Srimad-Bhagavatam, Canto 05 Chapter 01 Purports - The Activities of Maharaja Priyavrata: Difference between revisions
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Latest revision as of 20:10, 3 December 2020
Pages in category "Srimad-Bhagavatam, Canto 05 Chapter 01 Purports - The Activities of Maharaja Priyavrata"
The following 426 pages are in this category, out of 426 total.
A
- A devotee actually has no attraction for household life, but surprisingly, King Priyavrata enjoyed household life very much. One may argue, "Why is it wrong to enjoy household life?"
- A devotee always thinks of the Lord continuously. While chanting the Hare Krsna mantra, the words Krsna and Hare immediately remind him of all the Lord's activities
- A devotee knows that they (opulences) are all material, and consequently he is not at all interested in them. As stated in Bhagavad-gita, param drstva nivartate
- A devotee sometimes appears to be in a very opulent position, but he accepts that position to follow the orders of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Therefore a devotee is never affected by material influences
- A devotee who has taken shelter at the lotus feet of the Lord can also do wonderful things unimaginable to a common man, by the grace of the dust of those lotus feet. Caitanya Mahaprabhu teaches us to take shelter of the Lord's lotus feet
- A devotee who is actually advanced is not afraid of anything, provided be has the opportunity to execute the order of the Supreme. This is the proper explanation of why Priyavrata engaged in worldly affairs although he was a liberated person
- A grhastha or ksatriya cannot properly execute his responsibilities without the association of his wife
- A grhavrata, one who has taken a vow to execute family duties, has no chance to become Krsna conscious. This is because most grhavratas are guided by sense gratification and therefore gradually glide down to the darkest regions of material existence
- A liberated person - one who has completely understood that he is not the body but a spirit soul - disregards past activities performed in ignorance and performs his present activities in such a way that they produce no reactions
- A liberated person does not think about whatever he has ignorantly done in the past; instead, he acts in such a way that he will not produce another body by fruitive activities
- A maha-bhagavata, who has nothing to do with the material world, come down to the second platform of devotional service to preach the glories of the Lord all over the world
- A material body includes senses. However, the sense activities of so-called scientists who try to be free from God's law or the laws of nature are useless
- A mature student is allowed to become a householder
- A nondevotee, though fully engaged in occupational duties, does not gain anything." If one somehow or other comes to the shelter of a great Vaisnava, takes to Krsna consciousness because of sentiment or realization
- A person who is too attached to materialistic family life - home, family, wife, children and so on - cannot develop Krsna consciousness
- A significant word in this verse (SB 5.1.7) is sva-bhavanat, indicating that Lord Brahma descended from his own abode. Every demigod has his own abode
- A sincere devotee who engages in the service of Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu by preaching His cult all over the world will never be affected by visaya-taranga, material influences
- According to Jyotir Veda, the science of astronomy in the Vedic literature, the sun moves for six months on the northern side of the Sumeru Hill and for six months on the southern side
- According to Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura, there are two kinds of impediments to devotional service. The first is an offense at the lotus feet of a Vaisnava. This is called vaisnava-aparadha
- According to the Vedic system, when one accepts the renounced order, he stays outside his village in a cottage, and his necessities, especially his food, are supplied from home. This is called the kuticaka stage
- According to Viraraghava Acarya, the breadth of the first island (Jambudvipa, situated on the Bhu-mandala planetary system) is 100,000 yojanas. One yojana equals eight miles, and therefore the breadth of the first island is calculated to be 800,000 miles
- After being further trained, he (the mature student) accepts sannyasa. He is then a fully learned and renounced person who can move anywhere and everywhere without fear of being captivated by material desires
- After giving up the body, one who has acted in that way does not accept another material body, but instead goes back home, back to Godhead
- After having described the material opulences of Maharaja Priyavrata, Sukadeva Gosvami, in this verse (SB 5.1.36), describes his tendency for renunciation
- After subduing their senses, the three brothers concentrated their minds upon the lotus feet of Vasudeva, Lord Krsna. As stated in Bhagavad-gita (BG 7.19). The lotus feet of Vasudeva are everything. Lord Vasudeva is the reservoir of all living entities
- All glories to Lord Kesava, who assumed the form of a dwarf. O Lord of the universe, who takes away everything inauspicious for the devotees! O wonderful Vamanadeva! You tricked the great demon Bali Maharaja by Your steps
- All materialists, who are always in the blazing fire of material activities, may come under the shade of His (Lord Nityananda) lotus feet and be fully relieved and satiated
- All of human society is meant to worship Lord Visnu. At the present moment human society does not know that this is the ultimate goal or perfection of life
- All the dvipas, or islands (on the Bhu-mandala planetary system), are surrounded by different types of oceans, and it is said that the breadth of each ocean is the same as that of the island it surrounds
- All these authorities (Siva, Lord Brahma, Manu or Narada) are certainly very powerful, but they do not have the power to disobey the orders of the Supreme Personality of Godhead
- All these planetary systems (Bhuloka, Bhuvarloka, and Svargaloka) are controlled by Savita, the sun-god
- Almost all the Manus selected to rule the manvantaras came from the family of Maharaja Priyavrata. Three of them are particularly, namely Uttama, Tamasa and Raivata
- Although a devotee may enter family life and act very affectionately toward his wife and children, he is never attached to these activities
- Although Brahma had forced Priyavrata to accept the management of worldly affairs, thus breaking his vow to remain brahmacari and completely engage in devotional service, Narada and Priyavrata did not look upon Brahma with resentment
- Although he (the great devotee of God) has no attraction for his children, he cares for them and educates them to become devotees. Similarly, he speaks to his wife with affectionate words, but he is not attached to her
- Although Maharaja Priyavrata devised a very powerful chariot as brilliant as the sun, he had no desire to compete with the sun-god, for a Vaisnava never wants to supersede another Vaisnava
- Although Maharaja Priyavrata was already a liberated person and had no attraction for material things, he engaged himself fully in governmental affairs just to show respect to Lord Brahma. Arjuna had also acted in the same way
- Although Narada wanted Priyavrata to become free from all material affairs, when Priyavrata took charge of the universe by the request of Lord Brahma and Manu, Narada was also very pleased
- Although one cannot see how his body has changed, we must accept, on the grounds of the authoritative statements of the sastras, that he changes his body. This is to be understood without argument
- Although Priyavrata Maharaja was serving according to the instructions of Narada Muni meant for going back home, back to Godhead, he returned to material affairs at the request of his father
- Although sometimes we cannot see the gross body changing, chanting the holy name of the Supreme Lord immediately changes the subtle body, and because the subtle body changes, the living entity is immediately freed from material bondage
- An actual paramahamsa is one who completely controls his senses and engages in the unalloyed service of the Lord. All three of these sons of Priyavrata, namely Kavi, Mahavira and Savana, were situated in the paramahamsa stage from the very beginning
- An advanced devotee, who is known as a sat, or saint, can always see within his heart the Supreme Personality of Godhead, face to face. Krsna, Syamasundara, expands Himself by His plenary portion, and thus a devotee can always see Him within his heart
- An example sometimes given to explain the position of the Supreme Lord is that of the sun, which evaporates urine from the earth but is never affected by contamination. The Supreme Lord can never be accused of doing anything wrong
- An intelligent devotee in the line of Lord Brahma and the great sage Narada -- or, in other words, in the Brahma-sampradaya -- does not consider this world false
- An ordinary human being or animal who has accepted a material body cannot go beyond the jurisdiction of the Supreme Personality of Godhead's control
- Another sad-guna are the mind and five sense organs
- Another significant word is arbha-bhavat, which means "from very childhood." Another meaning is "from being very affectionate to children." In other words, paramahamsa life is dedicated for the benefit of others
- Anyone desiring to cross beyond material nescience must, by the grace of Krsna, be freed from attachment to women and money
- Arjuna had no desire to participate in political affairs or the fighting at Kuruksetra, but when ordered to do so by the Supreme Lord, Krsna, he executed those duties very nicely
- As a king in a strong fortress can conquer powerful enemies, so a householder in grhastha-asrama, household life, can conquer the lusty desires of youth and be very secure when he takes vanaprastha and sannyasa
- As bumblebees collect honey from many flowers, a little from each, so a sannyasi should beg from door to door but not accept very much food from any particular house; he should collect a little bit from every house. This is called the bahudaka stage
- As long as I am in household life," He (Caitanya) told His mother, "I must have a wife, for household life does not mean staying in a house. Real household life means living in a house with a wife
- As long as one is forgetful of his life's mission and acts like an ordinary animal - eating, sleeping, mating and defending - he must continue his conditioned life of material existence
- As long as one is in the material world, he has to be under the influence of the modes of material nature (guna-visarga). It is not that Maharaja Priyavrata was freed from material influence because he possessed all material opulences
- As Priyavrata drove his chariot behind the sun, he created seven different types of oceans and planetary systems, which altogether are known as Bhu-mandala, or Bhuloka
- As soon as Narada Muni saw the swan, he could understand that his father, Lord Brahma, who is also known as Hiranyagarbha, was arriving. He immediately stood up with Svayambhuva Manu and his son Priyavrata to receive Lord Brahma and offer him respect
- As soon as one's heart is cleansed, the blazing fire of material existence is immediately extinguished. Our hearts are meant for the pastimes of the Supreme Personality of Godhead
- As stated in Bhagavad-gita (BG 3.27), prakrteh kriyamanani gunaih karmani sarvasah. According to the modes of material nature we acquire, the material nature gives us facility for material enjoyment
- At present, politicians are very eager to take charge of the government, and they engage their men in canvassing from door to door to get votes to win the post of president or a similar exalted office
- At the end of life, one must free himself from worldly affairs and completely engage in the service of the Lord
- Atma-patam grham andha-kupam: household life is like a dark well. If one falls into this well, his spiritual death is assured. How Priyavrata Maharaja remained a liberated paramahamsa even within family life is described
B
- Because he (a mature student) was first trained in conquering his senses, he retires from household life and becomes vanaprastha as soon as the strong waves of youthful life are past and he reaches the verge of old age at fifty years or slightly more
- Because his (one's) uncontrolled mind and senses are going with him, he cannot achieve anything, even by giving up household life and staying in the forest
- Because of the material body, every living entity in material existence is always disturbed by sad-guna, six whips - hunger, thirst, lamentation, illusion, invalidity and death
- Because of their compassion for the poor fallen souls, the six Gosvamis gave up their exalted positions as ministers and took vows as mendicants
- Because ruling over this universe is a great responsibility, Brahma must force many Manus in different ages to take charge of universal affairs
- Because they (the sons of Priyavrata, namely Kavi, Mahavira and Savana) completely subdued their senses, they are understood to have been great sages and saints
- Becoming a family man or king in the material world is not harmful if one accepts everything for Krsna's service
- Before entering household life (grhastha-asrama), a student is fully trained to become jitendriya, a conqueror of the senses
- Being completely surrendered to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, we should not aspire for happiness, or regret distress; we must be satisfied with the position allotted to us by the Lord
- Bhakti means engagement of the purified senses in the service of the Lord
- Bhoktaram yajna-tapasam sarva-loka-mahesvaram: the Supreme Personality of Godhead is the supreme proprietor and enjoyer, and therefore everything should be dovetailed for His enjoyment and service
- Bilvamangala Thakura had been an advanced devotee in his previous life, but in his next life he became greatly fallen and was attached to a prostitute
- Both of these visnu-tattvas (Garbhodakasayi Visnu and Maha-Visnu) are vasudeva-tattvas, and the great sages Kavi, Mahavira and Savana concentrated always upon the lotus feet of Lord Vasudeva, Krsna
- Brahma advises Priyavrata to remain transcendental in the fortress not of family life but of the lotus feet of the Lord - abja-nabhanghri-saroja
- Brahma first looked upon Priyavrata with compassion. His smile and compassionate features also indicated that although Brahma would request Priyavrata to accept household life, Priyavrata would not be out of touch with devotional service
- Brahma first wanted to impress upon Priyavrata that although these great personalities are all authorities, they cannot possibly disobey the orders of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is described as deva, which means "always glorious
- Brahma had come to praise Priyavrata for his high standard of renunciation, austerity, penance and devotion so that he would not be deviated from devotional service, even though he would accept household life
- Brahma had not come to Priyavrata by his own whims: rather, it is understood that he had been ordered to persuade Priyavrata by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, whose activities cannot be understood by material senses and who is described as aprameya
- Brahma indicates that instead of going to the forest with uncontrolled senses, it is better and more secure to engage the senses in the service of the Lord
- Brahma returned to his residence, which is as important as his own personality. Lord Brahma is the creator of this universe and the most exalted personality within it. His lifetime is described in Bhagavad-gita - BG 8.17
- Brahma was received with the appropriate Vedic hymns, and because he was welcomed according to the Vedic etiquette, he was very pleased
- Bulls tied by ropes in their nostrils move according to the direction of the driver
- By chanting the Gayatri mantra just after rising early in the morning, one worships the sun-god
- By immediately offering obeisances (dandavat) unto the spiritual master and by strictly following his directions, the student becomes advanced. Maharaja Priyavrata was doing all these things regularly
- By material means, one cannot avoid the happiness and distress unique to his particular body. There are 8,400,000 bodily forms, each destined to enjoy and suffer a certain amount of happiness and distress
- By parama-bhakti-yoga, by elevating oneself to the highest platform of loving service, one can automatically be relieved from the bodily concept of life and see the Supreme Personality of Godhead face to face
- By rendering devotional service, a devotee acquires all the good qualities of God. Krsna had sixteen thousand wives, all of them very beautiful, and although He dealt with each of them as a beloved husband, He was not attracted or attached to any of them
- By serving the lotus feet of his spiritual master, prince Priyavrata very soon attained the perfectional stage of Krsna consciousness. This is the only way to advance in spiritual life
- By the blessings of a Vaisnava, everything is possible
- By the blessings of a Vaisnava, everything is possible. This is described in Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu as krpa-siddhi, or perfection attained simply by the blessings of a superior person
- By the order of the Lord, a perfect devotee sometimes comes to this material world like an ordinary human being. Because of his previous practice, such a perfect devotee naturally becomes attached to devotional service, apparently without cause
C
- Caksusmatandha iva niyamanah: one should follow the Lord the way a blind man follows a person who has eyes. If we follow the Supreme Personality of Godhead by following the directions He gives in the Vedas and Bhagavad-gita, our lives will be successful
- Changes of the gross body are conducted by the subtle body. After the destruction of the gross body, the subtle body takes the living entity from his present gross body to another
D
- Despite all kinds of impediments due to surrounding circumstances, he (a perfect devotee) automatically perseveres in devotional service and gradually advances until he once again becomes perfect
- Devotional service is so powerful. When a devotee achieves what he wants to accomplish, it is not by his own mystic power but by the grace of the master of mystic power
- Dhara-mandala means "planet." This earth, for instance, is called dhara-mandala. Akhila, however, means "all" or "universal
- Different classes of men are destined to live in different areas, and the boundaries of various tracts of land, which are described as islands, should be defined by different rivers, forests and hills
E
- Evam parampara praptam: one has to receive the instructions of the Supreme Lord through the disciplic chain of spiritual masters. A devotee of the Lord always considers himself a servant of the servant of the servant of the Lord - CC Madhya 13.80
- Even that satisfaction (the liberation from the anxieties of material existence) is not the ultimate satisfaction. The jnanis and the karmis have desires, as do the yogis, but devotees have no desires
- Even those who are liberated do not resent accepting, in the present body, the results of their past activities. While sleeping, one dreams many unreal things, but when he awakens he disregards them and makes progress in factual life
- Even though engaged in worldly affairs, he (the great devotee) does not take pleasure in them, but remains always absorbed in the Lord's service. While serving the Lord, he deals externally with worldly affairs without being affected
- Even though he had accepted material opulences, he could not be deviated from his own task. He again became Krsna conscious
- Even vidura-vigata, a candala - a fifth-class untouchable - is freed if he utters the holy name even once. Being freed means that he immediately changes his body. Sanatana Gosvami confirms this
- Every living entity has the constitutional position of being an eternal servant of God
- Every living entity who has come to this material world has come for material enjoyment, but according to his own karma, activities, must accept a certain type of body given to him by material nature under the order of the Supreme Personality of Godhead
- Everyone should be given the chance to hear the holy names of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, for thus one will gradually come to understand his real position in life and be elevated to the transcendental position above the mode of goodness
- Everyone should find out whether he is a brahmana, ksatriya, vaisya or sudra and should thus be educated accordingly. Then his life will be successful. Otherwise, all of human society will be confused
F
- Following the orders of his superiors (Svayambhuva and Lord Brahma), Priyavrata accepted family life, but this did not mean he lost his position in devotional service
- For a bhakta to become attached to family affairs is impossible, since a bhakta and his associates are liberated. Everyone is searching after ananda, or bliss, but in the material world there can never be any bliss
- For one who desires to advance in spiritual life, attachment to material opulence and attachment to a beautiful wife are two great impediments. Such attachments are condemned even more than suicide
- For one who has not controlled his senses, going to the forest to become a so-called yogi is meaningless
- For one who has taken shelter of the lotus feet of the Lord, everything becomes easier. Indeed, even crossing the great ocean of nescience (bhavambudhi) is exactly like crossing the hoofprint created by a calf - vatsa-padam
- For such a devotee (who has taken shelter of God), there is no question of remaining in a place where every step is dangerous
- Formerly many mercantile men from the up-country of India used to go to Bengal, and thus there is a familiar saying, "If you go to Bengal, your fortune will go with you
- From a spiritual point of view, a great kingdom, beautiful wife and wonderful material activities are all impediments to spiritual advancement
- From Bhagavad-gita we get information that Vaivasvata Manu was the son of the sun-god and that his son, Maharaja Iksvaku, ruled this planet earth
- From the description, it appears that the sun moves. According to modern astronomers, the sun is fixed in one place, surrounded by the solar system, but here we find that the sun is not stationary: it is rotating in a prescribed orbit
H
- He (Brahma) is also called bhagavan, although generally bhagavan refers to the Supreme Personality of Godhead - Visnu or Lord Krsna
- He (Brahma) is always thinking of how to improve the situation of the conditioned souls who have come to the material world to enjoy material activities. For this reason, he disseminates the Vedic knowledge throughout the universe for everyone's guidance
- He (God) gives the living entities freedom to act as they like, but on the other hand they must accept a body according to the reactions of their activities. Thus there are different types of bodies
- He (Maharaja Priyavrata) performed such wonderful acts as creating another sun, which shined during the night, and creating a chariot so great that its wheels formed vast oceans
- He was fully conscious of his position as a spirit soul, although he seemingly behaved like an acquiescent karmi husband. Maharaja Priyavrata thus ruled the universe for eleven arbudas of years
- Hiranyakasipu and Hiranyaksa were formerly Jaya and Vijaya, the gatekeepers in Vaikuntha, but by the desire of the Lord, they became His enemies for three lives
- His (Bilvamangala Thakura's) entire behavior was changed by the words of the very prostitute who had so much attracted him, and he became a great devotee
- His purpose (Maharaja Priyavrata's) was to give abundant benefits in material existence
- How can they (the grhavratas) possibly become perfect in Krsna consciousness? Maharaja Pariksit asked Sukadeva Gosvami to resolve this great doubt
- How condemned is the advancement of material knowledge can be understood from the behavior of Maharaja Priyavrata
- However beautiful one's wife and however attractive her bodily features, one is no longer interested in her when her body is dead
I
- If a person born in the family of a brahmana has the symptoms of a sudra, he should be designated as a sudra. Similarly, if a sudra has brahminical qualities, he should be designated a brahmana
- If a venomous serpent is bereft of its poison fangs, it is no longer fearful. Similarly, if the senses are engaged in the service of the Lord, there is no need to fear their activities
- If human society is divided scientifically according to varna and asrama, and if the Vedic directions are followed, one's life, regardless of his position, will be successful
- If Maharaja Priyavrata could condemn himself in spite of his wonderful activities, how condemned we are in our so-called advancement of material civilization
- If men want to live in harmony and peace, they must take to Krsna consciousness, for they cannot achieve the highest standard while absorbed in the bodily concept of life
- If one falls down, his progress might be checked for a certain time, but it will again become manifest at an opportune moment
- If one has unflinching faith in the Supreme Lord and the spiritual master, the essence of all Vedic knowledge is revealed to him. (Svetasvatara Upanisad 6.23)
- If one is completely trained in the principles of brahmacarya, he generally does not enter household life. He is then called a naisthika-brahmacari, which indicates total celibacy
- If the Vedic injunctions are followed, all of them - brahmanas, ksatriyas, vaisyas and sudras - will be elevated to the transcendental platform, and their lives will be successful
- If we believe that Brahman is the real truth, we have to place within our hearts the lotus feet of Sri Krsna, as Maharaja Ambarisa did
- If we do not live according to the injunctions of the sastras, the Vedas, we shall never achieve success in life, to say nothing of happiness or elevation to higher statuses of living
- If we move according to the instructions of the Vedas, the perfect paths for our lives will be set. Otherwise, if we do not move in that way but act according to our whimsical ideas, our lives will be spoiled by confusion and will end in despair
- In Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu it is said that by executing devotional service to the Lord, one can understand the transcendental position of the living being and the Supreme Personality of Godhead
- In course of time (he who comes to the shelter of a great Vaisnava) falls down because of immature understanding, he is not actually fallen, for his having engaged in Krsna consciousness is a permanent asset
- In daiva-varnasrama there cannot be acknowledgement of social status according to birthright because in Bhagavad-gita it is said that the determining considerations are guna and karma, one's qualities and work
- In due course of time he (the sincere devotee) will return to the shelter of the lotus feet of Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and will thus have perpetual association with Him
- In due course of time his (Priyavrata Maharaja's) consciousness for serving Krsna reawakened by the grace of his spiritual master, Narada
- In every day of Brahma there are fourteen manvantaras. The duration of one manvantara, the lifespan of one Manu, is seventy-one yugas, and each yuga is 4,320,000 years
- In household life one becomes bound by the results of fruitive activities
- In regard to strictly following the regulative principles, Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura says; dandavat-pranamas tan anupatitah
- In Satyaloka, which is situated many millions and billions of years away, there is no lamentation, nor is there old age, death, anxiety or the influence of enemies
- In Srimad-Bhagavatam (SB 1.5.17) it is said: "One who has forsaken his material occupations to engage in the devotional service of the Lord may sometimes fall down while in an immature stage, yet there is no danger of his being unsuccessful
- In the Brhad-aranyaka Upanisad, Yajnavalkya says to Gargi, the daughter of Garga Muni: "Even the sun, the moon and other controllers and demigods like Lord Brahma and King Indra are all under His (the Supreme Personality of Godhead's) control"
- In the Brhad-aranyaka Upanisad, Yajnavalkya says to Gargi, the daughter of Garga Muni: "My dear Gargi, everything is under the control of the Supreme Personality of Godhead"
- In the Fourth Canto, Srila Sukadeva Gosvami explains that Narada Muni perfectly instructed King Priyavrata about the mission of human life. The mission of human life is to realize one's self and then gradually to go back home, back to Godhead
- In the Gayatri mantra, we chant, om bhur bhuvah svah tat savitur varenyam. Above the Bhuloka planetary system is Bhuvarloka, and above that is Svargaloka, the heavenly planetary system
- In the lives of exalted devotees, there are many such instances, proving that once one has taken to the shelter of the lotus feet of the Lord, he cannot be lost
- In the subtle body, the mind is predominant, and therefore if one's mind is always absorbed in remembering the activities or the lotus feet of the Lord, he is to be understood to have already changed his present body and become purified
- In the varnasrama-dharma system, certain classes, such as the brahmanas and sannyasis, do not need encouragement from the opposite sex. Ksatriyas and grhasthas, however, actually need the encouragement of their wives in order to execute their duties
- In this material world, both the very poor man and the very rich man are under material influences, for both wealth and poverty are creations of the modes of material nature
- In this verse (SB 5.1.29) iva has twice been used to indicate that Maharaja Priyavrata acted exactly like a henpecked husband and thereby seemed to have lost his sense of human responsibility
- Indra, the King of the demigods, has his own abode, as do Candra, the lord of the moon planet, and Surya, the predominating deity of the sun planet. There are many millions of demigods, and the stars and planets are their respective homes
- Instead of looking upon Brahma with resentment, they (Narada & Priyavrata) very feelingly offered him their respect
- Instead of worshiping Lord Visnu, people have been educated to worship matter. According to the direction of modern society, men think they can advance in civilization by manipulating matter to build skyscrapers, big roads, automobiles and so on
- It is best to accept the injunctions of the Vedas, which are mentioned as yad-vaci. In accordance with those injunctions, everyone should find out whether he is a brahmana, ksatriya, vaisya or sudra and should thus be educated accordingly
- It is difficult to understand where Maharaja Priyavrata was situated, but from this literature his position certainly appears greater than that of Vaivasvata Manu, for he was entrusted with all the planetary systems of the entire universe
- It is irrefutable that a candala, or any fallen or lowborn person, can become a brahmana simply by the method of bona fide initiation
- It is not a fact that the Supreme Personality of Godhead gives direction to certain living entities in one way and other living entities in another way
- It is not that brahmanas will be elevated to the transcendental platform but not the sudras
- It is only possible in devotional service. Attachment for family affairs and devotional service are incompatible. Pariksit was somewhat surprised to hear that Maharaja Priyavrata was simultaneously attached to devotional service and to family life
- It is this daiva-varnasrama that should be established all over the world to continue a perfect society for Krsna consciousness. This may be astonishing to foolish critics, but it is one of the functions of a Krsna conscious society
- It was a source of great wonder that Priyavrata Maharaja, who had followed the path of renunciation, had now accepted the path of enjoyment
J
- Just as a father sacrifices many things out of affection for his son, great saintly persons sacrifice all kinds of bodily comforts for the benefit of human society. In this connection there is a verse concerning the six Gosvamis
- Just as an ordinary man always engages his mind in material activities, a devotee always engages his mind in spiritual activities. This is called brahma-satra, or meditating upon the Supreme Lord always
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- King Pariksit was thus astonished that the great King Priyavrata, although trained in the principles of naisthika-brahmacarya, entered household life
- King Pariksit wondered how a person so attached to wife, children and home could become so perfectly Krsna conscious
- Krsna consciousness is perfect and eternal, and it cannot be lost under any circumstances. Because the material world is full of obstructions to advancement in Krsna consciousness, there may appear to be many impediments
- Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, declares in Bhagavad-gita (BG 9.31), kaunteya pratijanihi na me bhaktah pranasyati: once one has taken shelter at the lotus feet of the Lord, he cannot be lost
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- Lord Brahma advised Priyavrata, "Be situated in your original position as an eternal servant of the Lord. If you carry out His orders, you will never fall, even in the midst of material enjoyment
- Lord Brahma did not come alone. He came with other great sages like Marici, Atreya and Vasistha
- Lord Brahma first advised Priyavrata to hear his words with attention and without envy
- Lord Brahma is called bhagavan because he is the secondary creator of this universe
- Lord Brahma then returned to his celestial abode, known as Satyaloka, which is described here as being impeccable and being unapproachable by words
- Lord Brahma was accompanied by other demigods, but his specific carrier was the great swan
- Lord Brahma was following the orders of the Supreme Lord, and it would be worthwhile for Priyavrata to accept Lord Brahma's order, as the Lord desired
- Lord Brahma's abode is practically indescribable from our present status. It has been described as avan-manasa-gocara, or beyond the description of our words and the imagination of our minds
- Lord Brahma's abode. the highest planetary system, is called Satyaloka or sometimes Brahmaloka. Brahmaloka refers to the spiritual world. The abode of Lord Brahma is Satyaloka, but because Lord Brahma resides there, it is also sometimes called Brahmaloka
- Lord Brahma's affectionate smile and glance meant, "My dear Priyavrata, you have decided not to accept household life, but I have decided to convince you that you must accept it
- Lord Caitanya teaches us to come in touch with the dust of the Lord's lotus feet, for then there will undoubtedly be all success
- Lord Krsna is known as Yogesvara, the master of all mystic powers. In Bhagavad-gita (BG 18.78) it is said wherever there is the master of all mystic powers (yatra yogesvarah krsnah), victory, fortune and all other opulences are present
- Lord Krsna: by His grace, a devotee can accomplish wonderful things unimaginable even to the most powerful scientist
- Lord Vamanadeva requested three paces of land from Maharaja Bali, and when Maharaja Bali agreed to grant them, the Lord immediately covered the entire world with two footsteps
- Lord Visnu, the Supreme Self (atma), is the source of everything, as explained in the Vedanta-sutra: janmady asya yatah. Because Brahma was born directly from Lord Visnu, he is called atma-yoni
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- Maharaja Pariksit was greatly astonished that King Priyavrata remained in household life, especially since he was not only a self-realized soul but also a first-class devotee of the Lord. A devotee actually has no attraction for household life
- Maharaja Priyavrata acted very wonderfully in the material field of activities, but because he was dealing in sense gratification - ruling his kingdom and dancing to the indications of his beautiful wife - he personally condemned himself
- Maharaja Priyavrata appears to have been so strict in maintaining this institution of varnasrama-dharma that anyone neglecting it would immediately flee from his presence as soon as the King warned him by fighting or administering light punishment
- Maharaja Priyavrata divided the surface of the globe into different islands so that each class of men would live peacefully and not clash with the others. The modern idea of nationhood has gradually developed from the divisions made by Maharaja Priyavrata
- Maharaja Priyavrata not only carried out the order of Lord Brahma by accepting the duties of government, but also married Barhismati, the daughter of Visvakarma, one of the prajapatis
- Maharaja Priyavrata strictly maintained varnasrama-dharma by his extraordinary, unparalleled prowess. To maintain such a life of strict vigilance, one needs encouragement from his wife
- Maharaja Priyavrata was able to give up his opulent kingdom, and he also gave up the association of his beautiful wife as if she were a dead body
- Maharaja Priyavrata was extremely powerful, and his actions extended his power in all directions
- Maharaja Priyavrata was so strong, by the grace of the Lord, that even though his beautiful wife was alive, he could give up her association exactly like one who is forced to give up the association of a dead wife
- Maharaja Priyavrata would not have to fight, for simply because of his strong determination, they dared not disobey the rules and regulations of varnasrama-dharma
- Maharaja Prthu, who was born from the dead body of his father by the manipulation of great sages. Maharaja Prthu's father was very sinful, and therefore a black man called Nisada was first born from his dead body
- Mama maya duratyaya: it is impossible to surpass the control of material nature, for the Supreme Personality of Godhead is working behind it
- Manu wanted to seek shelter at the lotus feet of the Lord, and when his son Priyavrata took charge of his worldly affairs, Manu was very relieved. That is the system of Vedic civilization
- Manu was certainly very satisfied that Lord Brahma had persuaded his son Priyavrata to take the responsibility for ruling the world. Priyavrata and Narada were also very satisfied
- Manusyanam sahasresu: out of many thousands of persons, one may endeavor for liberation, and of many thousands of persons attempting to become liberated, one may achieve liberation from the anxieties of material existence and become self-satisfied
- Material affairs have been compared to an ocean of poison. They have been described in a similar way by Srila Narottama dasa Thakura in one of his songs
- Material enjoyment achieved by dint of one's fruitive activities differs from material enjoyment given by the Supreme Personality of Godhead
- Mayavadi philosophers say, brahma satyam jagan mithya: this material world is false, and only the Absolute Truth is real
- Mayavadi philosophers, yogis and jnanis try to give up this material world simply by saying, brahma satyam jagan mithya: "This world is false. There is no use of it. Let us take to Brahman." Such theoretical knowledge will not help us
- Minimizing their bodily wants as far as possible, they (the six Gosvamis) each accepted only a loincloth and a begging bowl
- Modern man does not understand his entanglement and how condemned he is, nor does he know what kind of body he is going to have in the next life
- Modern materialistic scientists sometimes present themselves as knowing all the ingredients of the sun, yet they are unable to offer a second sun like Maharaja Priyavrata's
- Modern scientists do not know why there are varieties of bodies in 8,400,000 forms. The fact is that all these bodies are ordained for the living entities by the Supreme Personality of Godhead according to the living entities' desires
- Modern so-called scientists and other materialists are very satisfied because they can construct great bridges, roads and machines, but such activities are nothing comparable to those of Maharaja Priyavrata
- My (Narottama dasa Thakura's) heart is always burning in the fire of material existence, and I have made no provisions for getting out of it
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- Narada Muni had come to advise Priyavrata about the value of spiritual life, knowledge, renunciation and bhakti, and Lord Brahma knew that Narada's instructions were very impressive
- Narada was not at all sorry that he had been frustrated in making Priyavrata a disciple. Both Priyavrata and Narada were exalted personalities who knew how to respect Lord Brahma
- Nivrtti-marga is the path of negating sense enjoyment, and pravrtti-marga is the path by which the living entities are given a chance to enjoy and at the same time are directed in such a way that they can go back home, back to Godhead
- None of them (karmis, jnanis, yogis) are situated in a transcendental position. Only devotees who belong to none of the groups, are transcendental
- Not to speak of a sanctified devotee, even a candala, an outcaste, who is untouchable, is immediately freed from material bondage if he utters the holy name of the Lord even once
- Now he (Svayambhuva Manu) was very pleased that Lord Brahma had interfered by inducing his son to accept the responsibility for ruling the government of the universe
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- O son of Nanda Maharaja, I am Your eternal servant, yet somehow or other I have fallen into the ocean of birth and death. Please pick me up from this ocean of death and place me as one of the atoms of Your lotus feet
- Of the twelve great authorities in devotional service, four - Lord Brahma himself, his son Narada, Svayambhuva Manu and Lord Siva - were present before Priyavrata. They were accompanied by many other authoritative sages
- On Siddhaloka, all the residents are very advanced in the powers of mystic yoga. They can fly from one planet to another without airplanes or other flying machines
- On this earth we have not invented any machine that can go directly from one planet to another, although an unsuccessful attempt has been made to go directly to the moon
- One arbuda consists of 100,000,000 years, and Maharaja Priyavrata ruled the universe for eleven such arbudas
- One becomes a devotee when he is completely freed from all reactions to sinful life
- One becomes detached from family life as soon as he comes under the shelter of the lotus feet of the Lord
- One cannot be promoted to civilized life unless one comes to Krsna consciousness, for by nature one is destined to live in a particular situation according to one's karma and association with the modes of nature
- One has to fix the lotus feet of the Lord within his heart. Then he gets the strength to be freed from material entanglement
- One important word is sukta-vakena (by Vedic hymns). In the Vedas, there is the following prayer to Lord Brahma: hiranyagarbhah samavartatagre bhutasya jatah patir eka asit
- One must have a superior taste in spiritual life; then he can give up material opulence. Priyavrata had already tasted spiritual bliss, and he had no interest in any of the material achievements available in the lower, higher or middle planetary systems
- One should be fully Krsna conscious, thinking of Krsna, as He Himself advises (man-mana bhava mad-bhakto mad-yaji mam namaskuru (BG 18.65)). This should be our only business
- One usually becomes liberated and perfect by executing the regulative principles set down in the sastras. Nonetheless, many persons have achieved perfection simply by the blessings of a spiritual master or superior
- One who always seeks shelter at the lotus feet of the Personality of Godhead is protected from all dangers
- One who always thinks of the lotus feet of the Lord is certainly above all the contamination of the material world
- One who can completely control sex life is able to work wonderfully with his brain, especially in remembering. Thus students who simply hear Vedic instructions once from their teacher could remember them verbatim without needing to read books
- One who comes under the shelter of the lotus feet of the Lord never becomes attracted by the activities of family life. As stated in Bhagavad-gita (BG 2.59), param drstva nivartate: one gives up lower engagements when he experiences a higher taste
- One who falls down from the process of bhakti-yoga is again offered the opulence of the demigods, and after enjoying such material opulence, he is given a chance to take birth in a noble family of a pure brahmana, or in a rich family
- One whose heart is not clean cannot think of the transcendental pastimes of the Supreme Lord, but if one can once again place the Supreme Personality of Godhead in his heart, he very easily becomes qualified to renounce material attachment
- One will gradually come to understand his real position in life and be elevated to the transcendental position above the mode of goodness. Thus all impediments to his progress will be cut to pieces
- Others say that one's birth according to the guna and karma of his past life is not the essential consideration, since one can change his guna and karma even in this life
- Our actual duty is to carry out the supreme order of the Personality of Godhead. If we are fixed in our determination to carry out the supreme order of the Lord, we are always secure, regardless of where we are situated, whether in hell or in heaven
- Our first concern should be to control the senses, and since the senses cannot be controlled unless engaged in the devotional service of the Lord, our most important duty is to engage the senses in devotional service
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- People at the present moment are not following the instructions of the Vedas, they are all confused. We must accept this instruction by Lord Brahma to Priyavrata as the factual scientific direction leading to the success of life
- People in the material modes of passion and ignorance generally cannot understand the plan of the Supreme Personality of Godhead with its 8,400,000 forms of life, but the human form affords one the special privilege to understand this plan
- Prakrteh kriyamanani gunaih karmani sarvasah: everything is being done by prakrti, material nature, under the direction of the Supreme Lord
- Prince Priyavrata regularly served the lotus feet of Narada, and thus the Prince perfectly understood transcendental subjects in truth (sa-tattvah). The word sa-tattvah means that Priyavrata knew all the facts about the spirit soul
- Prince Priyavrata was perfectly initiated into this practice (always meditating on God) by Sri Narada
- Priyavrata is described as a maha-bhagavata, a great devotee
- Priyavrata knew all the facts about the spirit soul, God, and the relationship between the spirit soul and the Supreme, and he also knew all about this material world and the relationship of the spirit soul and the Supreme Lord within the material world
- Priyavrata Maharaja had taken a vow of renunciation, but accepting a wife and begetting children have nothing to do with the path of renunciation; these are activities on the path of enjoyment
- Priyavrata Maharaja having been completely trained by the great sage Narada, revived his Krsna consciousness in spite of all impediments
- Priyavrata might argue that Lord Brahma was requesting him to accept family life and the responsibility for ruling a kingdom, although Narada Muni had advised him not to enter household life and be entangled in material affairs
- Priyavrata might have thought that although a conditioned soul is forced to act according to the laws of nature, why should he, who was far advanced in spiritual understanding, accept the same kind of bondage and impediments to spiritual advancement
- Priyavrata was a liberated person and was among the highest of yogis, superficially he became the emperor of the universe in accordance with the order of Brahma. Showing respect to his superior in this way was another of his extraordinary qualifications
- Priyavrata was the grandson of Brahma. According to social etiquette his position was inferior. It is the duty of the inferior to carry out the order of the superior with great respect. Priyavrata immediately said, "Yes, sir. I shall carry out your order
- Priyavrata was the grandson of Lord Brahma, and as joking competition sometimes takes place between grandson and grandfather, in this case also Priyavrata was determined to remain in meditation, whereas Brahma was determined that he rule the universe
- Progress in material advancement is blind, and the leaders of such material advancement are also blind. They are leading their followers in the wrong way
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- Regardless of one's circumstances, favorable or unfavorable, one should use everything to serve the Supreme Lord. That is the perfect way to use one's intelligence
- Regardless of one's circumstances, if one fully engages his activities, mind and words in the devotional service of the Lord, he should be understood to be a liberated person
- Regardless of what we have done in our past lives, if we engage ourselves in unalloyed devotional service to the Lord in this life, we will always be situated in the brahma-bhuta - liberated state
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- Satisfaction in the service of the Lord is called akama, freedom from desire, and this is the ultimate satisfaction. Therefore Maharaja Parīksit inquired, How could one who was fully satisfied on the highest platform be satisfied with family life
- Since his entire life is engaged in the service of the Lord, a devotee cannot forget the Lord at any time
- Since Krsna consciousness is eternal, it cannot be destroyed altogether, but advancement may be checked for the time being. Thus vaisnava-aparadha is one kind of impediment to devotional service
- Since Lord Brahma had come to Priyavrata in accordance with the orders of the Supreme Lord, he first wanted to dispel any suspicions that he might be acting as Priyavrata's enemy
- Since Maharaja Priyavrata was fully trained in transcendental knowledge, he could have returned home and conducted the business of government as a brahmacari. Instead, however, when he returned to household life, he accepted a wife also
- Since Narada Muni instructed the King (Priyavrata) fully on this subject, why did he again enter household life, which is the main cause of material bondage
- Since the Supreme Lord is all-powerful, He can do things that seem wonderful for a common man
- Since there were no suitable kings after the Pracetas, Svayambhuva Manu went to the Gandhamadana Hill to bring back his eldest son, Priyavrata, who was meditating there
- Since we cannot avoid the plan of the Supreme Godhead, we must agree to be directed by Him, just as a blind man is led by a person who has eyes
- Since we have started a Krsna conscious society and since a human society must also have ideal marriages, to correctly establish an ideal society we must take part in marrying some of its members
- Some living entities have short durations of life, whereas others live for fantastic durations. Every one of them from Brahma down to the ant, acts according to the direction of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is sitting in everyone's heart
- Some say that since one receives a body according to the guna and karma of his past life, it is one's birth that determines his social status
- Sometimes a sincere servant and devotee of the Lord is also called bhagavan. Sri Narada is called bhagavan, and Lord Siva and Vyasadeva are also sometimes called bhagavan
- Sometimes caste brahmanas argue that unless one changes his body he cannot be accepted as a brahmana, for since the present body is obtained as a result of past actions, one who has in the past acted as a brahmana takes birth in a brahmana family
- Sometimes great personalities - such as demigods like Lord Brahma, Narada or Lord Siva - are also addressed as bhagavan because they carry out the purpose of the Supreme Personality of Godhead
- Sometimes the planets in outer space are called islands. We have experience of various types of islands in the ocean, and similarly the various planets, divided into fourteen lokas, are islands in the ocean of space
- Sometimes the Supreme Personality of Godhead or His devotee desires to impede one's devotional service
- Sometimes we are criticized because although I am (Srila Prabhupada) a sannyasi, I have taken part in the marriage ceremonies of my disciples
- Sometimes we are proud of our austerities, penances and mystic yogic powers, but it is clearly stated herein that one cannot surpass the laws and directions of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, either by dint of mystic power, a scientific education
- Sometimes yogis and jnanis voluntarily give up all material opulences to practice their system of liberation and taste spiritual bliss. However, they frequently fall down because artificial renunciation of material opulences cannot endure
- Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu personally admitted that a grhastha must live with a wife. Ksatriyas were even allowed to have many wives to encourage them in discharging the duties of government
- Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu warned His devotees not to commit vaisnava-aparadha, which He described as the mad elephant offense. When a mad elephant enters a beautiful garden, it destroys everything, leaving a barren field
- Sri Sukadeva Gosvami accepted both of the King's propositions - 1) that a person who is advanced in Krsna consciousness cannot embrace materialistic life again
- Sri Sukadeva Gosvami accepted both of the King's propositions 2) that one who has embraced materialistic life cannot take up Krsna consciousness at any stage of his existence
- Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura wanted to reestablish daiva-varnasrama
- Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura was a responsible officer and a householder, yet his service to the cause of expanding the mission of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu is unique
- Srila Narottama dasa Thakura has sung, chadiya vaisnava-seva nistara payeche keba: "Without serving the lotus feet of a pure Vaisnava or spiritual master, no one has ever attained perfect liberation from material bondage
- Srila Narottama dasa Thakura has sung, grhe va vanete thake, 'ha gauranga' bale dake: whether one is situated in the forest or at home, if he is engaged in the devotional service of Lord Caitanya, he is a liberated person. Here this is also repeated
- Srila Narottama dasa Thakura has sung, nitai pada-kamala, koti-candra susitala, ye chayaya jagat judaya. He describes the shade of the lotus feet of Lord Nityananda as being so nice and cooling
- Srila Rupa Gosvami has said that the position of a devotee is so superexcellent that a devotee does not consider any material opulence worth having
- Srimad-Bhagavatam describes the Supreme Personality of Godhead as being so powerful that nothing we might consider abominable can affect Him
- Such a life is called svarupa-vismrti, forgetfulness of one's real constitutional position. In Vedic civilization one is trained in the very beginning of life as a brahmacari. A brahmacari must execute austerities and refrain from sex indulgence
- Such advancement (of material civilization) has nothing to do with the problems of the living entity entangled within this material world
- Such renunciation as Maharaja Priyavrata's is possible only by the grace of the Supreme Personality of Godhead
- Sukadeva Gosvami qualified them by saying that a person who has once absorbed his mind in the glories of the Supreme Personality of Godhead may sometimes be influenced by impediments, but he still does not give up his exalted devotional position
- Sukadeva Gosvami reassured him (Pariksit). "My dear King," he said, "don't be doubtful about the wonderful activities of Priyavrata. For a devotee of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, everything is possible because the Lord is also known as Urukrama
- Sukadeva Gosvami was speaking to Maharaja Pariksit about the activities of King Priyavrata, and since the King might have had doubts about these wonderful, uncommon activities, Sukadeva Gosvami reassured him
- Svayambhuva Manu appears to have been in charge of the entire universe, and he entrusted to his son, Maharaja Priyavrata, the responsibility for maintaining and protecting all the planetary systems
- Svayambhuva Manu requested Priyavrata to rule over the universe. When he refused, Lord Brahma descended from the supreme planetary system, known as Satyaloka, to request Priyavrata to accept the order
- Svayambhuva Manu took great satisfaction from abnegating the responsibility for ruling all the planetary systems of the universe
- Svayambhuva Manu was practically hopeless because such a great personality as Narada was instructing his son Priyavrata not to accept household life
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- That Lord Brahma descended from Satyaloka to see Priyavrata indicates that the matter was very serious
- That which is created by the Supreme Personality of Godhead cannot be false, but using it for enjoyment is. Everything is meant to be enjoyed by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, as confirmed in Bhagavad-gita
- The association of a good wife is necessary in a life of karma and political affairs
- The body is a symbolic representation of material bondage according to one's karma
- The complete description of this realization is that simply by discharging the unalloyed form of devotional service, one can realize his self completely
- The desire of the Lord is another kind of impediment. But in both cases, the pure devotee, once advanced in Krsna consciousness, cannot be lost
- The devotees in the KC movement are preaching all over the world in accordance with the order of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. They have to meet many karmis, but by the mercy of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, they are unaffected by material influences
- The devotees in the Krsna consciousness movement are preaching all over the world in accordance with the order of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu
- The devotees in the Krsna consciousness movement move within this material world, but because their senses are fully engaged in the service of the Lord, they are always aloof from the material world. They are always living in a transcendental position
- The difference between a liberated and conditioned soul is that the conditioned soul is under the concept of bodily life, whereas a liberated person knows that he is not the body but a spirit, different from the body
- The distinction between family life and spiritual life can be experienced by any person who has undergone the tribulations of living with a family
- The duty of a great devotee is to carry out the order of the spiritual master, or the spiritual master of the spiritual master in the parampara system
- The entire world is working under the influence of the modes of material nature, especially ignorance and passion, but if people engage in hearing and chanting about the glories of the Supreme Lord, their lives can be successful
- The essence of household life is sense enjoyment, and as long as one engrosses his mind in working hard for sense enjoyment one becomes bound by the reactions of fruitive activities. This ignorance of self-realization is the greatest defeat in human life
- The example set by Maharaja Priyavrata in marking off different states is still followed
- The father of Dhruva Maharaja, King Uttanapada, ruled over the universe because his elder brother, Priyavrata, practiced austerity from the very beginning of his life
- The four divisions of the social order - brahmana, ksatriya, vaisya and sudra - should be arranged according to the guna and karma of this life. This version is confirmed in Srimad-Bhagavatam by Narada Muni
- The four orders of the social system - namely brahmana, ksatriya, vaisya and sudra - are arranged according to guna and karma, their qualities and work
- The goal of life is to reach Visnu, but instead of reaching Visnu, people are bewildered by the external manifestation of the material energy
- The happiness and distress are ordained by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, in accordance with whose decision we have received our bodies
- The history of Priyavrata and Svayambhuva Manu describes how exemplary, responsible monarchs performed the duties of government with disinterest, keeping themselves always aloof from the contamination of material attachment
- The human form affords one the special privilege to understand this plan, engage in devotional service and elevate oneself to the highest position of perfection by following the Lord's instructions
- The human form of life is especially meant for getting out of the bondage of fruitive activities
- The injunctions in the Vedas are explicit directions from the Supreme Personality of Godhead
- The interplanetary system undoubtedly exists, and residents of different planets may go from one to another
- The kings and executive heads of government in the Vedic age never accepted their positions for sense enjoyment. Such exalted kings, who were known as rajarsis, ruled only to maintain and protect the kingdom for the welfare of the citizens
- The length of the oceans cannot equal the length of the islands - on the Bhu-mandala planetary system
- The Lord is self-satisfied because He is fully opulent, and one who is satisfied by serving Him is called bhagavata atmaramah
- The main purpose of life is to follow the instructions of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. It is such instructions that constitute one's religion or occupational duty
- The more a living entity is purified by devotional service, the more he comes in direct contact with the Supreme Personality of Godhead, as confirmed in Srimad Bhagavad-gita
- The Naisada race was given a place in the forest because by nature they are thieves and rogues. As animals are given places in various forests and hills, men who are like animals are also destined to live there
- The ocean in each planetary system has a different type of liquid
- The only remedy (to material affairs) is hari-nama-sankirtana, the chanting of the Hare Krsna maha-mantra, which is imported from the spiritual world, Goloka Vrndavana. How unfortunate I am (Narottama Das Thakura) that I have no attraction for this
- The parama-bhakti-yoga means that a living entity, by dint of unalloyed devotional service, has no other interest than the service of the Lord, as described in Bhagavad-gita vasudevah sarvam iti - BG 7.19
- The paramahamsa stage is the topmost position in renounced life. In sannyasa, the renounced order, there are four stages - kuticaka, bahudaka, parivrajakacarya and paramahamsa
- The power of vaisnava-aparadha is so great that even an advanced devotee becomes almost devoid of his spiritual assets if he commits it
- The power, glory and potencies of the Supreme Personality of Godhead can never be diminished. In the Isopanisad, the Lord is described as apapa-viddha, which indicates that He is never affected by anything materially considered sinful
- The previous verse (SB 5.1.14) has given the analogy of bulls moving under the direction of the driver of a bullock cart. The bulls, being completely surrendered to the driver, remain wherever he wants to place them and eat whatever he wants them to eat
- The Prince decided to engage himself only in rendering service to the Lord
- The principle is that when one becomes a grhastha, he must live perfectly in that order, which means he must live peacefully with a wife and children
- The residents of Gandharvaloka are expert in musical science, and those on Sadhyaloka are all great saints
- The sannyasi reaches the paramahamsa stage when he finishes his preaching work and sits down in one place, strictly for the sake of advancing in spiritual life
- The sense organs are certainly our greatest enemies, and they are therefore compared to venomous serpents. However, if a venomous serpent is bereft of its poison fangs, it is no longer fearful
- The Supreme Lord is situated in everyone's heart. In the beginning of Srimad-Bhagavatam it is said, tene brahma hrda ya adi-kavaye: (SB 1.1.1) the Lord dictated Vedic knowledge to Brahma through his heart
- The Supreme Personality of Godhead cannot be understood by any means except bhakti. The Lord confirms this in Srimad-Bhagavatam (SB 11.14.21). Bhaktyaham ekaya grahyah: "only by executing devotional service can one appreciate Me
- The total duration of the four yugas is 4,300,000 years, and when that is multiplied a thousand times, it equals twelve hours in the life of Brahma
- The truth is that every living entity has a certain desire, and the Supreme Lord gives him a chance to fulfill it. The best course is to surrender unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead and act according to His desire. One who does so is liberated
- The use of the word manisaya is very appropriate, for it indicates that since both Narada Muni and Lord Brahma are authorized to give instruction, Priyavrata should neglect neither of them but should use his intelligence to follow the advice of both
- The varnasrama system is scientific. Therefore if we accept the divisions of varna and asrama according to the Vedic instructions, our lives will be successful. Unless human society is thus divided and arranged, it cannot be perfect
- The Vedic literatures describe that in Satyaloka there is no birth, death, old age or disease. In other words, since Satyaloka is situated next to Brahmaloka, or the Brahman effulgence, it is almost as good as Vaikunthaloka
- The Vedic system of four varnas and four asramas is very scientific, and its entire purpose is to enable one to control the senses
- The water surrounding it (the first island in the Bhu-mandala planetary system) must have the same breadth, but its length must be different
- The water that touched the nails of Your (Lord Vamanadeva's) lotus feet when You pierced through the covering of the universe purifies all living entities in the form of the River Ganges
- The word dharma-pratipaksah ("opponents of religious principles") refers not to a particular faith, but to varnasrama-dharma, the division of society, socially and spiritually, into four varnas (brahmana, ksatriya, vaisya and sudra) and four asramas
- The word manisaya ("by intelligence") is of special significance
- The word parabhavah is significant. When one is satisfied in family life, he is doomed because he must already have forgotten his relationship with the Lord. Prahlada describes how the activities of family life implicate one more and more
- The word sivatamam is very significant. Sivatamam means "the most auspicious." The devotional path is so auspicious that a devotee cannot be lost under any circumstances. This is described in the Srimad Bhagavad-gita by the Lord Himself
- The word surarsi-vara-anumatena is significant. Manu entrusted the government to his son with the permission of the great saint Narada
- The word urdhva-retasah is very significant. Urdhva-retah refers to one who can control sex life and who instead of wasting semen by discharging it, can use this most important substance accumulated in the body to enrich the brain
- The words bhagavata atmaramah are very significant in this verse (SB 5.1.1). If one is self-satisfied as is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, he is called bhagavata atmaramah
- The words devarsi-carananusayana indicate that Maharaja Priyavrata, having fully surrendered to the great sage Devarsi Narada, was strictly following all the devotional processes and regulative principles under his direction
- The words mana-vardhano mahatam ("just to show honor to superiors") are very significant
- The words prakrtim bhajasva are very significant. Prakrtim refers to one's constitutional position
- The words tantyam guna-karma-damabhih are very important. We each get a body according to our association with the gunas, the qualities or modes of material nature, and we act accordingly
- Their senses could not disturb them, for their senses were completely engaged in serving the Lord. The three brothers (sons of Priyavrata) are described as upasama-silah. Upasama means "completely subdued
- There are different types of opulences on earth, in the heavenly planets and even in the lower planetary system, known as Patala
- There are different types of satisfaction. Karmis are satisfied in their fruitive activities, jnanis are satisfied to merge into the effulgence of Brahman, and devotees are satisfied to engage in the Lord's service
- There are many excellent verses, famous all over the world, concerning the activities of Maharaja Priyavrata. He is so celebrated that his activities are compared to those of the Supreme Personality of Godhead
- There are three kinds of men within this material world
- There is a Bengali saying which describes that someone is so powerful that he can make the night day and the day night. That saying is current because of the prowess of Priyavrata. His activities demonstrate how powerful he became by worshiping God
- There is regular interplanetary travel between the planets of the demigods. Another significant point is that there is a planet covered mostly by great mountains, one of which is Gandhamadana Hill
- These activities (Maharaja Priyavrata's activities) are so great that modern scientists cannot even imagine how such things can be done
- These apparent contradictions are resolved in the life of a devotee by the grace of the Supreme Lord, and a devotee is never bereft of his position on the path of liberation, which is described in this verse (SB 5.1.5) as sivatamam padavim
- They (caste brahmanas) contend, without such a brahminical body, one cannot be accepted as a brahmana
- They (the great sages Kavi, Mahavira and Savana) could understand that the Supersoul within the heart is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and they could recognize their identity with Him
- They (the six Gosvamis) remained in Vrndavana to execute the orders of Sri Caitanya by compiling and publishing various Vaisnava literatures
- This (Srila Prabhupada attending wedding ceremonies of his disciples) may be astonishing to persons who are not very interested in establishing daiva-varnasrama, the transcendental system of four social orders and four spiritual orders
- This actually happened in the life of Priyavrata: he is a most glorious example of this truth. In due course of time, he no longer wanted to enjoy his material opulences and his wife, kingdom and sons; instead, he wanted to renounce them all
- This designation, bhagavan, is sometimes conferred upon a pure devotee by the grace of the Lord so that he will be very highly esteemed. Maharaja Priyavrata was such a devotee
- This fact is corroborated by Brahma-samhita (BS 5.38). Yasyajnaya bhramati sambhrta-kala-cakrah: the sun is rotating in its fixed orbit in accordance with the order of the Supreme Personality of Godhead
- This instruction is meant for everyone - brahmana, ksatriya, vaisya or sudra. If anyone, from any division of life, surrenders to the Supreme Personality of Godhead and follows His instructions, his life will be successful
- This process of surrendering by following the instructions of the Supreme Personality of Godhead is not meant for any particular caste or creed. A brahmana can surrender, and so can a ksatriya, vaisya or sudra. Everyone can adopt this process
- This verse (SB 5.1.35) clearly says, sa jahati bandham: "He (the candala) gives up his material bondage
- Those who are trying to enjoy the senses to the utmost are called karmis, above them are the jnanis, who try to conquer the urges of the senses, and above them are the yogis, who have already conquered the senses
- Three great personalities - Priyavrata, Narada and Svayambhuva Manu - were sitting on this hill. According to Brahma-samhita, each universe is filled with different planetary systems, and every system has a unique opulence
- Three words in this verse (SB 5.1.24) are very significant - u ha vava. These words are used to express wonder
- To convince Priyavrata that it was necessary for him to follow the Vedic injunctions and accept the responsibility of ruling over the world, Lord Brahma also brought with him the personified Vedas, his constant associates
- To execute his duties properly Maharaja Priyavrata took advantage of his good wife Barhismati, who was always very expert in pleasing her great husband by properly dressing herself, smiling, and exhibiting her feminine bodily features
- To maintain proper social order and help the citizens gradually progress toward the goal of life - namely spiritual understanding - the principles of varnasrama-dharma must be accepted
- To solve such dilemmas (on which instructions to follow), Srila Rupa Gosvami has given a very clear conception of intelligence
U
- Under any circumstances, if we remain in the condition allotted to us by the Supreme Lord and follow His instructions, we will become perfect
- Under each Manu there are different kings who also execute the purpose of Lord Brahma
- Unless human society is regulated by varnasrama-dharma, it is no better than a bestial society of cats and dogs
- Unless Lord Brahma personally went to Gandhamadana Hill to request Priyavrata, Lord Brahma knew that prince Priyavrata would not accept his father's order. Brahma's purpose was to break Priyavrata's determination
- Up to the point of the Pracetas, the kings of the universe were all descendants of Uttanapada Maharaja
- Urukrama is a name for Lord Vamanadeva, who performed the wonderful act of occupying the three worlds with three footsteps
V
- Vedic knowledge is divided into two parts: pravrtti-marga and nivrtti-marga
- Visayan, material affairs, should be accepted without attachment and everything should be dovetailed with the service of the Lord. That is real intelligence - manisa
- Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura remarks that in the months of April & May the rays of Priyavrata's brilliant sun were as pleasing as the rays of the moon, and in October & November, both morning and evening, that sun provided more warmth than the sunshine
W
- We cannot factually comprehend even twelve hours of Brahma's life, to say nothing of the one hundred years that constitute his entire lifetime. How, then, can we understand his abode
- We find that King Priyavrata had to be persuaded by Lord Brahma to accept the post of emperor of the entire universe. Similarly, his father, Svayambhuva Manu, felt relieved to entrust the universal government to Priyavrata
- We have practical experience on this planet that when there is summer in the north there is winter in the south and vice versa
- We must be satisfied in whatever position we have been put into by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and we should try to engage ourselves in His devotional service. Then our lives will be successful
- We praise a beautiful woman for her body, but that same body, when bereft of a spirit soul, is no longer interesting to any lusty man
- We should follow the path of devotional service and not be dissatisfied with the happiness and distress He (God) has given
- When a bumblebee enters the opening of a lotus flower and drinks its honey, it is fully protected by the petals of the lotus. The bee is undisturbed by sunshine and other external influences
- When a person, even though a candala, is initiated by a pure devotee into chanting the holy name of the Lord, his body changes as he follows the instructions of the spiritual master
- When a sannyasi advances further, he no longer accepts anything from home: instead, he collects his necessities, especially his food, from many places. This system is called madhukari, which literally means "the profession of the bumblebees
- When a sannyasi is still more experienced, he travels all over the world to preach the glories of Lord Vasudeva. He is then known as parivrajakacarya
- When Caitanya Mahaprabhu's first wife died, His mother requested Him to marry for a second time. He was twenty years old and was going to take sannyasa at the age of twenty-four, yet by the request of His mother, He married
- When Lord Brahma went to induce Priyavrata to accept the responsibility for ruling the universe, he did not go whimsically; he was following the dictations of the Supreme Lord. Brahma and other genuine authorities never do anything without His permission
- When Maharaja Priyavrata became completely free from these attachments, he could again peacefully follow the principles instructed by the great sage Narada
- When Priyavrata's father, Svayambhuva Manu, requested him to accept the responsibility of ruling over the world, he did not welcome the suggestion. This is the symptom of a great, liberated devotee
- When this cosmic manifestation is dissolved, all living entities enter the supreme body of the Lord, Garbhodakasayi Visnu, who merges within the body of Maha-visnu
- When we think about this example of Maharaja Priyavrata, we can just consider how degraded is the modern civilization of materialistic advancement
- While instructing Maharaja Yudhisthira about the symptoms of guna and karma, Narada Muni said that these symptoms must govern the division of society
- Whom to accept would be a puzzle for Priyavrata because both Lord Brahma and Narada Muni are authorities
- Why one is induced to perform certain acts despite his desire to do something else is indicated herein (SB 5.1.11). One cannot disobey the orders of the Supreme Lord, even if one is as powerful as Lord Siva, Lord Brahma, Manu or the great sage Narada