Category:Srimad-Bhagavatam, Canto 04 Chapter 08 Purports - Dhruva Maharaja Leaves Home for the Forest
Pages in category "Srimad-Bhagavatam, Canto 04 Chapter 08 Purports - Dhruva Maharaja Leaves Home for the Forest"
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A
- A devotee engaged in service to the Lord is not disappointed in the satisfaction of his senses. If he wants to satisfy his senses, Krsna fulfills that desire
- A devotee is never envious of other living entities
- A devotee should always consider that Krsna does not appear as an ordinary human being or ordinary beast; His appearance as Varaha-murti or a horse or tortoise is an exhibition of His internal potency
- A lotus flower is also an insignia in the hand of Lord Visnu as well as in the hand of the goddess of fortune. The worshipers of the goddess of fortune and Lord Visnu together are certainly very opulent in all respects, even in material life
- A person who always concentrates on the transcendental form of Krsna within his heart can very easily strike the whole world with wonder at his activities. This is the perfection of yoga performance, as confirmed in Bhagavad-gita
- A person who goes to the Supreme Personality of Godhead for material gain is gradually purified in association with the Supreme Lord. Thus he becomes free from all material desires and is elevated to the platform of spiritual life
- A section of the population, especially male, did not marry at all. Instead of allowing their semen to be driven downwards, they used to lift the semen up to the brain. They are called urdhva-retasah, those who lift up
- A spiritual master is expert in giving special instructions to each of his disciples, and if the disciple executes the order of the spiritual master, that is the way of his perfection
- Above all these (karmis, jnanis and yogis) are the devotees, who simply engage in the transcendental loving service of the Lord; they are situated seriously on the topmost platform of ecstasy
- Above the karmis are the jnanis, who are trying to become liberated from material entanglement. Yogis are still more advanced because they meditate on the lotus feet of the Supreme Personality of Godhead
- According to her (Suruci), first of all he had to die, then take his next body in her womb, and only then would it be possible for Dhruva Maharaja to ascend the throne of his father
- According to his (Dhruva Maharaja's) stepmother, he could not be declared king. Dhruva Maharaja's determination, therefore, was to become king of a planet exalted even beyond that possessed by Lord Brahma, the greatest of all the demigods
- According to Manu-smrti, one should never desert his wife and children
- According to the statement of Narada Muni, Madhuvana, which is still existing in the Vrndavana area, in the district of Mathura, is a most sacred place. Many saintly persons still live there and engage in the devotional service of the Lord
- According to the Vedic system, the samskara, or the reformatory system, is maintained very rigidly. If one fails to observe the reformatory measures current in the family, one is immediately degraded to a lower standard of life
- According to this verse (SB 4.8.78) and other Vedic literatures, such as Bhagavad-gita, the resting place of Brahman is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, just as the resting place of the sunshine is the sun globe
- According to Vaisnava philosophy, the spiritual master occupies the post of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, or in other words he is the bona fide representative of the Supreme Lord
- Adharma, Irreligion, was also a son of Brahma, and he married his sister Mrsa. This is the beginning of sex life between brother and sister. This unnatural combination of sex life can be possible in human society only where there is Adharma, or Irreligion
- After understanding the strong determination of Dhruva Maharaja, Narada came to help him
- All the demigods were afraid of being totally vanquished by suffocation, but the Personality of Godhead assured them that Dhruva Maharaja was a great devotee of the Lord and was not about to annihilate everyone in the universe
- All these descendants are described as signs of devastation (descendants of Irreligion and Falsity). If a person is pious & hears about these causes of devastation, he will feel hatred for all these, and that will cause his advancement in a life of piety
- Although a pure devotee does not seek benedictions from the Supreme Lord for material advancement, it is stated in Bhagavad-gita that pious persons go to the Lord even for material benedictions
- Although as a father the King was affectionate toward his son, he minimized his affection for Dhruva Maharaja because he was too much addicted to the second wife. Now he was repenting that both Dhruva and his mother, Suniti, were practically banished
- Although not a brahmana but a ksatriya, Dhruva was allowed, on the authority of Narada, to pronounce the pranava omkara. This is very significant
- An advanced devotee like Narada Muni who is engaged in preaching work can serve the Supreme Lord anywhere. Sometimes he even goes to the hellish planets
- An intelligent person never goes to demigods to pray for anything. He goes directly to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is the cause of all benediction
- Another meaning of prabhu is master of the senses, just like the word svami
- Another significant phrase here (in SB 4..8.1) is naite grhan hy avasan, "they did not live at home
- Another significant word is suduskaram, very difficult to perform. What was the task that Dhruva Maharaja undertook? The most difficult task in life is to satisfy the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and Dhruva Maharaja would be able to do that
- Anyone who engages in devotional service, anywhere within this universe, is never unprotected
- Anyone who takes to the worship of the Supreme Lord automatically receives the blessings of the goddess of fortune
- As far as liberation is concerned, any devotee fully engaged in the service of the Lord is already liberated; therefore there is no separate necessity for his liberation
- As far as our ISKCON movement is concerned, we simply ask that one observe the four prohibitive rules, chant sixteen rounds and, instead of indulging in luxurious eating for the tongue, simply accept prasada offered to the Lord
- As Lord Sri Krsna has said in Bhagavad-gita, performance of ritualistic ceremonies is not actually religion. The real path of religion is to surrender at the lotus feet of the Lord
- As meditation on any form of the Lord is valuable, so is chanting of different names of the Lord, such as Hari, Govinda and Narayana
- As meditation on any form of the Lord is valuable, so is chanting of different names of the Lord, such as Hari, Govinda and Narayana. But in this age we are especially advised to chant the Hare Krsna mantra as enunciated in the sastra
- As soon as one chants the Hare Krsna mantra, he sees the forms of Krsna, Rama and Their energies, and that is the perfect stage of trance
- As soon as one places the Supreme Personality of Godhead within one's heart, everything becomes easy and successful
- As soon as they (the American boys) enter the Krsna consciousness movement being started in America, they are trained to meet the brahminical qualifications, even though they have fallen to the lowest conditions as sudras
- Astanga-yoga is not a bodily gymnastic exercise, but a practice to concentrate the mind on the form of Visnu
B
- Because of Dhruva Maharaja's controlling his breathing, the entire universal breathing process was choked
- Because of Dhruva Maharaja's determination, Krsna, the Supersoul, immediately sent His representative, Narada, to initiate him
- Because the demigods are all materialistically conditioned souls, although they are situated in very exalted positions, their benedictions cannot be permanent. permanent benediction is spiritual benediction, since a spirit soul is eternal
- Before sitting on his asana, which is also described in Bhagavad-gita, one has to cleanse himself very nicely in clear or sacred water thrice daily
- Before speaking of these pious descendants, Maitreya has already described the descendants of impious activities, representing anger, envy, unpalatable speech, quarrel, fear and death
- Both mother (Queen Suniti) and son (Dhruva Maharaja) decided to take shelter of the lotus feet of the Lord because that is the only solution to all material problems
- Both Narada Muni and Suniti, the mother of Dhruva Maharaja, advised Dhruva Maharaja to worship the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Now, Narada Muni is especially giving him directions how this worship of the Supreme Person can very quickly fructify
- Both Suniti and Narada Muni knew that the demand of Dhruva Maharaja was impossible for any demigod to fulfill, and therefore both of them recommended following the process of devotional service to Lord Krsna
- Both the mother and the son were lamenting Dhruva Maharaja's having been insulted by his stepmother and his father's not having taken any step on this issue. But mere lamentation is useless - one should find out the means to mitigate one's lamentation
- Brahma is the plenary expansion of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and Svayambhuva Manu was the direct son of Brahma
- Brahman is the resort of the mahat-tattva, which includes all material and spiritual entities. It is described in this connection that the Supreme Brahman, the Personality of Godhead, is the master of both pradhana and purusa
- By associating constantly with the Supreme Personality in his heart, Dhruva Maharaja naturally became equal to the greatest, Brahman, by His association, and thus became the heaviest, and the entire universe trembled
- By chanting the Hare Krsna mantra one immediately concentrates on the sound vibration and thinks of the lotus feet of the Lord, and very quickly one is elevated to the position of samadhi, or trance
- By hearing the activities of pious Dhruva, one can enhance one's faith in God and can directly connect with the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and thus one can very soon be elevated to the transcendental platform of devotional service
- By Lord Caitanya's mercy we have been given all concessions possible for this age, so at least we should always remember that neglect of our prescribed duties in devotional service will not make us successful in the mission we have undertaken
- By nagna-matrka logic one would think that because his mother in her childhood was naked, she should remain naked even when she is grown up. The stepmother of Dhruva Maharaja might have been thinking in a similar way
- By pleasing the Supreme Personality of Godhead, one pleases everyone, just as by watering the root of a tree one satisfies every branch, twig and leaf of the tree
- By virtue of the laghima-siddhi, or purificatory process to become lighter than the lightest, the inhabitants of Siddhaloka can fly in the sky without airplanes or airships
D
- Desa-kala to mean according to time and country. In the Western countries there is no River Yamuna or Ganges - water from such sacred rivers is not available. Does this mean that the arca worship should for that reason be stopped?
- Devotees are free from all problems because they are fully surrendered unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead
- Devotional service comprises nine prescribed practices - hearing, chanting, remembering, worshiping, serving, offering everything to the Deity, etc
- Devotional service is so potent that one who renders devotional service can receive whatever he likes as a benediction from the Supreme Personality of Godhead
- Dhruva did not accept the instruction given by the great saint Narada because he thought himself unfit for such instruction, which prohibited all material desires
- Dhruva frankly admitted that he was lacking in brahminical humility and was therefore unable to accept the philosophy of Narada Muni
- Dhruva Maharaja expressed his gladness that he had met such an exalted person as Narada, whose only concern was to illuminate the world, like the sun, which rotates all over the universe only for the purpose of benefiting the inhabitants of all planets
- Dhruva Maharaja felt fully assured that Narada Muni could fulfill his desire, even though the desire was very extraordinary
- Dhruva Maharaja frankly admitted that he was not beyond the affliction of material distress and happiness. He was confident that the instruction given by Narada was valuable, yet he could not accept it
- Dhruva Maharaja gave this example to Narada Muni. He said that his heart, having been pierced by the arrows of his stepmother's harsh words, felt so broken that nothing seemed valuable but his desire to counteract her insult
- Dhruva Maharaja had already been instructed how to practice the eightfold yoga system, which is known as astanga-yoga. This system is explained in our Bhagavad-gita As It Is, in the chapter entitled, "Dhyana-yoga
- Dhruva Maharaja indirectly informed the great sage Narada that there are four kinds of human spirit - the brahminical spirit, the ksatriya spirit, the vaisya spirit and the sudra spirit. The spirit of one caste is not applicable to the members of another
- Dhruva Maharaja is advised not only to meditate on the form of the Lord, but to think of His transcendental pastimes in His different incarnations
- Dhruva Maharaja is also described here as prabhu because he is an acarya of the Vaisnava school
- Dhruva Maharaja is an acarya, and by undergoing severe austerities and penances he teaches us how one should execute devotional service. We must carefully know the process of Dhruva Maharaja's service
- Dhruva Maharaja left his father's capital city to go to a secluded place to search out the Supreme Personality of Godhead
- Dhruva Maharaja wanted a position greater than that of Brahma. This was practically an impossible proposition, but by pleasing the Supreme Personality of Godhead a devotee can achieve even the impossible
- Dhruva Maharaja wanted to occupy an exalted position not by hook or by crook, but by honest means
- Dhruva Maharaja was advised to worship a form made of earth and water because in the jungle, if it is not possible to have a form made of metal, wood or stone, the best process is to take earth mixed with water and make a form of the Lord and worship Him
- Dhruva Maharaja was advised to worship the Lord with the fruits and flowers available in the forest
- Dhruva Maharaja was born a ksatriya. He at once admitted before Narada Muni that as a ksatriya he was unable to accept Narada's instruction of renunciation and mental equilibrium, which are the concern of a brahmana
- Dhruva Maharaja was seeking material opulences, and his mother advised rightly that even for material opulences it is better to worship not the demigods but the Supreme Lord
- Dhruva Maharaja was so absorbed in meditation on the thought of the Supreme Personality of Godhead that He Himself, the universal consciousness, was attracted to Dhruva
- Dhruva Maharaja was sorry to refuse the instruction of Narada Muni; therefore he requested him to be merciful to him by showing a path by which he could fulfill his mind's desires
- Dhruva Maharaja was strongly determined to fulfill his desire, and it was for that purpose that he had left his home and palace
- Dhruva Maharaja was worshiping on the bank of the Yamuna. The Yamuna and the Ganges are sacred, and sometimes devotees in India insist that the Deity must be worshiped with water of the Ganges or Yamuna
- Dhruva Maharaja went to the forest, and since his mother was being neglected by the King, she was therefore almost banished also
- Dhruva Maharaja's affectionate father thought his young boy, only five years old, to be in a very precarious position in the jungle, but Narada Muni assured him, You do not have sufficient information about the influence of your son
- Dhruva Maharaja's closing the holes of his personal body and thereby closing the breathing holes of the total universe clearly indicates that a devotee, by his personal DS, can influence all the people of the whole world to become devotees of the Lord
- Dhruva Maharaja's demand was to achieve an abode even greater than Lord Brahma's
- Dhruva Maharaja's influence, attained by executing devotional service unto the Lord, was felt even by the demigods, who had never before experienced such a situation
- Dhruva Maharaja, although a young child, expressed his hope that he might be offered the benediction of a kingdom which would exceed in opulence those of his father and grandfather
- Dhruva Maharaja, because of his spiritual advancement, became almost the total heaviness, and thus he pressed down the whole earth. Moreover, by such spiritual power his unit body became the total body of the universe
- Dhruva Maharaja, having already been trained in the ksatriya spirit, would not accept the brahminical philosophy
- Dhruva Maharaja, however, accepted such fruits (of Kapittha flower which is known in Indian vernacular as kayeta), not for luxurious feasting but just to keep his body and soul together
- Dhruva Maharaja, however, was a child, and so his demand was also that of a playful child. Still, the great sage (Narada Muni) became compassionate toward him, and for his welfare he spoke the following verses
- Dhruva Mahārāja is advised that if he has no desire for sense gratification, then he should directly engage himself in the transcendental loving service of the Lord. The path of apavarga, or liberation, begins from the stage called moksa
E
- Even if one cannot arrange to worship the forms of the Lord with all recommended paraphernalia, one can simply think about the form of the Lord and mentally offer everything recommended in the sastras
- Even if one has many material desires to fulfill, he should take to Krsna consciousness and worship the Supreme Lord Krsna, who is so merciful that He fulfills everyone's desires
- Even the highly placed demigods worship the goddess of fortune, but the goddess of fortune, Maha-Laksmi herself, is always seeking the pleasure of the Supreme Personality of Godhead
- Every devotee, therefore, should be determined that in this life he will be able to satisfy the Supreme Personality of Godhead and by that process go back home, back to Godhead. That is the perfection of the highest mission of life
- Everyone has to surrender to someone superior. That is always the nature of our living condition. At the present moment we are trying to surrender to someone - either to society or to our nation, family, state or government
- Everyone who is intelligent should know that because of our concept of bodily existence, we are subjected to suffering and enjoyment
- Everything was created by Brahma in the beginning
F
- Foolish persons say that no matter whom one worships one will get the same result, but actually that is not a fact
- For a devotee, everything in the world is very pleasing because he knows how to use everything in the transcendental loving service of the Lord
- For a sincere person devotional service is very easy. But for one who is not determined and sincere, this process is very difficult
- For now there are actually no brahmanas or ksatriyas but only some vaisyas and, for the most part, sudras
- For one who is actually surrendered to the lotus feet of the Lord, there is no question of any separate endeavor for economic development
- For persons who are still inclined to enjoy material life in different stages or on different planets, the stage of liberation in bhakti-yoga is not recommended
- For this specific vimukti liberation, Narada Muni recommends that one directly engage himself in devotional service
G
- Generally when we find someone more qualified than ourselves, we become envious of him; when we find someone less qualified, we deride him; and when we find someone equal we become very proud of our activities
- Generally, a thoroughly trained person takes to spiritual perfection at the end of his life. According to the Vedic system, therefore, life is divided into four stages
- Generally, people think that childhood is meant for enjoying life by engaging oneself in sports and play, youth is meant for enjoying the company of young girls, and when one becomes old, at the time of death, then he may try to execute devotional service
- Grha means "home" as well as "wife." In fact, "home" means wife; "home" does not mean a room or a house. One who lives with a wife lives at home, otherwise a sannyasi or brahmacari, even though he may live in a room or in a house, does not live at home
H
- He (Dhruva Maharaja) frankly admitted that his heart was full of material desires. He was very much affected by the cruel words of his stepmother, whereas those who are spiritually advanced do not care about anyone's condemnation or adoration
- He (Dhruva Maharaja) frankly stated that he wanted a kingdom which had no competitor within the three worlds, namely the higher, middle and lower planetary systems
- He (Dhruva Maharaja) pointed out that Narada travels all over the universe just for the purpose of doing good to all conditioned souls. He requested that Narada Muni show his mercy by awarding him the benefit of his particular desire
- He (Dhruva Maharaja) should have known that honor and dishonor are both destined only by one's previous actions; therefore one should not be sorry or happy under any circumstance
- He (Dhruva Maharaja) wanted to take advantage of Narada Muni's presence because he knew very well that if Narada Muni, the greatest devotee of Lord Krsna, could bless him or show him the path
- He (Dhruva Maharaja) was a great devotee. Such a person is never to be neglected, yet the King (Uttanapada) was obliged to banish him. Now he was very sorry
- He (Jiva Gosvami) says that the Supreme Personality of Godhead is the origin of Brahman, for since He comprises everything material and spiritual, there cannot be anything greater than He
- He (Krsna) asked Arjuna to fight. In the same way, Narada Muni asked Dhruva Maharaja to undergo devotional discipline in order to achieve the desired result
- He (Krsna) helps from within as stated in Bhagavad-gita, and He sends the spiritual master, who helps from without. The spiritual master is the external manifestation of the caitya-guru, or the spiritual master sitting in everyone's heart
- He (Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu) recommends that every Indian, considering this task to be para-upakara, or welfare activity, take the Lord's message to other residents of the world
- He (Narada Muni) is himself an authority, and he is able to go to Vaikunthaloka and see the Lord personally; therefore his description of the bodily features of the Lord is not imagination
- He (The devotee) should not be anxious to have very palatable dishes. Of course, wherever it is possible, one should offer the Deities the best foodstuffs, prepared within the category of fruits and vegetables, cooked or uncooked
- He (the great sage Maitreya) is next relating the history of the life of Dhruva Maharaja, the most pious king within this universe
- He (the Supreme Personality of Godhead) has entered not only the universes, but even the atom
- Hellish conditions do not affect Narada Muni because he is engaged in greatly responsible activities in devotional service
- Here (to God) the surrendering process is voluntary, and the Lord is worthy to accept the surrender. This surrender by the living entity occurs automatically as soon as he sees the beautiful youthful nature of the Lord
- Here in this verse (SB 4.8.47) the word purusam is very significant. The Lord is never female. He is always male (purusa). Therefore the impersonalist who imagines the Lord's form as that of a woman is mistaken
- Here one word, sangatatma, is misinterpreted by the Mayavadi philosophers, who say that the self of Dhruva Maharaja became one with the Supreme Self, the Personality of Godhead
- His (Dhruva Maharaja's) stepmother had said that because he was born from the womb of Suniti, a neglected queen of Maharaja Uttanapada, Dhruva Maharaja was not fit to sit either on the throne or on his father's lap
- His father, Uttanapada, was the emperor of the entire world, and his grandfather, Lord Brahma, was the creator of the universe. Dhruva Maharaja expressed his desire to possess a kingdom better than those of his father and grandfather
- How can one live in the forest and not be taken care of by anyone? But the answer, given by a great authority, Narada Muni, is that such persons are well protected by the Supreme Personality of Godhead
- How was it possible for Dhruva Maharaja to capture Brahman within his heart? This question has been very nicely answered by Jiva Gosvami
I
- If a person accepts the Vaisnava mantra or Vaisnava way of worshiping the Deity, he is allowed to chant the pranava mantra
- If anyone wants even material happiness, he can worship the Supreme Lord without deviation, and persons who are desirous of liberation can also worship the Supreme Lord and achieve their goal of life
- If he (Dhruva Maharaja) were so developed as to understand honor and insult, then this understanding should have been applied in his own life
- If Krsna offered him (Dhruva Maharaja) such a position, then he would accept it. That is the nature of a devotee. He may desire material gain, but he accepts it only if Krsna offers it
- If Narada Muni, the greatest devotee of Lord Krsna, could bless him or show him the path, then he would be able to occupy a more exalted position than any person within the three worlds. Thus he wanted help from Naradaji to achieve that position
- If one can attract the Supreme Personality of Godhead, one naturally attracts the whole universe because Krsna is the supreme cause of the universe
- If one can lift the semen up to the brain one's memory is enabled to act very swiftly, and the duration of life is increased. Yogis can thus perform all kinds of austerity with steadiness and be elevated to the highest perfectional stage
- If one goes on chanting the holy names of the Lord, which are not different from the Supreme Personality of Godhead, naturally his mind becomes absorbed in thought of the Lord
- If one takes shelter of Vrndavana under Vrndavanesvari, Srimati Radharani, certainly all the problems of his life are solved very easily
- If one understands the philosophy that as a living spirit soul he has an affinity for neither suffering nor enjoyment, then he is considered to be a liberated person
- If one wants to be happy within this material world, he may aspire to go to the different material planetary systems where there is a higher standard of sense gratification, but real moksa, or liberation, is performed without any such desire
- If paraphernalia is not present physically, one can think of the items and offer them to the Deity by chanting the mantra. Such are the liberal and potent facilities in the process of devotional service
- If someone does go and preach, taking all risks and allowing all considerations for time and place, it might be that there are changes in the manner of worship, but that is not at all faulty according to sastra
- If the brahminical, ksatriya or vaisya culture is maintained in a family, naturally the sons and grandsons inherit the spirit of the particular class
- If there is only one pure devotee in pure Krsna consciousness, he can change the total consciousness of the world into Krsna consciousness. This is not very difficult to understand if we study the behavior of Dhruva Maharaja
- If we do not follow even the liberal instructions of Lord Caitanya, how can we expect to discharge our regular duties in devotional service? It is not possible in this age to follow Dhruva Maharaja in his austerity, but the principles must be followed
- If we simply surrender unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead, we shall get out of the clutches of this material existence
- Impersonal meditation is a bogus invention of modern days
- In a case where the wife and children are disobedient and do not follow the principles of home life, they are sometimes given up. But in the case of Dhruva Maharaja this was not applicable because Dhruva was very mannerly and obedient
- In America we have practical experience of this incompatibility of the brahminical and ksatriya temperaments
- In Bhagavad-gita it is also said that benedictions received from the demigods are all temporary and are meant for the less intelligent
- In Bhagavad-gita it is said that persons who are actually advanced in spiritual life do not care for the dual behavior of this material world
- In Bhagavad-gita the Lord personally accepts that anyone, even one of a low species, can be elevated to the highest position and go back home, back to Godhead, simply if he worships properly
- In Bhagavad-gita, when meditation is recommended, the word mat-parah, which means "pertaining to Me," is used. Any Visnu form pertains to Lord Krsna because Lord Krsna is the original Visnu form
- In India, the caste brahmanas object greatly when persons from other castes, who are not born in brahmana families, recite this pranava mantra
- In none of the Vedic literatures is impersonal meditation recommended
- In order to please the demigods, He (the Supreme Lord) wanted to go Himself to Dhruva Maharaja to stop him from this severe austerity
- In ordinary consciousness a king's son may be refused something even by his father, but when the same person becomes fully Krsna conscious within his heart, he can push down the earth with the pressure of his toe
- In the beginning of creation Brahma created not only saintly sons like Sanaka, Sanatana and Narada but also demonic offspring like Nirrti, Adharma, Dambha and Falsity
- In the beginning, one becomes a brahmacari, a student who studies Vedic knowledge under the authoritative guidance of a spiritual master. He then becomes a householder and executes household duties according to the Vedic process
- In the Bhagavad-gita also the Supreme Godhead says, I am the resting place of Brahman
- In the Bhagavad-gita it is clearly said that He (Krsna) appears by His own internal potency for the protection of the devotees and the annihilation of the nondevotees
- In the Bhagavad-gita Krsna frankly says that He accepts vegetables, fruits, flowers, etc. One should not offer Lord Vasudeva anything other than what is prescribed herein by the great authority Narada Muni
- In the case of Dhruva Maharaja, the ksatriya spirit was so strong that he could not tolerate a slight insult from his stepmother which injured his ksatriya prestige
- In the material world no one is worthy to accept anyone's surrender, nor does anyone fully surrender to anyone else unless obliged to do so
- In the Vedas it is said that the living entity is always uncontaminated and unaffected by material association. The living entity gets different types of material bodies because of his previous fruitive actions
- In the Vedic hymns also the Supreme Brahman is described as antah-pravistah sasta. This indicates that the Supreme Personality of Godhead is controlling everything and entering into everything
- In the Western countries, while engaged in propagating the Krsna consciousness movement, we were brought great unhappiness because we could not find tulasi leaves
- In this verse (SB 4.8.44) the entire yoga system is described in summary, and special stress is given to the breathing exercises for stopping the disturbing mind
- In this verse (SB 4.8.55) the word salilaih means by the water
- In this verse (SB 4.8.61) the word vimuktaye, for liberation, is especially mentioned
- In this verse (SB 4.8.78) the particular word brahma is very significant. Brahman refers to one who not only is the greatest, but has the potency to expand to an unlimited extent
- In those twelve forests (in the area of Vrndavana) there are different ghatas, or bathing places. They are listed as follows: (1) Avimukta, (2) Adhirudha, (3) Guhya-tirtha, (4) Prayaga-tirtha, (5) Kanakhala
- In those twelve forests (in the area of Vrndavana) there are different ghatas, or bathing places. They are listed as follows: (10) Rsi-tirtha, (11) Moksa-tirtha, (12) Budha-tirtha, (13) Gokarna, (14) Krsnaganga, (15) Vaikuntha, (16) Asi-kunda
- In those twelve forests (in the area of Vrndavana) there are different ghatas, or bathing places. They are listed as follows: (20) Kubja-kupa, (21) Ranga-sthala, (22) Mancha-sthala, (23) Mallayuddha-sthana, and (24) Dasasvamedha
- In those twelve forests (in the area of Vrndavana) there are different ghatas, or bathing places. They are listed as follows: (6) Tinduka-tirtha, (7) Surya-tirtha, (8) Vatasvami, (9) Dhruva-ghata
- Indirectly, the words of Suruci were a benediction for Dhruva Maharaja, for because of the influence of his stepmother's words, he became a great devotee
- Instead of being attached to the circumstantial happiness and distress resulting from pious or impious activities, if we want to get out of the clutches of this nescience, then whatever position we are put in by the will of the Lord we should accept
- Instead of being envious of a more qualified man, one should be jolly to receive him
- Instead of being oppressive to a less qualified man, one should be compassionate toward him just to raise him to the proper standard
- It is by the will of the SPG that material entities cannot breathe whereas spiritual entities are able to breathe; material entities are products of the Lord's external energy, whereas spiritual entities are products of the Lord's internal energy
- It is especially stressed here that the opulence of Manu was due to his undeviating faithfulness in the transcendental service of the Lord
- It is essential for a devotee to worship the form of the Lord and not only meditate upon the form of the Lord within his mind with the chanting of the mantra given by the spiritual master. The worship of the form must be present
- It is here recommended to Dhruva Maharaja that he meditate on the supreme guru, or supreme spiritual master. The supreme spiritual master is Krsna, who is therefore known as caitya-guru. This refers to the Supersoul
- It is hinted herein (SB 4.8.53) by Narada to Dhruva Maharaja that by meditating upon the transcendental form of the Lord and at the same time chanting the mantra one becomes so perfect within seven days that he can see the human beings who fly in the sky
- It is necessary to reestablish the brahminical qualifications in order to raise the fallen human society to the highest standard of spiritual consciousness
- It is not a fact, however, that those who have material desires are prohibited from worshiping the Supreme Personality of Godhead. This is the essential instruction from the life of Dhruva
- It is not that one can meditate or concentrate on an impersonal objective. To try to do so is simply a waste of time, for it is unnecessarily troublesome, as explained in Bhagavad-gita
- It is our duty to follow in the footsteps of Dhruva Maharaja, for he was very determined. We should also be determined to finish our duties in executing devotional service in this life; we should not wait for another life to finish our job
- It is our duty to remember always that in comparison to Dhruva Maharaja we are insignificant. We cannot do anything like what Dhruva Maharaja did for self-realization because we are absolutely incompetent to execute such service
- It is remarked by the Lord Himself that those who are attached to this impersonal feature of the Lord suffer a very troublesome task because no one can concentrate on the impersonal feature
- It is said by authoritative sources that any mantra chanted without having been received from the disciplic succession has no efficacy
- It is said that the heart or mind is just like an earthen pot; once broken, it cannot be repaired by any means
- It is said that these two kings, Uttanapada and Priyavrata, were specifically empowered by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, unlike the great King Rsabha, who was the Supreme Personality of Godhead Himself
- It is the duty of the spiritual master to test the disciple to see how seriously he desires to execute devotional service. Then he may be initiated
- It is the instruction of Prahlada Maharaja also that if one is seeking peace of mind he should free himself from all contamination of family life and take shelter of the Supreme Godhead by going to the forest
- It is understood that in astanga-yoga one practices settling the mind and then concentrating it on the form of Lord Visnu
K
- Kapittha is a flower which is known in Indian vernacular as kayeta. We do not find an English equivalent for the name of this flower, but its fruit is generally not accepted by human beings; it is eaten by monkeys in the forest
- King Uttanapada's feeling was understood by Suruci, and therefore with great pride she began to speak about the King's affection for her. This is the nature of woman
- Krsna appears as Varaha-avatara in an expansive feature which cannot be compared to an ordinary hog's. His appearance and disappearance are inconceivable to us
- Krsna is so kind to His devotees that if you (Dhruva Maharaja) go to Him, then the combined kindness of millions of mothers like me (Queen Suniti) will be surpassed by His affectionate and tender dealings
- Krsna was similarly present before Arjuna, and even though He could have given him all facilities for victory over the opposing party without a fight, He did not do so
- Krsna, being the controller of both the prakrtis (para prakrti and apara prakrti), is thus the master of pradhana and purusa
L
- Liberation is meant for persons who have lost all interest in religious ritualistic ceremonies, economic development and sense gratification
- Lord Brahma is a powerful expansion of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Although Brahma is jiva-tattva, he is empowered by the Lord, and therefore he is considered a plenary expansion of the Supreme Godhead
- Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu has condemned the Mayavadis as offensive to the Supreme Personality of Godhead because of their thinking that the Lord and the conditioned living entities are one and the same
- Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu is bhagavata-dharma, and He especially recommends krsna-katha, or the cult of Bhagavad-gita and Srimad-Bhagavatam
- Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu recommends that His name should be heard in every nook and corner of the world. How is this possible unless one preaches everywhere?
- Lord Krsna in His Narayana feature is always four handed. On the Battlefield of Kuruksetra, when Arjuna wanted to see His universal form, He showed this feature of four-handed Narayana
- Lord Krsna states in Bhagavad-gita, vyapasritya: one should accept a spiritual master. By this process the entire world can be converted to Krsna consciousness
- Lord Sri Krsna says that He lives wherever His devotees are chanting the glories of His transcendental activities
M
- Maitreya is now explaining about the progeny of the sons of Brahma (SB 4.8.1). Out of the many sons of Brahma, the brahmacari sons headed by Sanaka&Narada did not marry at all & therefore there is no question of narrating the history of their descendants
- Malam means: contamination
- Man proposes, God disposes. Suniti, the mother of Dhruva Maharaja, agreed with her co-wife's advice that Dhruva engage himself in the worship of the Supreme Personality of Godhead
- Many persons, especially the Mayavadi philosophers, consider Brahman the biggest, all-expanding substance
- Material desire arises when one wants to satisfy one's personal senses
- Material existence consists of pious and impious fruitive activities. As long as one is engaged in any kind of activity other than devotional service, it will result in the happiness and distress of this material world
- Material opulences are controlled by the Supreme Personality of Godhead through His different potencies and specifically the goddess of fortune. Therefore, those who are after material opulences seek the pleasure or mercy of the goddess of fortune
- Mayavadi philosophers say that we have to imagine the form of the Lord, but here Narada Muni does not say that. Rather, he gives the description of the Lord from authoritative sources
- Mayavadi philosophers take the incarnation of the Lord to be in the same category as the ordinary living entity. This is a great mistake
- Meditation means thinking of the Lord within. Whether one comes to that stage by the astanga-yoga system or by the method recommended in the sastras especially for this present age
- Meditation should be carried on with the chanting of a mantra. Chanting of the Hare Krsna mantra is the easiest process of meditation in this age
N
- Narada advises Dhruva to meditate on the pastimes of the Lord, which is as good as the meditation of concentrating one's mind on the form of the Lord
- Narada Muni advised that even for religiosity, economic development, sense gratification or liberation, one should approach the SPG, offer prayers and ask for the fulfillment of one's desire at the lotus feet of the Lord. That is real intelligence
- Narada Muni did not inquire from the King about his liberation, but only regarding the state management, which is meant for advancement of the three principles religiosity, economic development and sense gratification
- Narada Muni has described Dhruva Maharaja as prabhu. This word is applicable to the Supreme Personality of Godhead
- Narada Muni has especially stressed the devotional service of the Lord as the only way. In other words, even if one is full of material desires, he can continue his devotional service to the Lord, and all his desires will be fulfilled
- Narada Muni is referred to here (in SB 4.8.40) as bhagavan because he can bless any person just as the Supreme Personality of Godhead can
- Narada Muni recommends that Dhruva Maharaja go to the bank of the Yamuna, where there is a forest of the name Madhuvana, and begin his meditation and worship there
- Narada Muni therefore advised Dhruva Maharaja to take shelter of Vasudeva, Lord Krsna, and engage himself in the way that his mother had advised, for that would help him fulfill his desire
- Narada Muni travels all over the universe for the sole purpose of performing the best welfare activity for the entire universe by teaching everyone how to become a devotee of the Supreme Personality of Godhead
- Narada Muni uses the word japah, which indicates that the mantra to be chanted is very confidential. One may ask, "If it is confidential, why is it mentioned in the writing of Srimad-Bhagavatam?"
- Narada Muni was very pleased with Dhruva Maharaja, & he could have at once personally given whatever he wanted, but that is not the duty of the spiritual master. His duty is to engage the disciple in proper devotional service as prescribed in the sastras
- Narada Muni, therefore, instructed Dhruva Maharaja to go to the bank of the Yamuna and thus become externally purified. This is part of the gradual process of practicing mystic yoga
- Narada Rsi first of all wanted to impress upon Dhruva Maharaja that he was only a child; he should not have been affected by words of insult or honor
- No one is barred from worshiping the Supreme Personality of Godhead, even if one has many material desires
- Not only must one chant, but he should also offer whatever foodstuff is available in his part of the world, according to time and convenience
- Not only must one receive the mantra from the bona fide spiritual master like Narada Muni or his representative in the disciplic succession, but one must chant the mantra
O
- Om namo bhagavate vasudevaya is known as the dvadasaksara-mantra. This mantra is chanted by Vaisnava devotees, and it begins with pranava, or omkara
- One can meditate upon offering and chant the twelve-syllable mantra, om namo bhagavate vasudevaya. Since the mantra and the SPG are nondifferent, one can worship the form of the Lord with the mantra in the absence of physical paraphernalia
- One can practice concentration upon the Lord until one is so fixed that he remains in trance, thinking always of the form of the Lord
- One can simply think about the form of the Lord and mentally offer everything recommended in the sastras, including flowers, candana pulp, conchshell, umbrella, fan and camara
- One cannot argue, How is it that Dhruva Maharaja, who was prevented from getting up on the lap of his father, could press down the whole earth?" This argument is not very much appreciated by the learned, for it is an example of nagna-matrka logic
- One cannot offer to the Deity according to one's whims; since these fruits and vegetables are available anywhere in the universe, we should observe this small point very attentively
- One has to concentrate on the form of the Lord, which is described here (in SB 4.8.45) in connection with Dhruva Maharaja's meditation. Dhruva Maharaja perfected this kind of meditation, and his yoga was successful
- One has to consider the particular time, country and conveniences. What is convenient in India may not be convenient in the Western countries
- One may receive a published mantra anywhere, but unless it is accepted through the chain of disciplic succession, the mantra does not act
- One should accept the mantra through a bona fide spiritual master and hear the mantra in the right ear. Not only should one chant or murmur the mantra, but in front of him he must have the Deity, or physical form of the Lord
- One should also have compassion for the people in general, who are suffering due to forgetfulness of Krsna. These important functions will make one happy within this material world
- One should not artificially try to see the form of the Lord while chanting Hare Krsna, but when the chanting is performed offenselessly the Lord will automatically reveal Himself to the view of the chanter
- One should not manufacture a way of meditation on the Supreme Personality of Godhead, but should follow the authorized sastras and personalities
- One should not mistake the appearance of the Lord as a human being or a beast to be the same as the birth of an ordinary conditioned soul, who is forced to appear by the laws of nature, whether as an animal, as a human being or as a demigod
- One should not mistake the appearance of the Lord as a human being or a beast to be the same as the birth of an ordinary conditioned soul, who is forced to appear by the laws of nature. This kind of thinking is offensive
- One should take initiation from a bona fide spiritual master coming in the disciplic succession, who is authorized by his predecessor spiritual master. This is called diksa-vidhana
- One who diverts his mind to worshiping many demigods to obtain material happiness is considered bereft of intelligence
- One who is a devotee especially accepts all reverses as gifts of the Supreme Lord
- One who is in the transcendental position, beyond the concept of bodily life, is considered to be intelligent
- One who is ready to sacrifice anything to satisfy the Supreme Personality of Godhead can be said to have spiritual desire
- One who practices in this way (meditating on God) cannot deviate from the service of the Lord, and that makes him perfect in the mission of human life
- Only persons who are completely free from the contamination of sense gratification can execute bhakti-yoga, or the process of devotional service, very purely
- Only persons who have lost their intelligence go to worship the demigods
- Only with the sanction of the SPG can the demigods offer benedictions. Therefore, whenever any sacrifice is offered to a demigod, the Supreme Lord in the form of narayana-sila, or salagrama-sila, is put forward to observe the sacrifice
- Ordinarily if a child is rebuked as a rascal or fool, he smiles and does not take such insulting words very seriously. Similarly, if words of honor are offered, he does not appreciate them
- Ordinary yogis can exhibit wonderful material activities, known as asta-siddhi, eight kinds of yogic perfection, but a pure devotee of the Lord can surpass these perfections by performing activities which can make the whole universe tremble
- Other residents of the world does not refer only to those who are exactly like the Indian brahmanas and ksatriyas, or like the caste brahmanas, who claim to be brahmanas because they were born in the families of brahmanas
- Other source refers to worship of the demigods
- Our Indian friends, puffed up with concocted notions, criticize, "This has not been done. That has not been done." But they forget this instruction of Narada Muni to Dhruva Maharaja. One has to consider the particular time, country and conveniences
- Our Krsna consciousness movement is going on throughout the entire world, and we also install Deities in different centers
P
- Piety refers to the process of cleansing the heart. As recommended by Lord Caitanya, one has to cleanse the dust from the mirror of the mind, and then advancement on the path of liberation begins. Here (in SB 4.8.5) also the same process is recommended
- Places of pilgrimage yield a special advantage for a devotee in quickly advancing his spiritual life. Lord Krsna lives everywhere, but still it is very easy to approach Him in holy places of pilgrimage because these places are inhabited by great sages
- Pradhana means subtle matter, such as ether. Purusa means the spiritual spark living entities who are entangled in that subtle material existence. These may also be described as para prakrti and apara prakrti, as stated in Bhagavad-gita
- Priyavrata was the first son of Svayambhuva Manu, and Uttanapada was the second, but the great sage Maitreya immediately began to speak of Dhruva Maharaja, the son of Uttanapada, because Maitreya was very eager to describe pious activities
Q
- Queen Suniti advised her son that the Supreme Personality of Godhead is known as bhrtya-vatsala, which indicates that He is very kind to His devotees
- Queen Suniti also stressed that the process of approaching the Supreme Personality of Godhead is not easy, but is sought after by great sages who are very advanced in spiritual realization
- Queen Suniti indicated by her instruction that Dhruva Maharaja was only a small child, five years old, and it was not possible for him to purify himself by the way of karma-kanda
- Queen Suruci very proudly informed Dhruva Maharaja that to be the King's son was not the qualification for sitting on the lap or throne of the King. Rather, this privilege was dependent on one's having taken birth from her womb
R
- Regarding Narada, it is understood that because his previous life was very pious and his association very good, he was born as Narada. Others were also born in their own capacities, according to their backgrounds
- Repentant over his (King Uttanapada) neglect of both Suniti and her son, he was morose, and his face appeared withered
S
- Salilaih refers to any water - whatever is available - but it must be very clear and collected purely. That water can be used
- Sanatana Gosvami explains that as bell metal can turn to gold when mixed with mercury in a chemical process, so, by the bona fide diksa, or initiation method, anyone can become a Vaisnava
- Saranagati, or surrender, means acceptance or firm belief that wherever the surrendered soul lives he is always protected by the Supreme Personality of Godhead; he is never alone or unprotected
- Semen is meant to be discharged when one has a home, a wife and the intention to beget children, otherwise there is no injunction for discharging semen
- Semen is so important that if, by the yogic process, one can lift the semen up to the brain, he can perform wonderful work
- She (Queen Suniti) advised him (Dhruva Maharaja) not to accept worship of the demigods or any other process, but simply to take to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and the result would be all perfection
- She (Queen Suniti) said, You came to me crying, having been insulted by your stepmother, but I am unable to do any good for you
- She (Queen Suruci) indirectly informed Dhruva Maharaja that although he happened to be born of the King, he was considered an illegitimate son because of his birth from the womb of the other queen
- She (Suruci) must have been very surprised when she learned that Dhruva Maharaja, by concentrating constantly on the SPG within his heart, could press down the entire earth, like an elephant who presses down the boat on which it is loaded
- Since she (the stepmother of Dhruva Maharaja) had refused to allow him to get up on the lap of his father, how could Dhruva perform such wonderful activities as pressing down the whole earth
- Since the great sage Narada is the foremost spiritual master, naturally his only activity is to bestow the greatest benefit upon whomever he meets
- Since the Krsna consciousness movement is open for everyone, people in general can attain the brahminical qualifications. This is the greatest need at the present moment
- Since the Supreme Brahman was situated in the heart of Dhruva Maharaja, he became heavier than the heaviest, and therefore everything trembled in all three worlds and in the spiritual world
- Since the Supreme Personality of Godhead is the master of both the material and spiritual worlds, it is better to approach Him in all problematic situations. Those who are devotees, therefore, have no problems in this material world
- Since those who engage in such activities (religiosity, economic development and sense gratification) are not interested in liberation, Narada did not inquire from the King about this
- Some devotees are of the opinion that Krsna is an incarnation of Narayana, but the Bhagavata school says that Narayana is a manifestation of Krsna
- Sometimes he even goes to the hellish planets. Hellish conditions do not affect Narada Muni because he is engaged in greatly responsible activities in devotional service
- Sometimes it happens that when there is no suitable living being to be empowered to act as Brahma, the Supreme Lord Himself appears as Brahma
- Sometimes someone tries to meditate upon the impersonal Brahman, which is described in Bhagavad-gita as avyakta, meaning unmanifested" or impersonal
- Sometimes the spiritual master is addressed as Prabhupada. Prabhu means the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and pada means post
- Sometimes we give instructions to our students about the bodily features of the Lord, and they paint Him. Their paintings are not imaginary. The description is given through disciplic succession, just like that given by Narada Muni
- Sometimes when we hear that great sages and devotees go to the forest and engage themselves in devotional service or meditation, we become surprised: how can one live in the forest and not be taken care of by anyone
- Sri Narada Muni, the supreme spiritual master, is testing Dhruva Maharaja to see how determined he is to prosecute devotional service. This is the process of accepting a disciple
- Srila Jiva Gosvami, therefore, says that since the transcendental form of the Lord is the seed of all greatness, He is the Supreme Brahman
- Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti also advises that if we want to be successful in our attempt to go back to Godhead, we must very seriously act according to the instruction of the spiritual master. That is the way of perfection
- Such critics (who criticize the activities of the ISKCON) cannot do anything personally to spread Krsna consciousness
- Such descriptions (of Lord's bodily features given by Narada Muni) should be accepted, and if they are painted, that is not imaginative painting
- Suniti cited the example of Lord Brahma, who was Dhruva Maharaja's great-grandfather. Although Lord Brahma is also a living being, by his penance and austerity he acquired the exalted position of creator of this universe by the mercy of the Supreme Lord
- Suniti pointed out herewith that the benediction received from the Supreme Personality of Godhead and that received from the demigods are not on an equal level
- Suniti told her son (Dhruva) that he should not seek the mercy of the demigods, but should directly approach the Supreme Personality of Godhead to mitigate his misery
- Suniti's position was like that (like a burnt leaf in a forest fire). Although her face was as beautiful as a lotus flower, it dried up because of the burning fire caused by the harsh words of her co-wife
- Suniti, the mother of Dhruva, was a farseeing woman, and therefore she advised her son to worship the Supreme Lord and no one else
- Suruci was so envious of Dhruva Maharaja that she indirectly asked him to change his body
T
- The activities on the path of apavarga up to the stages of dharma, artha and kama are meant for sense gratification
- The American boys, who have simply been trained as sudras, are not at all fit to fight in battle. Therefore, when they are called to join the military, they refuse because they do not have ksatriya spirit
- The arcana-marga, or the devotional path prescribed in the Pancaratra system of devotional service for worshiping the Deity in the temple, makes the devotee think constantly of the Lord; that is samadhi, or trance
- The benedictions offered by the demigods are all temporary. Therefore Narada Muni asked Dhruva Maharaja to follow the path recommended by his mother - to worship Krsna, Vasudeva. When Krsna offers anything, it is beyond the expectation of the devotee
- The body needs food, but a devotee should not accept foodstuff to satisfy the tongue in sense gratification. It is recommended in Bhagavad-gita that one should accept as much food as necessary to keep the body fit, but one should not eat for luxury
- The brahmanas are considered the head, the ksatriyas are the arms, the vaisyas are the belly, and the sudras are the legs. At the present moment the body has legs and a belly, but there are no arms or head, and therefore society is topsy-turvy
- The chanter has to concentrate on hearing the vibration, and without extra endeavor on his part, the Lord will automatically appear
- The classification of society into brahmanas, ksatriyas, vaisyas and sudras is very scientific
- The conditioned soul accepts a particular type of body, such as the body of a hog, by his work & by the superior authority of material nature. But when Lord Krsna appears in the incarnation of a boar, He is not the same kind of hog as an ordinary animal
- The conditioned soul is forced to accept a particular type of body according to his karma given by the laws of material nature under the direction of the Supreme Lord
- The conditioned souls are very much attached to the material world, and thus by performing religious rites they want the material benefits known as dharma and artha
- The creation takes place on the basis of goodness, but devastation takes place because of irreligion. That is the way of material creation and devastation. Here it is stated that the cause of devastation is Adharma, or Irreligion
- The demigods approached the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is the controller of both kinds of entities (material entities and spiritual entities), in order to know why their breathing was choked
- The demigods cannot give any benediction without the sanction of the Supreme Lord. Narada Muni, therefore, advised that even for religiosity, economic development, sense gratification or liberation, one should approach the Supreme Personality of Godhead
- The descendants of Irreligion and Falsity, born one after another, are Bluffing, Cheating, Greed, Cunning, Anger, Envy, Quarrel, Harsh Speech, Death, Fear, Severe Pain and Hell
- The description given by Narada Muni (in SB 4.8.46) is not imaginary
- The devotee should be regulated; that is one of the good qualifications of a devotee. He should not hanker to satisfy the tongue with a particular kind of foodstuff. He should be satisfied to eat whatever prasada is available by the grace of the Lord
- The devotee should not be anxious about cooking food; whatever is available in the forest or in the city among the fruit and vegetable groups should be offered to the Deity, and the devotee should be satisfied eating that
- The distinction was pointed out by Queen Suruci, who informed him that since he was a child he did not understand the distinction between the two queens. This is another statement of Queen Suruci's pride
- The example of Dhruva Maharaja's austerities can immediately generate a feeling of devotional service in the hearts of the hearers
- The example of the sun is very significant. The sun is so kind that he distributes his sunshine everywhere, without consideration. Dhruva Maharaja requested Narada Muni to be merciful to him
- The feminine feature of the Lord is displayed by goddesses of fortune - Laksmi, Radharani, Sita, etc. All these goddesses of fortune are servitors of the Lord; they are not the Supreme, as falsely imagined by the impersonalis
- The form of the Lord is understood by the parampara system
- The four stages of advancement of human civilization are religiosity, economic development, sense gratification and, for some, the stage of liberation
- The great sage Maitreya is now going to explain about the descendants of this Manu (in SB 4.8.6), all of whom are widely celebrated for their pious activities
- The great sage Maitreya wanted to describe the pious activities of the kings
- The great sage Narada has come to Dhruva under the direction of the Supreme Personality of Godhead just to initiate him, yet he is testing Dhruva's determination to execute the process
- The great sage Narada instructed Dhruva Maharaja that one should be satisfied in all circumstances
- The great sage Narada is instructing Dhruva Maharaja just to test him. Actually, the direct order is that from any point of life one should begin rendering devotional service
- The great sage Narada therefore advised that a devotee should act perfectly
- The greatest personality within this universe is Lord Brahma, and Dhruva Maharaja wanted a position even greater than his
- The harsh words used by Suruci to her stepson were true because unless one is favored by the Supreme Personality of Godhead one cannot achieve any success in life
- The householder becomes a vanaprastha, and gradually, when he is mature, he renounces household life and vanaprastha life also and takes to sannyasa, completely devoting himself to devotional service
- The impersonalist takes unnecessary trouble to meditate upon or worship something impersonal, and the path is very precarious. We are not advised to follow the impersonalist way of meditating on or worshiping the Lord
- The incarnation of the Supreme Personality of Godhead is not forced to act by the material laws of nature
- The incidents in the life of Dhruva Maharaja are very attractive for devotees. From his pious actions, one can learn how one can detach himself from material possessions and how one can enhance one's devotional service by severe austerities and penances
- The inhabitants of Siddhaloka are by nature perfect in the yoga achievements, which are of eight varieties: one can become smaller than the smallest, lighter than the lightest, or bigger than the biggest; one can immediately get whatever he likes, etc
- The inhabitants of Siddhaloka can become smaller than the smallest, lighter than the lightest, or bigger than the biggest; one can immediately get whatever he likes, one can even create a planet, etc. These are some of the yogic perfections
- The King (Uttanapada) had two wives; the first wife was Suniti, & the second was Suruci. He was too attached to the second wife, however, so he could not behave well with Dhruva Maharaja. That was the cause of Dhruva's leaving home to perform austerities
- The King (Uttanapada) said that since he was very much addicted to his wife, he had lost all his mercy. That is the result of becoming too affectionate toward women
- The King repented having banished his boy, for Dhruva was only five years old and a father should not banish his wife and children or neglect their maintenance
- The King was equally affectionate toward both his sons, Uttama and Dhruva, so he had a natural inclination to take Dhruva, as well as Uttama, on his lap. But because of his favoritism towards his queen Suruci, he could not welcome Dhruva Maharaja
- The law of karma continues birth after birth, and when there is a new creation, the same karma comes back with the living entities
- The Lord appears in female form if necessary, but His perpetual form is purusa because He is originally male
- The Lord is described herein (in SB 4.8.23) as lotus eyed - padma-palasa-locanat
- The Lord is sometimes described as siva-virinci-nutam, which means that Lord Siva and Lord Brahma also offer their respectful obeisances unto the lotus feet of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Narayana
- The Lord should be given foodstuff which is as nice as possible. But we should not make it a point to satisfy our own tongues. As far as possible we should accept simple foodstuff, just to keep the body and soul together to execute devotional service
- The mahat-tattva, or the sum total of the material creation, is to be understood to be the ultimate end of all universes, including all the living entities therein
- The Mayavadi philosophers want to prove by this word (sangatatma) that the Supersoul and the individual soul become united in this way (became one with the Supreme Self) and that after such unification the individual soul has no separate existence
- The Mayavadi philosophers' conclusion that the Supersoul and the individual soul become united is not supported
- The method of worship - chanting the mantra and preparing the forms of the Lord - is not stereotyped, nor is it exactly the same everywhere. One should take consideration of the time, place and available conveniences
- The mind, by nature, is always oscillating, for it is very fickle, but the breathing exercise is meant to control it. This process of controlling the mind might have been very possible in those days millions of years ago
- The most significant expression in this verse (SB 4.8.79) is parthivarbhakah, son of the King
- The other paraphernalia, such as flower garlands, fruits and vegetables, should be collected according to the country and according to their availability
- The philosophical spirit enunciated by Narada Muni might have been suitable for a brahmana spirit, but it was not suitable for a ksatriya
- The possibility of our attaining Krsna consciousness will be easier (if we learn to despise all the causes of devastation and make advancement in a life of piety by cleansing the heart), and we shall not be subjected to repeated devastation
- The present life is repeated birth and death, but if we seek the path of liberation, we may be saved from repeated suffering
- The principle that only Indians and Hindus should be brought into the Vaisnava cult is a mistaken idea. There should be propaganda to bring everyone to the Vaisnava cult. The Krsna consciousness movement is meant for this purpose
- The process by which we give up our thoughts of material things is called pratyahara, which entails being freed from all material thoughts and engagements
- The process of bhakti-yoga is simultaneously very difficult and very easy to perform
- The qualifications of the ksatriyas are described in Bhagavad-gita. Two important qualifications are to have a sense of prestige and not to flee from battle. It appears that the ksatriya blood within the body of Dhruva Maharaja was naturally very active
- The question may be raised how Narada overheard all these topics. The answer is that Narada is trikala-jna; he is so powerful that he can understand the past, future and present of everyone's heart, just like the Supersoul, the SPG
- The question raised here is whether or not a person afflicted by material desires is fit to worship the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The answer is that everyone is fit to worship Him
- The significance of this particular verse (SB 4.8.71) is that Dhruva Maharaja acted exactly according to the advice of his spiritual master, the great sage Narada
- The small child, Dhruva Maharaja, was naturally affectionate toward his father, and he did not know that there was a distinction between his two mothers
- The statements of Dhruva Maharaja indicate that unless a child is trained according to his tendency, there is no possibility of his developing his particular spirit
- The story of the brahmana who worshiped the Lord within his mind, as related in Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu, or The Nectar of Devotion, should be consulted in this connection - in the process of devotional service
- The success of one's life is measured by one's material happiness in this life and liberation in the next. Such success can be achieved only by the grace of the Supreme Personality of Godhead
- The Supersoul, the Personality of Godhead, wanted to stop Dhruva Maharaja from this severe austerity
- The Supreme Lord is the ultimate goal for the solution to all problems within this material world. In the spiritual world there are no problems, but the material world is always problematic
- The Supreme Personality of Godhead controls everything by entering into everything
- The Supreme Personality of Godhead is present in everyone's heart, and as soon as He understands that a living entity is serious about entering devotional service, He sends His representative. In this way Narada was sent to Dhruva Maharaja
- The supreme spiritual master is Krsna, who is therefore known as caitya-guru. This refers to the Supersoul, who is sitting in everyone's heart
- The surrendering process already exists, but it is never perfect because the person or institution unto whom we surrender is imperfect, and our surrender, having so many ulterior motives, is also imperfect
- The system of bhakti-yoga described by Queen Suniti to her son is the standard way of God realization. Everyone can continue in his constitutional occupational duties and at the same time keep the Supreme Personality of Godhead within his heart
- The system of brahmacarya has been current since the birth of Brahma
- The term anyabhilasita-sunyam (CC Madhya 19.167) means, without desire for material sense gratification
- The water of the Yamuna is naturally very clear and pure, and thus if anyone bathes there three times, undoubtedly he will be very greatly purified externally
- The word abhidhyayet, which is used in this verse (SB 4.8.44), indicates that unless one's mind is fixed, one cannot meditate
- The word niyatena is very significant in this connection, for it indicates that one should execute the meditation practice as stated above - in SB 4.8.51
- The word sveccha is used here (in SB 4.8.57) to indicate that He appears out of His supreme will
- The word used here (in SB 4.8.51) is eka-bhutena, which means with great attention and concentration. If one concentrates on the descriptions of the bodily features of the Lord, one will never fall down
- The words eka-matya mean concentrating one's mind on the Lord without deviation. This process of undeviating worship of the Supreme Lord is also expressed in Bhagavad-gita as ananya-bhak. That which is impossible to obtain from any other source
- The yogic principles of meditation are clearly explained here (in SB 4.8.77). One has to fix one's mind upon the form of the Supreme Personality of Godhead without diversion to any other objective
- There are different stages of perfection according to different persons' objectives. Generally people are karmis, for they engage in activities of sense gratification
- There are five forests on the eastern bank of the Yamuna: Bhadravana, Bilvavana, Lauhavana, Bhandiravana and Mahavana. On the western side of the bank there are seven: Madhuvana, Talavana, Kumudavana, Bahulavana, Kamyavana, Khadiravana and Vrndavana
- There are many places of pilgrimage in India, and especially prominent are Badari-narayana, Dvaraka, Ramesvara and Jagannatha puri. These sacred places are called the four dhamas. Dhama refers to a place where one can immediately contact the Supreme Lord
- There are twelve forests in the area of Vrndavana, and Madhuvana is one of them. Pilgrims from all parts of India assemble together and visit all twelve of these forests
- There are various classes of men. One class is called akamis, referring to those who have no material desire. Desire must exist, either material or spiritual
- There is an injunction that those who are not brahmanas cannot pronounce the pranava mantra
- There is no bar to propagating the Krsna consciousness movement even among people who are born in candala, mleccha or yavana families
- There need be no anxiety over attaining perfection because if one follows the instruction given by the spiritual master he is sure to attain perfection. Our only concern should be how to execute the order of the spiritual master
- These (pradhana and purusa) may also be described as para prakrti and apara prakrti, as stated in Bhagavad-gita. Krsna, being the controller of both the prakrtis, is thus the master of pradhana and purusa
- These principles (lifting the semen up to the brain instead of allowing them to be driven downwards, not living at home neither accepting a wife) were followed from the beginning of creation, and such brahmacaris never created progeny
- These symptoms (the nature of woman) are visible even in such an elevated society as the family of Svayambhuva Manu. Therefore it is concluded that the feminine nature of woman is present everywhere
- They (the brahmacaris) did not live at home means that they did not accept a wife, and so there was no question of their discharging semen
- They (the living entities) are born in different capacities according to karma even though their father is originally Brahma, who is the exalted qualitative incarnation of the Supreme Personality of Godhead
- This fixed meditation is called samadhi, or trance. A person constantly engaged in the transcendental loving service of the Lord cannot be deviated from meditating on the form of the Lord, as described herein - in SB 4.8.52
- This indication had been given to Dhruva Maharaja by his stepmother and was now confirmed by his own mother, Suniti
- This is a cause of great dissatisfaction in society.That the boys do not have the ksatriya spirit does not mean that they are trained in brahminical qualities; they are trained as sudras, and thus in frustration they are becoming hippies
- This is explained in the Caitanya-caritamrta. Guru-krsna-prasade paya bhakti-lata-bija: (CC Madhya 19.151) by the grace of the spiritual master and Krsna, one can enter into devotional service
- This is the nature of woman. If a woman understands that her husband regards her as a favorite and is especially affectionate to her, she takes undue advantage
- This narration (the Srimad-Bhagavtam) has dealt with the descendants of Lord Brahma from Manu's daughter Prasuti. Prasuti's daughter was Daksayani, or Sati, in relation to whom the story of the Daksa yajna was narrated
- This process of controlling the mind might have been very possible in those days millions of years ago when Dhruva Maharaja took to it, but at the present moment the mind has to be fixed directly on the lotus feet of the Lord by the chanting process
- This verse (SB 4.8.45) clearly explains how one has to meditate on the form of the Lord
- This was instructed by the Lord Himself to Arjuna in Bhagavad-gita: "Go on fighting, but keep Me within your mind." That should be the motto of every honest person seeking perfection in Krsna consciousness
- Those who are not actually in the line of acaryas, or who personally have no knowledge of how to act in the role of acarya, unnecessarily criticize the activities of the ISKCON movement in countries outside of India
- To become successful in any attempt, one not only has to undergo severe penances and austerities, but also must be dependent on the mercy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead
- To constantly chant the holy name of the Lord - the goal is to meditate on the Supreme Personality of Godhead
- To go to Badari-narayana one has to pass through Hardwar on the path to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Similarly, there are other holy places of pilgrimage, such as Prayaga (Allahabad) and Mathura, and the topmost of them all is Vrndavana
- To the Gaudiya Vaisnava this forest is the forest of Vrnda, or Vrndavana
- Tulasi leaves are very dear to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and devotees should take particular care to have tulasi leaves in every temple and center of worship
- Tulasi leaves are very important for satisfying the Lord, so as far as possible an arrangement should be made for growing tulasi leaves
- Tulasi leaves are very important in the method of worshiping the Supreme Personality of Godhead
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- We are very much obliged to our disciple Srimati Govinda dasi because she has taken much care to grow tulasi plants from seeds, and she has been successful by the grace of Krsna. Now tulasi plants are growing in almost every center of our movement
- We must remember that Dhruva Maharaja was not fickle; he was determined to execute his service and then come back
- We should always remember that to become a bona fide devotee of the Lord is not an easy task, but in this age, by the mercy of Lord Caitanya, it has been made very easy
- We should learn to despise all the causes of devastation, beginning from irreligion and cheating, and then we shall be able to make advancement in a life of piety
- We should not disregard the regulative principles given by our spiritual master, for they make it easier for the conditioned soul
- When a devotee is put into distress, he accepts this as God's mercy and offers Him repeated obeisances with his body, mind and intellect. An intelligent person, therefore, should be always satisfied, depending on the mercy of the Lord
- When a man is aggrieved, he feels exactly like a burnt leaf in a forest fire
- When a person is fatigued, if he sees a lotus flower all his fatigue can be immediately reduced to nil. Similarly, when an aggrieved person sees the lotus face of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, immediately all his grief is reduced
- When an iron rod is made red-hot in a fire, it is no longer iron; it is fire
- When Dhruva Maharaja closed the holes of his unit body to firmly concentrate his mind on the SPG, all the units of the universe - namely all the living entities, including the big demigods - felt the pressure of suffocation
- When Dhruva Maharaja refused to accept the brahminical instruction of Narada Muni, naturally the next question would be what sort of instruction he wanted. So even before Narada Muni asked, Dhruva Maharaja expressed his heartfelt desire
- When Dhruva Maharaja was at home, although he was a king's son, he was prevented from getting on the lap of his father
- When Dhruva Maharaja was talking with his mother, Suniti, of all the incidents that had taken place in the palace, Narada was not present
- When everyone else fails to mitigate one's misery, Krsna is able to help the devotee
- When he (Dhruva Maharaja) became advanced in self-realization, or devotional service, by the pressure of his toe he could push down the whole earth. That is the difference between ordinary consciousness and Krsna consciousness
- When hundreds of persons are sitting in an airplane, although they remain individual units, they each share in the total force of the airplane, which runs at thousands of miles per hour
- When one comes to the stage of moksa, the impersonalist liberation, the practitioner wants to merge into the existence of the Supreme. But that is also sense gratification
- When one goes above the stage of liberation, however, he at once becomes one of the associates of the Lord to render transcendental loving service. That is technically called vimukti
- When one is actually situated on the transcendental platform, he has nothing for which to lament and nothing for which to hanker
- When one meets an equal, instead of being proud of one's own activities before him, one should treat him as a friend
- When the Lord appears it is no longer a physical form
- When the Lord appears, He is not forced by the dictation of material nature; He appears as He likes by His own internal potency. That is the difference
- When unit energy is identified with the service of the total energy, the unit energy becomes as powerful as the total energy
- When we are put into suffering, it is to be understood that we are diminishing the resultant actions of our impious activities
- When we enjoy life in so-called material happiness, it is to be understood that we are diminishing the resultant actions of our pious activities
- When we make a form of the Lord - whether of wood or stone or metal or jewels or paint, or even a form within the mind - it is a bona fide, spiritual, transcendental form of the Lord
- Within this universe there is a planet called Siddhaloka
- Within this universe, Lord Brahma is supposed to be in the most exalted position, for he is the chief of all demigods, but Dhruva Maharaja wanted a realm beyond his. Therefore his desire was not to be fulfilled by worshiping any demigod