) Similarly, here also, Parīkṣit Mahārāja says that "Śukadeva Gosvāmī, you have described about the different types of hellish condition of life. Now, how they can be delivered? Kindly explain." Adhuneha mahā-bhāga yathaiva narakān naraḥ. Nara means human beings. "Those who are fallen, how they can be delivered?" Narakān naraḥ nānā ugra-yātanān neyāt. Ugra yātanān, very, I mean to say, fierceful miseries, yātanān. Yātanān, pains, horrible pains. Ugra. Ugra means horrible, very strong pain, painful life. "How they can be delivered?" Nānā ugra-yātanān, tan me vyākhyātum arhasi: "If you kindly explain how they can be delivered?" That is Vaiṣṇava heart. "Never mind. Some way or other, they have fallen down to this condition, this hellish condition of life, but that does not mean that they should remain in that condition of life. There must be some ways and means by which they can be delivered. So if you kindly explain that."

Lecture on SB 6.1.6-15 -- San Francisco, September 12, 1968:

So Mahārāja Parīkṣit asks,

adhuneha mahā-bhāga

yathaiva narakān naraḥ

nānogra-yātanān neyāt

tan me vyākhyātum arhasi

(SB 6.1.6)

"Please explain to me how one can become free from this hellish condition of life." We are not only living very unhappy while we are in life; after death there are so many miserable conditions, hellish conditions, transmigration of the soul from one body to another. That is also very miserable condition. And to remain in the body of a dog or hog, that sort of degradation is also there. And again to come even in the human body, in the womb of the mother, that is also very miserable condition. Now this child, the small child, he's protesting that "I'm not in comfortable condition. Mother, take me in this way." So mother is trying to satisfy him. So always, always. That thing has to be understood, that so long we are in this material world, the miseries will continue. So a very intelligent question, that "How one can get out of this miserable life?"

Lecture on SB 6.1.7 -- Honolulu, June 15, 1975, Sunday Feast Lecture:

Prabhupāda: Anyway, so Parīkṣit Mahārāja asked that "How these people can be delivered from this hellish condition of life?" That was his question to Śukadeva Gosvāmī. He asked,

adhuneha mahā-bhāga

yathaiva narakān naraḥ

nānogra-yātanān neyāt

tan me vyākhyātum arhasi

"I have heard you, my dear sir." Śukadeva Gosvāmī is the guru of Parīkṣit Mahārāja. So he became very much anxious, "Oh, so many people are suffering in the hellish condition?" So he immediately asked his spiritual master, "Kindly let me know how these living entities who are suffering in this way can be saved, can be delivered from the severe pain of hellish condition of life." This was his question. So the answer is given that,

na ced ihaivāpacitiṁ yathāṁhasaḥ

kṛtasya kuryān mana-ukta-pāṇibhiḥ

dhruvaṁ sa vai pretya narakān upaiti

ye kīrtitā me bhavatas tigma-yātanāḥ

"My dear Parīkṣit, if, before the end of the life..." We are committing so many sinful activities. We are committing so many sinful activities. Just like in the Western countries they are killing so many birds and beasts, especially cows, thousands and thousands. They are all becoming implicated. You have no right. Even Christ said, "Thou shalt not kill." (aside, to someone fiddling with tape recorder:) What is that business? Stop it. Who is making this "kut, kut"?

Devotee: This tape recorder.