Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.1.23 – February 27, 1973, Jakarta

I come, I appear, My only business is to reestablish the religious principles

[Kirtana]

[Poor Audio]

[04:12]

Prabhupada: If there are people who cannot understand Hindi, so what is the decision? [indistinct]. Hindi or English?

Amogha: English.

Prabhupada: English is all right? There are many foreigners.

Amogha: Yes. I think there are many foreigners, they will understand.

This is a question made by the great saintly persons who assembled in Naimisaranya to hear about bhagavata-dharma. Real dharma, as I have already explained yesterday... Dharma means bhagavata-dharma. Bhagavata-dharma is not a faith. It is a fact, characteristic of the human being. Bhagavata means in relationship with God, Bhagavan, bhagavata-tattva. This word... From bhagavata-tattva there is bhagavata. The root is the bhaga, and from that root this word is derived, bhagavata. It is pertaining to the Personality of Godhead and His devotees. Srimad-Bhagavatam is the book of knowledge which is dealing with the Supreme Personality of Godhead with His different devotees. That is called Bhagavata.

There are two kinds of bhagavata. One Bhagavata is this book, book Bhagavata. This book Bhagavatam is the sound incarnation of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. And there is another bhagavata, who is spiritual master or the Vaisnava, a devotee of the Lord. He's also called bhagavata. A great devotee is called maha-bhagavata. So there are two kinds of bhagavatas. The mercy representation of God is book Bhagavata... No. Sound vibration, sound representation of God is from the book Bhagavatam. And the mercy representation of God is called the devotee bhagavata.

So here the question is that "After Krsna's departure..." Krsna lived or stayed in this planet for 125 years. After that, He went back to His own abode. Here the question is, brūhi yogesvare krsne. Yogesvara means the controller of all mystic power. Yoga is mystic power, and Krsna is the master, or the controller, of all mystic powers. Therefore He's called Yogesvara. Lord Siva, he's called Yogisvara. He's the best amongst the yogis. And Krsna is called Yogesvara. This yogesvara word is also in the Bhagavad-gita: yatra yogesvara hari. So Krsna is the controller and master of all mystic power; therefore He's called Yogesvara. Brūhi, "Kindly let us know," yogesvare krsne, "when Krsna went back to His abode, Goloka Vrndavana," yogesvare krsne brahmanye. Brahmana, brahmanya means He's the original brahminical culture or He's worshiped by the brahmanas.

Visnu, or Lord Visnu is worshiped by the topmost class of men. So in the human society the topmost class of men are considered the brahmanas. As it is explained in the Bhagavad-gita, catur-varnyam maya srstam guna-karma-vibhagasaḥ [Bg 4.13]. The human society must be divided into four classes of men. That is perfect human society. First-class men, second-class men, third-class men and the fourth-class men. And after these fourth-class men, they're all fifth class, pancama.

So the first-class men are the brahmanas, qualified brahmanas, samo damaḥ titiksava, arjava. And the second-class men are the ksatriyas. The third-class men are the vaisyas. And the fourth-class men, they are called sūdras. And the fifth class, below the fifth class, they are called pancama or canḍala. This is Vedic division of human society.

So Krsna is worshiped by the brahmanas; therefore He's called brahmanye, or who gives protection to the brahminical culture. When Krsna is offered obeisances, respectful obeisances, He's offered like this:

So Krsna, first business is go-brahmana-hitaya ca: He's the protector of cows and brahmanas. Why? Why He's specially giving? Nowadays it has become a fashion, daridra-narayana-seva, to give protection to the daridras. That is good idea. But why you should bring Narayana amongst the daridras? Narayana is not daridra. Narayana is the husband of Laksmi, Laksmi-Narayana. Not only one Laksmi; millions of Laksmis. Laksmi-sahasra-sata-sambhrama-sevyamanam. Cintamani-prakara-sadmasu kalpa-vrksa-laksavrtesu surabhir abhipalayantam [Bs 5.29].

Surabhir abhipalaya. In the transcendental world, in Krsnaloka, there are..., there that is called goloka. Goloka means that planet is full of many cows, and those cows are known as surabhi. Surabhi. The Krsna is habituated to take care of the cows. Just like nowadays any respectable gentleman is supposed to take care of dog, similarly, Krsna... As dog means a hobby, take it as hobby, so He has got the hobby of giving protection to the cows. Surabhir abhipalayantam.

Laksmi-sahasra-sata-sambhrama-sevyamanam. And Krsna is worshiped by many, many thousands of Laksmis, these gopis. The gopis, they're all Laksmis, expansion of goddess of fortune. They're not ordinary. Laksmi-sahasra-sata-sambhrama-sevya.

Here in this material world, everyone is worshiping Laksmi, or goddess of fortune. In the beginning of the year everyone worships Laksmi so that Laksmi may be pleased and money may come. But here we are worshiping Laksmi-of course, we should-but there in the spiritual world, not only one Laksmi, but thousands of Laksmis are worshiping Krsna. This is Krsna's position. Laksmi-sahasra-sata-sambhrama. And they're worshiping with all respects. So Krsna, Visnu or Narayana, They cannot be daridra. This is a misconception. This is manufactured concoction, daridra-narayana. How Narayana can be daridra? He's worshiped by many, many thousands of Laksmis. How He can be daridra?

So Krsna is brahmanya-deva and is surabhir abhipalayantam [Bs 5.29]. The surabhi cows.... Why they're called surabhi cows? Surabhi cows mean you can take that milk from surabhi cows as much as you require and as many times as you like. Here in the material world the cows are there, you can take milk from the cows utmost twice, and not as much as you like; as much as she likes to deliver, you can take.

But surabhi cows, because they are in the spiritual world, you can draw as much milk as you can, and as many times as you can. But such cows are taken..., what is called, tendered by Lord Krsna, surabhir abhipalayantam. These are the description in the Vedic literature about Krsna. Krsna is not an imagination. As the Mayavadi philosophers, they think of imagining the form of God-Krsna is not that type of God. He's described in the Vedas, Krsna: krsnas tu bhagavan svayam [SB 1.3.28].

Krsna is the parama-puman, the Supreme Personality. And ramadi-mūrtisu, an incarnation-Rama, Nrsimha, Varaha, there are thousands and thousands of incarnations. Here also Krsna's incarnation.

So here it is said that when Krsna departed from this world to His abode, because He's dharma-varmani... His whole existence is from dharma, religious principles. Krsna says in the Bhagavad-gita, yada yada hi dharmasya glanir bhavati bharata [Bg 4.7]: whenever there are discrepancies in the matter of executing religious principles... Yada yada hi dharmasya glanir bhavati bharata, abhyutthanam adharmasya. One side, if religion is neglected, then irreligious principles will develop. That is the nature of everything. If you neglect this side, this side will be prominent.

So Krsna also says that dharma-samsthapanarthaya, "I come, I appear, My only business is to reestablish the religious principles." Krsna does not come to this planet for making some money. He has got enough money, because He's worshiped by the goddess of fortune. His business, coming down on this planet: to reestablish the religious principles. Dharma-samsthapanarthaya.

And what is that religious principle? The religious principle is not man-made. Just like we have manufactured so many religious principles: "This is Hindu dharma," "This is Muslim dharma," "This is Christian dharma," and this is this, this is that. So many. Krsna does not come to reestablish the principles of this man-made religion. No. He has nothing to do. Because they are manufactured, concocted by imperfect men, they are not religious principles. The religious system means, dharmam tu saksad bhagavat-pranitam [SB 6.3.19].

Religion means the principles which is given by God Himself. That is religion. You cannot imagine. Just like already I have explained: you cannot make law at home, that "I am a big man. I make my own law." That you can do. You may go on amongst some of your friends or your servants, but that law will not be accepted by everyone. But the law given by God, that will be accepted by everyone. Just like law given by the state government is accepted by everyone. So religion means dharmam tu saksad bhagavat-pranitam. The principles of religion means which is given by God.

So what is that religion? That is stated in the Bhagavad-gita very clearly: sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja [Bg 18.66]. This is religion. Your man-made, so-called, manufactured religion you give up. [indistinct]. It has got some temporary value. It has no permanent value. The permanent value of religion is that religion which is given by God. And that is... What is that? Sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam: you simply surrender unto God.

When I speak of "Krsna," we mean God. And Krsna is the best name of God. Krsna means "all-attractive." God must be all-attractive. God cannot be attractive for a few men or few..., for a..., by a community. No. God must be attractive by everyone. That is God. So Krsna, by His opulences, by His strength, by His beauty, by His knowledge, by His renouncement-everything complete. Therefore He's God. You study. These are the attractive features. If one is very rich, he's attractive. If one is very powerful, he's attractive. If one is very beautiful, then he's attractive. If one is very wise, he's attractive. If one is in the renounced order of life, first-class, he's attractive. So Krsna has all these opulences; therefore He's accepted as God-not superficially-by great, great saintly persons.

When Arjuna accepted Krsna as the Supreme Lord, param brahma, param dhama pavitram paramam bhavan [Bg 10.12], it is not that because he was Krsna's friend, therefore, out of his sentiments he accepted Krsna as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. He accepted on the authority of the Vedas. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gita. So according to Vedic system, all the sages, all the great saintly persons, all the great kings, everyone accepts Krsna as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. There are many instances.

Now here it is inquired by the sages, saintly persons, from Sūta Gosvami,

"After the departure of Krsna... So long Krsna was here, these religious principles were being properly executed. Now, after His departure, who has taken charge of this religious department?" This is the question. "Who has taken charge of this religious department?" This is the question by the great sages, saintly persons at the Naimisaranya. You have heard the name of Naimisaranya. Then this is the last sloka of the First Chapter of Srimad-Bhagavatam.

Then in the next chapter, Second Chapter, vyasa uvaca, Vyasadeva said,

The Sūta Gosvami was very much engladdened that they had questioned about Krsna. The question was, "Who has taken charge of the religious system after departure of Krsna from this planet?" This is the question. So because the question was about Krsna, therefore Sūta Gosvami was explaining bhagavata-dharma in that great assembly. He became very much engladdened, "Ah, you have put questions about Krsna. Very nice." Because if we simply question about Krsna and hear the answers about Krsna, our life becomes very [indistinct] life. This is the process. To become spiritually advanced means, "Just try to question about Krsna and try to understand the answers about Krsna." Then your life is successful. It is so nice.

So we can make so many questions-intelligent questions must be, of course-about [indistinct], and the answers are there in the Srimad-Bhagavatam or Bhagavad-gita. So every effort of our [indistinct] this Krsna consciousness is there, that not just in this meeting we shall discuss about Krsna, but at every home, every family, you can sit down together at the end of their work and simply question about Krsna and try to understand the answers. The books are already there. Answers are already there.

So this is our Krsna consciousness movement. It is simple. Because people are contaminated by the three qualities. This material world is running on under the influence of three qualities of the modes of material nature: sattva-guna, rajo-guna, tamo-guna. There are three qualities.

[break] Therefore you do not find one kind of living entity, because there are three qualities, and again multiplied three by three, it becomes nine qualities, then again multiplied nine into nine, then it becomes eighty-one qualities. Just like an expert artist, he's using three colors: blue, red and yellow. You mix the colors and he will manifest thousands of colors. Thousands of colors.

So actually the basic position of this material world is the three qualities: sattva-guna, rajo-guna, tamo-guna. Now they are mixed up. Here you cannot find out purely sattva-guna. Sattva-guna is the topmost quality in this material world. But here in the material world also, you cannot find pure sattva-guna. When you come to the pure stage of sattva-guna, that is transcendental stage, spiritual life. Pure sattva-guna means there is no more attack by the other two gunas. That is pure, suddha-sattva. That is called suddha-sattva, pure goodness. In that stage one can understand what is Krsna.

First of all one has to come to the goodness quality platform. Then he has to transcend that quality of [indistinct], and that position means no more attacked by the other two lower qualities, namely passion and ignorance. So sattvam visuddham vasudeva sarve. That stage is called vasudeva. Vasudeva means that Vasudeva, Krsna, appears. Just like Krsna's father's name was Vasudeva.

So he was very... Iti samprasna samhrsto vipranam raumaharsanam. Sūta Gosvami, he's called Romaharsana. His father's name was Roma [indistinct]; therefore he's called Romaharsana. Pratipūjya, when they inquired... Just like we say, "Thank you very much." So pratipūjya, he also offered his respectful obeisances, put very nice proposal, Krsna. Krsna question he asked. It is very nice. Pratipūjya vacas tesam pravaktum upacakrame: began to speak, began to answer the question of the sages that "Unto whom the charge of religious principle has been given after the departure of Krsna from this planet?"

So he's speaking again, narayanam namaskrtya [SB 1.2.4]-these are all formalities-"Before speaking anything one should remember the mercy of Narayana." Narayanam namaskrtya naram caiva narottamam, devim sarasvatim vyasam. Vyasadeva is the guru of Vedic knowledge. Therefore Vyasadeva or his representative, they are... Therefore, according to our system, when you observe the birthday anniversary of spiritual master it is called Vyasa-pūja. Actually the worship is going to Vyasadeva, and his representative is accepting the pūja. The honor offered to the spiritual master is transferred to Vyasadeva, because Vyasadeva is the original guru. Therefore it is stated, devim sarasvatim vyasam. Sarasvati-devi, knowledge, or the goddess of education, devim sarasvatim vyasam tato jayam udirayet. After offering respect to Narayana, then Vyasadeva, Sarasvati-devi.

So he's answering the question, munayaḥ sadhu prsto 'ham [SB 1.2.5]: "My dear sages, great saintly persons, I'm very much honored that you have inquired so nicely," sadhu. Sadhu means [indistinct], that is the explanation. [indistinct]. That is called sadhu. So this question about Krsna is sadhu because Krsna is discussed among the sadhus, not amongst the rogues. And who is a sadhu? That is explained in the Bhagavad-gita: sadhur eva sa mantavyaḥ [Bg 9.30], he is sadhu. Bhajate mam ananda-bhak. Anyone who is purely devotee of Krsna, he's sadhu, not anyone else. Sadhu means he's mahatma.

That is also explained in the Bhagavad-gita: mahatmanas tu mam partha daivim prakrtim asritaḥ, bhajanty-ananya manaso [Bg 9.13]. He's mahatma, who is unflinchingly, without any deviation, engaged in the service of the Lord. He's called mahatma. Mahatmanas tu mam partha daivim prakrtim asritaḥ. They are not under the influence of this material qualities. Daivim prakrtim asritaḥ. They're under the influence of the spiritual energy. Therefore they're called daivim.

So what is the symptom that one is under the spiritual energy? Bhajate mam ananya-bhak: always engaged in the service of the Lord. That is the symptom. Therefore anything about Krsna, that is sadhu. One who is questioning, he's also sadhu. One who is answering, he's also sadhu. And what to speak of one who is always engaged in the service of the Lord. He must be a sadhu. Sadhava sarva-bhūtanam. Titiksavaḥ karunikaḥ suhrdaḥ sarva-bhūtanam..., sadhavaḥ sadhu-bhūsanaḥ [SB 3.25.21]. Sadhu means he's tolerant. He's tolerant, titiksavaḥ. At the same time, karunikaḥ, very merciful.

Now these persons, because they are sadhus, they are so much tolerant. Anyone who's preaching about God, they're sadhu, because they have to meet so many dangerous persons. Just like Lord Jesus Christ. He was killed, but he faced... Haridasa Thakura, oh, he was so much tortured. He was a Muhammadan, and he was chanting Hare Krsna mantra. The Muhammadan magistrate called him, "Why you are chanting this Hindu Hare Krsna mantra?" Haridasa Thakura replied, "Sir, what is the wrong there? Just as so many Hindus, they have also become Muhammadans, so suppose I have become a Hindu. So what is the wrong there?" "Oh, you are talking before me? [indistinct] ...cane." He was ordered to be caned in twenty-two bazaars, because he was chanting Hare Krsna. Similarly Prahlada Maharaja, he was a devotee, and his father chastised him so many ways.

So as soon as we become a sadhu, there is some danger to be tortured by the asadhu. Just like in our this movement, there are so many [indistinct]. Somebody is preaching that this movement is the hippie movement. The hippie movement is discussed in Srimad-Bhagavatam and Bhagavad-gita? Just see the foolish propaganda. In India they manufactured a film, so much propaganda against this movement. We have to meet such enemies. What can be done? This is the nature of this world. As soon as you have become a sadhu, a devotee of the Lord, you will create so many enemies-Communists, Nationalists-but we don't care. Just like Prahlada Maharaja didn't care, even his father was so [indistinct]. Haridasa Thakura did not care.

So therefore those who are preaching Krsna consciousness, despite all kinds of impediments, they are [indistinct] sadhus. Na ca tasman manusyesu kascin me priya-krttamaḥ [Bg 18.69]. Krsna said, "Nobody is dearer than him who is preaching," because he has to face so many impediments, so many obstructions. And he has to face, and he has to still [indistinct]. Therefore it is said, sadhu, munayaḥ sadhu prsto 'ham [SB 1.2.5]: "Oh, your question is very nice." Sadhu. Munayaḥ sadhu prsto 'ham bhavadbhir loka-mahgalam. "We have put this question, but it is loka-mahgalam." When you discuss this question and answer, it becomes very much auspicious to the whole human society. Loka-mahgalam. Bhavadbhir loka-mahgalam. Why loka-mahgalam? Yat-krtaḥ krsna-samprasno, because it was questions about Krsna; therefore it is loka-mahgalam, auspicious. Anyone who will hear about Krsna... How is that simply by hearing... [break] ...hear. Hearing is also so auspicious. Srnvatam sva-kathaḥ krsnaḥ punya-sravana-kirtanaḥ [SB 1.2.17]. If you hear, srnvatam sva-kathaḥ krsnaḥ... When Krsna sees that you are hearing about Him, immediately you become pious.

Srnvatam sva-kathaḥ krsnaḥ punya-sravana-kirtanaḥ. To hear about Krsna, to speak about Krsna, to glorify about Krsna, they are all pious activities, punya-sravana-kirtanaḥ. So if we begin simply hearing about Krsna, talking about Krsna, then you become pious. Srnvatam sva-kathaḥ krsnaḥ punya-sravana-kirtanaḥ hrdy antaḥ stho hy abhadrani. Krsna is situated in everyone's heart. He's simply making the opportunity why the [indistinct], the individual souls are trying to approach Him. That is the yoga system. Yoga system means the jivatma, the soul, individual soul, tries to understand the Supersoul, Paramatma. That is yoga system.

It is not... It is mistaken idea that the Paramatma and the atma, jivatma, is the same. They are same in quality, but Paramatma is worshipable and jivatma is the worshiper. Paramatma is the predominator and jivatma is the predominated. To understand this philosophy, that is yoga. Dhyanavasthita-tad-gatena manasa pasyanti yad yogi. Yoginaḥ pasyanti. That means the seer. The seer is different from the person who is seen. Yad yoginaḥ pasyanti. The yoga system means that when the jivatma concentrates his mind, dhyanavasthita, by meditation... Dhyanavasthita-tad-gatena manasa, by the mind, pasyanti tam yoginam. This is the position of the Supreme Lord. He can be seen by the yoga practice.

Yoga practice means..., first-class yoga practice is bhakti-yoga practice. By bhakti-yoga practice, that is recommended in the Bhagavad-gita. Yoginam api sarvesam. There are many yogis. Out of many thousands of such yogis.

He's first-class yogi who is always seeing Krsna within the heart. And who can see? Premanjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena santaḥ sadaiva hrdayesu vilokayanti [Bs 5.38]. Premanjana. If you develop love for Krsna, then you'll see Krsna within your heart always, twenty-four hours. Premanjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena, when your eyes are smeared with the ointment of love of God, you realize [indistinct], see God. You see God.

This morning I have explained, you see God. It is not very, I mean to say, impossible. It is possible by everyone, even by child, what to speak of grown-up. Simply you have to follow the instruction. Just like Krsna said how to see Him, how to practice to see Him:

Krsna said that "If you find difficulty to see Me, then try to see Me in the water, or any liquid thing." That's all. In every liquid, the water is there. That liquid, there is some water. Now you taste. That is [indistinct]. Even the drunkard, they have developed a kind of rasa, a kind of taste, in the wine. So Krsna says, "All right, when you taste wine, you see you taste Krsna. I am [indistinct]." So who cannot see Krsna? Everyone can see.

Even greatest drunkard can see Krsna, what to speak of a devotee. Krsna says, raso 'ham apsu kaunteya. If you are tasting something... It is just like the drunkard, they take wine. "All right, that taste is Krsna." To practice this, not to speak of the ordinary man, they're drinking water, but those who are drinking wine... If you think, "Now I am drinking wine, I am tasting; it is very nice taste. This is Krsna." Then one day he'll come out a great devotee.

So where is the difficulty to see Krsna? There is no difficulty. Raso 'ham apsu kaunteya [Bg 7.8]. That Krsna is so nice that every stage of life, if you practice Krsna consciousness your life will be sublime. [break] ...[indistinct] padam padam yad vipadam [SB 10.14.58]. Just like [indistinct] to hear about Krsna, that is the only thing.

Krsna is there within your heart. Īsvaraḥ sarva-bhūtanam hrd-dese 'rjuna tisthati [Bg 18.61]. As soon as you become little sincere to hear about Krsna, then everything becomes [indistinct] automatically. This is our Krsna consciousness movement.

Thank you very much. Hare Krsna.

[aside:] Any questions?

Amogha: So any questions? Anyone have a question they can ask?

Guest: [indistinct]

Amogha: He asks that you speak something about reincarnation [indistinct].

Prabhupada: [indistinct]

[58:30] [kirtana] [end]