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730503SB.LA
Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.8.41

Los Angeles, May 3, 1973
Devotee:
"O Lord of the universe, soul of the universe, O Personality of the form of the universe, please, therefore, sever my tie of affection for my kinsmen, the Pandavas and the Vrsnis."
Prabhupada: So, Pandava and Vrsni dynasty, Kunti belongs to both families. She is the daughter of the Vrsni family and the wife and mother of the Pandava family. So generally a woman has got affection both for the father's family and husband's family. So he is, she is asking Krsna that "I am woman. Generally, I am attached to my family. So kindly cut off my, this attachment so that thoroughly I can be attached unto You. This is the purpose. Because without You, either my this family or that family, opulence, everything, that is all zero. So falsely I am attached to these families. My business is to be attached unto You."
This is bhakti. Bhakti means to be free from the attachment of this material world and to become attached to Krsna. Because you have to attach to something. You cannot become unattached. That is not possible. So, in order to become attached to Krsna or to enter into the devotional service of the Lord, one has to become detached from this material affection. That is wanted. Ordinarily, they go to Krsna for maintaining the attachment with this material world. Just like, "O God, give us our daily bread." That means I have got attachment of this material world, and to live in this material world, I must have supplies of material things so that I can maintain my status quo. This is called material attachment. People go to God for securing the material position. That is, one sense, it is good; but that is not wanted. To become free from material attachment, that is required. Not that I worship God to increase my opulence in the material world. That is not wanted.
So bhakti means detachment. Vairagya-vidya-nija-bhakti-yoga [Cc. Madhya 6.254]. Bhakti-yoga means detachment. Our suffering is due to our attachment. Because we are materially attached, I am desiring so many things materially. Therefore, Krsna is giving me opportunity to enjoy that material facility. Whatever I want, whatever I desire... Of course, I must deserve. First deserve, then desire. Suppose if I want to become king. So I must have pious activities behind me so that I can become king. But Krsna can fulfill. Whatever you want, Krsna can give you. Krsna can give you even mukti, liberation, the Mayavadis' mukti. But He does not give very easily bhakti. That He does not give. Krsna can give you all material gifts, even up to mukti if you want. But when He gives bhakti, oh, that is special consideration. Because when He gives somebody bhakti, He becomes purchased by the bhakta. So therefore He considers, considers. Become... Krsna becomes a tool in the hands of bhakta. Although He's so..., the supreme powerful. Just like Radharani, the symbol of the topmost bhakti, Radharani. So She has purchased Krsna. She has purchased Krsna, She's so powerful. Therefore Vaisnavas, they take shelter of the lotus feet of Radharani so that if She recommends, "Oh, here is a nice devotee," Krsna has to accept.
So to become a devotee of the Lord, we have to be completely cleansed of all material attachment. That is the qualification. Vairagya. That is... Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya wrote one hundred verses praising Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu when he became a student of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. So out of that, one or two verses are mentioned in the Caitanya-caritamrta. One of them is, this is the statement:
Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya is offering his prayer to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who has now assumed the form of Caitanya Mahaprabhu, vairagya-vidya-nija-bhakti-yoga-siksartham [Cc. Madhya 6.254], just to teach people how to become a pure devotee of Krsna. A pure devotee of Krsna. So vairagya-vidya. Just like Caitanya Mahaprabhu. He was only twenty-five, twenty-four years old. His lovable wife, beautiful wife, very serving; mother, so affectionate mother; but He gave up everything, took sannyasa. So much honor... Caitanya Mahaprabhu, when He was grhastha, He was so much honored that by His only direction of His finger, lakhs of people would immediately join Him as He started the civil disobedience movement against Kazi. So His position was very respectable in Nadia. Young man, beautiful, His body. Nobody can compare with His beautiful body. Young wife, faithful wife, beautiful wife; mother, affectionate;, position; everything. But He gave up everything. Vairagya. This is called vairagya, renouncement. If somebody has nothing to possess, if he says, "I have renounced everything," what is the meaning of renouncement? If you have something then you renounce, then there is meaning.
So Caitanya Mahaprabhu's renouncement is unique. Nobody can give up such happy home, his honor, his position, his affection from mother, wife, friends, students, everywhere. Advaita Prabhu, although He was His father's age, He was honoring Caitanya Mahaprabhu. So still He gave up everything. Why? Just to teach us. Apani acari prabhu jivere siksaya. He is teaching the whole world how one has to become detached. That is His personal teaching. How, how one can become devotee of Krsna, He's personally teaching. That, that was detected by Rupa Gosvami. Therefore when he first saw Caitanya Mahaprabhu... Not first, second time. After resigning his post as minister, when he met Caitanya Mahaprabhu at Prayaga, so he offered his obeisances, falling flat: namo maha-vadanyaya. He first addressed, "Most magnanimous," most magnanimous. Namo maha-vadanyaya krsna-prema-pradaya te [Cc. Madhya 19.53]. "Oh, You are distributing love of Krsna." Krsna-prema-pradaya te. Love of Krsna is not very easy thing. By love, you can purchase Krsna. So love of Krsna is not an easy thing obtainable, but Caitanya Mahaprabhu distributed this love of Krsna to anyone, to everyone, even to Jagai and Madhai. So Narottama dasa Thakura therefore has sung in his song, papi tapi jata chilo, hari-name uddharilo, tara saksi jagai madhai. Caitanya Mahaprabhu is so magnanimous that He delivered all kinds of sinful men. Jata chilo. And simply allowing them to chant Hare Krsna mantra, delivered. Tara saksi jagai madhai.
Now, at that time, there was two Jagais and Madhais. But at the present moment, by the grace of Caitanya Mahaprabhu and His process of teaching, how many Jagai and Madhais are being delivered. You see. So it is possible. If Caitanya Mahaprabhu is pleased, then He can give krsna-prema, love of Krsna, to anyone, doesn't matter what is his qualification. He gives. If a person who is giving in charity, he can select any man: "You take." That is power of Sri Caitanya Maha... Otherwise, krsna-prema, to understand Krsna is very, very difficult job. Manusyanam sahasresu kascid yatati siddhaye [Bg. 7.3]. Out of many millions of people, they are trying to make life successful... Nobody knows. They are simply working like animals. They do not know how to make the human life successful. The human life is successful when he understands Krsna. Otherwise he remains an animal. That's all. Anyone who is not Krsna conscious, one who does not know what is Krsna, he's no better than animal. He's animal. So this is going on.
So Caitanya Mahaprabhu gave this concession to the fallen souls of this age, that "You simply chant Hare Krsna maha-mantra, you'll be delivered." Kirtanad eva krsnasya mukta-sangah param vrajet [SB 12.3.51]. That is Caitanya Mahaprabhu's special concession. Otherwise, a devotee... Kunti is not ordinary devotee. She has become one of the relatives of Krsna, and Krsna has come to offer her respects. So Kunti's not an ordinary devotee. Still, she says that "Krsna, kindly help me to become detached from my, this family attachment. I am attached to two families, my father's family and my husband's family, vrsnisu and pandusu." So the purpose is that one has to become detached from this so-called society, friendship, love. This will entangle us. One has to become free from this attachment. Sarvopadhi-vinirmuktam [Cc. Madhya 19.170]. So long I shall think that "I belong to this family, I belong to this nation, I belong to this religion, I belong to this color, I belong to..." So many things we have created, there is no possibility of become Krsna conscious. No. So long I shall think, "I am American," "I am Indian," "I am African," then we are attached. So long I am thinking that "I belong to this family, that family," then I'm attached. So long I'm thinking, "I'm father of this, mother of this, husband of this, wife of this," that is attachment.
So we have... These are designations. Because I am spirit soul. All these attachments, they belong to the body. But I am not this body. That is the essence of understanding. If I am not this body, then I am whose father? If I am not this body, then I am whose mother? The supreme father, mother is Krsna. We are simply playing the part of father, mother, sister, this, that. They're on the stage. The maya, the material nature, is causing to dance like this, that "You are father of this, you are mother of this, you are member of this family, member of this nation." This is our dancing, monkey's dancing. Yes.
In the Bhagavad-gita it is said prakrti, the nature, because that living entity has associated with this certain quality of nature, the nature is making him dance in that quality. I am thinking I am this, I am that, I am that, I am that. This is the basic principle of understanding. One should know... That is freedom, that "I do not belong to anything of this bodily connection." Because to conceive in the bodily concept of life, sa eva go-kharah. Yasyatma-buddhih kunape tri-dhatuke [SB 10.84.13]. I am not this.
This is most essential education. Unfortunately, the so-called scientists are making more and more attached to this body, How much misleading they are. Therefore I am speaking to our scientist friend that "Now it is the time for making propaganda amongst the so-called scientists, philosophers, leaders, politicians." Because they are misleading the whole people of the world under the bodily concept of life. They are fighting. So the opportunity of becoming Krsna conscious, this is the human life, they are checking that, stopping that. Greatest enemy of the human civilization, these rascals. These rascals who is checking Krsna consciousness or God consciousness, and alluring them in different concept of life by designation, they're the greatest enemy of the human society. They are checking the progress of human life. If we accept evolutionary theory, by evolution we have come to... Actually, we have come from aquatics to plants and trees and then insects. Then beasts, birds. In this way we have come to this human form of life. Now what is next evolution? That they do not know.
Next evolution is explained in the Bhagavad-gita. You read carefully. What is that evolution? Yanti deva-vrata devan [Bg. 9.25]. Now the next evolution is, if you want to go to the higher planetary system, you can go. But they cannot know, they do not know what are these higher planetary systems. They, we see, every night, there are so many planets, stars, but from the sastra we can understand that the higher planetary system means the material comforts available there, many, many times more than in this planet. You live in this planet, at most, for one hundred years. But in the higher planetary system you can live which you cannot calculate. Just like Brahma's life, as stated in the Bhagavad-gita: sahasra-yuga-paryantam ahar yad brahmano viduh [Bg. 8.17]. Brahma's twelve hours even you cannot calculate with your mathematical figures. But one has to die. Nobody can live permanently within this..., even if you have got a long duration of life.
So these facilities you can get in higher planetary systems, if you prepare yourself. Yanti deva-vrata devan pitrn yanti pitr-vratah [Bg. 9.25]. Similarly, you can go to the Pitrlokas. You can meet there your forefathers if they are, of course, eligible. And bhutejya... If you want, you can remain here. And mad-yajino 'pi mam: "And if you become a devotee of Me, then you can come to Me." This is the position. If you like, you can go to hell, you can go to the heaven, you can go to, back to home, back to Godhead. This is your position. Therefore intelligent person should think over that "If I am, I have to prepare for my life, why not prepare for going back to home, back to Godhead? This is intelligence. If I have to work to go to the higher planetary systems or lower planetary system... Because this body will be finished; next body I'll have to accept."
So what kind of body I shall accept, that is stated in the sastras. Urdhvam gacchanti sattva-sthah [Bg. 14.18]. Read Bhagavad-gita. These things are there. Those who are in the modes of goodness... Goodness means avoiding these four principles of sinful life. Even if you do not become a pure devotee of the Lord, if you follow the principles, the regulative principles, then you remain in goodness. And if you remain in goodness, then your next life is in the higher planetary systems, even not going back to home, back to... You'll get that opportunity. So everything is there. We have to utilize our intelligence. Then... This life is meant for that. But if we waste our life, misuse this opportunity of human life just to live like the cats and dogs, ahara-nidra, eating, sleeping, mating and defending, then we are spoiling.
But these rascals, they do not know, they do not believe that there is next life. As I have told you many times, that Professor Kotovsky in Russia, he said, "Swamiji, after this body's finished, everything's finished." Just see. He's a big professor. He's saying like that. Our scientists also... They have no knowledge. Still they're passing as scientists, philosophers, and misleading persons. This is our greatest grief. Therefore I am requesting you all: just make a plan to face these rascals and defeat them. They are misleading the whole human society. Now the Krsna consciousness movement should take this turn. They may not think that these boys and girls, so-called Krsnas, they are sentimentalists, chanting and dancing. That is, of course, the ultimate goal. But they do not understand. They think that we are simply sentimental. We are the greatest scientist. We are the greatest philosopher. We are the greatest humanitarian. They should know that. (aside:) Who is standing there? Hmmm.
So Krsna, as Krsna has got two businesses, paritranaya sadhunam vinasaya ca duskrtam [Bg. 4.8]. Two business. He is giving protection to the sadhus, to the devotees. Just like Krsna is giving protection to the Pandavas, to the Vrsnis, because they are devotees. And similarly He's killing Kamsa, Aghasura, Bakasura. I think His killing business was a major business than protection. From the life of Krsna we see in the Krsna book... So if you take statistics how much time He devoted for killing and how much time He devoted for protecting, we shall see He devoted more time for killing. You see. So that is also Krsna's business. So those who are Krsna conscious... Killing, we don't mean that you take weapon. That is not possible in this age. Neither you have got the strength. If you kill, then you will be killed also. Not that. But there are two kinds of victory. By logic, by reason, by education you can kill their demonic propensities. That is also killing. If one is demon, and if you can turn into a devotee by your logic, by your arguments, then that is also, he's killed, his demonic principle is killednow he's a saintly person. That is also killing. Not that... Kali-yuga, they're already very poverty-stricken, poor. So this physical killing is too much for them. They should be killed by argument, reason, scientific proposition.
This should be one of the propaganda of Krsna consciousness movement. Because these people, the so-called scientists and philosophers, is misleading-misleading in this sense that they have no information that everything is coming out from life. They are proposing that everything is coming from matter. Their basic principle, the original cause, original cause, they are find out some material adjustment. The other day our, in the California University, one big man came. He's proposing same thing. So our Svarupa Damodara proposed that "If we supply you all the ingredients, can you produce life?" He said, "I do not know." You see. He's in the category of "I do not know," and he's still a professor, he's a scientist. How he can be scientist if he do not know? If he's in the list of "I do not know," how he can be teacher. This is cheating. A teacher can be in the list of teacher if he does know: "Yes, I know." That is teacher. If he says, "I do not know," then what kind of teacher he is? He's a rascal, cheater. One must teach on the seat of a teacher if he knows things as they are. So that is going... One does not know things as they are; still, they have become teacher. That is the defect of the modern civilization.
So by ... Here, Kunti's addressing Krsna: Visvesa. Visva means the universe. Isa, isa means the Lord, the controller. So visvesa, He is controlling. He's controlling. So nicely the universal affairs are going on. The sun is rising just in due time. Everything is going on nicely. There is no mismanagement. Everyone can understand. The seasons are changing; the seasonal fruits and flowers, they are coming out. Everything is going nicely. But how things are going nicely if there is no controller? But they have no common sense. If we see any establishment very nicely going on, we immediately understand the manager or the director or the controller of this institution is very nice. Similarly, if we see things of these universal affairs are going on very nicely, then we must know that there is a good controller. Who is that controller? That controller is Krsna. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gita: mayadhyaksena prakrtih suyate sa-caracaram [Bg. 9.10]. Therefore He is addressed, "Visvesa, O the controller of the universe."
So a devotee should know what is Krsna. They picture simply Krsna as if simply embracing Radharani. That's all. That is also very, in a obnoxious way. These rascals, they take it, the dealings of Radha and Krsna as ordinary boys and girls dealing. They don't understand. Such pictures should be avoided. Krsna is the controller. Let there be one picture how Krsna is controlling the whole universe. That picture wanted, not these cheap pictures, imitating our rubbish behavior with boys and girls. These pictures we do not want. We want picture how Krsna is controller, how He is controlling the universal affairs. Visvesa. Visvesa visvatman. Atman, the living force. The living force must be there. Unless there is living force within this body, as this body cannot move, cannot work nicely, similarly, within this universe, cosmic manifestation, there is the living force, Visnu, Ksirodakasayi Visnu, or Paramatma. Isvarah sarva-bhutanam hrd-dese arjuna tisthati [Bg. 18.61]. Therefore He's visvatman. We should know that, how this world is moving, how this universe is acting. But these rascals do not know. They should learn from this Bhagavata. Visvatman visvesa, visva-murte. And His manifestation, universal form. Just like Krsna exhibited before Arjuna. Arjuna wanted to see His universal form, and Krsna immediately showed him.
So this visvatman, visvesa, these are Krsna's opulences, vibhuti. But in His original form, He is Krsna, two hands, playing on the flute. That is His original form. The universal form is causal, because Arjuna wanted to see. Arjuna was a devotee, so He showed him. That is not actual form. Just like a person, he, he may dress himself as a king or something, but that is not his real appearance, his appearance at home. So Krsna's real form is Vrndavana, at home. That is real form. And all other forms are expansion of His plenary portions. Advaitam acyutam anadim ananta-rupam [Bs. 5.33], in the Brahma-samhita. Ananta-rupam. He can expand Himself in millions and millions of forms, ananta-rupam. But advaita, but He's one. Advaita, acyuta. Acyuta means who never falls. Infallible. So Krsna's infallible, not infallible, Krsna's real form... In any form, He's not fallible. He's acyuta. But His real form is the dvi-bhuja-muralidhara. Dvi-bhuja, two hands, having a flute in the hand. That is real form. Therefore, Kuntidevi's addressing that "You are, You have got universal form. But the form in which You are standing before me, that is Your real form."
So atha visvesa visvatman visva-murte sva-kesu me. Sva-ka. Sva-ka means kinsmen, own. We are thinking, "This is my own, this is my own." Ato grha-ksetra-sutapta-vittair janasya moho 'yam [SB 5.5.8]. This is moha, illusion. How this illusion come into existence? The illusion comes... First of all, there is natural affinity, attraction, for man and woman. A man is seeking after woman, woman is seeking after man. That is in human society, in bird society, beast society, everywhere. Even flies, insects, you'll see that one female is attached to the male, male is attached. So this is beginning of material attachment. Then by attachment, when one male finds out another woman, or one finds out another man, they unite. So this attachment becomes fixed up again. Already there is attachment, and as soon as they are united, that attachment becomes more firm. Tayor mitho hrdaya-granthim ahuh. I have already got attachment, but when I am again united actually, that attachment increases. Now, after the attachment increases to some degree, then next degree is find out nice apartment to live together. That is another increase of attachment. Then we have got an apartment. Find out some means of earning money. Formerly, they were earning..., there were no factories. Everyone has to earn his livelihood by agriculture, ksetra. Ato grha-ksetra. First of all, apartment must be maintained by working, by earning something, grha-ksetra. Then when we, everything is settled up, now we must have a son, children. Yes. Ato grha-ksetra-sutapta. Then we shall, we must have some friends, who will come and eulogize me: "Oh, you have such nice apartment, nice wife." Ato grha-ksetra-sutapta-vittaih [SB 5.5.8]. Then to maintain all this, we must have money. Money, money, money, money, sweeter than honey. In this way, our attachment increases, attachment increases.
Therefore the first education is, the students, to teach them brahmacarya. Brahmacari means don't be attached. If you can, you avoid all this nonsense. That is brahmacari. Try to avoid, better. If not, enter. Then after sometimes, vanaprastha: "Now I have enjoyed so much the..., to this attachment. Now leave the home." That is called vanaprastha. At that time, the wife goes as assistant, and the man travels all over the pilgrimages to become detached. Then after two months, three months, he again comes home, sees the children are doing nice, again go away. This is called beginning of detachment. When the detachment is complete, then the man asks his wife, "Now you go, live with your children. I am, I am taking sannyasa." This is final detachment.
So the whole thing is for detachment. Therefore, Kunti is asking, "Kindly help me to detach from this family attraction." This is the instruction of Kuntidevi.
Thank you very much. (end)

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