SB 01.05.24 te mayy apetakhila-capale 'rbhake... cited

Expressions researched:
"cakruh krpam yadyapi tulya-darsanah" |"dante 'dhrta-kridanake 'nuvartini" |"susrusamane munayo 'lpa-bhasini" |"te mayy apetakhila-capale 'rbhake"

SB Canto 1

SB 1.5.24, Translation and Purport:

Although they were impartial by nature, those followers of the Vedānta blessed me with their causeless mercy. As far as I was concerned, I was self-controlled and had no attachment for sports, even though I was a boy. In addition, I was not naughty, and I did not speak more than required.

In the Bhagavad-gītā the Lord says, "All the Vedas are searching after Me." Lord Śrī Caitanya says that in the Vedas the subject matters are only three, namely to establish the relation of the living entities with the Personality of Godhead, perform the relative duties in devotional service and thus achieve the ultimate goal, back to Godhead. As such, vedānta-vādīs, or the followers of the Vedānta, indicate the pure devotees of the Personality of Godhead. Such vedānta-vādīs, or the bhakti-vedāntas, are impartial in distributing the transcendental knowledge of devotional service. To them no one is enemy or friend; no one is educated or uneducated. No one is especially favorable, and no one is unfavorable. The bhakti-vedāntas see that the people in general are wasting time in false sensuous things. Their business is to get the ignorant mass of people to reestablish their lost relationship with the Personality of Godhead. By such endeavor, even the most forgotten soul is roused up to the sense of spiritual life, and thus being initiated by the bhakti-vedāntas, the people in general gradually progress on the path of transcendental realization. So the vedānta-vādīs initiated the boy even before he became self-controlled and was detached from childish sporting, etc. But before the initiation, he (the boy) became more and more advanced in discipline, which is very essential for one who wishes to make progress in the line. In the system of varṇāśrama-dharma, which is the beginning of actual human life, small boys after five years of age are sent to become brahmacārī at the guru's āśrama, where these things are systematically taught to boys, be they king's sons or sons of ordinary citizens. The training was compulsory not only to create good citizens of the state, but also to prepare the boy's future life for spiritual realization. The irresponsible life of sense enjoyment was unknown to the children of the followers of the varṇāśrama system. The boy was even injected with spiritual acumen before being placed by the father in the womb of the mother. Both the father and the mother were responsible for the boy's success in being liberated from the material bondage. That is the process of successful family planning. It is to beget children for complete perfection. Without being self-controlled, without being disciplined and without being fully obedient, no one can become successful in following the instructions of the spiritual master, and without doing so, no one is able to go back to Godhead.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Lecture on SB 1.5.24 -- Vrndavana, August 5, 1975:

Nitāi: "Although they were impartial by nature, those followers of the Vedānta blessed me with their causeless mercy. As far as I was concerned, I was self-controlled and had no attachment for sports even though I was a boy. In addition, I was not naughty and I did not speak more than required."

Prabhupāda:

te mayy apetākhila-cāpale 'rbhake

dānte 'dhṛta-krīḍanake 'nuvartini

cakruḥ kṛpāṁ yadyapi tulya-darśanāḥ

śuśrūṣamāṇe munayo 'lpa-bhāṣiṇi

(SB 1.5.24)

These are the qualifications how to receive favor of the devotee. He was, Nārada Muni, in his previous birth, a boy servant. But boys are generally restless. But Nārada Muni was not restless. Cāpale. What is given there? Proclivities. Generally, boys are attached to so many different types of playful things. This also becomes possible by association. Just like you are all young men, you have got so many desires, naturally, especially in the Western countries. But you have voluntarily given up not to go to the restaurant, not to go to the club or theater or cinema. These are good qualifications.

So he was a boy, but he gave up all these things. Arbhaka. Arbhaka means not experienced very well. Or almost foolish, ignorant, they are called arbhaka. So although he was a child, he was a boy, but by the association of exalted devotees he also became very sober. Sober. Śuśrūṣamāṇe munayaḥ alpa-bhāṣiṇi. And he was not talking very much. Too much talking unnecessarily is against spiritual advancement of life. Therefore, sometimes those who are very, very talkative, they are ordered by their spiritual master that "You keep silence." Maunī. Maunī-bābā. Somebody, they practice to become always silent. You'll find some of the sādhus, the mendicants, they also keep silence. But they sometimes make this, that, this... And way (?) "onnnnh." That is not good. Silence means don't talk nonsense. Whenever you speak, you speak about Kṛṣṇa. That is real silence. The... "Make a vow that 'I shall not speak anything except topics of Kṛṣṇa.' " That is real silence. Not that to become silent. To become silent... Mind will work. Better chant Hare Kṛṣṇa and hear. There is no question of becoming silent.

There is a verse about Ambarīṣa Mahārāja, sa vai manaḥ kṛṣṇa-padāravindayor vacāṁsi vaikuṇṭha-guṇānuvarṇane (SB 9.4.18). Manaḥ kṛṣṇa-padāravindayoḥ. If you fix up your mind on Kṛṣṇa, naturally these things will be controlled. First of all our mind must be fixed up on the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa. Always chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, and... Chant and hear. Naturally, with the chanting of the holy name of Kṛṣṇa, you will memorize the form of Kṛṣṇa, the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa. In this way if we fix our mind always on the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa, naturally these good qualities will come. Yasyāsti bhaktir bhagavaty akiñcanā sarvair guṇais tatra samāsate surāḥ (SB 5.18.12). Bhakti. Unless you have got bhakti... Man-manā bhava mad-bhaktaḥ. Who can fix up his mind on the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa unless he's a bhakta? Man-manā bhava mad-bhaktaḥ.

So these are the primary qualification. And alpa-bhāṣiṇi. Alpa-bhāṣiṇi. Munayaḥ alpa-bhāṣiṇi śuśrūṣamāṇe. At the same time, service must be there. And simply, "I'm chanting, but no, I'm not giving service..." That may be possible for Haridāsa Ṭhākura. He was simply chanting 300,000 times. That was possible by Haridāsa Ṭhākura. But if we imitate Haridāsa Ṭhākura, that "I shall chant only," that is not chanting. You'll sleep only. That's all. That is not possible. It is possible only for the liberated person. Therefore we should not imitate. Our Guru Mahārāja has condemned this. Mana tumi kisera vaiṣṇava, pratiṣṭhāra tare nirjanera ghare, tava hari-nāma kevala kaitava. In Vṛndāvana you'll find there are so many, they imitate. In a secluded place they are chanting, but they cannot give up even smoking biḍi. You see? So this kind of imitation has no value. Therefore śuśrūṣamāṇe. Sevonmukhe hi jihvādau svayam eva sphuraty adaḥ (Brs. 1.2.234). You must give service to the spiritual master. Spiritual master does not accept any service for his personal benefit, but for Kṛṣṇa's benefit. So this is required, śuśrūṣamāṇe. Dānte 'dhṛta-krīḍanake anuvartini. Following the principles. Whatever the sages order, "Boy...," immediately. Śuśrūṣamāṇe. Immediately he carried out. Anuvartini. These are the qualifications.

Cakruḥ kṛpām. Then... Cakruḥ means "did," kṛpām, "mercy." Naturally... If anyone follows without any hesitation whatever the spiritual master says, naturally he becomes kind. Anyone will become kind. Why the spiritual master? Spiritual master is pledged to become kind, but anyone, if you follow, if you obey, then he becomes merciful: "This boy is very nice. He obeys orders. He serves very nicely." That is required. Cakruḥ kṛpāṁ yadyapi tulya-darśanāḥ. Tulya-darśanāḥ. Because saintly persons, they have no discrimination that "This man should be shown special favor." They have no such discrimination. They are merciful to everyone. Sama-darśinaḥ. Paṇḍitāḥ sama-darśinaḥ (BG 5.18). So... But still, although they are equal to everyone, still, one who is very much inclined to render service, especially inclined. Therefore it is said, yadyapi tulya-darśanāḥ. It is not that saintly person is partial, showing somebody special favor and somebody no favor. No. They are open to everyone. Just like Kṛṣṇa, He's open to everyone. Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). It is not it is meant for only Arjuna. He's open to everyone. Just like sunlight. Sunlight is open to everyone. Everyone can enjoy sunlight. But if you keep your doors closed voluntarily, then what sun will do? Sun is tulya-darśanaḥ.