Avaiṣṇava-mukhodgīrṇa-pūta-hari-kathāmṛtaṁ śravanaṁ na kartavyam. Pūta-hari-kathāmṛtam. Hari-kathā, talks of Kṛṣṇa, they are by themselves pure. But still, it is prohibited that if it is spoken by an avaiṣṇava, nondevotee, one should not hear, should not hear. Must immediately reject. First of all, we have to see who is going to speak about Kṛṣṇa. Is it a devotee of Kṛṣṇa? Is he a Vaiṣṇava or not? If he is not, then immediately reject: "Oh, we are not going to hear from you." But people do not know. Any rascal speaking about Bhagavad-gītā we hear. That is not the process. Then you will misunderstand. Avaiṣṇava-mukhod..., sarpocchiṣṭaṁ payo yathā. Just like milk is very good food, everyone knows. But when it is touched by the tongue of the serpent, it is poison immediately. So we cannot drink poison. Don't hear Bhagavad-gītā or any talk about Kṛṣṇa from a person who is not a Vaiṣṇava, who is not a devotee of Kṛṣṇa. We'll misunderstand. Just like they will say, they will say, "Oh, Kṛṣṇa is engaging Arjuna for fighting, for committing so many sinful activities." No, that is not the fact. Kṛṣṇa is engaging Arjuna fighting, to fighting, just to serve His purpose. Paritrāṇāya sādhūnāṁ vināśāya ca duṣkṛtam (BG 4.8). And Arjuna is executing the mission of Kṛṣṇa not for his personal benefit. These are the things.
Hari-katha
Expressions researched:
"hari-katha"
Srimad-Bhagavatam
SB Canto 2
According to Bhagavad-gītā (10.9) the characteristics of pure devotees are wonderful. The complete functional activities of a pure devotee are always engaged in the service of the Lord, and thus the pure devotees exchange feelings of ecstasy between themselves and relish transcendental bliss. This transcendental bliss is experienced even in the stage of devotional practice (sādhana-avasthā), if properly undertaken under the guidance of a bona fide spiritual master. And in the mature stage the developed transcendental feeling culminates in realization of the particular relationship with the Lord by which a living entity is originally constituted (up to the relationship of conjugal love with the Lord, which is estimated to be the highest transcendental bliss). Thus bhakti-yoga, being the only means of God realization, is called kaivalya. Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī quotes the Vedic version (eko nārāyaṇo devaḥ, parāvarāṇāṁ parama āste kaivalya-saṁjñitaḥ) in this connection and establishes that Nārāyaṇa, the Personality of Godhead, is known as kaivalya, and the means which enables one to approach the Lord is called the kaivalya-panthā, or the only means of attainment of Godhead. This kaivalya-panthā begins from śravaṇa, or hearing those topics that relate to the Personality of Godhead, and the natural consequence of hearing such hari-kathā is attainment of transcendental knowledge, which causes detachment from all mundane topics, for which a devotee has no taste at all. For a devotee, all mundane activities, social and political, become unattractive, and in the mature state such a devotee becomes uninterested even in his own body, and what to speak of bodily relatives. In such a state of affairs one is not agitated by the waves of the material modes. There are different modes of material nature, and all mundane functions in which a common man is very much interested or in which he takes part become unattractive for the devotee.
Lectures
Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures
So the process should be to receive the knowledge by disciplic succession, not sporadically hearing sometimes this scholar, hearing sometimes this scholar. "I interpret in my scholarship." No. This thing will not. Our process is, as directed by Sanātana Gosvāmī, avaiṣṇava-mukhodgīrṇa-pūta-hari-kathāmṛtam. Hari-kathā is amṛta. Amṛta. But still, it should not be received when it is uttered by some avaiṣṇava. There is another direction: avaiṣṇavo gurur na sa syāt. Sat-karma-nipuṇo vipro mantra-tantra-viśāradaḥ. A person, a brāhmaṇa, sat-karma-nipuṇaḥ. Brāhmaṇa's business is become to become scholar and to make others scholar. Paṭhana pāṭhana yajana yājana. He must be a worshiper and he must teach others how to worship. Paṭhana pāṭhana yajana yājana dāna pratigraha. Brāhmaṇa should receive charity and he makes immediately distribute the charity. So these, these are the occupational duty of brāhmaṇa. Paṭhana pāṭhana. Sat-karma, sat-karma-nipuṇaḥ. A brāhmaṇa, he is very expert in his business, sat-karma. Sat-karma-nipuṇo mantra-tantra-viśāradaḥ. And he has read the Vedic literatures and tantras very nicely. Viśārada. Still, if he's not a Vaiṣṇava, then avaiṣṇava gurur na sa syāt. By that only qualification, that he's not a Vaiṣṇava, he cannot become guru, whereas, on the other hand, sad-vaiṣṇavaḥ śva-pacaḥ guru. If a person, śva-pacaḥ... Śva-pacaḥ means coming of the family of dog-eaters, caṇḍāla, if he has become a Vaiṣṇava, sadācāra-sampanna-vaiṣṇava, sa guruḥ syāt. You can accept him as guru.
Sarpocchiṣṭa-payo yathā. Avaiṣṇava-mukhodgirṇaṁ pūtaṁ hari-kathāmṛtam. Hari-kathā, this message of Bhagavad-gītā is hari-kathā. Hari means the Supreme Lord. His word. Therefore it is warned that to "Do not try to hear this message of Hari or the Supreme Lord from rascal nondevotee. Do not try to hear." Why? Sarpocchiṣṭa-payo yathā. Just like milk is very nutritious food, but if a little milk is touched by the tongue of a serpent, whole thing is spoiled. A serpent, a very thin tongue, if he touches the milk, oh, the whole milk is spoiled. So if we take such milk, "Oh, milk is very nice," no. Because it is touched by the serpent's lip, it should not be taken. Similarly, any transcendental message, any Vedic literature, unless it is presented by a self-realized devotee, it is poison. You simply misunderstand the whole thing, and you do not get the benefit. Rather, you become a victim of misunderstanding.
Tad viddhi praṇipātena paripraśnena sevayā (BG 4.34). So this knowledge, this process of knowledge, is received by submissive mood. Jñāne prayāsam udapāsya. One has to give up the false prestigious position that "I can understand God and everything by my speculative, experimental knowledge." This is called jñāne prayāsam. Jñāne prayāsam udapāsya namanta eva. One should be submissive, san-mukharitāṁ bhavadīya-vārtām, and try to hear the message of the Lord from san-mukharitām, sādhu, devotees, san-mukha..., not professional. Śrī Sanātana Gosvāmī has strictly forbidden: avaiṣṇava-mukhodgīrṇaṁ pūtaṁ hari-kathāmṛtam, śravaṇaṁ naiva kartavyam. Avaiṣṇava, those who are not practically Vaiṣṇava, devotee, in practical life, professional person, there is no use. Avaiṣṇava. There must be heart and soul Vaiṣṇava. Avaiṣṇava-mukhodgīrṇaṁ pūtaṁ hari-kathāmṛtam. Hari-kathā, the words about the Supreme Personality of Godhead, certainly that is amṛtam. But still, it should not be heard from a person who is not a devotee.
Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures
One who was not interested in hearing, he used to call him a daṇḍavat-class. Daṇḍavat-class of men. That means simply he knows how to make daṇḍavats, that's all. (laughter) Anyone who will come to him, he would see whether he is a daṇḍavat-class of man or hearing class of man. So daṇḍavat is nice, but by offering daṇḍavat, if one does not develop the intent of hearing, śravaṇam, then he is not making very much progress. As you know, because I was little interested in hearing, my Guru Mahārāja, he accepted me as his disciple. He marked this. "This boy is interested in hearing. He does not go away." Actually, I do not know. I could not understand what he was speaking in the beginning, but still I was very much interested to hear him, out of curiosity or something like that. So hearing is very important thing. Notpādayed yadi ratim, viṣvaksena-kathāsu yaḥ. Kathā. Hari-kathā. This is accepted by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.
We have got the Vedic knowledge, treasurehouse of spiritual knowledge, and the Bhagavad-gītā is the gist, is the summary. Gītopaniṣad. It is called Upaniṣad. If you simply study Bhagavad-gītā as it is, without foolishly interpreting it... That will spoil. Don't interpret. Just like you are given paramānna, or kṣīra. Everyone knows what is kṣīra, milk and rice cooked together with sugar, very nice foodstuff. But if you add with it several grains of sand, it becomes useless. You can add it, simply a few grains of sand—we spoil Bhagavad-gītā. Therefore Śrī Sanātana Gosvāmī has advised how to save yourself from this rascaldom. He says, avaiṣṇava-mukhodgīrṇaṁ pūtaṁ hari-kathāmṛtam, śravaṇaṁ naiva kartavyam. Pūtaṁ hari-kathāmṛtam. Hari-kathā. Kṛṣṇa is speaking Bhagavad-gītā; therefore it is called hari-kathā, kṛṣṇa-kathā. So Sanātana Gosvāmī says, "If it is uttered by avaiṣṇava, who is not a devotee, he is a professional man, so-called scholar and politician, don't hear it. Don't hear it." Avaiṣṇava: "Because he is not a Vaiṣṇava." Avaiṣṇava-mukhodgīrṇaṁ pūtaṁ hari-kathā. Hari-kathā means Kṛṣṇa's words. They are very purified. That's all right. But śravaṇaṁ naiva kartavyam. Why? Because sarpocchiṣṭaṁ yathā payaḥ. Just like milk. Milk is very good food, but if it is touched by the tongue of a serpent, it becomes poison. If you eat that kind of milk, your life will be finished. Similarly, our only request is that don't try to read Bhagavad-gītā commented by unauthorized so-called scholars or politicians. Simply read Bhagavad-gītā as it is. Simply accept what Kṛṣṇa says. Then you will be benefited.
Sanātana Gosvāmī has also said that avaiṣṇava-mukhodgīrṇaṁ pūtaṁ hari-kathāmṛtam. Hari-kathā, amṛta, nectar, but still, although it is amṛta, it is not to be received from the mouth of a nondevotee. One must be practical devotee, pure devotee. When he speaks, you should receive Bhāgavata, the message of Bhāgavata, Bhagavad-gītā from him. Avaiṣṇava-mukhodgīrṇaṁ pūtaṁ hari-kathāmṛtam, śravaṇaṁ naiva kartavyam. Do not hear. Reject. Professional readers. Reject immediately. Those who are earning their livelihood by the Bhāgavata reading profession, you should immediately reject. This is the injunction. Not that "Oh, here is Bhāgavata. Here is Bhāgavata. I must sit down." No. Sanātana Gosvāmī says no. Śravaṇaṁ naiva kartavyam.
Why? Hari-kathā. "He may be whatever he may be, but he's speaking Bhāgavata. What is the harm to hear from him?" One can argue like that. No, Sanātana Gosvāmī says, "Yes, sarpocchiṣṭaṁ yathā payaḥ. Milk is amṛta, nice, but as soon as it is touched by the tongue of a serpent, it is, it is poison." Sarpocchiṣṭaṁ yathā payaḥ. He has given this very example. Milk is very nice, undoubtedly. Everyone will agree. But as soon as it is touched by the lip of a serpent, you cannot drink it. Then you'll die. Now Caitanya Mahāprabhu has also warned like that, that māyāvādi-bhāṣya śunile haya sarva-nāśa (CC Madhya 6.169). If you hear from a Māyāvādī who misinterprets things according to their whims, so then you'll be spoiled. You'll not get any benefit. And Svarūpa Dāmodara, secretary of Lord Caitanya, he has also the same thing, that bhāgavata paro giya bhāgavata sthāne. Those who are practical bhāgavata, life bhāgavata, from them, from him try to understand Bhāgavata.
Just like in jaundice disease that, if you... Because the doctors, the medical practitioners, they give sugar candy. The physician gives sugar candy. The sugar candy, to the person suffering from jaundice, tastes bitter: "Oh, it is bitter." But actually sugar candy is not bitter. Similarly, to the sinful man the kṛṣṇa-kathā, discussion about Kṛṣṇa, does not appear to be very palatable. They do not like to hear. They think it is waste of time. But that, as the sugar candy is the only medicine for jaundice disease, similarly, the hari-kathā, or kṛṣṇa-kathā, is the only medicine for our material disease. If we take it... Just like the jaundiced patient. If he takes sugar candy, then gradually he becomes free from the diseased condition, and at that time, the same sugar candy which he tasted in the beginning as bitter, it appears to be very, very sweet. Then he cannot live without. This is the process.
Prabhupāda: Kaivalya means oneness. When I forget myself... The same example: the screw is no longer a screw; it is the whole machine. It is the whole machine. So similarly, kaivalya means oneness. There is no other anything. Sarvaṁ khalv idaṁ brahma, everything Brahman.
This stage can be achieved when one is engaged, dovetailed in the service of the Lord. Therefore the last line says, ko nirvṛto hari-kathāsu ratiṁ na kuryāt. This is the highest perfectional stage of life. So anyone, one who, anyone who wants blissful life... What is nirvṛtaḥ? Hm? What is the meaning of nirvṛtaḥ?
Śrutaśravā: "Absorbed in."
Prabhupāda: Absorbed in. So anyone who wants to be in transcendental pleasure, absorbed in transcendental pleasure, how he will decline to hear the hari-kathā, transcendental messages of Hari, Supreme Personality of Godhead? Hari-kathā. Hari-kathāsu. This is hari-kathā. In our temple, whatever we discuss, that is hari-kathā or kṛṣṇa-kathā. Yāre dekha tāre kaha kṛṣṇa-upadeśa (CC Madhya 7.128). Hari-kathā.
So go town to town, village to village. Preach this Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Bring them to life so this frustration will be stopped. The leaders of the society, the politicians, they should take care where they are going. So it is said, kathā hari-kathodarkāḥ satāṁ syuḥ sadasi dhruvam. Therefore if we discuss this hari-kathā... We are discussing Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, hari-kathā. So kathā, hari-kathā, udarkāḥ satāṁ syuḥ sadasi dhruvam. If it is discussed among devotees, then one can understand. This book, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, has value amongst the devotees. And to others, they may purchase. They see that "What is this? Sanskrit verse, something written. Scrap of paper." You see. Just like this newspaper, for us, is scrap of paper. We don't care for it. But they keep it very carefully on their chest, "Oh, it is so nice." Newspaper in the Western countries is so popular.
Śrī Sanātana Gosvāmī said in Hari-bhakti-vilāsa... He has written one book, "The Behavior of the Vaiṣṇava," Hari-bhakti-vilāsa. So in that book he has recommended, avaiṣṇava-mukhodgīrṇaṁ pūtaṁ hari-kathāmṛtam, śravaṇaṁ naiva kartavyam. He has said that "One who is not Vaiṣṇava by his behavior, by his action, by his mode of life, if he speaks something from śāstra, especially hari-kathā..." Hari-kathā means Bhagavad-gītā, the Purāṇas, out of which the Bhāgavata, Mahāpurāṇa. So we should not hear from a professional reader, or avaiṣṇava, or Māyāvādī. Caitanya Mahāprabhu has warned, māyāvādi-bhāṣya śunile haya sarva-nāśa (CC Madhya 6.169). If we hear Bhagavad-gītā—that is kṛṣṇa-kathā, hari-kathā—we should not hear from the Māyāvādīs or avaiṣṇava. Then it will not be effective. There are so many Māyāvādīs and avaiṣṇava, they practically do not accept Kṛṣṇa even the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and they dare to speak on Bhagavad-gītā. Just see the fun. He does not accept Bhagavad-gītā as it is, and he wants to comment and give his ṭīkā. So you'll never derive any benefit. Therefore here it is said, satāṁ prasaṅgāt. You should hear Bhagavad-gītā and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam from the devotees, not from a third-class man, no.
Just like here it is said, śraddhā ratir bhaktir anukramiṣyati. Anukrama means gradually, not that all of a sudden you can expect to see God, but you become qualified to see God. This is the way. Śraddhā ratir bhaktir anukramiṣyati. Ādau śraddhā. Just like with śraddhā. Somebody is thinking, "This hari-kīrtana is nuisance." They are amongst those, duṣkṛtino mūḍhāḥ. Those (who) are thinking that this hari-kīrtana, hari-kathā, which we are trying to spread all over the world, and they are accepting all over the world... And in India, especially here in Bombay, they are sending complaints to the police that we are creating nuisance. Just see the fun. Where Kṛṣṇa is born and kṛṣṇa-kathā is there, Bhagavad-gītā—we have not imported this book from elsewhere—now we are so fallen that we are thinking that "This kṛṣṇa-kathā, this chanting of Hare Kṛṣṇa, is creating nuisance." Just see how much we have advanced after getting independence. They are complaining that we are creating nuisance. Satataṁ kīrtayanto māṁ yatantaś ca dṛḍha-vratāḥ (BG 9.14). Kīrtana is recommended in the Bhagavad-gītā satatam, always, twenty-four hours. Satataṁ kīrtayanto māṁ yatantaś ca dṛḍha-vratāḥ (BG 9.14).
It is said that "A brāhmaṇa who is very well expert in the brahminical activities and mantra-tantra-viśārada, knows all the Vedic mantras, but if he is not a Vaiṣṇava, he cannot become guru. But a person born in a family of dog-eaters, śva-paca, he can become guru if he has become Vaiṣṇava." Sanātana Gosvāmī, one of the big ācāryas of Gauḍīya sampradāya, he has also said that avaiṣṇava gurur na sa syāt. Sa. He says that... I forget that verse That "A person..." Pūta-hari-kathāmṛtaṁ śravaṇaṁ na kartavyam. Avaiṣṇava-mukhodgīrṇa-pūta-hari-kathāmṛtaṁ śravaṇaṁ na kartavyam. He says that "You do not try to hear from a person who is avaiṣṇava hari-kathāmṛtam." The hari-kathā, the message of Kṛṣṇa like Bhagavad-gītā and other, Bhāgavata, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, you should not hear from a person who is not a Vaiṣṇava. In the Bhāgavata also it is said, satāṁ prasaṅgāt mama vīrya-saṁvido bhavanti hṛt-karṇa-rasāyanāḥ-kathāḥ. When we hear from sad-vekti(?), or Vaiṣṇava, then we get real effect. So if one argues that "Hari-kathā is pure. Even a avaiṣṇava speaks, what is the harm there?" so Sanātana Gosvāmī said in connection with this that śravaṇaṁ na kartavyaṁ sarpocchiṣṭaṁ payo yathā. Just like milk: it is very nice food, but if it is touched with the lips of a snake, it becomes poisonous. Therefore it is concluded that we have to hear the transcendental message of Kṛṣṇa from a realized soul, a devotee.
So Sanātana Gosvāmī therefore said, avaiṣṇava-mukhodgīrṇaṁ pūtaṁ hari-kathāmṛtaṁ, śravaṇaṁ naiva kartavyam: "One who is not Vaiṣṇava, from him one should not hear hari-kathāmṛtaṁ." Hari-kathā Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is hari-kathā, and it is amṛta, nectarine. But if it is recited or explained by some avaiṣṇava, one should not hear. It is forbidden. The example is given, sarpocchiṣṭaṁ payo yathā. So professional reciters or one who speaks and writes for living means it is strictly prohibited. Na vyākhyām upayuñjītaḥ. One should not make Bhāgavata recitation as a means of livelihood. That is, the process is not accepted. So śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ (SB 7.5.23). You should hear from Vaiṣṇava, at least one who is trying to become Vaiṣṇava, not professional man. Bhaktiḥ pareśānubhavo viraktir anyatra syāt (SB 11.2.42).
One can argue, "No, we can hear hari-kathā from any person, he may be Vaiṣṇava or not Vaiṣṇava. What is the matter?" But Sanātana Goswāmī, "No." So, why it is no? Because it is like sarpocchiṣṭaṁ payaḥ yathā. Milk is very good, nice food, everyone knows, but if the milk is touched by the lips of a snake, it is not to be touched. It is not to be touched. It has become poison. Very good example. Similarly, if we do not hear from the right person, any Vedic literature, especially Bhagavad-gītā because that is the beginning, the sarpocchiṣṭaṁ payaḥ yathā. He may be very big scholar, but because he is avaiṣṇava, not devotee, it has become poison. In our country, we have got so many editions, not only in country, in all, outside the country also. In your country. There are so many hodge-podge interpretation of Bhagavad-gītā, and they are being read and being used for the last two hundred years ago, but there was no effective result. It could not act. But as soon as this Bhagavad-gītā As It Is, we have presented and you are reading, so many thousands of thousands, they are becoming devotee.
Conversations and Morning Walks
1973 Conversations and Morning Walks
Prabhupāda: Yes, so at that time Vinode Bhai, later on Keśava Mahārāja, he informed that "Prabhupāda is going to Mathurā tomorrow morning and he will speak Hari-kathā this evening. Anyone who wants to remain may remain or otherwise they may prepare to go to see Śeṣaśāyī." So at that time, I think only ten or twelve men remained. Out of them Śrīdhara Mahārāja was one of them, and I thought it wise, "What shall I see, this Śeṣaśāyī? Let me hear. Prabhupāda will speak, let me hear." So Prabhupāda marked that this boy...
Śrīdhara Mahārāja: (indistinct) to listen to him (indistinct).
Prabhupāda: He, because he's a vaikuṇṭha person who could understand that this boy is eager to hear, so he very much appreciated.
| Page Title: | Hari-katha |
| Compiler: | Visnu Murti, Labangalatika |
| Created: | 30 of Jul, 2010 |
| Totals by Section: | BG=0, SB=1, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=15, Con=1, Let=0 |
| No. of Quotes: | 17 |