Amongst these mahājanas, there are sannyāsīs, there are brahmacārīs, and there are gṛhasthas also. So it does not mean only the sannyāsī and brahmacārī can become mahājana. There are gṛhasthas also. Just like Prahlāda Mahārāja is gṛhastha. Brahmā is gṛhastha. Svayambhū. Svayambhū. Nārada is brahmacārī. Svayambhūr nāradaḥ śambhuḥ (SB 6.3.20). Śambhu, Lord Śiva, is also gṛhastha. Svayambhūr nāradaḥ kumāraḥ, brahmacārī, four Kumāras, from the birth, naiṣṭhika-brahmacārī. Kapila, Kapila is also brahmacārī. Svayambhūr nāradaḥ śambhuḥ kumāraḥ kapilo manuḥ (SB 6.3.20). Manu is gṛhastha. Similarly, Prahlāda Mahārāja is also gṛhastha. Prahlādo janakaḥ. Janaka Mahārāja is also gṛhastha. Bhīṣma, brahmacārī. Bhīṣma, Bali, Bali Mahārāja, gṛhastha. Vaiyāsaki, a brahmacārī. So it doesn't matter whether one is brahmacārī, sannyāsī or gṛhastha, he must know the science.
Bali Maharaja (Lectures)
Lectures
Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures
There is a nice story of a great devotee, Bali Mahārāja. Bali Mahārāja was a very powerful king and he conquered over the heavenly planets. So the denizens of the heavenly planets, they appealed to the Supreme Lord to save them, that "We are now conquered by the demonic king, Bali Mahārāja." So Bali Mahārāja... And Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa took the shape of a dwarf and went to Bali Mahārāja for begging as a brāhmaṇa boy. And He approached him, Bali Mahārāja, "I want something from you. You are a great king. You give in charity to the brāhmaṇas. So I want something from you." So Bali Mahārāja said, "Yes, I shall give You. What do You want?" "Now, I want land of three, in the measurement of My sole, three sole measurements. That's all." So He was a boy, His sole was sole, not very long. So Bali Mahārāja said, "What You will do with a small piece of land?" But He said, "Yes, that will suffice Me. If you promise this three measurement of My three feet of land, that will suffice." Then Bali Mahārāja agreed, and by His two measurement of the palm, He covered the whole universe. Then He's asking, "Bali Mahārāja, now whatever you have got, you got, now it is finished by two feet, by two measurement of my palm. Now where I am going to keep My third, third one?" Then Bali Mahārāja understood that it is the favor of the Supreme Lord. He said, "My dear Lord, yes, I have now lost everything. I have no other property, but I have got my head. Please kindly keep on it." You see. So the Lord was very much pleased on him, and He offered, "Bali Mahārāja, then what do you want from Me?" "No, I never expected anything from You. I could understand You wanted from me everything; so I have offered my everything. That is finished. I don't want..." Then Lord says, "Yes, but from My side, I have got something to offer you. I shall remain as your order-carrier servant in your door." So He remained always... Just like we are sitting here, there may be some doorman, He, Lord became his doorman. So that is the return. If we offer something to Lord, oh, that is rewarded in many millions of times. So we should not expect.
The Lord is always serious to return the service of the servant, of His devotee. So there are many devotees. This devotee, Bali Mahārāja, is surrendered everything for the service of the Lord. So he became a famous king. Sarvātma-snapane abhavad balir vaiyāsakiḥ. So now, anyone who thinks that "Service of Kṛṣṇa, or service of the Lord, is my duty, duty," he is the man in perfect knowledge. Sa sannyāsī. Sa sannyāsī ca yogī ca. And he's actually yogi. We have heard the names of so many yogis, but here Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā, "He is actual yogi." Who? "Who has surrendered himself fully unto Me and he is engaged in My service as a matter of duty." That's all.
Just like there is a nice story, Bali Mahārāja. Bali Mahārāja, he became a very strong king, and he... Nowadays, as in the modern age, we find a strong government or a strong king, he simply tries to conquer other countries. Formerly they were able to conquer other planets also. They were so powerful. So this Bali Mahārāja became so powerful that he conquered many of the higher planets of the demigods, so he became a disturbing element. So God, as incarnation of Vāmanadeva, He... Bali Mahārāja was also a grandson of a great devotee, Prahlāda Mahārāja. He had that blood of devotional blood. He had some devotion to Lord Kṛṣṇa also. But at the same time he was king. He was conquering life. He was making disturbance like that. So all the demigods prayed to Kṛṣṇa to settle up this thing. So Kṛṣṇa as Vāmanāvatāra, incarnation of Vāmana... Dwarf. Vāmana means dwarf. He went to Bali Mahārāja, and He was brāhmaṇa. So as a brāhmaṇa boy, so He asked some charity because the kṣatriyas, the kings, are meant for give in charity. So he was very much pleased to see that beautiful dwarf boy: "Yes, what do You want? I will give You charity." But his spiritual master, so-called spiritual master, he could understand that "This boy is Viṣṇu, God Himself. He has come to cheat this Bali." So he asked his disciple, "Don't promise any charity to Him. Because He is God, He will take your everything. Once you agree to offer something, then He will take yourself also."
God is very intelligent. Once you engage yourself in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, there is no way out. You cannot go out. You cannot go out. He is so kind. As once you become sincerely a surrendered soul to Kṛṣṇa, then there is no way out. You have to be Kṛṣṇa conscious. You have to continue to be Kṛṣṇa conscious. You cannot do otherwise. So this guru, the so-called guru, he thought, "Oh, if Kṛṣṇa, the vāmana God, if He takes away everything from my disciple, then how I shall live? I am living at his cost, and if he becomes a beggar, then I also become beggar." So he was very cautious. He said, "Don't promise. Don't promise." "Why? He is a little boy. Let me give Him something." "No, no, He is not little boy. He is God." "Oh! He is God! Oh, then you ask me not to give Him? And you formerly taught me that everything should be given to God. Now God is at my door, and you ask me not to give? Oh, I reject you. I don't want you, a spiritual master like you." So any so-called spiritual master who is against God, he should be at once rejected just like Bali Mahārāja.
So Bali Mahārāja is one of the mahājanas whose footprints we have to follow. He has given tacit example. Anyone who is against God, he should be at once rejected. Never mind what he is. Yes. Never mind what he is. He should at once be rejected. This is the example of Bali Mahārāja. So Kṛṣṇa also approached him as a beggar. So here is also... He is... "All right. You are very powerful king. You have got much wealth. You think that yourself, that you are very much charitably disposed. All right, give Me something." So Kṛṣṇa is so kind. Dadāsi yat. If you are in cha..., give for..., charity, charity for Kṛṣṇa. Eating for Kṛṣṇa. Working for Kṛṣṇa. Sacrificing for Kṛṣṇa. Everything for Kṛṣṇa. Then you become perfect. Yat karoṣi yad aśnāsi yaj juhoṣi dadāsi yat, yat tapasyasi kaunteya (BG 9.27).
So God, as incarnation of Vāmanadeva, He... Bali Mahārāja was also a grandson of a great devotee, Prahlāda Mahārāja. He had that blood of devotional blood. He had some devotion to Lord Kṛṣṇa also. But at the same time he was king. He was conquering life. He was making disturbance like that. So all the demigods prayed to Kṛṣṇa to settle up this thing. So Kṛṣṇa as Vāmanāvatāra, incarnation of Vāmana... Dwarf. Vāmana means dwarf. He went to Bali Mahārāja, and He was brāhmaṇa. So as a brāhmaṇa boy, so He asked some charity because the kṣatriyas, the kings, are meant for give in charity. So he was very much pleased to see that beautiful dwarf boy: "Yes, what do You want? I will give You charity." But his spiritual master, so-called spiritual master, he could understand that "This boy is Viṣṇu, God Himself. He has come to cheat this Bali." So he asked his disciple, "Don't promise any charity to Him. Because He is God, He will take your everything. Once you agree to offer something, then He will take yourself also." God is very intelligent.
Just like there is a nice story, Bali Mahārāja. Bali Mahārāja, he became a very strong king, and he... Nowadays, as in the modern age, we find a strong government or a strong king, he simply tries to conquer other countries. Formerly they were able to conquer other planets also. They were so powerful. So this Bali Mahārāja became so powerful that he conquered many of the higher planets of the demigods, so he became a disturbing element. So God, as incarnation of Vāmanadeva, He... Bali Mahārāja was also a grandson of a great devotee, Prahlāda Mahārāja. He had that blood of devotional blood. He had some devotion to Lord Kṛṣṇa also. But at the same time he was king. He was conquering life. He was making disturbance like that. So all the demigods prayed to Kṛṣṇa to settle up this thing. So Kṛṣṇa as Vāmanāvatāra, incarnation of Vāmana... Dwarf. Vāmana means dwarf. He went to Bali Mahārāja, and He was brāhmaṇa. So as a brāhmaṇa boy, so He asked some charity because the kṣatriyas, the kings, are meant for give in charity. So he was very much pleased to see that beautiful dwarf boy: "Yes, what do You want? I will give You charity." But his spiritual master, so-called spiritual master, he could understand that "This boy is Viṣṇu, God Himself. He has come to cheat this Bali."
So he was very cautious. He said, "Don't promise. Don't promise." "Why? He is a little boy. Let me give Him something." "No, no, He is not little boy. He is God." "Oh! He is God! Oh, then you ask me not to give Him? And you formerly taught me that everything should be given to God. Now God is at my door, and you ask me not to give? Oh, I reject you. I don't want you, a spiritual master like you." So any so-called spiritual master who is against God, he should be at once rejected just like Bali Mahārāja.
So Bali Mahārāja is one of the mahājanas whose footprints we have to follow. He has given tacit example. Anyone who is against God, he should be at once rejected. Never mind what he is. Yes. Never mind what he is. He should at once be rejected. This is the example of Bali Mahārāja. So Kṛṣṇa also approached him as a beggar. So here is also... He is... "All right. You are very powerful king. You have got much wealth. You think that yourself, that you are very much charitably disposed. All right, give Me something." So Kṛṣṇa is so kind. Dadāsi yat. If you are in cha..., give for..., charity, charity for Kṛṣṇa. Eating for Kṛṣṇa. Working for Kṛṣṇa. Sacrificing for Kṛṣṇa. Everything for Kṛṣṇa. Then you become perfect. Yat karoṣi yad aśnāsi yaj juhoṣi dadāsi yat, yat tapasyasi kaunteya (BG 9.27).
So Prahlāda, Prahlāda Mahārāja is mahājana. Janaka, Janaka Mahārāja. Prahlādo janako bhīṣmaḥ, Bhīṣmadeva, grandfather Bhīṣmadeva, the grandfather of the Pāṇḍus. He is also mahājana. Prahlādo janako bhīṣmo baliḥ, Bali Mahārāja, he is mahājana. Vaiyāsakiḥ, Śukadeva Gosvāmī, and Yamarāja, he is also mahājana.
So now, from materialistic point of view, you will see that Prahlāda Mahārāja, what kind of devotee he is? In his presence his father is being killed and he did not protest. So from the ordinary point of view, it is sinful. If your father is attacked by somebody, it is your duty. But Prahlāda Mahārāja didn't... Because Prahlāda Mahārāja knew... That is another chapter. In the later stage he made his father liberated. But from the superficial point of view, that he was present while his father was being killed... There are so many things, similar, other examples. Bali Mahārāja gave up his spiritual master for Kṛṣṇa's sake.
Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures
Just like I was speaking while coming, Vāmanadeva cheated Bali Mahārāja. Bali Mahārāja thought that "I am the king of the whole universe." The Vāmanadeva came: "My dear Bali Mahārāja, you are so charitable man. Will you kindly give Me three feet of land." The proprietor has come to beg. This is cheating. This is cheating. Chalayasi vikramaṇe balim adbhuta-vāmana. Chalayasi. Chalayasi means cheating.
Translation: "In the fifteenth incarnation, the Lord assumed the form of a dwarf-brāhmaṇa, Vāmana, and visited the arena of sacrifice arranged by Mahārāja Bali. Although at heart He was willing to regain the kingdom of the three planetary systems, He simply asked for a donation of three steps of land."
So Bali Mahārāja, he was the grandson of Prahlāda Mahārāja. They were in the demon's family. But in the demon's family also, there is sometimes Prahlāda Mahārāja, Bali Mahārāja. Prahlāda and Bali, they are our ācāryas. There are twelve bona fide ācāryas. Balir vaiyāsakir vayam. The ācāryas are mentioned. Dvādaśa-mahājanāḥ. Svayambhū. Svayambhū means Lord Brahmā. (aside:) Don't make sound. Svayambhū, Nārada. Nārada is also one of the authorities. They have been accepted at (as) authority for understanding religious principles. Religious principle is not to be understood by from a rascal. No, that anyone comes and says religious topics. No. We have to receive it from the authority.
So Bali Mahārāja is one of the authorities. Out of the twelve authorities, first is Lord Brahmā; the next, Nārada; the next, Lord Śiva; then next, the Kumāras; then Kapiladeva; then Manu, Vaivasvata Manu; then Prahlāda Mahārāja; then Janaka Mahārāja; then Bhīṣmadeva; then Bali Mahārāja; then Śukadeva Gosvāmī; and then Yamarāja. It is stated in the śāstra that mahājano yena gataḥ sa panthāḥ (CC Madhya 17.186). You cannot understand transcendental subject matter simply by dry speculation and argument. You cannot understand. Neither by reading Vedic literature. The conclusion is that you have to follow those who are authorities. Mahājano yena. Dharmasya tattvaṁ nihitaṁ guhāyāṁ mahājano yena gataḥ sa panthāḥ (CC Madhya 17.186). Guhā. Guhā means the cave, mountain cave, and guhā means the heart. So suppose something is very valuable is there in the cave of the mountain, and you do not know how to search it out. But if you know somebody who knows it, if you follow him, that "He is going there so I may also follow..."
So everything is there. God is there. His name is there. His address is there. His law is there. Everything is there. But the rascals will not accept it. That is the position. Therefore we have to follow the mahājana. So Bali Mahārāja is one of the mahājana. How he became mahājana? Because he's surrendering fully unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead. This Vāmanadeva, incarnation of... Keśava dhṛta-vāmana-rūpa. So the incident is that Bali Mahārāja was very powerful, and he conquered the whole universe, even the demigods all. So Viṣṇu is always in favor of the demigods because demigods, they are also devotees.
So sometimes in asura's family also, there are Vaiṣṇavas. By the grace of Nārada. Nārada makes... Just like Prahlāda Mahārāja became a great devotee by the grace of Nārada, although he was born of a father, atheist father, Hiraṇyakaśipu. So Nārada Muni's business is to travel all over the universe and make Vaiṣṇava. So this Bali Mahārāja, he conquered all over the universe, and the demigods were defeated. So Vāmanadeva, He also one of the considered demigods, Upendra. So He went to Bali Mahārāja by a trick. Because Bali Mahārāja... Kṛṣṇa knows that Bali Mahārāja was the grandson of Prahlāda Mahārāja and he was a great devotee at heart. He knew that. Īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe 'rjuna tiṣṭhati (BG 18.61). Lord is situated in everyone's heart. He knows everyone. So therefore, in order to return back the kingdoms taken from the demigods, He made a trick. He went there. Bali Mahārāja was performing a great sacrifice, Bali-dhare.(?) So He went there and asked Bali Mahārāja, "Bali Mahārāja, you are performing such a great sacrifice. I am at your door. I am brāhmaṇa. Will you kindly give Me some donation?" "Yes, why not? That is my... I will give you. Whatever You want, I will give You."
So immediately his spiritual master, the demon's spiritual master Śukrācārya... Śukrācārya means... Śukra means semina. Seminal ācārya. Means... You do not know. In India, there is a class of men, they are called gurus. The professional guru, rather. So Śukrācārya. Śukrācārya, he was very learned scholar. He knew everything, that "Here Vāmanadeva, He is incarnation of Viṣṇu. He has come to cheat Bali. He will ask something and then He will take everything from Bali." He knew it. So sometimes cheating also done by the Supreme Lord for the sake of the devotee. So this is not cheating. Just like father sometimes cheats a son. Suppose something is there, and two brothers, small children, they are fighting. One has taken, another is crying. So the one will not deliver to the other. So father says, "My dear child, will you kindly give me this." So he gives to the father and he delivers to the other child. (laughter) You see? So sometimes God has to do such cheating of affection. That is not cheating actually. But the cheating propensity is there in God. Otherwise where we get it? (laughter) But we use cheating for our personal sense gratification. But if you use that cheating propensity for Kṛṣṇa's satisfaction, then it is all right. Manimiti kṛtaṁ pāpaṁ puṇyāyaiva kalpate.(?)
So the Bali Mahārāja was cheated by... But he, being cheated, he became conqueror. So this Śukrācārya said to Bali Mahārāja, "Don't promise to this Vāmana anything. He is Lord Viṣṇu. He has come to cheat you." Bali Mahārāja became more enlightened. "Oh, He is Lord Viṣṇu? But you have taught me that everything should be given to Viṣṇu. So if Viṣṇu has come at my door, why you are asking not to make any promise?" So that means Śukrācārya were playing duplicity. He taught something, and now he's saying another thing. Therefore Bali Mahārāja said that "I cannot accept. I give up your company from this day, that you are checking me to offer everything to Viṣṇu. Oh, I do not want such spiritual master".
So this Śukrācārya, he was against Viṣṇu. So Bali Mahārāja immediately rejected him. Therefore he became a mahājana, exemplary. Because you cannot give up your spiritual master. That is a great sin. Once accepted, the spiritual master takes responsibility for the disciple. And disciple also must be obedient to the spiritual master for life, for good. That is the relationship. So if one rejects spiritual master, he becomes a great sinner, most sinful. So Bali Mahārāja rejected his spiritual master. That's a great sin. But he rejected on shastric ground, because he objected for Viṣṇu worship.
So just like this Bali Mahārāja, he conquered. So actually nothing belongs to Bali Mahārāja, but he thought So Kṛṣṇa, to save him from this theft criminality, He approached him, "My dear Bali Mahārāja, will you kindly give Me three feet land." So after rejecting his spiritual master, who opposed, he promised, "Yes, I shall give." So by one feet the whole lower portion of the universe was covered. The other feet, the upper portion of the universe was covered. Still, the third feet remained. So Vāmanadeva asked, "Now, Bali Mahārāja, all your possession is now covered by My two feet. Where is to keep the other feet?" Bali Mahārāja said, "Yes, there is place. You just put Your feet, foot on my head." So in this way Bali Mahārāja surrendered everything. Sarvātma-svāpateyam. He, personal property and the personal body, everything dedicated to Kṛṣṇa. He became mahājana.
So Bali Mahārāja dedicated ātma-nivedana, everything: his property, his personal body, everything. So in exchange, Vāmana, Lord Vāmana became his doorkeeper. So Vāmanadeva said, "My dear Bali Mahārāja, you are so great a devotee. So in return for your service, I shall remain always your doorkeeper."
Caitanya Mahāprabhu, such a big sannyāsī, who never allowed any woman to come near to offer respect... He was so strict. They would offer respect from distance. He says, ramyā kacid upāsanā. He says that the worship, the method of worship conceived by the gopīs, that is, there is no comparison. Ramyā kacid upāsanā vraja-vadhū-vargeṇā yā kalpitā. Now, He was so much strict about women. Why He is praising the external sinful activities of the gopīs? Why? Because it is in connection with Kṛṣṇa. There are many instances. Just like Bali Mahārāja. Bali Mahārāja gave up the connection with his spiritual master. Why? His spiritual master said, "You don't give to Kṛṣṇa." He was thinking that "If this rascal, everything gives to Kṛṣṇa, then how I shall live? I am living at his maintenance." Just like you sometimes give me maintenance, I live. So you stop the maintenance, I shall die. So he thought like that, that "He's my disciple, and he's going to..., everything to Kṛṣṇa. Then I'll not get my maintenance. Then I shall die." He stopped him: "Don't give to Kṛṣṇa." But Bali Mahārāja said, "Oh, you are stopping me to give to Kṛṣṇa? I give up your relation. I don't want."
Therefore wonderful activities means... The wonderful actor means Kṛṣṇa, Urukrama. Uru, urukrama... Just like Vāmanadeva. Vāmanadeva, He asked Bali Mahārāja to give Him land covering His three feet. So he said, "My dear Sir, You are asking from me land. You ask something more. Your feet is so small. What you'll do with these three feet?" No. He said, "Yes, it is all right." So by the one feet, the whole universe became covered, upside. And another feet, the downside. And then there is no place to step the another feet. Therefore it is called urukrama. Just like Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa, at the age of seven years, He lifted the Govardhana Hill. Just like the children plucks out a flower like this, He immediately lifted. This is called urukrama, urukrama, uncommon, wonderful. Therefore Kṛṣṇa's name is, another name is, Urukrama.
So there are many instances. Bali Mahārāja. Bali Mahārāja he rejected his spiritual master: "Oh, you are nonsense. You cannot become my spiritual master." Because why? That Śukrācārya, when Bali Mahārāja was going to promise, so Śukrācārya advised, "Don't promise anything. He is Viṣṇu. He has come as dwarf to take everything from you." Then Bali Mahārāja found that "This is a foolish man." This Śukrācārya, Śukrācārya means jāta-gosāi, by semina they become ācārya. The semina. That is the, in India, guru-vaṁśa. Guru-vaṁśa, guru means spiritual master. The spiritual master, vaṁśa. That is disciplic succession. Evaṁ paramparā, that is guru-vaṁśa, not by semina. That is going on. The Śukrācārya: "This is my guru's family." Guru's family... "He has begotten a child, so something must be given. His credit is he's begotten child. Therefore something must be given." So this is going on, Śukrācārya. So Śukrācārya was rejected by Bali Mahārāja, Śukrācārya. "No, this family guru or the jāta-gosāi, no." Real guru. So why rejected? When Śukrācārya was thinking that "This man Bali is going to give everything to Viṣṇu. Here is Vāmana. Then how I shall live? Because I get something from this man, and I live. So if he's going to give everything to Viṣṇu, then what is our position? We shall starve." That is their business only, how to exploit the disciple and take money from him and fill up the belly. That is Śukrācārya's business. Therefore Bali Mahārāja rejected, "No, no, I don't want you."
So Parīkṣit Mahārāja simply listened, śravaṇam. He did not do other things. Still, he was liberated. And Śukadeva Gosvāmī, he simply chanted or described the glories of the Lord. He also became liberated. Śrī-viṣṇoḥ śravaṇe parīkṣid abhavad vaiyāsakiḥ kīrtane. Similarly, śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ smaraṇam. Pṛthu, Pṛthu Mahārāja, he was simply remembering. No, pṛthuḥ pūjane. And pāda-sevanam. Lakṣmī-devī, She simply gave massage to the Viṣṇu's lotus feet. And Arjuna, simply he made friendship. And Hanumānjī, he simply served the order of Lord Rāmacandra. Dāsyaṁ sakhyam ātma-nivedanam. Ātma-nivedanam, offering everything. Bali Mahārāja, whatever he had, he gave to Vāmanadeva everything. Whatever he possessed, even his body, he gave to Vāmana. Sarvātma-snapane, abhavad bali... Bali Mahārāja. So there are different examples.
Just like in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam there are description of great..., twelve great souls. Twelve great souls. They are just like svayambhūr nāradaḥ śambhuḥ kumāraḥ kapilo manuḥ (SB 6.3.20). Svayambhū means Brahmā. But he was also family man. And Nārada, he was renounced. He was brahmacārī. So there are twelve different description of mahātmās. Out of that, about seven personalities were all householders, but still they are accepted as great souls. Just like Bali Mahārāja and Prahlāda Mahārāja and Svayambhū, Brahmā. So out of this list of twelve persons, seven persons are gṛhasthas, householders. It does not mean that one, because he is householder, he cannot become a mahātmā, great soul. Just like here we see the five pictures, associates of Lord Caitanya. They were all householders. Even Lord Caitanya, He was householder and His first wife died. He married for the second time. Nityānanda Prabhu, He was also householder. Advaita Prabhu was also householder. Similarly Śrīvāsa, he was also householder.
Just like Bali, Bali Mahārāja. Bali Mahārāja, he secured the whole three worlds. He became the master of the three worlds, means the upper planetary system, down planetary system, middle planet. So, but he was a devotee also. Therefore Kṛṣṇa came to him as Vāmana.
- chalayasi vikramaṇe balim adbhuta vāmana
- pada-nakha-nīra-janita-jana-pāvana
- keśava dhṛta vāmana śarīra
- jaya jagadīśa...
So, because he was very proud of his possession, so Vāmanadeva came to Bali Mahārāja: "Mahārāja, you are kṣatriya. You are very charitable, I have heard. If you can give me little land?" So Bali Mahārāja was very much pleased: "Yes, I will give You. How much land You want?" "Now, three feet." "Three feet? For this you have come to me?" "Yes, yes." So, "All right, I will give you three feet." So by one feet He covered the whole sky, and the other feet, he covered the whole down planetary system. So Bali Mahārāja understood that what kind of beggar is He. (laughter) Yes. So Vāmanadeva said, "My dear Bali Mahārāja, you promised three feet, but by two feet you have finished all your possession. So what about the other feet?" So Bali Mahārāja, he was a devotee. He said, "My Lord, don't worry. Still there is. It is my head. Place Your other feet on my head." So Vāmanadeva said, "Now you have purchased Me by your charity. I shall remain your doorkeeper." So if you make charity to Kṛṣṇa you can purchase Kṛṣṇa.
Ātma-nivedanam, giving everything to Kṛṣṇa. That is Bali Mahārāja. He did not do anything. He simply... Whatever he possessed, he gave it to Kṛṣṇa, "Take it," his everything. He promised three feet land, and by two feet land all his possession was covered. Then Kṛṣṇa asking that "Where to keep the another feet?" He said, "Yes, sir, there is place. Just keep it on my head. That's all." So by three feet he lost everything. He lost not everything, but he gained everything, and Kṛṣṇa agreed that "You are so sacrificing. Now I shall remain as your doorkeeper here, stand here always to save you from all dangers." So by giving to Kṛṣṇa, by serving Kṛṣṇa, by loving Kṛṣṇa, nobody is loser. Nobody is loser. Everyone is gainer. Everyone is gainer. So therefore we should take this process.
Kim arthaṁ dharma-pālasya. Dharma-pāla. Yamarāja's another name is Dharmarāja or Dharmapāla. He is one of the authorities. There are twelve authorities mentioned in the śāstras. Brahmā is one authority, Lord Śiva is one authority, and Nārada is one authority. Then Manu is one authority, Prahlāda Mahārāja is authority, Bali Mahārāja is authority, Śukadeva Gosvāmī is authority. So similarly, Yamarāja is also authority. They are authority who know exactly what is God, or Kṛṣṇa, and they can direct. Therefore śāstra says you have to follow the authority. Otherwise it is not possible. Dharmasya tattvaṁ nihitaṁ guhāyāṁ mahājano yena gataḥ sa panthāḥ (CC Madhya 17.186). You cannot understand the path of religion by your mental speculation. Dharmāṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītam (SB 6.3.19). Dharma, religious principles are enacted by the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Just like Brahmā, Lord Śiva, Nārada, Manu, Kapila, Kapiladeva, Kapiladeva who enunciated sāṅkhya philosophy... Svayaṁbhūr nāradaḥ śaṁbhuḥ kumāraḥ kapilo manuḥ, prahlādo bhīṣmaḥ (SB 6.3.20). Bhīṣmadeva is also authority. You know Bhīṣmadeva, the grandfather of the Pāṇḍavas. He is also authority. Prahlāda, Bhīṣma... Bali Mahārāja is also authority. So we have to follow these authorities. Otherwise there is no possibility of understanding what is religion, what is God. This... Our, this sampradāya, Madhva-Gauḍīya sampradāya, they are following the authorities of Lord Brahmā and Nārada.
So how they have become mahājana, that is also described. Mahājana means one who can sacrifice everything for the sake of the Supreme Lord. Prahlāda Mahārāja, he personally saw that the father is killed before him. But from material point of view, this is the most abominable, I mean to say, incident, that a son is seeing that his father is being killed before him without any protest. Similarly, Bali Mahārāja, he gave up the connection of his spiritual master. To give up the connection with spiritual master, that is also most abominable. So these people became mahājanas because as soon as they saw that "My father or my spiritual master is against the Supreme Personality of Godhead, such person immediately should be given up." Jīva Gosvāmī says... In Indian, according to Indian custom, there is a family spiritual master, family priest, family spiritual master. So Jīva Gosvāmī says that for advancement of spiritual life, one should give up the family spiritual master if he is not competent and accept actually a bona fide spiritual master. Because people are under impression that... Impression... It is a fact that one cannot give up the connection of the spiritual master. That is a great sin. But Jīva Gosvāmī says that if your family spiritual master does not help you in your matter of making progress in spiritual life, then you should give up his connection and accept a bona fide spiritual master. That is their direction. Gurur apy avaliptasya kāryākāryam ajānataḥ, parityāgo vidhīyate: "If a spiritual master is not competent to help the disciple to make progress nicely, or if he goes against..."
Just like spiritual master of Bali Mahārāja, he tried to advise his disciple Bali Mahārāja not to give to Viṣṇu. Viṣṇu, as Vāmanadeva, came to ask some alms from the Bali Mahārāja, "Give Me some alms. I want three feet of land." And Śukrācārya prohibited: "He is Viṣṇu. He is asking you three feet of land, but He will take everything from you." So in this way, he was against this charity. And when Bali Mahārāja understood that "For his personal interest, he is going against Viṣṇu," he immediately gave up his connection. Similarly, the gopīs also, they flaunted the social law. At midnight they left their husbands and home and came to Kṛṣṇa. There are so many instances. For Kṛṣṇa's sake they sacrificed everything. They became, I mean to say, social outcaste. They transgressed the laws of the Vedas. But because they did it for Kṛṣṇa, they have been accepted as mahājanas, as authorities.
This Manu, he is also mahājana. This, this time is going on, Vaivasvata Manu. Vivasvān manave prāha. Manu is also mahājana, Prahlāda Mahārāja, and Janaka, Janaka Mahārāja, the father of mother Sītā, he is also mahājana. And Bhīṣma. Bhīṣma, the grandfather Bhīṣma, he is also mahājana. Therefore Bhīṣma's instruction in the Bhāgavata should be taken seriously. And on his deathbed, he instructed Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira, and Kṛṣṇa also heard. So these are mahājanas. Bhīṣmo baliḥ, Bali Mahārāja. Vaiyāsaki, Śukadeva Gosvāmī, the son of Vyāsadeva, he is mahājana. And vayam. Vayam means Yamarāja himself. He says, "We are also."
So pāda-sevanam. Then arcanam. Arcanam means the offering ārātrika, offering bhoga, cleansing the Deity room and dressing the Lord, changing the flowers. These are called arcanam. Vandanam. If you cannot do this, then offer prayers. Just like in Christian church they offers prayers. That is also bhakti, devotional service. The Muslims, they offer prayers. Any way. Śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ smaraṇaṁ pāda-sevanam, arcanaṁ vandanam. Vandanam means offering prayer. Dāsyam. Dāsyam means to work as menial servant of the Lord. Dāsyam. Sakhyam, to make friendship with the Lord, just like Arjuna did. He treated Kṛṣṇa as his friend, and by making friendship with Kṛṣṇa he became liberated. Sakhyam. And ātma-nivedanam. Ātma-nivedanam means giving everything to the Lord, even his body, wealth, and everything, just like Bali Mahārāja did.
Prahlāda's name comes. Prahlāda and Janaka, the great king, Janaka, whose daughter was married to Lord Rāmacandra. Jānakī. Therefore, Sītā's name is Jānakī, daughter of Mahārāja Janaka. So he is also a great authority. Prahlādo janako bhīṣmaḥ, and Bhīṣma, you have heard the name of Bhīṣma, the grandfather of Arjuna. He is also one of the authorities. And, prahlādo janako bhīṣmo balir, Mahārāja Bali, a king. He was a grandson of this Prahlāda Mahārāja. He became mahājana. All these persons, they became authorities by their exemplary character for advancing in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Therefore they are considered as authorities. So, balir vaiyāsakir vayam. Vaiyāsakiḥ means the son of Vyāsadeva, Śukadeva Gosvāmī. He's also authority. And vayam, it is, this statement is made by Yamarāja, the controller of sinful activities. Superintendent of police, appointed by Kṛṣṇa. So he is also one of the authorities. How you can deny the superintendent of police as authority? As he is also authority in the state, similarly he is also authority.
Prahlāda Mahārāja, our predecessor guru... There are twelve mahājanas: Brahmā, Svayambhu, Nārada, Śambhu, Kapilo, Kumāra, Manu, Prahlāda, Janaka, Bhīṣma, Bali, Vaiyāsakir, vayam. Mahājano yena gataḥ sa panthāḥ (CC Madhya 17.186). It is said in the Vedas that we have to follow the footprints of mahājana. Mahājana means great authorized devotees. And they have been described, twelve. Svayambhūr means Lord Brahmā; Nārada, Nārada Muni the great saint; Śambhu, Lord Śiva... Svayambhūr nāradaḥ śambhuḥ kaumāra (SB 6.3.20)—the four Kumāras, sanat-kumāra ādi. Then Kapila, Kapiladeva, Devahūti's son. There are two Kapilas. So one is imitation; one is real. The real Kapila, He is known therefore Devahūti-putra, "the son of Devahūti." Devahūti was the daughter of Manu, Vaivasvata Manu. So in this way, kapilaḥ kumāro manuḥ. Then Prahlāda Mahārāja. Prahlāda Mahārāja was the son of Hiraṇyakaśipu, the famous demon. So it is not that a demon's son will be demon. That is not. Kṛṣṇa consciousness can be achieved by anyone.
Iti puṁsārpita, all for Kṛṣṇa. Hear about Kṛṣṇa, chant about Kṛṣṇa. Śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ, not for others. Hearing and chanting Viṣṇu. Smaranam, remembering Kṛṣṇa. Arcanam, this is arcanam. Vandanam, offering prayers. Dāsyam, to act as His servant, to spread His glories, that is vandanam. Dāsyam. Sakhyam, to take Kṛṣṇa as most dear friend. For a friend, one friend can do anything. So dāsyam, sakhyam, ātma-nivedanam. And Bali Mahārāja gave everything for Kṛṣṇa. Bali Mahārāja conquered even up to the heavenly kingdom. So Kṛṣṇa or Viṣṇu is always in favor of the demigods. They were in difficulty. So Vāmanadeva went to Bali Mahārāja for begging some land. So Bali Mahārāja agreed to give him land. In other words, by trick, Vāmanadeva took everything of Bali Mahārāja. He also gave everything.
So it is very difficult (indistinct). Just like Bali Mahārāja gave everything, everything. Sarva-labdhārpaṇena, labdha means profit. So one should be prepared to sacrifice all profit, all gain to the spiritual master. I had one Godbrother, Professor Sannyal, he showed example. Of course, amongst our students there are many. They have dedicated their life, and what to speak of anything, everything. That is the process here, sarva-labdha arpaṇam. Arpaṇam means delivering, "Sir, I have got this. Here you are, you take this." Then śuśrūṣayā. So serve him with devotion, with faith, and giving him everything. Guru-śuśrūṣayā bhaktyā sarva-labdhārpaṇena ca, saṅgena sādhu-bhaktānām. And in association with sādhu.
So everyone, if he follows mahājana, Brahmā is the first mahājana. Svayambhūr nāradaḥ śambhuḥ (SB 6.3.20), Brahmā, his another name is Svayambhū. These are mahājanas. Svayambhūr nāradaḥ śambhuḥ (SB 6.3.20), Kapila, Manu, Prahlāda, Prahlāda is also mahājana. Prahlāda, Janaka, Bhīṣma, bali vaiyāsakiḥ vayam. So Prahlāda Mahārāja is mahājana. He is mahā-bhāgavata. Don't think that he is a little boy. That is his pastime to show us how a little boy can become mahā-bhāgavata, how a little boy can be the eternal associate of Kṛṣṇa, and how he can preach. That is Prahlāda Mahārāja.
The fact is that these fools, these rascals who are thinking that this world is for their enjoyment, this money belongs to him... It is stated here, aviduṣaḥ. Aviduṣaḥ means rascal, without any education. Without any education. They have got all these university degrees and without education? Yes. Why? Because they have no spiritual education. So aviduṣaḥ. So mānaṁ janam aviduṣaḥ karuṇo vṛṇīte. When Kṛṣṇa says or God says that "Give Me this...," Just like He is begging from Bali Mahārāja, Vāmanadeva, "My dear King, will you give Me a little land?" So his spiritual master, he was a demon. He forbade Bali Mahārāja not to promise, because He is Viṣṇu. "He'll take everything from you." That's a nice story. Some of you know how Bali Mahārāja became a great devotee of the Lord. Now here it is stated that mānaṁ janād aviduṣaḥ karuṇo vṛṇīte. Whatever He wants from any person, provided he is a devotee... The Lord does not accept anything from nondevotee. That is clearly stated in Bhagavad-gītā. Patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyaṁ yo me bhaktyā prayacchati (BG 9.26).
So do not foolishly think that the prescription given in the śāstras that whatever you have got, offered to Kṛṣṇa or offered to God, it is not that God is in want; it is your interest. The more you give to God, the more you become benefited. It is your interest. But the foolish persons, they do not know it. Therefore God, like Bali Mahārāja, He goes, like Vāmanadeva, He goes to beg from Bali Mahārāja. And His representative, devotees of God, sannyāsīs, they also go to beg: "My dear sir, give us some contribution for our temple." It is not that he's beggar.
And Kṛṣṇa has said in the Bhagavad-gītā, asurānāṁ prahlādo 'smi: "Amongst the demons, I am Prahlāda." His grandson, also, he became also great devotee, Bali, Bali Mahārāja. The Vāmanadeva went to Bali Mahārāja. He was also great devotee. And this Bali Mahārāja is the grandson of Prahlāda Mahārāja.
Kṛṣṇa, not only He's supplying, He's also begging. Just like He became a beggar to Bali Mahārāja. Vāmanadeva. Bali Mahārāja conquered the three worlds and the all the demigods became very much perturbed. So Kṛṣṇa as Vāmanadeva went to Bali Mahārāja as a beggar, "Mahārāja, you are very charitable. Will you kindly give Me three feet land?" So Kṛṣṇa, although He is the maintainer of everyone, sometimes He takes the part of a beggar. He's not beggar, but He begs to benefit the, I mean, the charitable. Who is giving in charity, he is benefited. Just like Bali Mahārāja, he gave everything to Vāmanadeva. Sarvātma-snapanam. There are different devotees. Out of these nine kinds of devotional service,
- śravaṇaṁ kīrtanam viṣṇoḥ
- smaraṇaṁ pāda-sevanam
- arcanaṁ vandanaṁ dāsyaṁ
- sakhyam ātma-nivedanam
- (SB 7.5.23)
So Bali Mahārāja took part, he cultivated ātma-nivedanam, giving everything to Kṛṣṇa, whatever he had.
Nectar of Devotion Lectures
Similarly, Prahlāda Mahārāja was standing without any protest and his father is being killed. Now can any sane man see that his father is being killed, and he's standing silently, without any protest? And Bali Mahārāja, he rejected his spiritual master. When Śukrācārya said that "Don't promise. He's Viṣṇu. He'll take everything of your. Don't promise anything," the Bali Mahārāja said, "He is Viṣṇu? And you are asking me not to promise to Him? Oh, I don't want such spiritual master. I reject him." To reject spiritual master is a great sin. So these are, from social point of view, from religious point of view, these are irreligious, sinful activities, to reject one's spiritual master; to see one's father being killed in one's presence; one woman is going to another boy, dead of night. Superficially they are sinful activities. But Caitanya Mahāprabhu recommends, ramyā kācid upāsanā vrajavadhū-vargeṇa yā kalpitā. There is no upāsanā, method of worship, as it was conceived by the gopīs. First class.
Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures
Then Vāmanāvatāra. Vāmanāvatāra, I have already mentioned, that He became a dwarf brāhmaṇa boy and took all the possession that Mahārāja Bali. This Mahārāja Bali was grandson of this Mahārāja Prahlāda. So these are līlāvatāra pastimes. Pastimes means exchange of dealing between the devotees and the Lord, between the living entities and the Lord, exchange. Either there are twelve kinds of humor, rasas... Sometimes He deals as enemy; sometimes He deals as friend; sometimes He deals as so many things. There are twelve. So we are all related with God in some humor out of these twelve, either as enemy or as friend or servitor or lover or as son or father, as the master and servant. In so many ways we are related. And when these relationship is exchanged between God and the living entity, that is called līlā, līlā, pastimes. So līlāvatāra. We shall explain again to...
Sri Brahma-samhita Lectures
That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā. Kṛṣṇa says, yad karoṣi yad aśnāsi yat tapasyasi dadāsi yat, tat kuruṣva mad-arpaṇam: (BG 9.27) "Whatever you are eating, whatever you are undergoing, austerity, whatever you are doing, whatever you are giving in charity, give it to Me." Kṛṣṇa's not in want of money, because He's the original proprietor of everything, īśāvāsyam idaṁ sarvam (ISO 1). But still He's asking from you money. Just like Kṛṣṇa went to beg something from Bali Mahārāja in the shape of a Vāmana, a dwarf brāhmaṇa. So He is the sarva-loka-maheśvaram (BG 5.29). He's the proprietor of all the planets. And still He's saying that dadāsi yat kuruṣva mad-arpaṇam: "Whatever you are giving in charity, please give it to Me."
Festival Lectures
He's always sitting with me, within my heart. I am in the heart, and Paramātmā is also within the heart as friend to give me advice that "Why you are bothering in this material world? Please come back to home, back to Me." This is going on. Sakhyam ātma-nivedanam. Ātma-nivedanam means fully surrendered. So there are examples of devotees who, sarvātma-nivedanam. Just like Bali Mahārāja. He gave everything to Kṛṣṇa, even his body, everything, whatever, his kingdom, money, everything.
Then next incarnation is Vāmana, the dwarf. Lord Vāmana appeared before Bali Mahārāja. That was also another cheating. Bali Mahārāja conquered all the universal planets and the demigods were too much disturbed. So Vāmana Mahārāja... Vāmanadeva went to Bali Mahārāja that "You give me some alms. I am brāhmaṇa. I have come to beg from you." So Bali Mahārāja said, "Yes. I'll give You." So He wanted three feet land only. So by one feet the whole universe was covered, upside, and another feet the other half was covered. Then the third feet Bali Mahārāja said, "Yes, now there is no place. Please keep Your feet on my head. Still my head is there." So Vāmanadeva was very much pleased by the sacrifice of Bali Mahārāja. He gave up everything for the Lord. So he is one of the great authorities. Out of the twelve authorities, Bali Mahārāja is one of the authorities because he sacrificed everything to satisfy the Lord.
Initiation Lectures
So Bali is... Bali-mardana does not mean that he was... Because he was punished by Kṛṣṇa, he is not ordinary person; he is authority. So even a person punished by Kṛṣṇa becomes authority. Kṛṣṇa is so nice. What to speak of a person who is directly loved by Kṛṣṇa, even one is punished by Kṛṣṇa, he becomes authority. So therefore Kṛṣṇa's name is Bali-mardana. And Bali-mardana dāsa means Kṛṣṇa dāsa, one who is servant of Kṛṣṇa. Is that clear? Yes. (break) (japa) So that list you have not made, offenses, ten kinds of...?
General Lectures
Śambhu, Lord Śiva. Svayambhūr nāradaḥ śambhuḥ kapilaḥ kaumāraḥ, kapilo manuḥ. Kaumāra, the four Kumāras, Sanat Kumāra, Sunanda, these four Kumāras, and kumāraḥ kapila, Kapiladeva, the original propounder of Sāṅkhya philosophy, Kapiladeva; and Manu, you know, Manu-saṁhitā, the law-giver to the mankind, Svayambhuva Manu, Manu. And Prahlāda Mahārāja, whose instructions we were discussing in the morning. Prahlādo janaka-rāja bhīṣma, the grandfather of the Kurus. Vaiyāsaki, Śukadeva Gosvāmī; or Bali Mahārāja, a grandson of Prahlāda Mahārāja, he is also an authority. And Yamarāja, he is also authority. So we have to follow these authorities. Otherwise, dharmasya tattvaṁ nihitaṁ guhāyām: we cannot understand the secrecy of religion. So all these twelve mahājanas, they are great devotees of the Lord. Therefore they have become mahājanas, authorized persons.
Then Prahlāda Mahārāja, Hiraṇyakaśipu's son, he is also mahājana. We have to learn how to execute dharma from these great personalities. Prahlādo janako bhīṣmaḥ. King Janaka and Bhīṣma, the grandfather Bhīṣma, and Bali Mahārāja and Vaiyāsaki, Śukadeva Gosvāmī, like that. Just like if you want to learn something, you have to approach some expert in the matter, similarly, if you want to learn what is dharma, how to execute it, then you have to approach such gurus or their representative. Tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum eva abhigacchet samit-pāṇiḥ śrotriyaṁ brahma-niṣṭham (MU 1.2.12).
...down to the Sutala planet. And by accepting the order of the Supreme Personality of Godhead... The Lord questioned Śukrācārya, "What was the discrepancy in the performance of yajña arranged by Bali Mahārāja that you cursed him?" Of course, he did not ask that "you cursed him," but it was understood. Śukrācārya admitted that there was no fault. This is the verse. When the Supreme Personality of Godhead is worshiped, there is no discrepancy. In the Kali-yuga it is said in the śāstras that yajña is now practically impossible; therefore it is recommended yajñair saṅkīrtanair prāyair yajanti hi (SB 11.5.32). So we are very glad that here in southern portion of India, still there are so many respectable yajñic brāhmaṇas, and we see practically how they have nicely performed the yajñas. Now this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is trying to spread this brahminical culture.
| Page Title: | Bali Maharaja (Lectures) |
| Compiler: | Kumari, Partha-sarathi, Rishab |
| Created: | 19 of Sep, 2010 |
| Totals by Section: | BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=54, Con=0, Let=0 |
| No. of Quotes: | 54 |