Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 3.22.21 – August 10, 1976, Tehran

So by practice it is possible

Prabhupada: Spectacles. Spectacles.

Pradyumna: Srimad-Bhagavatam, Canto 3, Chapter 22 text 21.

Om namo bhagavate vasudevaya. Om namo bhagavate vasudevaya. Om namo bhagavate vasudevaya. [devotees repeat] [leads chanting, etc.]

[04:00]

Translation: "Sri Maitreya said: O great warrior Vidura, the sage Kardama said this much only and then became silent, thinking of his worshipable Lord Visnu, who has a lotus on His navel. As he silently smiled, his face captured the mind of Devahuti, who began to meditate upon the great sage."

Prabhupada: Purport?

Pradyumna: "It appears that Kardama Muni was fully absorbed in Krsna consciousness because as soon as he became silent, he at once began to think of Lord Visnu. That is the way of Krsna consciousness. Pure devotees are so absorbed in thought of Krsna that they have no other engagement; although they may seem to think or act otherwise, they are always thinking of Krsna. The smile of such a Krsna conscious person is so attractive that simply by smiling he wins so many admirers, disciples and followers." [break]

Prabhupada: Sa vai manah krsna-padaravindayor vacamsi vaikuntha-gunanuvarnane [SB 9.4.18]. There is one instance of Krsna consciousness, how the devotee does not lose a single moment without thinking of Krsna. Satatam kirtayanto mam [Bg 9.14]. Kirtaniyah sada harih . This instruction we get. So, sada tad bhava-bhavitah [Bg 8.6]. If you practice like that, then there is chance of being transferred to Krsna just after leaving this body. So somehow or other you should be absorbed in the thought of Krsna. We get all these examples from authorities. Just like Ambarisa Maharaja, he was emperor, very responsible man. But sa vai manah krsna-padaravindayor: he kept his mind always on the lotus feet of Krsna. Sa vai manah krsna-padaravindayor [SB 9.4.18]. So although great emperor, so responsibility, still it was possible for him to keep his mind on the lotus feet of Krsna. In South India there is a class of professional dancer. They take a big jug on the head and without any..., what is called? Bira?

Dayananda: Cloth, cap, ring.

Prabhupada: Yes, ring. It is kept as it is. The head is shaved, but they are so practiced to keep the balance that the pot does not fall down. It remains exactly. This is an art-they will dance, and the pot on the head will never fall down, keeping the balance. So by practice it is possible. There are many professional vendors, they keep their basket on the head, and taking a child, going and canvassing, "We have got this fruit." It never falls down. They are keeping the balance. So this is a crude example that everything can be done by practice. One may be very responsible officer, like Ambarisa Maharaja, the emperor. It is not joke. But still, his mind is absorbed in the thought of Krsna. Sai vai manah krsna-padaravindayor. There is another example Rupa Gosvami gives, that a woman who has got an extra lover besides the husband, so she's always thinking of that lover although she's busy with household affairs. Para-vyasanini nari. [Cc Madhya 1.211]. That means if you want somebody very seriously, you can think of him always, twenty-four hours, in spite of your being engaged in so many duties. It is possible.

So we have to practice this Krsna consciousness. Here, in this material world, we have to work. Without work, you cannot maintain even your family, your body. That is not possible. Sarira-yatrapi te na prasiddhyed akarmanah [Bg 3.8]. Krsna says, Arjuna, that without karma you cannot maintain even your body. So you have to work. Sarira-yatrapi te na prasiddhyed akarmanah. And this material world means you have to maintain by working. And spiritual world means na tasya karyam karanam ca vidyate [Svetasvatara Upanisad 6.8]. There is nothing to work, as Krsna has nothing to work. He is simply enjoying. What is called? The children have got... What is called?

Devotee: Swing?

Prabhupada: Ah, swing, swing. So Krsna is enjoying, and Krsna's associates are enjoying. They have nothing to work. That is spiritual world. Cintamani prakara sadmasu kalpa vrksa [Bs 5.29]: that is a different world. There is no material body; therefore there is no need of the material body. That is a different world. But in this material world we have to work. Trtiya-karma-samjnanya avidya-karma-samjnanya trtiya saktir isyate [Cc Madhya 6.154]. This material world means you have to work and adjust things for your maintenance. That you cannot escape. But still, we have to become Krsna conscious.

So things are to be adjusted as it is prescribed by great authorities. In Bhakti-rasamrta you'll find the regulative principles. That is called Vaisnava-smrti. So here we cannot live without working, and still we have to become always Krsna conscious. This art, to understand and to practice, is Krsna consciousness movement. Then in spite of my being engaged in so many so-called material things... Because a devotee has nothing to do with material things. Even if he works for maintenance of the body, that is not material. Just like Bhaktivinoda Thakura, who was magistrate. But it is not for a magistrate to write so many books-siddhanta-purnam. [Filled with scriptural conclusion.] So he was in a different, transcendental platform. So that is possible, the mind being absorbed in Krsna's thought, satatam kirtayanto mam [Bg 9.14], tusyanti ca ramanti ca [Bg 10.9]. That is possible by practice. Here Kardama Muni is a living example. And there are many other examples, that we can remain fully Krsna conscious in spite of being engaged in so-called material activities. That is possible.

Thank you very much.

Devotees: Jaya Srila Prabhupada. All glories to Srila Prabhupada. [end]