So Kṛṣṇa conscious person is neither interested in pious activities or impious activities, but one who is in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, all activities are pious, transcendental, automatically. He hasn't got to try separately. Yasyāsti bhaktir bhagavaty akiñcanā (SB 5.18.12). Anyone. Take for example nonviolence. Nonviolence is good quality. Now here, you see Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna. Arjuna is a devotee of Kṛṣṇa. Automatically he's trying to be nonviolent. "Why should I fight?" This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Because he is devotee of Kṛṣṇa, nonviolence is already his quality. People are starting vegetarian society to become vegetarian, a very uplifted society. But the persons who are in Kṛṣṇa conscious, they are already vegetarian. That means the people in the ordinary status, they are trying to acquire some good qualities, but in Kṛṣṇa conscious person you will find all the good qualities automatically. That is the difference. So Kṛṣṇa consciousness, Kṛṣṇa conscious person is not interested that this is good work or this is bad work. He is interested with Kṛṣṇa. Because his activities in Kṛṣṇa consciousness is all transcendental, better than good, śuddha-sattva, pure goodness. In the material world, the goodness, the quality of goodness is sometimes tinged with passion and ignorance. But in pure goodness, which is Kṛṣṇa consciousness, there is no tinge of passion or ignorance. Automatically everything is good. Yes.
Pure goodness (Lectures, Conv. and Letters)
Lectures
Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures
Prabhupāda: Yes. This will be the result. Tadā rajas-tamo-bhāvāḥ kāma-lobhādayaś ca ye (SB 1.2.19). They become diminished. The whole entanglement of our material life is due to our embarrassement by the qualities of ignorance and passion. So by hearing, these modes of ignorance and passion will be diminished. Then we come to the platform of goodness, and then we come to the platform of transcendental understanding. Yes.
Devotee: "When these impurities are wiped away, the candidate remains steady in his position of pure goodness and becomes enlivened by devotional service and understands the science of God perfectly. Thus bhakti-yoga severs the hard knot of material affection and one at once comes to the stage of asaṁśayaṁ samagram, understanding of the Supreme Absolute Personality of Godhead."
Prabhupāda: Asaṁśayaṁ samagram. By bhakti-yoga you can understand the Absolute Truth as He is and samagram, in full. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā. These words are used in... Asaṁśayaṁ samagraṁ māṁ yathā jñāsyasi tac chṛṇu: (BG 7.1) "You will understand Me in full and without any doubt." So one who is in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, he knows God in full and without any doubt. Then the... "Therefore only by hearing from Kṛṣṇa or from His devotees in Kṛṣṇa consciousness can one understand the science of Kṛṣṇa."
Pradyumna (reading): 'To hear about Kṛṣṇa from Vedic literatures, or to hear from Him directly through the Bhagavad-gītā, is itself righteous activity. And for one who hears about Kṛṣṇa, Lord Kṛṣṇa, who is dwelling in everyone's heart, acts as a best-wishing friend and purifies the devotee who constantly engages in hearing of Him. In this way, a devotee naturally develops his dormant transcendental knowledge. As he hears more about Kṛṣṇa from the Bhāgavatam and from the devotees, he becomes fixed in the devotional service of the Lord. By development of devotional service one becomes freed from the modes of passion and ignorance, and thus material lusts and avarice are diminished. When these impurities are wiped away, the candidate remains steady in his position of pure goodness, becomes enlivened by devotional service and understands the science of God perfectly. Thus bhakti-yoga severs the hard knot of material affection and enables one to come at once to the stage of asaṁśayaṁ samagram, understanding of the Supreme Absolute Truth Personality of Godhead.'"
Prabhupāda: This is the process. By hearing, you become pious. Those who are hearing in this meeting, even they cannot understand the words which we are discussing, he's, he's becoming purer. He's becoming... Just like one becomes purer by acting piously. So simply hearing, if one cannot understand the whole thing, he becomes pious. Puṇya-śravaṇa-kīrtanaḥ (SB 1.2.17). One who is speaking Kṛṣṇa's words, and one who is hearing Kṛṣṇa's..., both of them are becoming purified.
Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures
Therefore Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is describing the Absolute Truth in the beginning, oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. Vāsudeva means Kṛṣṇa, the son of Vasudeva. He appeared as the son of Vasudeva, but spiritually, unless one becomes on the position of vasudeva, nobody can understand Vāsudeva. Vasudeva is the name of śuddha-sattva, pure goodness. Not contaminated goodness. Here in this material world there are three types of status: goodness, passion, and ignorance. So ignorance and passion, they're simply material. The symptom of ignorance and passion is greediness and lust. Above this greediness and lust there is another platform, which is Vedānta platform—to understand everything clearly. That is called goodness.
Now pure goodness means one has to transcend even this material platform of goodness, because in the material platform of goodness there is possibility of being contaminated by the other two qualities, namely passion and ignorance. Sometimes it becomes mixed up. The material type of goodness is just like a pure brāhmaṇa—satyaṁ śamo damas titikṣā—with all the good qualities: truthfulness, controlling the senses, controlling the mind, full of knowledge, tolerance, and knowledge..., knowledge means about the Supreme. These are brahminical qualifications. But sometimes these brahminical qualifications also become contaminated by the other two qualities, passion and ignorance. It has been experienced. At the present stage also, we see that many persons who are coming to the brahminical family, but they have been contaminated by the other two qualities, passion and ignorance. So there is possibility. In the material goodness there is possibility of being attacked with the other two qualities and thereby fall down. But when you transcend the material platform of goodness and come to this transcendental platform of goodness, then you cannot fall down. That is called sattvaṁ viśuddhaṁ vasudeva-śabditam. That sattva, that existence of pure goodness, is called vasudeva. In that pure transcendental platform of goodness you can understand Vāsudeva. That means in that status of life, Vāsudeva is born... Because Vāsudeva is already there; you simply realize Him. Vāsudeva... Īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe 'rjuna tiṣṭhati (BG 18.61). Vāsudeva is already there within your heart, but you simply realize it by placing yourself in the pure consciousness, pure platform.
So real goodness means without being attacked by the other modes, passion and ignorance. That goodness is in God. Hareḥ sattva-nidheḥ. When you go to the spiritual platform, sattvaṁ viśuddham... That spiritual platform is called goodness unaffected by other qualities. Sattvaṁ viśuddham. Viśuddham means complete pure. No adulteration. So long we are in the material platform, the goodness is liable to be adulterated. Just like we purchase milk from the market or anything. There is adulteration. Although there are so many laws by the government, "You cannot adulterate, you cannot do this, you cannot...," but people, propensity is to adulterate. So you cannot get pure thing. The whole atmosphere is so polluted. Therefore here the so-called goodness also is the cause of bondage. "Now I have become a Vaiṣṇava. I have become now learned." And God is so clever that "Now you fight with this passion and ignorance, if you are so good." And he fails, falls a victim. You see? So by pure devotional service only, you can remain in pure goodness. Otherwise it will be adulterated. Pure devotional service.
What is that pure devotional service? Anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyam (Brs. 1.1.11). No material desire. Because desire is the cause. If I think... I am brahmacārī, but I am thinking of always sex or woman... They have been described in the Bhagavad-gītā as cheater. Therefore we have to think of Kṛṣṇa always. Otherwise, as soon as there is little loophole, māyā will enter immediately and make your goodness adulterated. Māṁ ca yo 'vyabhicāreṇa bhakti-yogena sevate (BG 14.26). Avyabhicāreṇa bhakti-yogena. Without any adulteration.
So ramante yogino 'nante satyānande cid-ātmani. Cit, cit means that he's full of knowledge. That is not in ignorance. This material happiness is in ignorance. And spiritual happiness is śuddha-sattva. Śuddha-sattva means pure goodness. In the material world there are three stages: ignorance, passion and goodness. The goodness platform is very nice in the material world, but there is another platform, which is called śuddha-sattva. Sattvaṁ viśuddham, viśuddhaṁ vasudeva-śabditam. That is transcendental platform, and in that platform you can understand God. God is Vāsudeva, and in the vasudeva platform... So ramante yogino 'nante satyānande cid-ātmani. That is cid-ātmani. Cit means knowledge; ātmani means self. In that platform. Iti rāma-padenāsau paraṁ brahmābhidhīyate (CC Madhya 9.29). This is the description, this is the meaning of the word rāma. Rāma, this word, comes from ramante, ram. Ram-dhātu. Ram means enjoyment. And rāma means the full of pleasure. If you contact with Rāma, or Kṛṣṇa, the absolute attractive, then you are placed in the absolute platform for eternal enjoyment.
Therefore, to practice Kṛṣṇa consciousness we have to practice other things. That is the position of sattvaṁ paramaṁ pavitram. That is called śuddha-sattva. Sattvaṁ viśuddhaṁ vāsudeva-śabditam, there is a verse. Pure goodness. Pure goodness means there is only Vasudeva. Vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti (BG 7.19). That is pure sattva, when there is no other conception, simply Vasudeva. Vasudeva is the platform. Just like Vasudeva was the father of Kṛṣṇa. When Kṛṣṇa appeared, Vasudeva was the father. So śuddha-sattva is Vasudeva. Vasudeva means there is no contamination of ignorance or passion, simply sattva-guṇa. Tato rājas tamo bhāvā kāma-lobhādayaś ca ye, ceta etair anāviddham. When your mind and consciousness will not be contaminated by the modes of ignorance and passion, that is śuddha-sattva. That is śuddha-sattva. That is spiritual platform, vasudeva. Then Vasudeva will beget Kṛṣṇa. Sattvaṁ viśuddhaṁ vasudeva-śabditam. So if we purify our existence, another Kṛṣṇa comes or Kṛṣṇa's devotees come. They come in śuddha-sattva. Sattvaṁ paramaṁ pavitram. Then naturally there is śamo damo titikṣa ārjavaṁ jñānaṁ vijñānaṁ āstikyam (BG 18.42). Naturally there is brāhmaṇa behavior. And when one becomes brāhmaṇa, pure, no material contamination, then bhakti appears, after becoming brāhmaṇa or brahma-bhūtaḥ, not material platform. Brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā (BG 18.54). In the material platform, jīva-bhūtaḥ. But in the spiritual platform, brahma-bhūtaḥ.
Therefore, to practice Kṛṣṇa consciousness we have to practice other things. That is the position of sattvaṁ paramaṁ pavitram. That is called śuddha-sattva. Sattvaṁ viśuddhaṁ vāsudeva-śabditam, there is a verse. Pure goodness. Pure goodness means there is only Vasudeva. Vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti (BG 7.19). That is pure sattva, when there is no other conception, simply Vasudeva. Vasudeva is the platform. Just like Vasudeva was the father of Kṛṣṇa. When Kṛṣṇa appeared, Vasudeva was the father. So śuddha-sattva is Vasudeva. Vasudeva means there is no contamination of ignorance or passion, simply sattva-guṇa. Tato rājas tamo bhāvā kāma-lobhādayaś ca ye, ceta etair anāviddham. When your mind and consciousness will not be contaminated by the modes of ignorance and passion, that is śuddha-sattva. That is śuddha-sattva. That is spiritual platform, vasudeva. Then Vasudeva will beget Kṛṣṇa. Sattvaṁ viśuddhaṁ vasudeva-śabditam. So if we purify our existence, another Kṛṣṇa comes or Kṛṣṇa's devotees come. They come in śuddha-sattva. Sattvaṁ paramaṁ pavitram. Then naturally there is śamo damo titikṣa ārjavaṁ jñānaṁ vijñānaṁ āstikyam (BG 18.42). Naturally there is brāhmaṇa behavior. And when one becomes brāhmaṇa, pure, no material contamination, then bhakti appears, after becoming brāhmaṇa or brahma-bhūtaḥ, not material platform. Brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā (BG 18.54). In the material platform, jīva-bhūtaḥ. But in the spiritual platform, brahma-bhūtaḥ.
Therefore, to practice Kṛṣṇa consciousness we have to practice other things. That is the position of sattvaṁ paramaṁ pavitram. That is called śuddha-sattva. Sattvaṁ viśuddhaṁ vāsudeva-śabditam, there is a verse. Pure goodness. Pure goodness means there is only Vasudeva. Vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti (BG 7.19). That is pure sattva, when there is no other conception, simply Vasudeva. Vasudeva is the platform. Just like Vasudeva was the father of Kṛṣṇa. When Kṛṣṇa appeared, Vasudeva was the father. So śuddha-sattva is Vasudeva. Vasudeva means there is no contamination of ignorance or passion, simply sattva-guṇa. Tato rājas tamo bhāvā kāma-lobhādayaś ca ye, ceta etair anāviddham. When your mind and consciousness will not be contaminated by the modes of ignorance and passion, that is śuddha-sattva. That is śuddha-sattva. That is spiritual platform, vasudeva. Then Vasudeva will beget Kṛṣṇa. Sattvaṁ viśuddhaṁ vasudeva-śabditam. So if we purify our existence, another Kṛṣṇa comes or Kṛṣṇa's devotees come. They come in śuddha-sattva. Sattvaṁ paramaṁ pavitram. Then naturally there is śamo damo titikṣa ārjavaṁ jñānaṁ vijñānaṁ āstikyam (BG 18.42). Naturally there is brāhmaṇa behavior. And when one becomes brāhmaṇa, pure, no material contamination, then bhakti appears, after becoming brāhmaṇa or brahma-bhūtaḥ, not material platform. Brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā (BG 18.54). In the material platform, jīva-bhūtaḥ. But in the spiritual platform, brahma-bhūtaḥ.
Haṁsadūta: When we learn to love Kṛṣṇa, do we transcend goodness?
Prabhupāda: Oh, yes. Goodness is very good in this material world, but that is also a bondage. If I think, "Oh, I am very learned man. I am very good man," that is also bondage. We have to go far above even goodness, which is called śuddha-sattva. Śuddha-sattva means pure goodness. Now here the sense of goodness, "I am very good," this is mixed with the quality of passion. I am feeling proud of my goodness; therefore as soon as there is pride, it is mixed up with the quality of passion. So therefore you'll find all the Vaiṣṇavas, they never think that he's very good. He thinks, "Oh, I am the lowest. I am the most fallen." Caitanya-caritāmṛta kar says, "If anyone recites my name, then all his pious activities immediately becomes vanquished." You see. This is the platform. Tṛṇād api sunīcena. Always thinking very humble and meek. That is above goodness. If I think that I am very good, that is also material. Sarvopādhi-vinirmuktam (CC Madhya 19.170). To think very poor or think very rich or think very bad or think very good, they are all material qualifications. Simply think, "I am the humble servant of the Supreme Lord." That is the, mean, unalloyed goodness. Janārdana? You can chant. And you can take khol. (end)
| Page Title: | Pure goodness (Lectures, Conv. and Letters) |
| Compiler: | Mangalavati |
| Created: | 04 of Feb, 2011 |
| Totals by Section: | BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=21, Con=7, Let=2 |
| No. of Quotes: | 30 |