SPD10-05 Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.8.20, April 12, 1973, New York
SPD10-05
Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.8.20,
April 12, 1973, New York
Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.8.20,
April 12, 1973, New York
[20:03] [Prabhupada:] Go on.
[20:04] [Pradyumna:] Om namo bhagavate vasudevaya. Om namo bhagavate vasudevaya. Om namo bhagavate vasudevaya.
[20:29] [leads chanting of verse] Tatha paramahamsanam muninam amalatmanam, bhakti-yoga-vidhanartham katham pasyema hi striyaḥ [SB 1.8.20].
[24:54] [Prabhupada:] That's all right. Word meaning.
[24:57] [Pradyumna:] [leads chanting of synonyms] tatha-besides that;
[25:01] paramahamsanam-of the advanced transcendentalists;
[25:08] muninam-of the great philosophers or mental speculators;
[25:16] amala-atmanam-those whose minds are competent to discern between spirit and matter;
[25:27] bhakti-yoga-the science of devotional service;
[25:34] vidhana-artham-for executing;
[25:39] katham-why;
[25:42] pasyema-can observe;
[25:45] hi-certainly;
[25:49] striyaḥ-women.
[25:52] Translation: "You Yourself descend to propagate the transcendental science of devotional service
[25:58] unto the hearts of the advanced transcendentalists and material speculators
[26:02] who are purified by being able to discriminate between matter and spirit.
[26:08] How, then, can we women know You perfectly?"
[26:14] [Prabhupada:] So Kuntidevi, she is submissively... This is the symptom of Vaisnava. The Lord, Krsna,
[26:31] has come to Kuntidevi to take the dust of her feet. Because Krsna considers Kuntidevi as her [His] aunt,
[26:45] to show her respect Krsna used to touch the feet of Kuntidevi. But Kuntidevi, although she is in such
[26:56] exalted position, practically on the level of Yasodamayi, such a great devotee... So she is so submissive
[27:10] that "Krsna, You are meant for the paramahamsas, and what we can see You? We are women."
[27:39] In another place in the Bhagavata it is said, stri-sūdra-dvijabandhūnam. Sūdra, stri and
[27:53] dvijabandhu. Dvijabandhu means those who are born in brahmana family or ksatriya family,
[28:06] high caste. According to Vedic system, there are four divisions:
[28:22] the first-class man is the brahmana, intelligent; the next, ksatriya; the next, vaisyas;
[28:32] and next, sūdra. So according to this classification, women, sūdra and dvijabandhu.
[28:46] Dvijabandhu, they are taken in the same category. Dvijabandhu means born in brahmana family,
[28:54] ksatriya family, but has no qualification. The thing is to be considered by qualification.
[29:01] It is very practical. Suppose one man is born the son of a high-court judge. So it does not mean
[29:11] that because he's a son of a high-court judge, he is also high-court judge. This is going on.
[29:18] Because one happens to take birth in a brahmana family, without any qualification,
[29:25] he claims to become a brahmana. That is the falldown of Vedic civilization in India.
[29:33] A rascal number one, he's claiming that he's brahmana-without any qualification.
[29:42] His qualification is less than a sūdra; still he's claiming. And that is being accepted.
[29:50] So it is clearly stated, guna-karma-vibhagasaḥ [Bg. 4.13]: without qualification. The brahmana
[30:00] means the qualification. It is not this body. There are so many arguments, but they won't hear.
[30:10] They are very much against in my movement, because I am making brahmanas from
[30:19] Europe and America. They are against me. But don't care. We don't care for them.
[30:27] Neither any reasonable man will care for them. But there is a propaganda against me.
[30:34] Even amongst my Godbrothers, they are making. Because they cannot do it, so find out some fault.
[30:43] You see? Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu said,
[30:47] prthivite ache yata nagaradi grama, sarvatra pracara haibe mora nama .
[30:54] In every town, city, village of the world, His cult will be preached. What is His cult?
[31:03] Does it mean that the Europeans and Americans will not become brahmana?
[31:09] Because Vaisnava cult means past brahmanism. Past brahmanism.
[31:18] Mam ca 'vyabhicarena bhakti-yogena ya sevate,
[31:25] He, bhakti-yoga, one who takes to bhakti-yoga, he immediately comes to the transcendental
[31:34] platform, brahma-bhūta. What to speak of brahmana? And this stereotyped, crippled idea
[31:43] has killed Vedic civilization. Now we are again reviving. It is meant for everyone.
[31:53] Krsna says,
[31:55] mam hi partha vyapasritya ye 'pi syuḥ papa-yonayaḥ,
[32:04] Krsna says. Although ordinarily we take striya-means women-sūdra and vaisya in the lower-class grade,
[32:22] but when one becomes a devotee, the..., he is or she is no more in the lower grade.
[32:31] Te 'pi yanti param gatim. The devotional service is so nice that anyone...
[32:41] Ordinarily, women is taken less intelligent; sūdra is taken less intelligent; vaisya is taken
[32:49] less intelligent. But if he takes to Krsna consciousness, he is the most intelligent.
[32:59] Krsna yei bhaje sei baḍa catura. This is the statement in the Caitanya-caritamrta.
[33:06] Anyone who has taken to Krsna consciousness, he is the most intelligent.
[33:14] And Caitanya Mahaprabhu said, guru-krsna-krpaya paya bhakti-lata-bija, [Cc. Madhya 19.151],
[33:22] kona bhagyavan jiva. Ei rūpe brahmanḍa bhramite kona bhagyavan jiva.
[33:29] The Krsna consciousness movement is not for the wretched, unfortunate class of men. No.
[33:38] It is meant for the most fortunate man. Anyone who has taken to Krsna consciousness,
[33:46] he is to be considered as the most fortunate man, because he has got the line of action
[33:56] how his life will be perfect. Therefore, anyone who is in Krsna consciousness and
[34:04] discharging the duties nicely, he is the most fortunate man, most perfect man.
[34:11] That is, Kuntidevi is humbly submitting. Although is womanly body, she is a devotee.
[34:21] She is not like ordinary woman, less intelligent. She is the most in... She has recognized Krsna,
[34:30] that Krsna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. "Although He has come to me materially
[34:39] as my nephew, to offer me respect, but He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead."
[34:47] Therefore in the previous verse she said, alaksyam sarva-bhūtanam antar bahir avasthitam [SB 1.8.18]:
[34:58] "You are not seen by ordinary men, although You are inside and outside."
[35:04] In another verse also, na laksyase mūḍha-drsa [SB 1.8.19]: "Fools and rascals cannot see You."
[35:12] That means Kunti sees Him. Unless she sees Krsna as He is, how she can say
[35:23] mūḍha-drsa na laksyase? And [s]he says, prakrteḥ param:
[35:33] "You are transcendental to this material creation."
[35:37] So here also [s]he continues her humbleness. This humbleness is very good in devotional service.
[35:46] Therefore Caitanya, Sri Krsna Caitanya Mahaprabhu, teaches us:
[35:52] trnad api sunicena taror api sahisnuna . One should be tolerant than the trees
[36:01] and humbler than the grass to make progress in spiritual life.
[36:08] Because there will be so many disturbances. Because maya... We are living...
[36:15] Just like if we are in the ocean. So you cannot expect very peaceful situation in the ocean.
[36:26] It must be always tilt, what is called, tiltering, tilting. Even, even a big ship,
[36:34] it is also not very fixed-up position. At any moment there may be tumultuous waves.
[36:43] So in this material world you should always expect danger.
[36:50] You cannot expect very peaceful life within this material world. Padam padam yad vipadam [SB 10.14.58].
[36:59] Sastra says in every step there is danger. But if you become a devotee, then you escape.
[37:14] So in the beginning, if you take to Krsna consciousness, there will be so many disturbances
[37:21] by the maya. Maya will test you how far you are fixed up. She will test you.
[37:31] She is also agent of Krsna. She does not allow anyone who is meant for disturbing Krsna.
[37:40] Therefore she tests very rigidly whether you are..., you have taken Krsna consciousness
[37:47] to disturb Krsna or you are actually serious. That is maya's business. So there will be
[38:03] in the beginning test by the maya, and you will feel so much disturbances in making progress
[38:12] in Krsna consciousness. But if you remain steady... Steady means if you follow the rules
[38:20] and regulation and chant sixteen rounds, then you will remain steady. And if you neglect,
[38:27] then maya will capture you, immediately. Maya is always ready. We are in the ocean.
[38:33] At any moment, we will be disturbed. So therefore one who is not disturbed at all,
[38:41] he is called paramahamsa.
[38:44] Therefore Kuntidevi says, tatha paramahamsanam. Parama means ultimate;
[38:52] hamsa means swan. So paramahamsa means the perfect hamsa.
[39:01] Hamsa, it is said that if you... Hamsa means swan. If you give to swan milk mixed with water,
[39:12] she will take the milk part and leave aside the water part. Similarly, a person who
[39:22] knows what is this material world... Material world is made of two natures-
[39:30] the inferior nature and the superior nature. The superior nature means spiritual life,
[39:37] and inferior nature is material life. So a person who gives up the material part of this world
[39:45] and takes only the spiritual part, he is called paramahamsa. Paramahamsa.
[39:53] Spiritual part means one who knows that whatever is working in this material...
[40:00] Just like this body-your body, my body. Anyone who knows that this movement,
[40:08] the activities of this body, is due to the soul which is within this body... That is the real fact.
[40:21] This is only outward covering. Similarly, one who knows that Krsna is the center
[40:28] of these all activities, he's paramahamsa. He's paramahamsa. He knows the fact.
[40:41] So bhakti-yoga is for the paramahamsa, one who knows that Krsna is the central fact.
[40:50] Aham adir hi devanam [Bg. 10.2]. Mattaḥ sarvam pravartate. So one who knows that Krsna is the
[41:01] cause of all causes, not only theoretically, but practically, convinced, he is paramahamsa.
[41:12] So Kuntidevi said that "You are meant for the paramahamsas, not for the rascals and fools.
[41:21] You are meant for the paramahamsa." Tatha paramahamsanam muninam.
[41:28] Muninam means those who are thoughtful. Also mental speculators, they are called also muni.
[41:39] Muninam amalatmanam. Amala. There is no dirty things in their heart.
[41:47] Materialistic person means full of dirty things within the heart. What is that dirty thing?
[41:55] That lust and greediness. That's all. This is the dirty things. All materialistic persons,
[42:02] they are lusty and greedy. Therefore their heart is full of dirty things.
[42:09] And amalatmanam means those who are freed from these two things, lust and...
[42:16] [Devotees:] Greed, greed.
[42:18] [Prabhupada:] Eh? Greed, greediness. Amalatmanam. For them, bhakti-yogam. This bhakti-yoga
[42:25] is meant for the cleansed hearted, not the lusty and greedy. That is not... They may try.
[42:34] They'll gradually advance. But one once is situated in bhakti-yoga, there is no more lust and greediness.
[42:44] Viraktir anyatra syat. This is the test: whether one has become free from lusty desires and greediness.
[42:53] Then he is situated in bhakti-yoga. He's paramahamsa.
[43:00] So Kuntidevi, by humble submission, that "You are meant for the paramahamsa,
[43:07] for the amalatmanam, for the muninam, and who are engaged in bhakti-yoga. And what we are?
[43:14] We are simply woman. We are in the lower grade. How we can understand You?"
[43:20] This is humbleness. Although she understands everything, but still she's taking the
[43:25] position of an ordinary woman, that "How can I understand You?"
[43:30] Thank you very much. Hare Krsna. Chant. Chant Hare Krsna.
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