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SB 01.16.24 idam mamacaksva tavadhi-mulam... cited

Expressions researched:
"idam mamacaksva tavadhimulam" |"kalena va te balinam baliyasa" |"surarcitam kim hrtam amba saubhagam" |"vasundhare yena vikarsitasi"

Srimad-Bhagavatam

SB Canto 1

SB 1.16.24, Translation and Purport:

Mother, you are the reservoir of all riches. Please inform me of the root cause of your tribulations by which you have been reduced to such a weak state. I think that the powerful influence of time, which conquers the most powerful, might have forcibly taken away all your fortune, which was adored even by the demigods.

By the grace of the Lord, each and every planet is created fully equipped. So not only is this earth fully equipped with all the riches for the maintenance of its inhabitants, but also when the Lord descends on the earth the whole earth becomes so enriched with all kinds of opulences that even the denizens of heaven worship it with all affection. But by the will of the Lord, the whole earth can at once be changed. He can do and undo a thing by His sweet will. Therefore no one should consider himself to be self-sufficient or independent of the Lord.

Lectures

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Lecture on SB 1.16.24 -- Hawaii, January 20, 1974:

Pradyumna: (leads chanting, etc.)

idaṁ mamācakṣva tavādhimūlaṁ
vasundhare yena vikarśitāsi
kālena vā te balināṁ balīyasā
surārcitaṁ kiṁ hṛtam amba saubhagam
(SB 1.16.24)

Translation: "Mother, you are the reservoir of all riches. Please inform me of the root cause of your tribulations, by which you have been reduced to such a weak state. I think that the powerful influence of time, which conquers the most powerful, might have forcibly taken away all your fortune, which was adored even by the demigods."

Prabhupāda: Kālena vā te balināṁ balīyasā. Time is very powerful. Another place in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam it is said, kālena sarvatra gabhīra-raṁhasā.

tasyaiva hetoḥ prayateta kovido
na labhyate yad bhramatām upary adhaḥ
tal labhyate duḥkhavad anyataḥ sukhaṁ
kālena sarvatra gabhīra-raṁhasā
(SB 1.5.18)

So in due course of time, everything happens. That is the nature's law. When I was also a child, I was looking very beautiful, but kālena, in due course of time, I'm now old man, a ugly man. Nobody likes. (laughter) So this is the influence of time, influence of time. So influence of time will act. You cannot check it. Influence of time, that is nature's law. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā (BG 7.14). That is māyā's strength. How you can check? It is not in your power.

So this is another question by Dharmarāja to mother earth, "Whether you are now in tribulation by the influence of time?" Surārcitaṁ kiṁ hṛtam amba saubhagam. So we should remember saubhagam, opulence, can be taken away, in due course of time. You cannot check it. Suppose in America you are all fortunate. You have got very nice roads, very nice cars, very nice skyscraper building, government, food, everything very nice. But in due course of time everything can be taken away. You cannot check it. Śāstra says therefore, tasyaiva hetoḥ prayateta kovidaḥ. Everything will be taken away, or ultimately, destruction. That is also stated in the Bhagavad-gītā. You can find out, somebody, the verse. Mṛtyuḥ sarva-haraś cāham, mṛtyuḥ sarva-haraś ca aham. In due course of time, death will come, and it will take everything, what you possess. Mṛtyuḥ sarva-haraś cāham. That death is Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on SB 1.16.24 -- Hawaii, January 20, 1974:

Yes. So Kṛṣṇa is within you. He knows whether you are cheater and whether you are sincere. So therefore He says, "Those who are sincere and twenty-four hours engaged in My service, I give them intelligence." What kind of intelligence? "To... As he may come back to Me, that kind of intelligence." Because that is our aim, back to home, back to Godhead.

So Kṛṣṇa is prepared to help you. Paramātmā. Sarvas... In another place it is said, sarvasya cāhaṁ hṛdi sanniviṣṭaḥ (BG 15.15). Read Bhagavad-gītā thoroughly and be sincere and make your life successful. Don't be cheater. Read, and follow, and Kṛṣṇa will help you, this life. Don't expect another life to prepare. "It is guaranteed human life?" somebody's asking. Even if it guaranteed, why should you take the chance of another life? Finish this business within this life. Take help from Kṛṣṇa, take help from books, take from your spiritual master. Why another life? Another life... Suppose you get another human life. Is it guaranteed? You may fall down again. So my Guru Mahārāja used to say that "Finish all business in this life." Na mocayed yaḥ samupeta-mṛtyum. Finish this business of birth, death, old age and disease in this life. You can do that. This is our main business, not to make arrangement for eating, sleeping, mating and defending under different garb, under different pretext. That is not our business. Our main business is...

Therefore... Kālena sarvatra gabhīra-raṁhasā. There it is said, kālena vā te balināṁ balīyasā. Kāla, time, is very powerful. Time... In time everything can be done. In time you can become very happy, and in time you can become very distressed, very much distressed, unhappy. Time can give you. And time is also Kṛṣṇa, kāla-rūpeṇa. When... You'll find in the Bhagavad-gītā that, in the Eleventh Chapter... I've just now forget that..., that "Who are you?" Kāla. The virāḍ-rūpa, the universal form seeing, Arjuna said, "Who are You, Sir?" So He said that "I am in the kāla-rūpa, in the form of time, now. I have come to kill the all, all of you." So therefore our business should be that this life should be utilized only for complete Kṛṣṇa consciousness. No other business. That is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's cult. And it is not very difficult. Not at all difficult. Kīrtanīyaḥ sadā hariḥ (CC Adi 17.31). But it is difficult. It is very difficult. It is to chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra twenty-four hours. Those who are not accustomed, they'll become mad simply by chanting. It's difficult. You cannot imitate Haridāsa Ṭhākura, that "Now I shall go in a secluded place and chant Hare Kṛṣṇa." It is not possible, sir. It requires great advancement of spiritual life when one can concentrate in chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa. It is not so easy.

Therefore, for neophytes, we must have many engagements. In the neophyte stage, if you try to imitate the advanced stage, then it will be simply ludicrous. In the neophyte stage we must be always engaged. Kṛṣṇa has got different venues of rendering service. You can serve Kṛṣṇa in so many ways. Karmaṇā manasā vācā etāvaj janma-sāphalyaṁ dehinām iha dehiṣu. Karmaṇā manasā vācā śreya-ācaraṇaṁ sadā. Karmaṇā manasā, we have got three venues: by working, karmaṇā; by thinking, manasā; karmaṇā manasā vācā, and by speaking. We can do things. Karmaṇā manasā vācā. So this tridaṇḍa-sannyāsa means... There are four daṇḍas. One daṇḍa is the, what is called, symbol of his person. And the other three daṇḍas, they are symbol of his body, mind, and speeches. This daṇḍa means, perhaps you know, do not know. You try to under... So karmaṇā, this daṇḍa, means "I have taken now vow to engage myself, even whatever assets I have got." So I have got my assets. I can work with my body, I can work with my mind, and I can work by speaking. So tridaṇḍa-sannyāsa means one who has devoted his life, means his activities, his body and his speeches. That is tridaṇḍa-sannyāsa. Anyone who has devoted his mind, his body and his speeches for the service of the Lord, he is sannyāsī. Sannyāsī does not mean simply changing the dress and thinking otherwise. No. Sannyāsī, anyone, it does not matter whether the dress is changed or not, if one is fully engaged by his body, mind and words, sa sannyāsī.

Anāśritaḥ karma-phalaṁ kāryaṁ karma karoti yaḥ, sa sannyāsī (BG 6.1), Kṛṣṇa says. Who is sannyāsī? Anāśritaḥ karma-phalam. "I shall speak for Kṛṣṇa." Then what profit you'll get? "No matter what is profit, I shall speak for Kṛṣṇa. That's all." Sa sannyāsī, Kṛṣṇa says. "This is my duty, kāryam." Kāryam means duty. "It is my duty to speak for Kṛṣṇa only. That's all. I am not going to speak anything." He's a sannyāsī. Anāśritaḥ karma... Now, if you engage some lawyer to speak for you in the court, "Immediately bring me two thousand dollars." He'll charge. But a sannyāsī, he'll speak twenty-four hours for Kṛṣṇa, no expectation of profit. That is sannyāsī. Twenty-four hours engaging the body for Kṛṣṇa's work-he's a sannyāsī. Twenty-four hours thinking of Kṛṣṇa-he's a sannyāsī. This is sannyāsī. No other business. Anāśritaḥ karma-phalaṁ kāryaṁ karma... Everyone is working for his personal benefit, "How much money I shall get? How much name and fame and reputation I shall get?" For his personal profit. And that is material. That is material. As soon as you work for your personal benefit, that is material. And as soon as you work for Kṛṣṇa's benefit, that is spiritual. That's all. This is the distinction between material and spiritual. Everything in relationship with Kṛṣṇa.

So the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is very scientific, authorized. Try to understand Kṛṣṇa. We have got so many literature. Don't waste a single moment. Kālena. And Cāṇakya Paṇḍita, the moral instructor... He's not spiritual instructor, but moral instructor. But he has said that āyuṣaḥ kṣaṇa eko 'pi na labhyaḥ svarṇa-koṭibhiḥ. One moment of your life, if it is wasted without any profit, just imagine how much loss you have suffered. Because you cannot get back one moment of your life again even if you are prepared to pay millions of dollars. That you cannot get back. Nineteen seventy-four, 19th January, passed—you cannot get it back again. If you, any rich man comes forward, "Please get me back again 1974, 19th January," "No, sir, that is not possible." Any price you offer, it is not possible.

So just imagine, if we waste our time, how much loss we are suffering. We calculate loss and gain. So don't waste time. Kāla, kāla is very... Yoga system means to save time. The whole process, mechanical process, of yoga, mystic power, means to save time. We have got a limited duration of life. Suppose one is destined to live for... Utmost they will live, anyone, but nobody goes to live for hundred years-say, seventy, eighty, sixty or something like that. Gradually it is reducing, and it will reduce twenty to thirty years. That will be duration of life. Because people are becoming more and more sinful. So that is fixed up. A body is given to us by the superior power, and the duration of life is also fixed up. Even the greatest scientist, he cannot increase a moment's time for his life. That is not possible. A moment's life. Professor Einstein was a great scientist, but he could not find out any means that instead of living for, say, eighty years, he could live eighty years, one day. No, that is not possible. That is not possible. Your destiny, duration of life—fixed up. And how it is fixed up? The machine is breathing. Machine is breathing. Just like the clock goes on, tick-tick, tick-tick, tick-tick. As soon as the tick-tick stops, then whole things is lost. Similarly, our breathing is going on, tick-tick, tick-tick, tick-tick, a fixed time. Just like you wind your clock, so that winding will help, tick-tick, for a certain duration of time, say, twenty-four hours. Similarly, there is winding in our life, a spring. That "tick-tick" means this breathing. So if you... Breathing exercise means if you can stop breathing, then you increase your life. That is called samādhi. No more breathing. That is Vedic, I mean to say, yogic success. Stop breathing. There are yogis, perfect... not these gymnastic-wala, no. Real yogis. They can remain without breathing for days together. That means the days he does not breathe, so much time saved: he increases his life. Suppose daily if he stops breathing for three hours, that means daily he saves three hours time. So in hundred years about..., so many, so much time. So in this way, the yogi can live for three hundred years, four hundred years, six hundred years. Still there are yogis. This is called yogic success.

So kāla, to control... You cannot control time. Just like if you have got one hundred dollars, if you deposit in a bank, you will get some interest, but you cannot make without any endeavor two hundred dollars. No, that is not possible. But if you don't spend it, then the hundred dollars remains. Similarly, your duration of life is there, and it is being wasted by breathing. If you can control the breathing process, then your life can be increased. This is yogic... But after all, we are under the full control of time. Kālena sarvatra gabhīra-raṁhasā. That is explained here. Kālena vā te balināṁ balīyasā. Very, very strong—there is no power. Your so-called scientific power... You cannot struggle against the influence of time. So save time. Save time.

Another process is, save time, if you chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, then the time is not lost. Time is not lost. Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, read book, Kṛṣṇa book. Any moment, any time you spend for thinking of Kṛṣṇa, working for Kṛṣṇa, chanting for Kṛṣṇa, eating for Kṛṣṇa, dancing for Kṛṣṇa, that time is saved. That time is saved. Therefore it is recommended, harer nāma harer nāma harer nāmaiva kevalam, kalau nāsty eva nāsty eva... (CC Adi 17.21). Otherwise, by yoga process, it is not... How many men can actually practice yoga? It is all farce. This is possible. Even a child can take part, Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra.

Lecture on SB 1.16.24 -- Los Angeles, July 14, 1974:

Nitāi: "Mother, are you the reservoir of all... Mother, you are the reservoir of all riches. Please inform me of the root cause of your tribulations by which you have been reduced to such a weak state. I think that the powerful influence of time, which conquers the most powerful, might have forcibly taken away all your fortune, which was adored even by the demigods."

Prabhupāda:

idaṁ hi mamācakṣva tavādhi-mūlaṁ
vasundhare yena vikarśitāsi
kālena vā te balināṁ balīyasā
surārcitaṁ kiṁ hṛtam amba saubhagam
(SB 1.16.24)

So kālena, kālena means "by the time." In the Bhagavad-gītā there is, sa kāleneha yogo naṣṭaḥ parantapa. So time is very powerful. Time is eternal, and it is very powerful. So the inquiry is, "Vasundhare, the reservoir of all riches, whether you have been plundered or taken away of all your fortunes in due course of time?" Vasundharā, this planet... There are innumerable planets. This is one of them. And it is referred here that surārcitam. Surārcitam. Sura means the demigods, and arcitam means worshiped. So the demigods, they live in higher planetary system. Their standard of life is far, far better, thousands and thousands times better. Therefore when this planet is more opulent, even the demigods, they eulogize, surārcitaṁ saubhagam. That kind of opulence is certainly very great fortune. So all these inquiries are being made because Kṛṣṇa left this planet. "When Kṛṣṇa was present, so the opulence of this planet was so great that even the demigods in higher planetary systems, they were also envious. So that is now... Because Kṛṣṇa is not there, so that opulence is now taken away. So whether you are so much sorry for this purpose?"

So this planet or any planet, they are all full with opulence. Pūrṇam idaṁ pūrṇam adaḥ (Īśopaniṣad, Invocation). By... Anything created by God is complete. Several times I have explained. Just like in this planet we require water. Water is required for cleansing, for cultivating... So many things water is, profuse water is required. So Kṛṣṇa has provided this planet-three-fourths part of the planet is full with water. But you cannot utilize it unless Kṛṣṇa touches. There is scarcity of water. You require so much water. Suppose in the desert you can pump water from the sea, but that will not be effective. It must be managed by Kṛṣṇa. The water must be evaporated by the machine, sunshine, and they'll be turned into clouds. And when that water is poured, then it will benefit.

So you are always dependent on Kṛṣṇa and His mercy. You are thinking that "We shall adjust these material things and become happy." That is foolishness. That is not possible. Mayādhyakṣeṇa prakṛtiḥ sūyate sa-carācaram (BG 9.10). The prakṛti is there. All the riches are there. Everything is there on the ground. Just like we are getting so many things from this ground. The trees, the plants, the foodstuffs, the minerals, so many things. There is everything, complete. You'll see in your garden there are different types of flowers, color, scent, flavor. But wherefrom it is coming? It is coming from the earth. Can you make any scent from the earth? But the scent is coming from the earth. The rose flavor, wherefrom it is coming? It is there. Anyone can understand. But you cannot extract that. Kṛṣṇa requires His hand. When Kṛṣṇa is there in the form of seed... Kṛṣṇa says, bījo 'haṁ sarva-bhūtānām: (Bg 7.10) "I am the seed of all living beings." The seed. That... Just like there is sex. Unless the seed is there, there is no child. Similarly, unless the seed is there, there is no plantation. The banyan tree is there because the seed is there. And the rose tree is there because the seed is there. And Kṛṣṇa claims, bījo 'haṁ sarva-bhūtānām. And Kṛṣṇa's potencies are there in the seed so that different types of seeds producing different types of flowers, fruits, colors, flavor. This is Kṛṣṇa's supervision. Mayādhyakṣeṇa (BG 9.10).

Lecture on SB 1.16.24 -- Los Angeles, July 14, 1974:

So, so this is our process, to depend on Kṛṣṇa. Depend does not mean I shall remain idle. Depend means to work according to the direction of the śāstra. Sādhu-śāstra-guru-vākya, tinete kariyā aikya. Depend does not mean, "Now let me sleep, and Kṛṣṇa will do everything. Depend on Kṛṣṇa." No, not like that. Kṛṣṇa never advised Arjuna that "You sleep on this chariot. (laughter) I'll..." Hare Kṛṣṇa. He never said that. He said, "You must have to fight." Yudhyasva mām anusmara (BG 8.7). "Fighting you have to do. But you always think of Me." This is the success. Not that depend on Kṛṣṇa means, "I have not to, nothing to do."

So everything is there. Here it is said that surārcitaṁ kiṁ hṛtam amba saubhagam. All opulences are there. I have already explained. Anything fortune... There are mines. There are petrol. There are water. Everything is there. But as soon as we forget Kṛṣṇa, then the time will take away everything. Yes. It will not allow. Time will not allow to enjoy. Then there will be strife, there will be misunderstanding. Just like the petrol is there in, within this earth, but because we do not know how to use them, therefore there is scarcity of petrol. Petrol is there. We do not know how to use Kṛṣṇa's property. We are trying to use everything as my own. But factually it is not. Factually it is everything Kṛṣṇa's. So if we are Kṛṣṇa conscious, every one of us, there is no scarcity, no want. Because the things are there already. There is no question of scarcity. But because we have forgotten Kṛṣṇa, there is scarcity. It is very clear. We have forgotten that this petrol belongs to Kṛṣṇa. Then it is all right. This land belongs to Kṛṣṇa. But the Arabians are thinking, "This land belongs to us." Therefore there is difficulty.

So the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is so important. If people simply learn this, that everything belongs to Kṛṣṇa... Īśāvāsyam idaṁ sarvam (ISO 1). Sarvam means "everything." Not that "This much is mine, this much is Kṛṣṇa's." No. Sarvam. Īśāvāsyam idaṁ sarvaṁ yat kiñca jagatyāṁ jagat, tena tyaktena bhuñjīthāḥ... Simply we shall use as much He has allotted for us. Then there is peace and prosperity, without any difficulty. Otherwise, you go on adjusting your material possessions; the time will take away everything. When you die by the..., in due course of time, then whatever possession we have got, all finished. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā, mṛtyuḥ sarva-haraś ca aham: "I am death." Kṛṣṇa is everything. So death is also Kṛṣṇa. Just like here is a picture of Hiraṇyakaśipu. Such a great demon, so proud. He was thinking that "I am the proprietor of everything." He was chastising his son, doing everything, whatever he liked. But when Nṛsiṁha-deva came, within a second, everything finished. Everything finished. But Prahlāda remained the same. Prahlāda is not finished. Hiraṇyakaśipu is finished. So those who are trying to be very, very big by material possessions, they'll be all finished. But if you remain in the position of Prahlāda, you'll never be finished.

Lecture on SB 1.16.25 -- Hawaii, January 21, 1974:

So tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum evābhigacchet. So there, how to learn from guru, that is also stated. Tad viddhi: try to learn from him... Tad viddhi praṇipātena. First of all surrender yourself. You cannot go to any person for learning anything where there is no sense of surrender. I accept a guru, but in my mind I remain independent, "Oh, why shall I abide by the orders of guru?" That means there is no surrender. There is no surrender. It is false. It is just to satisfy some motive, but that will not help. If you have got any duplicity in your mind, then you'll never be successful in any field of activities. So the process is... Tad viddhi praṇipātena (BG 4.34). Must be surrendered. Praṇipāta means prakṛṣṭa-rūpeṇa nipāta. And therefore, unless you find somebody where you can fully surrender, don't accept guru. That is cheating. Unless you are fully confident that "I am surrendering to this person. He is... Actually he is superior to me. He can give proper knowledge..."

So therefore the process is before accepting a guru, one must hear him at least for one year. And when he's convinced that "Here is actually a guru who can teach me," then you accept him, guru. Don't accept whimsically. This system now should stop that somebody's coming for three days—"Prabhupāda, initiate him." Why? First of all see whether he's fit for becoming a disciple; then recommend. Otherwise, don't recommend. Because the chief recommendation is creating havoc. One is not fit for becoming a student, disciple, and he's accepting discipleship, and after three days he's going away. This should not be allowed. Therefore, in the Bhakti-rasāmṛta..., er, Hari-bhakti-vilāsa by Sanātana Gosvāmī it is directed that the spiritual master and the disciple must meet together at least for one year so that the disciple may also understand that "Here is a person whom I can accept as my guru," and the guru also can see that "Here is a person who is fit for becoming my disciple." Then the business is nice. Because the business is tad viddhi praṇipātena (BG 4.34), one must be prepared to surrender. So unless that character is there, surrendering, how he can become a disciple? It is not possible.

So these are very difficult things, but because it is the age of Kali, kālena balīyasā, as we studied yesterday, that kālena vā te balināṁ balīyasā: time is very hard time. Therefore Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu has said that it is very difficult time, kalau. It is not Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu's version; it is the Vedic version. Kalau nāsty eva nāsty eva nāsty eva. Simply chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. This will clarify your heart. Then you can understand who is guru, where to surrender, where to take lesson. In this way we can make... Haphazardly, if we accept, then there will be failure.

So satyaṁ śaucaṁ dayā. To accept guru, there is also service. And to give service to an inferior person who is suffering, that is also service. The one service is called dayā, and the other service is called sevā. So if you want to realize God, then the other service, sevā, not dayā. You cannot show your mercy to God. God is full. There is no need of your showing mercy. That sevā. Two kinds of service. One is called dayā, and another is called sevā. Sevonmukhe hi jihvādau svayam eva sphuraty adaḥ. If you want to know what is God, then the other service, sevā. Sevonmukhe hi jihvādau. And that service begins from the tongue. Now, generally, when we think of service, we think of our hand and legs, that "By..., I can render service with my hands, with my legs." No. The science of understanding God—the service begins with the tongue. Just see. Ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmādi na bhaved grāhyam indriyaiḥ (CC Madhya 17.136). You cannot understand what is God, what is Kṛṣṇa, His name, His activities, nāmādi... Nāmādi means name, form, qualities, activities, pastimes, entourage, so many things, ādi. Therefore... Just like we are chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, but we cannot understand what is the meaning of Hare Kṛṣṇa. We cannot understand. Nāmādi. Na bhaved grāhyam indriyaiḥ. Indriyaiḥ means the senses. There are so many people are hearing this sound vibration, but why they're not becoming Kṛṣṇa conscious? Because there is no sevā, there is no service. Therefore it is said, ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmādi na bhaved grāhyam indriyaiḥ (CC Madhya 17.136). But how it will be perceived by the indriyas? Sevonmukhe hi jihvādau. By service. And wherefrom the service begins? It begins jihvādau, beginning with the tongue, beginning with the tongue. This is the service.

Page Title:SB 01.16.24 idam mamacaksva tavadhi-mulam... cited
Compiler:Krsnadas
Created:10 of Sep, 2011
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=1, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=5, Con=0, Let=0
No. of Quotes:6