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760410SB.VRN
Srimad-Bhagavatam 7.9.55

Vrndavana, April 10, 1976
Pusta Krsna: "Prahlada Maharaja was the best person in the family of demons. Demons always aspire for material happiness, yet even though Prahlada was somewhat allured when the Supreme Personality of Godhead offered him benedictions for material happiness, because of his unalloyed Krsna consciousness he did not want to take any material benefit for sense enjoyment."
Prabhupada:
evam pralobhyamano 'pi
varair loka-pralobhanaih
ekantitvad bhagavati
naicchat tan asurottamah
[SB 7.9.55]
So this is conclusion of Narada Muni, that this boy, although born in asura family... Asura means those who are too much materially... Not too much, only materially interested, they are called asuras. Different types of material enjoyment. Karma, jnana, yoga, they are all material enjoyment. Karma, karmis, generally we see everywhere. They are working so very hard, making plans how to improve material enjoyment. So they are called karmis. And jnanis, their demand is also very great, to become one with the Supreme, to become God. These are material desires. And then yoga, to display, demonstrate magic: "I can prepare gold. I can travel in the sky. I can walk on the water. I can eat broken glasses." Yes. People will gather. "I can remain without any breathing underneath the ground." These things are demonstrated. So people like it, something wonderful. And he says, "I am Bhagavan," and the rascals accept. These things are loka-pralobhanaih. Loka-pralo... These things can mislead the people in general, but they are not very much attractive to the devotees. Devotees are not attracted.
In the history of the devotees there was one devotee of Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Isana. So Caitanya Mahaprabhu wanted to give him some benediction. He was very poor man. Even his roof, thatched roof, that was not properly... There were so many holes. So Caitanya Mahaprabhu said, "My dear Isana, if you like, you can take some benediction." "No, why I shall take benediction?" "No, you have no roof even on your thatched house." He said, "Why? There are many birds. They are living on the tree. There is no roof at all. I have got roof with some holes, that's all. And they have no roof at all, so how they are living? For this purpose I shall ask You benediction? No, no, no." In this way he refused. So that is pure devotion, that "I shall not take any benediction from the Lord, but I shall give everything to God." This is. There is competition. The Lord wants to give the devotee all opulences, and the devotee refuses to accept it. He wants to give his life and soul to the Lord. This is perfection. The gopis, the gopis, the ideal, the topmost devotee, they gave their everything to Krsna, but they did not ask anything from Krsna. Their honor, their body, their lifeeverything, sacrificed everything. Therefore Krsna said to the gopis that "I have no power to repay your debt. You be satisfied with your own activity. I cannot give you anything."
So this is the ideal devotion. Therefore Caitanya Mahaprabhu recommended, ramya kacid upasana vrajavadhubhir ya kalpita: "There is no more better, sublime upasana, worship, than it was conceived by the gopis." They did not want anything. They simply wanted to see Krsna, how He is satisfied. Krsna is away from home in the forest, and they are thinking, "In the forest there are so many crags, so many stone chipped, and Krsna's feet is so soft. How He is walking in the forest?" In this way they are crying. This is gopi, always Krsna conscious, and how Krsna is happy or not, that is their business. Therefore Caitanya Mahaprabhu recommended, "There is no better form of worship than it was done by the gopis." So Prahlada Maharaja... There are stages of devotees. So gopis are the topmost, and amongst the gopis, Srimati Radharani is the topmost. Therefore there is no comparison of Radharani's love for Krsna. There is no comparison. Therefore Caitanya Mahaprabhu took the part of Radharani to understand Krsna. So these are very confidential subject matter, but they are described in the Caitanya-caritamrta, in the beginning. So that is the highest perfection, that don't ask anything from Krsna. Try to make such arrangement that Krsna may not give you anything; you give to Him.
There is another narration of Sanatana Gosvami and Rupa Gosvami. They were living in this forest of Vrndavana. So Sanatana Gosvami was elder brother, and Rupa Gosvami was younger brother. So they were living underneath a tree. So they had no means. Rupa Gosvami thought that "If I could get some articles, I could prepare something and invite my guru, Sanatana Gosvami." So just after a few minutes one very nice young girl came with so much presentation, rice, dahl, ghee, and so many other things. So She came and offered to the gosvami. The saintly persons are addressed as "baba." "Baba, please take this presentation. We have got some ceremony at our home, so my mother has sent. You take it." So he was very glad: "Oh, I was thinking if I could get some nice things, I could prepare and invite Sanatana Gosvami." So he was very glad to receive those articles and invited Sanatana Gosvami and prepared so many nice foodstuff and offered to the Deity, and Sanatana Gosvami was given the prasadam. So Sanatana Gosvami was very pleased, and he inquired, "Rupa Gosvami, where you got these nice things? You are living in this... How you could receive all these things?" "Yes, my dear brother, I was just thinking in the morning. In the meantime a very nice young girl came and offered so many things, so I could..." "So what is that? Who is that young girl in this forest? So how She was looking?" "Oh, she was very, very beautiful." "Oh, Radharani. Oh." So he was very sorry. "You have taken service from Radharani? Oh, you have done very wrong. We are trying to serve Radharani, and you have taken service from Radharani?" He rebuked him. This is pure service. They are avoiding to take service from Krsna-Radharani. And Krsna-Radharani was finding out the opportunity how to serve the devotee.
This is the competition between Krsna and His devotee. Krsna wants to give everything to the devotee. He wants to see that "My devotee is very comfortable." Just like the father wants to see the children are very comfortable. So why the devotees should be hankering after something material? No. Kasmad bhajanti kavayo dhana-durmadandhan [SB 2.2.5]. Sukadeva Gosvami said. Why we should go to the puffed-up rich men for begging something? Krsna will arrange for everything. My Guru Maharaja used to say that "You do not try to preach for getting some money. Money will come automatically. On your feet money will say, 'Please accept me.' " You should preach very sincerely. That is your business. Never bother that "Where is money? Where is money, money, money?" Money... Muktir mukulitanjalih sevate asman dharmartha-kama samaya pratiksah. This is a statement of Bilvamangala Thakura.
bhaktis tvayi sthiratara yadi bhagavan syad
daivena nah phalati divya-kisora-murtih
muktih (svayam) mukulitanjali sevate asman
dharmartha-kama(gatayah) samaya-pratiksah
People are hankering after dharma, artha, kama, moksa-religiosity, economic development, and then sense gratification, and then moksa. Dharma, artha, kama, moksa [SB 4.8.41, Cc. Adi 1.90]. Human civilization beginsdharma, artha, kama, moksa. Otherwise animal.
So dharma means this varnasrama-dharma. Varnasrama-dharma. Varnasramacaravata purusena parah puman visnur aradhyate [Cc. Madhya 8.58]. So Bilvamangala Thakura said that "You simply become devotee. You don't hanker after this dharma, artha, kama, moksa. No. They will serve you. You do not require to call them. They themselves will come and serve you. You just become a pure devotee." Samaya-pratiksah. Mukti. Why devotees will ask for mukti? They are already mukta because they have no material activities; all spiritual activities. Brahma-bhuyaya kalpate. Sa gunan samatityaitan brahma-bhuyaya kalpate [Bg. 14.26].
So in the platform of dharma, to become very religious, moral, who can be more religious than the devotee? Who can be more moralist than the devotee? A devotee is not prepared to kill even an ant. So who can be more moralist? These things are already there.
yasyasti bhaktir bhagavaty akincana
sarvair gunair tatra samasate surah
harav abhaktasya kuto mahad-guna
mano-rathenasati dhavato bahih
[SB 5.18.12]
If one is pure devotee, then he has all the good qualities. Just like Prahlada Maharaja was addressed, prahlada bhadra bhadram te [SB 7.9.52]. Bhadra, a gentleman. Who can be more gentleman than the devotees? The devotees are thinking, "How these rascals will be happy?" Prahlada Maharaja, soce tato vimukha-cetasa maya-sukhaya bharam udvahato vimudhan: [SB 7.9.43] "My Lord, I am thinking that these rascals, simply for flimsy happiness, temporary happiness, they are making so gorgeous arrangement." Big, big road, big, big building, big, big car, congested. If you want to go one mile it will take two hours. Maya-sukhaya. We have seen in your country. You'll go two miles in a car in three hours. So what is the use of this car? In London I have seen. I was going. It was about two miles, and it was so congested that it took two hours. Paris is always congested. So in India also they are becoming like that. So this is maya-sukhaya. They are thinking that "Getting a car, we shall be very, very happy," but there is no place to drive car. (laughter) Therefore it is called maya-sukhaya. And for manufacturing this car there are three thousand parts. So many factories are going on for that. Who was telling me that within a few minutes a car is prepared in the Ford's factory? Somebody was telling. They bring the different parts of the car and mix and assemble them within half an hour. That means each half hour they are manufacturing car.
So, of course, sometimes we require car. But we should not forget Krsna simply for the manfacturing and riding car. This is foolishness. This is foolish. We can utilize everything for Krsna's service. Just like we have got so many cars... Not here. Here also we have got many, eight to ten buses and cars. In the foreign countries each temple has got more than dozen cars. So, but these cars are used for spreading Krsna consciousness, to make the best use of a bad bargain. So we never use car for sense gratification. Nirbandhe krsna sambandhe yukta-vairagyam ucyate, prapancikataya buddhya hari... A sannyasi is supposed to walk. But if somebody criticizes, "Sir, why you are flying on airplane?" no, that is our not principle. The Jain sannyasis, they never use cars. Now they have begun. Because I am traveling all over the world, now the Jains, they are also. (laughter) But our philosophy is different. We are preaching Krsna consciousness. Suppose I have to preach Krsna consciousness in Europe or America. So because a sannyasi has to walk, therefore I shall walk throughout the whole life to go to America? This is foolishness. If I can go to America within fifteen hours for preaching facility, why shall not I use the aeroplane? Why shall I stick... It is called niyamagraha, "without any profit," to follow the regulative principle without any profit. No. If we get opportunity, preaching facilities for going on car, on airplane, using typewriter, dictaphone, microphone, we must use it. Because this is Krsna's property, it must be used for Krsna. This is our philosophy. This microphone is Krsna's. Isavasyam idam sarvam [Iso mantra 1]. So when it is used for Krsna it is not material; it is spiritual.
So anything which can be used for Krsna's service, that is not material; that is spiritual. So we must use it. But not for sense gratification. Therefore we have to use and work exactly under the direction of spiritual master. Otherwise it will be sense gratification. Don't manufacture. Guru-mukha padma-vakya, cittete kariya aikya, ara na kariha mane asa **. If you want to be guided, then take in every step the words of guru. Manufacturing will not help you. Prahlada Maharaja become so great because he was initiated by Narada Muni. That is required. Chadiya vaisnava seva, nistar payeche keba. Nobody can become perfect without serving the bona fide spiritual master. That is the motto. So evam pralobhyamano 'pi varair loka-pralobhanaih [SB 7.9.55]. So much attractive... Now, if somebody says, or Krsna says that "I'll give you immediately five lakhs of rupees and one beautiful girl also. You give up this Krsna consciousness movement," how many will be restrained? That is very difficult. But our boys have been tested. They are not after money, most of them, or women. But generally... Therefore it is said, loka-pralobhanaih. In this material world everyone is after money and woman. Money and women. That is called visaya. Visaya.
So there is verse. I (am) just now forgetting. Mahat-sevam dvaram ahur vimukteh [SB 5.5.2]. Mahat-seva. Mahat-seva means to serve the mahatmas or devotees. That is the way of liberation. Tamo-dvaram... Tamo-dvaram yositam sangi-sangam. Yositam sangi-sangam. So this material world means that yositam sangi-sangam, to be attracted by money and woman. This is material world. Therefore Caitanya Mahaprabhu has warned very rigidly, ha hanta ha hanta visayinam sandarsanam, param jigamisa... What is that? Eh? I forget that verse. The brain is not working.
Sac-cid-ananda: Param param jigamisoh...
Prabhupada: Ah, param param jigamisor bhava-sagarasya. Visayinam sandarsanam atha yositam ca ha hanta ha hanta visa-bhaksanato 'py asadhu [Cc. Madhya 11.8], that one who is very serious for going to the other side of this material worldthat means spiritual worldthey should be very, very careful about money and woman. May not be trapped, victimized.
So Prahlada Maharaja was not deluded by any kinds of material profits. Evam pralobhyamano 'pi. Krsna, Nrsimhadeva said, "Prahlada, you take. Whatever benediction you want, you take." So he said, "Sir, I am your servant. I am not a merchant that in exchange of something I will have to give You service. No. Please do not delude me." Just see what kind of servant he is. Evam pralobhyamano 'pi varair loka-pralo... Ekantitvad. "What is the reason?" The reason is that determination of Sanatana Gosvami, Rupa Gosvami, that "We shall simply serve Krsna. We shall not accept anything but Krsna." This is ekantitvad. "My... I am eternal servant of Krsna." Jivera svarupa haya nitya krsna dasa [Cc. Madhya 20.108-109]. "I shall simply serve. I shall give everything, whatever I have got." Bhaktivinoda Thakura sings, manasa deha geha, yo kichu mora, arpilun tuwa pade, nanda-kisora. What we have got, nonsense? Everything Krsna's. But still, He has given us something. What is that? This body, this mind. This body for sense enjoyment and the mind for speculation. So body, mind. Manasa. And a little home, a wife, some children. We can claim. That is also not actually ours. That is given by Krsna. "You want to enjoy your senses? All right, take this."
So when one is advanced devotee, he says, "My Lord..." Just like Bhaktivinoda Thakura: "I have got these assets: my mind, my body, and my wife and children, and maybe something else." Yo kichu mora, arpilun tuwa pade, nanda-kisora: "Nanda-kisora, Krsna, everything is offered to You. Now whatever You like, You can do." Marobhi rakhobi: "Now I have given to You everything. I am now zero. Now, if You like, You can give me protection, or if You like, You can kill me. I don't mind." This is ekantitva, simply depending on Krsna. Ekanitvad bhagavati. Depending on whom? Krsna. Not these demigods. Demigods cannot give you protection. Krsna can give you. Demigod... Just like a very, very big person, Ravana. He was a great devotee of Lord Siva, but Lord Siva could not give him protection when Rama was determined to kill him. So any other protection will not save you. It is false protection. When Krsna gives you protection, that is real protection. Aham tvam sarva-papebhyo moksayisyami [Bg. 18.66]. That is real protection. So ekantitvat. Simply depend on Krsna, bhagavati.
So one who is such devotee, simply depending on Krsna, naicchat, he doesn't require, neither he desires all those material profits. Tan asurottamah. Asurottamah. Although he was born in the asura family, materialistic family, still, he is uttama; he is no more in the material world. Uttama. Udgata-tama hy asmad. Tama means this material world. So those who are devotees, they are not living in this material world. They are in the spiritual world, uttama. It doesn't matter in which family he is born. Everyone can become a devotee. There is no hindrance, and there is no check in any material condition to become a devotee. Simply one has to desire how to become a devotee. Then it is fulfilled.
Thank you very much. (end)

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