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SB 02.08.07 yad adhatu-mato brahman... cited

Expressions researched:
"bhavanto janate yatha" |"deharambho sya dhatubhih" |"yad adhatu-mato brahman" |"yadrcchaya hetuna va"

Srimad-Bhagavatam

SB Canto 2

SB 2.8.7, Translation and Purport:

O learned brāhmaṇa, the transcendental spirit soul is different from the material body. Does he acquire the body accidentally or by some cause? Will you kindly explain this, for it is known to you.

Mahārāja Parīkṣit, being a typical devotee, is not only satisfied by confirming the importance of hearing the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam from the representative of Brahmājī by disciplic succession, but he is still more anxious to establish the philosophical basis of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is the science of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and as such all questions that may arise in the mind of a serious student must be cleared by the statements of the authority. A person on the path of devotional service may inquire from his spiritual master all about the spiritual position of God and the living beings. From the Bhagavad-gītā, as well as from the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, it is known that qualitatively the Lord and the living beings are one. The living being in the conditioned state of material existence is subjected to many transmigrations by continuous changing of the material body. But what are the causes of the material embodiment of the part and parcel of the Lord? Mahārāja Parīkṣit inquires about this very important matter for the benefit of all classes of candidates on the path of self-realization and devotional service to the Lord.

Indirectly it is confirmed that the Supreme Being, the Lord, makes no such material changes of body. He is spiritually whole, with no difference between His body and His soul, unlike the conditioned soul. The liberated living beings, who associate with the Lord in person, are also exactly like the Lord. Only the conditioned souls awaiting liberation are subjected to change of bodies. How was the process first begun?

In the process of devotional service, the first step is to take shelter of the spiritual master and then inquire from the spiritual master all about the process. This inquiry is essential for immunity to all kinds of offenses on the path of devotional service. Even if one is fixed in devotional service like Mahārāja Parīkṣit, he must still inquire from the realized spiritual master all about this. In other words, the spiritual master must also be well versed and learned so that he may be able to answer all these inquiries from the devotees. Thus one who is not well versed in the authorized scriptures and not able to answer all such relevant inquiries should not pose as a spiritual master for the matter of material gain. It is illegal to become a spiritual master if one is unable to deliver the disciple.

Lectures

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Lecture on SB 2.8.7 -- Los Angeles, February 10, 1975:

Prabhupāda: Where is karatāla? My karatāla is in that... Where is Nitāi?

Jayatīrtha: It was planned for you to lecture this evening, rather than this morning.

Prabhupāda: Management?

Devotee: He thought you were lecturing this evening.

Prabhupāda: Evening? Not in the morning?

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Where is Nitāi?

Prabhupāda: I was lecturing in the morning at...

Devotees: Jaya! Haribol!

Prabhupāda: If you like, I can speak in the evening also.

Devotees: (very loud) Jaya! Haribol!

(Prabhupāda sings Jaya Rādhā-Mādhava) (break)

Nitāi: (leads chanting) Yad adhātu-mato brahman... (break)

Prabhupāda: ...being completely aware of Brahman, the Supreme Absolute Truth, not a bogus. If you want to receive knowledge, then you must approach a guru who is brahma-niṣṭham. That is the qualification of guru. Brahman, brahmaṇy upaśamāśrayam. These words are there. He is living in Brahman, Absolute Truth. He has no other business. That is guru.

tad viddhi praṇipātena
paripraśnena sevayā
upadekṣyanti te jñānaṁ
jñāninas tattva-darśinaḥ
(BG 4.34)

Tattva-darśinaḥ, "who has seen the truth," not imagination. He cannot be guru. Who has actually seen, tattva-darśinaḥ... These are the injunction in the śāstras, and Parīkṣit Mahārāja is strictly following the same principles and asking Śukadeva Gosvāmī, bhavanto jānate yathā: "As you have learned from your predecessor." So that is perfect knowledge. The knowledge is coming from Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is all-perfect, and Arjuna is hearing directly from Him, and the statement of Arjuna is there in the Bhagavad-gītā. He understands that Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead; that is, he acquired knowledge from Kṛṣṇa.

So here the question is... This question is almost inquired by intelligent persons, that "We have come to this material world and suffering, but the living entity is part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa, or God. How he has come to this material world?" That is very intelligent question. Therefore it is said here, yadṛcchayā: "It is automatically, by nature's law," or hetunā, "or there is some cause? Whether there is any cause about the living entities coming down in this material world? Which one is correct?" So without any cause, there cannot be anything. That is logic. And the rascal philosopher's statement, "It happened automatically. There was a chunk, and the creation came...," this is rascal's philosophy. Jagad āhur anīśvaram (BG 16.8). The rascals, they do not accept that there is a cause of this creation. That they do not understand. They do not know, and they theorize. You'll find mostly in the Western countries all these philosophers... The Darwin's theory... He cannot give any reasonable cause. Some theory: "It may be, perhaps, for millions of years there was no..." Speculate. And he admits that "Whatever I am presenting, it is all my speculation." We have seen his letter, some, from 150 years ago. He wrote a letter to a friend. He admitted that "Whatever I am presenting, that is speculation." But science is not speculation. Science cannot be speculation. That is not science. "Two plus two equal to four"—this is science. And if you speculate—"Two plus two equal to five" or "Two plus two equal to three"—that is not science.

So the science of Kṛṣṇa is not speculation. It is exactly science. Tad-vijñānam. Tad-vijñānam. Tad-vijñānārtham. Vijñāna means science, not speculation. So one should understand God scientifically. That is required, not imagination. The Māyāvādī philosophers, they say, "You can imagine your God." This is rascaldom. How you can imagine your God? God is God. God means the supreme controller, the Supreme Being. In the dictionary you'll find this word: "God means the Supreme Being." He is also a being like us, individual. Just like we are here face to face. You are one individual; I am one individual. We are talking or hearing. Similarly, God is also individual. Just like Kṛṣṇa said,

imaṁ vivasvate yogaṁ
proktavān aham avyayam
vivasvān manave prāha
manur ikṣvākave 'bravīt
(BG 4.1)

So He's individual person. He instructed the sun-god millions and millions of years ago. So Arjuna inquired, "How it is possible that millions of years ago...? Because You are my contemporary. You are of the same age." So Kṛṣṇa said that "Millions of millions of years ago, when I spoke this philosophy to the sun-god, you were also present because you are My intimate friend. Whenever I descend, you are also there. But the difference is that you have forgotten; I remember that I said like this."

So that is the difference between Kṛṣṇa and ordinary living being. Kṛṣṇa remembers everything, knows everything. Vedāhaṁ samatītāni: (BG 7.26) "I know everything." That is Kṛṣṇa. But we do not know. That is the difference. Kṛṣṇa is not impersonal. He's also a person, but He is not a person like us, like you, like me. His personality is supreme. Nobody is greater than Him. Na tasya kāryaṁ karaṇaṁ ca vidyate na tat-samaś cābhyadhikaś ca dṛśyate. These are the Vedic information. He's individual, but He has nothing to do. He's such individual. Just like Kṛṣṇa is here. The whole world is going on under Kṛṣṇa's direction, but He has nothing to do. He's enjoying with Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī. That is Kṛṣṇa's position. Ānandamayo 'bhyāsāt (Vedānta-sūtra 1.1.12). He has to create one universe or destroy one universe—He hasn't to take any attention. He's engaged in His pleasure—Kṛṣṇa, the reservoir of pleasure. His pleasure is never disturbed by all these activities. He's so perfect. Just like in our society, we are not perfect. Still, you boys and girls, you love me. Whatever I say, immediately done. So if an ordinary person like me, he can do things without his personal endeavor, how far..., how Kṛṣṇa is great, that na tat-samaḥ, there is nobody equal to Him. How great He is, how powerful He is, you can just imagine. If the ordinary person can have some power that he hasn't got to do anything personally—simply by his desire everything is done—so why not Kṛṣṇa also? Where is the difficulty?

Page Title:SB 02.08.07 yad adhatu-mato brahman... cited
Compiler:Krsnadas
Created:11 of Sep, 2011
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=1, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=1, Con=0, Let=0
No. of Quotes:2