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741016SB.MAY
Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.8.36

Mayapura, October 16, 1974
Nitai: "O Krsna, those who continuously hear, chant and repeat Your transcendental activities, or take pleasure in others' doing so, certainly see Your lotus feet, which alone can stop the repetition of birth and death."
Prabhupada: Where is that boy who said that some Nepalese boy has come? You told me some new boy has come?
Bhavananda: This young boy.
Prabhupada: Eh? Oh.
srnvanti gayanti grnanty abhiksnasah
smaranti nandanti tavehitam janah
ta eva pasyanty acirena tavakam
bhava-pravahoparamam padambujam
[SB 1.8.36]
So in the previous verse it has been explained, bhave 'smin klisyanti. This is the problem, klisyanti, simply laboring and... Klisyanti means suffering, suffering the hard work. Everyone. Klisyanti. Everyone is working very hard for maintenance, struggle for existence. Trtiya saktir isyate. Karma-samjnanya trtiya saktir isyate. Here, in this material world, you have to work very, very hard. Just even for maintenance, and what to speak of sense gratification? This is the position. Bhave 'smin klisyanti. Bhave 'smin klisyamananam avidya-kama-karmabhih. If you work hard, at least there is some expectation... Just like ordinarily a man, a boy, takes education, works very hard so that he may be very successful in examination. And then he passes. Then he works hard to get a good job. Then, in the job, in the service, he works very hard so that he get, he may get promotion. So the hard working is going on. You cannot stop it. Klisyanti. But unfortunately they do not know the aim of life, "Why we are working so hard." That is the difficulty. But generally they want"We are working hard for sense gratification. That's all, enjoy the senses." That is the whole civilization.
So intelligent persons, they should be aware that "Simply for sense gratification if we are working so hard, then this is being done by the animals also. Then what is the difference between us and the animal?" But they are so mad after sense gratification... Nunam pramattah kurute vi... They are prepared to work for something which one should... Just like stealing or black-marketing and... There are so many things. They are working hard. Even a, a thief, he is risking his life not to work hard, but he's risking his life. Especially in the Western countries, the burglars, they risk their life because there the law is that anyone trespassing within your house, even ordinarily, you can kill him. Is it not? The law is so hard that even if you, if you enter anyone's gate, anyone's property, without permission, he can kill you. Is it not I am right? Yes. Here in India we don't take it so seriously. So many people are passing here and there. But in your country... I know that one of our boy went to pick up some flowers in Los Angeles, and he was fired. Of course he did not like to kill him, but the firing was there. So just see. For sense gratification the thief taking the risk of his life... The working... Not only working hard. Those who are not thief, they are working very hard to get some money, honestly or dishonestly, and those who are not very honest, to steal they make so many plans, so many devices to steal at the risk of life.
So the life in this material world is not very easy-going. Therefore this very word is used, bhave 'smin, bhave 'smin klisyamananam. Everyone is working very, very hard. But they do not know what is the aim. Why they are working so hard, that they do not know. Generally, as I have already explained, that a man works very hard to get some money, some good bank balance, so that in old age he can live very peacefully, without any disturbance. Of course, that is not possible because at that time he may have money, but he is full of anxieties. A family man, old man, is always cinta-magna, cinta-magna, as "This boy is not well-situated. That boy has not educated... His education is not yet finished. And that girl has lost his husband. Husbands are rejected." Where is the peace? There cannot be peace. Klisyanti. Again he tries to adjust that boy, that girl, that grandchildren, that..., going on. Therefore Sankaracarya, he has said, balas tavat kriyasaktah.(?) The children, they are very working hard for playing. They're also getting perspiration, but they are taking pleasure in jumping and this way and that way.
So balas tavat kriyasaktah. And yuva... What is another name of yuvaka?
Devotee: Youth.
Prabhupada: Yes. What is the Sanskrit name? Yuvakas tavad yuvati-raktah,(?) that "Young men, they are busy working very hard: 'Where is woman? Where is woman? Where is that girl? Where is that girl?' " He's also busy. The boy is busy, and the young man, he is also busy, love affairs, to find out a suitable mate. Similarly... Yuvakas tavad yuvati-raktah. And after young life, when one becomes old, vrddhas tavad cinta-magnah: "The old man is full of anxiety, absorbed in thought, 'How to do it, how to do that? It is not...' " In this way everyone is busy. Parame brahmane ko 'pi na lagnah: "Nobody's interested in Krsna consciousness." This is the difficulty. That they do not know. They... That the... "This human life, we are working so hard..." Just like we have taken this Krsna consciousness movement. We are also working very, very hard to collect money and to construct temple and to educate people. This is also working hard. But we have got an aim. It is not without aim. Theoretically or practically, we have accepted it that if we can please Krsna, then our future is hopeful. We have got some hope. But what these people have got hope, these karmis? They have no hope. Simply wild goat chasing, that's all. They do not know what is the aim of life. Na te viduh svartha-gatim hi visnum [SB 7.5.31]. They do not know the real aim of life is to satisfy Visnu, svartha-gatim. Yajna.
The varnasrama-dharma... When Ramananda Raya was asked by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, "What is the actual aim of life for which one should work?" so immediately Ramananda Raya quoted one verse from Visnu Purana that,
varnasramacaravata
purusena parah puman
visnur aradhyate pantha
nanyat tat-tosa-karanam
[Cc. Madhya 8.58]
The aim is to satisfy Visnu. We should always remember this fact, that we are eternally servant, part and parcel of Krsna, or Visnu. As I have given many times the example, there are so many parts of the body, but what are they meant for? To satisfy the belly. You are walking, you are catching, you are thinking, you are doing so many thingswhat is the aim? The aim is satisfy the stomach. You cook, you earn hard money, and then you purchase goods and cook nicely and put it into the stomach. Is it not? So that...
There is a story in the Hitopadesa: Udarendriyanam. Udara. Udara means this belly, abdomen, and indriya means senses. Udarendriyanam. What is that? All the different parts of the body, hands, legs, fingers and everyone, they held a meeting, that "We are working day and night, and this rascal abdomen is sitting down and eating only. (laughter) He is doing nothing. We are collecting everything, and putting into the stomach, and he is eating, very..., sitting nice. So strike: 'We shall not work.' So strike." Udara... Udara said, "All right, you strike. What can I do? I cannot work. You can strike." So they did not work. Did not work means there was no food, no food given to the stomach. They..., gradually they became weak. The indriyas, the different parts of the body, they became weak, because if there is..., if you cannot eat, naturally you shall be... Then again, next meeting they held that "What is this? Why we are becoming weak?" Then they decided that "The stomach must be given, sir. We have to work."
This is our position. Krsna is bhokta, and we are parts and parcel of Krsna. That means we have to work for Krsna. This is a fact. If you don't work for Krsna, then you'll starve. That is the position. But these rascals, they do not know. Na te viduh svartha-gatim hi visnum [SB 7.5.31]. Exactly in the same way as these rascals, different parts of the body, limbs, they did not know that "Without satisfying the stomach, we shall die," similarly these rascals, these karmis, these, those who have come to this material world, they do not know that without conscious, Krsna consciousness, without satisfying Krsna, they'll simply starve. Struggle for existence. Klisyanti. Simply their labor will be frustrated. That is the philosophy.
Therefore bhave 'smin klisyanti. Klisyamananam. Simply wasting time. Without knowing what is the aim of... The aim of life is you have to satisfy Krsna. We have repeatedly that... Therefore Krsna says nothing, that "The most confidential knowledge, Arjuna, I am giving you. I have spoken to you Bhagavad-gita in so many detail, but because you are My intimate, dear friend, I give you the most confidential knowledge." Guhyatamam. This word is used. What is that? "Surrender, that's all." Sarva-dharman parityajya mam... [Bg. 18.66]. "This is the most confidential... Simply surrender and do what I say." That is the fact. If we act as Krsna says, then we shall be very, very happy. There is no doubt about it. And if we do not act, then we shall suffer. This is fact. There is no question about it. Just like... Just like I have several times told you that Krsna says, parjanyad anna-sambhavah. No. Annad bhavanti bhutani [Bg. 3.14]. Bhavanti means you flourish, you become healthy. Your mind becomes sound. Your brain becomes sound. If you eat properly, naturally... Just like the stomach must be satisfied. If the stomach is satisfied, you get the energy immediately. Different energy is produced, different secretion is produced, and one secretion is sent to the heart, one secretion... That is medical science. And then it is turned into blood, and there are different veins, they are distributed all over the... This big machine is going on, big factory; simply you have to give the raw materials to the factory, and things will come out.
So similarly, you have to satisfy Krsna. But we do not know that. Durasaya ye bahir-artha-maninah. These rascals, they are thinking that "Without Krsna, without Krsna consciousness, without satisfying Krsna, we shall adjust by this material advancement." That is durasaya. Everything has been discussed. It will never be possible, sir. If you don't take to Krsna consciousness... This is your wrong idea, that you will be able... Durasaya. Therefore this very word is used, durasaya. Asa. Asa means hope. So this is a wrong hope. You cannot. The exact, the same example: If the combined together, all the senses, they pass resolution"Not to give any food to the stomach, and we shall be easier, not to work so hard"but that is durasaya. That is not possible. You are hoping wrongly. That is not possible.
So durasaya ye... Na te viduh svartha-gatim hi visnum durasaya ye bahir-artha-maninah [SB 7.5.31]. Then why people are leading in that way, the so many political leaders, social leaders? Nobody speaks of Krsna. They are simply making plan... This party, the Communist Party, is making one plan. The other party is making plan; another party... But the world is suffering. So therefore they have been described in the sastra: andha. Andha means blind, rascal They do not know. Actually they have no knowledge that without Krsna consciousness the human society can be happy. That is not possible. They do not know this. But by Krsna's grace, by our guru-parampara's grace, we understand, we people who are conducting this Krsna consciousness movement, that without being Krsna conscious, nobody will be happy. Therefore our struggle is different. We are trying to make the people actually happy. Sarve sukhino bhavantu: "Everyone become happy." Otherwise, what is the use of collecting so much money and constructing such big building and inviting them, "Please come here. We have got nice room, and you shall get food without any hard work"? Why we are...? Still, they will not come. Still, they will not come. Now, in this village, we have got such a nice building. We invite, "You come here and..." But still, how many are coming? So therefore it has been used: klisyamananam. These rascals and fools must suffer, must suffer. There is no other way. Klisyamananam.
The next step, it is said that, that bhava-pravaha uparamam, in the next verse. What is that? Srnvanti gayanti. This is the process. Srnvanti. Simply sit down. You haven't got to work very hard. Srnvanti. Sthane sthitah sruti-gatam tanu-van-manobhih: "You, you don't require to change your position. You simply hear." Therefore this very word is used in the beginning. What is that? Srnvanti. Srnvanti means "hears." Simply hear. And gayanti. So... Just like we say "Hare Krsna," and all repeat, "Hare Krsna." Gayanti. Srnvanti. First of all hear: Hare Krsna. The leading, I mean to, singer, he says, "Hare Krsna," and we repeat, "Hare Krsna." So srnvanti gayanti. Very simple method. Srnvanti gayanti grnanti. And takes it very seriously, accept: "Yes, this principle will alleviate all my sufferings." Seriously. Srnvanti gayanti grnanty abhiksnasah. Abhiksnasah means continuously, not that "For some days I do, and then again I go to my own habits." No. Abhiksnasah, continually. And smaranti. And if you take it, then naturally you will think of Krsna. Smaranti nandanti. And then gradually you'll be pleased. You'll feel pleasure. Otherwise, hackneyed, how you can continue? From early in the morning you are chanting. Unless you feel some pleasure, how you can do it? Artificially, it is not possible. Nandanti. And what is the subject matter? Tava ihitam. Simply glorifying the activities of the, of Krsna. Just like we sing, udilo aruna puraba-bhage, dvija-mani gora amani jage. This is our subject matter of singing. What is this? Now, activities of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, that as soon as there is early rise of the sun, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu immediately started His nagara-sankirtana. Not of any other. Sri Caitanya... Tavehitam. Simply... The subject matter must be there. If I hear, the subject matter must be there. The subject matter is Krsna's activities. Caitanya and Krsna is not different.
So tavehitam janah. Janah, public, if they do it, then sa eva pasyanti. Such person... What will be the result? By this srnvanti gayanti grnanty abhiksnasah, by this process, what will be result? The result will be sa eva, ta eva pasyanti: "They will be able to see Yousimply by this process." Has anybody seen Krsna? Krsna cannot be seen. Atah sri-krsna-namadi na bhaved grahyam indriyaih [Cc. Madhya 17.136]. They are... So many people, they ask, "Where is God? Can you show me God?" That... That means people in general, they cannot see God. That is not possible, because with these eyes, these senses, we cannot understand. We cannot understand even that why they are chan... Just like yesterday this man was asking, "Why this chanting?" Because blunt senses, they cannot understand what is the meaning of chanting and why chanting. Atah sri-krsna-namadi na bhaved grahyam indriyaih. It is not possible. But sevonmukhe hi jihvadau svayam eva sphuraty adah. When we take to the service spirit... Here we are training people how to render service. Then, gradually, he will be able to understand what is this name of Krsna, what is the form of Krsna, what is the activities of Krsna. And that is explained here.
So if you follow this process, srnvanti gayanti grnanty abhiksnasah smaranti nandanti, then ta eva pasyanti. When? Acirena: "Very soon." Not that after millions of years, no. Acirena: "Immediately." If he is actually serious, if he has no offense, then acirena. Srnvan... Acirena, ta eva pasyanty acirena tavakam. "Your..." What is that? "Your..." Padambujam: "He can see Your lotus feet." Athapi te deva padambuja-dvaya-prasada-lesanugrhita eva hi, janati tattvam [SB 10.14.29]. Padambuja-dvaya-prasada-lesa... If one can see... Naham prakasah sarvasya yogamaya sa... [Bg. 7.25]. Nobody can see. But if one is fortunate, if he can see... That is possible by this process. Srnvanti gayanti. That is possible. Then what will be the result? The result is bhava-pravaha uparamam, finish this business. What is that business? Working hard, day and night, without any aim of life. This will be finished. As soon as one is able to see the padambujam, lotus feet of Krsna, then immediately bhava-pravaha.
So who can see unless he is advanced spiritually? First of all, everyone is under the impression there is no God. And another way of denying God: "Yes, there is God, but He has no form. He has no head, He has no tail, He has no leg, He has no... He has no, no, no..." It is another way of denying God, definition by negation. I... One says directly, "There is no God," and another man says, "Yes, there is God, but He has no leg. He has no hand. He has no mouth. He has no this. He has no that." Then where is God? It is another way of denying God. This Mayavadi philosophy... (aside:) What is that? Crows? No.
So here the devotees, they are not impersonalists. They first of all see the lotus feet of Krsna, not that "No hand, no leg, no head." They means... Just like Upanisad, the Brahma Samaj, Rabindranath Tagore. So he addresses, "Ohe, tumi..." No, "Ohe tumi..." Who is that "Ohe," they do not know. Ohe. Impersonalist. Ohe tumi. In the Brahma Samaj, they pray, "Ohe." "Ohe." Why "Ohe"? If you know God, then you address Him by His name. Just like we say, he krsna karuna-sindho... We know what is God. We don't say, "Ohe." Ohe. Why...? No. We know, "He Krsna," directly address Krsna, he krsna karuna-sindho dina-bandho jagat-pate. So that is the benefit of the devotee. By this process, srnvanti gayanti grnanti, you immediately, acirena, very soon, the more you are sincere, you'll be able to see first of all the lotus feet of the Lord. Padambujam, the lotus feet of the Lord, you'll be able to see.
And that is the way of seeing. First of all, you have to see the lotus feet. Then, gradually, the thighs. And then, then... At last, the beautiful face. Therefore the Srimad-Bhagavatam, the First Canto, Second Canto, are two lotus feet of the Lord. We have to read very carefully, because we have to see, first of all, padambujam. Don't go all of a sudden to see the face of the Lord, just like the sahajiyas did. Their reading of Bhagavata means rasa-lila. Rasa-lila is the smiling of Krsna, where Krsna is personally enjoying very sweet smiling. So you don't try to see the smiling of Krsna immediately. First of all see, try to see, the lotus feet of Krsna, padambujam. Then gradually rise. When you are accustomed to see, as soon as you close your eyes, immediately see Krsna's..., then you go further. Go further. Go further. Go further. And that is Srimad-Bhagavatam, First Canto, Second Canto, Third Canto, Fourth Canto. In this way, you have to go to the Tenth Canto. Then Tenth Canto means the head. And then, in the Tenth Canto, the chapters, Twenty-nine through Thirty-five chapter, that is smiling. Don't try to see Krsna smiling immediately. Then you will be baffled. It requires qualification, and it requires time, but if Krsna is pleased, He can show His plea..., I mean, smiling immediately. That is a special favor. But the general way is to see, first of all, the lotus feet of Krsna and make your endeavor perfectly done by this sravanam kirtanam visnoh, srnvanti gayanti [SB 7.5.23]. This is the process.
Thank you very much. (end)

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