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750109SB.BOM
Srimad-Bhagavatam 3.26.32

Bombay, January 9, 1975
Nitai: "When egoism in ignorance is agitated by the sex energy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the subtle element sound is manifested, and from sound comes the ethereal sky and the sense of hearing."
Prabhupada:
tamasac ca vikurvanad
bhagavad-virya-coditat
sabda-matram abhut tasman
nabhah srotram tu sabdagam
[SB 3.26.32]
So this creation... The beginning of the creation is the sound. The modern physicist, they also agree. Sound and light, according to their theory... But the sound is the origin of creation, mixed with these modes of ignorance. Everything here in the material world is spiritual reflection covered by the material elements. So when this sound is purified or you catch up the spiritual sound, then your spiritual life begins. As from the material sound this material creation has begun from first of all the sky, nabha, or ether; and from ether, air is created, wind; and from air, then fire is created, electricity... You see. From the sound, there is immediately electricity in the sky, the fire. Electricity means fire. So from sky, the sound is created. From the sound, air is created. By the friction of air, the electricity, or fire, is created. Then, within the fire, there is water. And after water, there is land. This is panca-bhuta, five gross elements. It is coming from the subtle elements. From the subtle elements, the gross elements gradually develop.
So in the ether there is sound, sabdagam. And from the sound the instrument of hearing is created, srotram. Similarly, our subtle senses-rupa, rasa, sabda, sparsa, gandha... So sabda, sparsa..., then sparsa. Sparsa means touching. When there is air, there is touching. Touching sensation is created. And when there is fire, then form sensation is created. When there is water, then rasa, taste sensation, is created. And from rasa, water, when there is earth, then gandha, gandha sensation, or smell, is created. How scientifically it is described: rupa, rasa, gandha, sabda, sparsa. They are the sense perception. The sense perception is created from the five elements: earth, water, air, fire, and ether. And above that, there is still finer materials: mind, intelligence, ego. And then, behind that, the soul is there. As the material creation, behind everything, the Supreme Personality of Godhead is there, bhagavat-coditat... It is not automatically taking place. Vikurvanad bhagavad-virya-coditat. Just like the sex. When the semina is discharged by the man, then there is pregnancy, not automatically. Similarly, here also, the same thing: bhagavad-virya-coditat, in the tamo-guna. That means the origin of this creation is tamo-guna, tamas. The whole creation is tamas, ignorance. Every one of us in ignorance. We do not know. Therefore Vedas says, tamasi ma: "Don't stay in this tamasi." Jyotir gama. Jyoti is Brahman. "Try to come out there." And the whole Vedic knowledge is based on this principle, how to again give up this association of tamasika-guna and come to the sattva-guna, and then surpass sattva-guna, come to the transcendental position of brahma-bhuta [SB 4.30.20]. This is the position.
So as this material creation has begun from material sound under the agitating, impelling method by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, similarly, by spiritual sound, you can get out of it, because sound is the central point. When it is mixed with tamas, tamo-guna, then the material creation begins. So similarly, if you directly catch up that sound... The sound is sabda-brahma. Sound is actually spiritual, the Vedic sound om, omkara. Omkarasmi sarva-vedesu. So Vedic sound begins: om. So that is a sound. So if we capture that sound and make further progress, sabdad anavrtti... In the Vedanta-sutra it is there, anavrtti, no more repetition of birth and death, omkara. If one can chant omkara at the time of death, immediately transferred to the spiritual world, impersonal spiritual effulgence. But if you can chant Hare Krsna, then immediately you go to the spiritual planet. These are stated in the Bhagavad-gita. Anta-kale, at the time of death, if you can capture this sound, omkara or Hare Krsna... If you capture omkara, then you are transferred to the spiritual sky. As it is said, the sky. Sabdat... Sabda-matram abhut tasman nabhah. Nabha is sky. So there is a point wherefrom the sky, the material sky, begins and there is spiritual sky. The sky is spiritual wherefrom the sabda is resounded. Because there is sky, therefore there is sound. Because there is sound, therefore the instrument of hearing sound, the ear, is there.
So our material position and spiritual positionthe ultimate point is sound. And this sound is presented in its original spiritual form. That is called Veda, sabda-brahma. Tene brahma hrda adi-kavaye. This brahma means sabda-brahma. The sabda-brahma was imparted or vibrated by Krsna in the heart of Brahma. Tene brahma hrda adi-kavaye. And then he could realize what is his position. Then, after hearing the sound, he compiled this Brahma-samhita. That Brahma-samhita we have recited many times. The Brahma, Lord Brahma, by personal realization through the mercy of Krsna on account of this sound, transcendental, being injected within heart, he could see the whole spiritual world as it is. And that is described in the Brahma-samhita:
He is offering... He is not claiming himself that "I am the first person for creation," although in this material world, Brahma is the first person, then Lord Siva, Rudra. And before Brahma, there is Visnu. Therefore it is said, aham evasam agre. Agre, "Before the creation, there was only Visnu, or Krsna. There was no Brahma, no Siva." These are Vedic statement. In the beginning Lord Visnu was there. And we know the method of creation. There was water, and from that, in that water, Maha-Visnu is lying there. From Maha-Visnu in His sleeping condition, there are so many... Universes are created in the exhaling breathing process. And when He inhaling, the whole thing is annihilated. In this way this material creation is coming and going. Bhutva bhutva praliyate [Bg. 8.19].
So we have to understand that the creation actually begins in the tamo-guna by agitated impelled by the Bhagavat, Bhagavan. Here it is stated, vikurvanad bhagavad-virya-coditat. Not that automatically. Just like if you take two chemicals, soda bicarb and citric acid, and mix together, make two solution, soda bicarb and citric acid, and mix together, there will be, what is called? Bubbles. Huh?
Devotee: Effervescence.
Prabhupada: Effervescence, yes. There is effervescence. So that effervescent takes place not due to this chemical but due to the chemist who mixes together. Then effervescence takes place, and then the action comes in contact. So modern scientists, they are being unable to see that who is mixing the chemical. Because Krsna says, naham prakasah sarvasya yoga-maya-samavrtah [Bg. 7.25], therefore the scientist cannot see bhagavad-virya-coditat. They cannot see. They are seeing simply two mixture and mixed together. It is mixing by certain person, but who is mixing, that they cannot see. But that is bhagavad-virya-coditat. Mayadhyaksena prakrtih suyate sa-caracaram [Bg. 9.10]. Prakrti is working, interaction of two chemicals or many chemicals. They are accepting it that the chemicals were already there. But wherefrom the chemicals came? They say that hydrogen and oxygen mixed together, and the water... Now you see the vast water, not only here, but there are so many other oceans, Pacific Ocean, Atlantic Ocean. And not only in this planet, but there are innumerable planets, and innumerable Pacific Oceans are floating in the air. Where you got so much chemical? Who supplied it? If the hydrogen-oxygen is the cause of water, then wherefrom so much chemical came into existence? Of course, they came in existence the same process, as it is stated here. It is coming from the sky, and the sky is generated by bhagavad-virya in the tamo-guna.
So originally everything is coming from the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Therefore Krsna, simplifying the matter and informing us"You fools, you try to understand." Aham sarvasya prabhavah: [Bg. 10.8] "I am the origin." And Vedanta-sutra says that janmady asya yatah [SB 1.1.1]. "Janma adi, from whom, that is Brahman." That is Krsna. Janma, this janma or the creation of this material cosmic manifestation, phenomenal world, who is the cause of janma? The cause is Krsna. Aham adir hi devanam [Bg 10.2]. Then He is the cause of Brahma, devanam, Siva. Padma-palasa-locana, padma, padma-nabha. Therefore Visnu's another name is Padmanabha. Padmanabha, He causes the lotus flower from His navel, and there is Brahma. And then Brahma creates whole universe. The original creator is bhagavad-virya-coditat, not this material. The material, there was no existence of the material. The materials are created by the Supreme Living Being. Nityo nityanam cetanas cetananam (Katha Upanisad 2.2.13). That is to be understood. So the modern theory that the phenomenal world or this cosmic manifestation is due to chemical combination... They have written books, Chemical Evolution. The same example, that a solution of soda bicarb and solution of citric acid, mixed together, there is effervescence. But who is mixing? The mixture is bhagavad-virya-coditat. This is to be understood.
So the creation, beginning of creation, is the Supreme Personality of Godhead Krsna. That is to be understood. And the beginning of creation is sabda, the ether and the sky. I think modern science also admits the beginning of creation is sound. There are so many sound theories. Sound and light, they have written so many books, chemical composition. Here also this is... That sound... From the sound, the sky is created, and then air, and then fire, then water, and at last, this land. So in the land there are five perception: rupa, rasa, gandha, sabda, sparsa. Five perception. In the earth you will find the form, and there is taste. You will have some taste. If you taste earth, dirt, you will find some salty taste, because earth containing sixty percent soda. That is chemical analysis. So you will find taste, rasa. And rupa, rasa, sabda you will find also. Any metal you strike together, there will be sabda. Rupa, rasa, gandha. There is smell. You see so many plants are growing, flowers. Wherefrom they are getting this scent? You see? You getting from the earth. The bad smells and good smell, everything is coming from the earth. And where is the chemist that they can take out rose scent from earth? That is not possible. But there is. There is no doubt about it. Otherwise wherefrom the scent is coming? The rose flower, you are smelling so nicely, but where it has got this smell? From the earth. The earth is there. Rupa, rasa, gandha, sabda, and sparsa. Then, in the water, one thing is minus. And then, in the fire, two things are minus. And from the air, three things are minus. And from the sound, four things are minus. Only sound is there. The sound is the original cause of this creation where we are materially bound up.
Because I am spirit soul, I have nothing to do with this material atmosphere. Asango 'yam purusah: "This spirit soul has nothing to do." But on account of his material association by different processes, we have grown this body, material body, and we are now... That is entangled. Just like a fish becomes entangled within the network, similarly, we are, we living entities, we are entangled with the network of this fabrication of this material elements. So very difficult position. Just like the fish caught up in the net of the fisherman, or maya, similarly, we are now caught up within the network created by the material nature. Prakrteh kriyamanani gunaih karmani sarva... [Bg. 3.27]. Because we associated the particular type of material modes of nature, then we are now entangled. Like the fish is entangled, similarly, we are also entangled. This material world is supposed to be like a big ocean, bhavarnava. Arnava means ocean, and bhava means the situation where repetition of birth and death takes place. This is called bhavarnava. Anadi karama-phale, padi' bhavarnava-jale. Anadi karma-phale: "Before creation I had my resultant action of my activities, and somehow or other, I am now fallen in this ocean of bhavarnava, repetition of birth and death." So as the fish, being entangled, he struggles for existence, how to get out of the net... He's not peaceful. You will find. As soon as caught he's up in the net, "Fut! Fut! Fut! Fut! Fut!" He wants to get out. So that is our struggle for existence, how to get out. We do not know.
So to get out of this, only the mercy of Krsna... He can do everything. He can immediately take out from this entanglement. Otherwise how he is Almighty? I cannot get out. The fish cannot get out, but the, if the fisherman wants, he can get him out immediately and throw in the water. Then he gets life again. Similarly, if we surrender to Krsna, He can get out immediately. And He says, aham tvam sarva-papebhyo moksayisyami ma sucah [Bg. 18.66]. You simply surrender. As the fisherman is seeing, "Fut! Fut! Fut!" but if the fish surrenders... He wants to surrender, but he does not know the language. Therefore he remains within the network. But if the fisherman likes, he can take it out and throw in the water. Similarly, if we surrender to Krsna... For that surrendering process this human life is meant. In other life, the fish cannot, but I can. That is the difference between the life of the fish and my life. The fish entangled in the network, he has no power. He is doomed. So doomed, doomed, in this way, by nature's mercy, he gets evolution. Jalaja nava-laksani sthavara laksa-vimsati. The living entity is entangled in the network of this material nature. He has to go through nine lakhs' species of this aquatic life. There are nine lakh species of fish in the water. Who knows it? The sastra says. One who has seen. Who has seen how many varieties of fishes are there? But there are many, many varieties. From the sastra we get information of the whale fish, timi. And there is another fish which is called timingila. Timingila means he is so big that he swallows up this timi, whale fish, like a small... (makes gulping sound) Finished. (laughter) They are called timingila. So you have not seen. We have not seen. But the sastra says.
Therefore we have seen because sastra-caksusa. You should see through the sastra. Otherwise what can you see with your tiny eyes? You cannot see, say, three yards more than that. Imperfect. Every senses, all sense, they are imperfect. You cannot see. You are seeing the sun, but what you are seeing? You are seeing just like a disc. But it is fourteen thousand times bigger than this planet. So your this naked sense perception has no value. Don't try to gather knowledge through these naked senses. Try to gather knowledge just like how creation is made. And that is stated here by the authorities, Kapiladeva. And if you take it, then your knowledge is perfect. And if you imagine, "Perhaps there was a chunk, and there was this, there was that"all nonsense. At least we, Krsna conscious men, we don't accept this nonsensical proposition. Our knowledge is derived-tad-vijnanartham sa gurum eva abhigacchet [MU 1.2.12]. This is Vedic injunction. "If you want to know perfectly, if you want to have perfect knowledge," tad-vijnanartham sa gurum eva, "you must approach guru." Here is guru, Kapiladeva, or Krsna, God. God is guru, original guru. God gave lessons to Brahma. Brahma gave lessons to Narada. Narada gave lessons to Vyasadeva. Vyasadeva gave lessons to us. This is Vyasadeva's contribution. And if you follow this disciplic succession, then you get perfect knowledge. Otherwise, if you speculate, then you are in darkness, tamasi. What power you have got? All your senses are imperfect. How you can get perfect knowledge? That is not possible. Therefore the injunction is, tad-vijnanartham sa gurum evabhigacchet: [MU 1.2.12] "You must go to guru." And who is guru? This parampara system. Evam parampara-praptam imam rajarsayo viduh [Bg. 4.2].
So this is the process. If you want perfect knowledge, you must approach guru. And who is guru? Guru means the representative of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Acaryam mam vijaniyan navamanyeta karhicit [SB 11.17.27]. "Acarya," Krsna says, mam vijaniyat: "he is Myself. I am. Because he is My perfect representativehe won't speak anything nonsense; he will speak something or everything which he has heard from Metherefore he is acarya." Acarya means one who knows the sastra and practically uses in his life, and the same thing, he teaches to his disciple. That is called acarya. Acarya is not a self-made man. No. Acarya means acinoti yah sastrani. One who understand the sastra, the Vedic sastra, and practices in life and teaches the same thing to his studentthat is called acarya. So acaryam mam vijaniyan navamanyeta karhicit, na asuyeta martya-buddhya [SB 11.17.27]. So acarya should not be considered as ordinary man, because he is representative of Krsna. Saksad-dharitvena samasta-sastraih. Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura says, "All the sastras..." The sastra is the basic strength, platform. So all the sastra says the acarya: "He is representative of the Supreme Lord." So saksad-dharitvena. Saksat, not indirectly, supposingly. No. Directly, saksat. Saksat means directly. So how he is directly representative? Suppose Krsna appeared five thousand years ago or millions of years ago, because Krsna first spoke to Vivasvan. Imam vivasvate yogam proktavan aham avyayam: [Bg. 4.1] "This yoga system, I first of all explained to Vivasvan, the sun-god." That means millions and millions of years. Later on, again, He explained. So He says that "That very old thing, again I am explaining to you, Arjuna. There is no change."
So Bhagavad-gita, the lessons of Bhagavad-gita, cannot be changed by the whims of rascals. This is not possible. Aham avyayam. Imam vivasvate yogam proktavan aham avyayam [Bg. 4.1]. Avyayam. This yoga is avyayam, not that with the change of time, the meaning would be changed. That is not possible. The meaning would remain the same thing. The millions of years ago Krsna said, man-mana bhava mad-bhakto mad-yaji mam namaskuru [Bg. 18.65]. That does not mean that the meaning has changed. "Because it has become old, now I can change." The speaker can say that "When Krsna says, man-mana bhava mad-bhaktah, so Krsna is dead and gone. Now I am incarnation of Krsna. You think of me." This is going on. This rascaldom is going on. "Krsna is now dead and gone. Now I am avatara." Then the answer is: "Then you will be dead and gone, then somebody will come." Just like the meaning of "my head." One child, one boy, was reading "my head," and the teacher is explained, " 'My head' means my head." So the child thought teacher said... When he explained the meaning " 'My head,' it is my head," so the child thought, "The teacher says 'my head.' Therefore 'my head' means teacher's head." (laughter) Another person came: "No, no. It is not teacher head. It is 'my head.' " Then he thought brother's head, then father's head. In this way he became puzzled.
So due to this nonsensical meaning, people are puzzled, that "Whom to surrender? Because Krsna I do not see." No. Krsna is always existing. So you can... Krsna is existing, and to be perceivable by you, Krsna has appeared before you. Here is the arca-murti. The arca-murti we are serving. It is not that... Don't think. Arcye visnau sila-dhih. If you are rascal, they will think that "These people are serving a stone statue." The rascals will think like that, but that is not the fact. Here, practical serving of Krsna. The same acarya has taught that here is Krsna. Sri-vigraharadhana-nitya-nana-srngara-tan-mandira-marjanadau **. Sri-vigraha. This arca-murti, sri-vigraha, aradhanam, you should worship. This is the acarya-pantha. This is the parampara.
So this worship is going on under this parampara system. It is not manufactured. Acaryam mam... What the acarya says, if you follow, then you become perfect. Tad viddhi pranipatena pariprasnena sevaya [Bg. 4.34]. If you follow the instruction of acarya, then you understand perfectly everything. Tad viddhi prani... But you have to understand by pranipatena, by submission, not by challenging. If you challenge, then you will never be able to understand. This whole process is submission. Sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja [Bg. 18.66]. If you are not prepared to submit, then you will never understand. You will remain in this tamas, tamas. Tamasi ma. But don't remain in tamas. Come to the light.
Thank you very much. (end)

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