Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 5.5.2 translated from Bengali – January 14, 1976, Calcutta
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760114SB.CAL
Srimad-Bhagavatam 5.5.2
Translated from Bengali - January 14, 1976, Calcutta 760114SB-Calcutta [40:07 Minutes]
औदिओ ॥
mahat-sevam dvaram ahur vimuktes
tamo-dvaram yositam sahgi-sahgam mahantas te sama-cittaḥ prasanta vimanyavaḥ suhrdaḥ sadhavo ye [SB 5.5.2] [Transl. So if want to follow the path of liberation then mahat seva: service to the great souls, should be rendered. Narottama Dasa Thakura has said, chaḍiya vaisnava seva nistara payeche keba: [who can get liberation without the service to the Vaisnavas?] Mahatma means Vaisnava. Yesterday We discussed about this. Lord Krsna explains mahatma. [aside:] What is that sound? Who does God call a mahatma?
mahatmanas tu mam partha
daivim prakrtim asritaḥ bhajanty ananya-manaso jnatva bhūtadim avyayam [Bg. 9.13] [Transl. The mahatma is under the shelter of the spiritual energy. He is not under the shelter of the material energy. Daivi prakrti. What is the symptom of daivi prakrti? Bhajante mam ananya manaso. One who worships the Supreme Personality of Godhead without any deviation, he is a mahatma. He is a sadhu. api cet suduracaro
[Transl. So one should become a sadhu, become a mahatma then only the path of liberation will be opened. Mukti. Sva-rūpena vyavasthitiḥ [SB 2.10.6]. Mukti means to remain fixed in svarūpa. [aside:] What is this sound going on? Than, than? This human form of body, or dog body, tree body, demigod body, Hindu body, Musselman body, this is not our svarūpa. Because this body changes. Just like dress. Today wear one dress, tomorrow we wear another dress, then next day another dress, similarly, Vasamsi jirnani yatha vihaya [Bg 2.22]. As we change our dress one after another, similarly, our svarūpa is different but it is covered with dress. This material body, just like our body remains covered with coat and shirt, in the same way, this body, it is also not eternal. It is bhūtva bhūtva praliyate. [Bg 8.19]
[Transl. We have to give up one body and accept another body. So this our present body also, it is not our svarūpa. By force, due to some reason, we had to accept this svarūpa. This is called maya. When we will give up our body and revive our original body, because this is our false body, when we will be reinstated in our original body, svarūpena vyavasthitiḥ, muktir hitvanyatha rūpam, [SB 2.10.6] this anyatha rūpam or accepting different bodies, when by giving up this body we will be reinstated in our original body that is called mukti.
[Transl. So they don't know the real truth. How will they know? Only when they themselves become liberated will they know. Everyone knows, I am this body, you are this body. The father dies, the body is lying there, and they cry, father is gone, father is gone. Where has he gone? The father whom you have seen is lying before you? Then where has he gone? Now that he has died they realize that the one who has gone was our real father whom we have never seen. Because he is not liberated how he can see who is his father, who is his mother, who is God? When he will become liberated he will see everything in right perspective. Therefore such a person is called svarūpena vyavasthitiḥ. So the path to attain liberation is described here, mahat seva. Just try to serve mahama. Dvaram ahur vimuktes. If you want liberation, if you want to be re-established in your constitutional position, then serve the great souls. But who is a mahat? The Supreme Personality of Godhead has described that one who is My pure devotee, who does not discriminate, he is a mahatma.
[Transl. In another place He declared, sa mahatma su-durlabhaḥ, bahūnam janmanam ante jnanavan mam prapadyate. [Bg 7.19] That mahatma is very rare. And those mahatmas who keep long beard, wear saffron cloth and roam around, they pass on as mahatmas. Even the politician becomes a mahatma. They are all worldly. But the spiritual or real mahatma is he who is a pure devotee.
anyabhilasita-sūnyam
jnana-karmady-anavrtam anukūlyena krsnanu- silanam bhaktir uttama [Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu 1.1.11] [Transl. He is called mahatma. So, one should render service to such a mahatma. Mahat-sevam dvaram ahur vimuktes. And what is the other way? The mukti is…Just like the sunlight and darkness, some rooms are so dark, like in Bombay they have to put on light even in daytime. In New York also. They cannot even see the sunshine. In the Western countries normally there is not much sunshine. So the liberation is like illumination. Therefore the Vedas instruct, tamasi ma jyotir gamaya. That you have got this human form of life, do not remain in darkness. Do not remain in ignorance. This world, material world is darkness. Tamasi. Therefore the word is uttama. Udgata tamaḥ yasmad, uttama. Where there is no material conception that is uttama. Bhaktir uttamaḥ. Rūpa Gosvami has said that anukūlyena krsnanusilanam bhaktir uttama. [Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu 1.1.11]
[Transl. Uttama. Where there is no question of ignorance that is uttama bhakti. So two ways are explained, one is liberation and another is ignorance. And for two ways there are two functions. The mahat-seva is meant for spiritual enlightenment. And tamo-dvaram, the gateway to darkness of ignorance is yositam sahgi-sahgam. Yosit means the objects of enjoyment like woman and other things. Material world means everybody is trying to enjoy. That is called tamo-dvaram yositam sahgi-sahgam. To maintain the body eating, sleeping, mating, and defending is more or less required. But for spiritual advancement these things should be gradually given up. Just like the Gosvamis had done in Vrndavana. Nidrahara-viharakadi-vijitau. [Sri Saḍ-gosvami astaka 6] Rūpa Gosvami and Sanatana Gosvami were ministers in the kingdom of King Hussain Shah with so much opulence. But they gave it up all. Tyaktva tūrnam asesa-mandala-pati-srenim sada tuccha-vat. [Sri Saḍ Gosvami Astaka 4]
[Transl. The Gosvamis were ministers and they dealt with big, big landlords, merchants and rich people. Who can associate with ministers? Only big, big persons. It is said tyaktva tūrnam asesa-mandala-pati-srenim. Big, big leaders are called manḍala-pati. A manḍala-pati controls many people. Manḍala-pati. They gave it up. Tyaktva tūrnam asesa-mandala-pati-srenim. How did they leave? Sada tuccha-vat [as very insignificant]. Rūpa Gosvami and Sanatana Gosvami were very big ministers in the royal court of King Hussain. Their names were also changed to and Sakara Mallik and Dabir Khas. They almost became Musselman. Previously those who associated closely with the Musselmans were ostracized from the society. Rūpa Gosvami belonged to the Sarasvata brahmana family, but was ostracized from the society. Nobody would meet him. He was in such a condition, but Caitanya Mahaprabhu delivered him and made him a Gosvami. So Dabir Khas and Sakara Mallik, by the mercy of Caitanya Mahaprabhu, became Sanatana Gosvami-the then seniormost leader of the Gauḍiya Vaisnava-acaryas. Vande rūpa-sanatanau raghu-yugau sri-jiva-gopalakau. [Sri Saḍ-gosvami astaka 1]
[Transl. Rūpa-Sanatana, and their assistants Sri Jiva Gosvami, Gopala Bhatta Gosvami and Raghunatha Dasa Gosvami-these six Gosvamis discovered Vrndavana. They gave up everything. Tamo-dvaram yositam sahgi-sahgam. They thought that these associations are not at all beneficial. So give it up. They are all bhogi-sampradaya. And kaupina-kanthasritau. Tyaktva tūrnam asesa-mandala-pati-srenim sada tucchavat. Then what did they become? They gave up all this but they have to adopt something. Not become air. Give up everything and become air. No. Rejecting means to reject bad thing and accept good things. Only then the benefit of rejecting will be gained. Give up and become sūnya. Sūnyavadi. No use. Tyaktva tūrnam asesa-mandala-pati-srenim sada tuccha… Insignificant. Gave up as if no value. Then what did they do? This might be the next question.
tyaktva tūrnam asesa-mandala-pati-srenim sada tuccha vat
bhūtva dina-ganesakau karunaya kaupina-kanthasritau [Transl. They picked up kaupina and kantha [loin-cloth and quilt]. You might have seen the babajis in Vrndavana. They wear a short piece of cloth and nothing else. Of course there are imitators also. But actually the Gosvamis accepted only a small piece of cloth just to cover their bodies. Why? To spread the mission of Caitanya Mahaprabhu. They accepted kaupina and kantha. Bhūtva dina-ganesakau karunaya, dina-ganesakau, this gana, gana means ordinary, people in general. To bestow mercy upon them. Bhūtva dina-ganesakau karunaya kaupina-kanthasritau. What is the meaning of accepting this sannyasa? The actual purpose of accepting sannyasa is dina-ganesakau karunaya: to display mercy to the fallen, wretched mass of people. mahad-vicalanam nṝnam grhinam dina-cetasam. [SB 10.8.4]
[Transl. This is a statement of Bhagavata. The Great souls, the mahatmas, they become mendicants and take up kaupina and kantha. Why? Dina-ganesakau karunaya: to bestow mercy upon the fallen attached householders. What is that? They wander about in the guise of a beggar. In our country if any beggar comes, even if a thief comes in the guise of a beggar, just like Ravana came, his intention was to kidnap Sita, but dressed himself as a beggar. There are many beggars like that. At that time there was only one Ravana, but nowadays there are so many Ravanas. So, this is Kali-yuga. But the purpose of becoming a beggar is that wherever a beggar will go even today in India, if a beggar goes to beg alms, forget about the sannyasi, he will be given something.
[Transl. This is the duty of the householders. He has come. Give him some wheat flour or some rice or a piece of chapati. This is the rule. By becoming a beggar one becomes a recipient of everyone's mercy. Besides, he gets an opportunity. Oh, Maharaja, come in. Sit down. Take some rest. So he gets an opportunity to sit for a while. And as he sits down there is some discussion about the Supreme Lord. And as a result the householder becomes benefitted. A piece of chapati is taken or little rice is accepted from him so as to awaken him. I am very happy and accomplished. My situation is very secure. I have got a wife, children, money, servant everything and they will save me. This is not a fact. They cannot protect you. pasyann api na pasyati.
dehapatya-kalatradisv
atma-sainyesv asatsv api tesam pramatto nidhanam pasyann api na pasyati [SB 2.1.4] [Transl. This is the statement of Sukadeva Gosvami in Srimad Bhagavatam. That they think, our situation is very safe, have got wife, children, grand children, bank balance business and nice house. What this fellow Yamaraja can do to us? That is not a fact. Yamaraja will not spare you. They know it. Pasyann api na pasyati. That these things cannot save me. Only the Supreme Lord alone can protect me. But he does not approach the Supreme Lord. Why? Because pramatta [madman]. Crazy. Dehapatya-kalatradisv atma-sainyesv asatsv api. He know these things will not endure. They are only for a few days. Everything will be finished. I will be finished, my soldiers depending upon whom I am thinking I am very safe and secure, this is all foolishness. He knows it but still…]
[Transl. That's why it says pasyann api na pasyati. He sees that others have not succeeded in doing these things. They have gone. He cries, oh, my father has gone. Yes, we all have to go! But they are pramatta. Therefore despite seeing they don't see. Pasyann api na pasyati. This knowledge one gains by mahat-seva. Serve the mahatma. Who is a mahatma? One who is fully surrendered devotee of the Supreme Lord. So this knowledge is received. Because, sastra says tad-vijnanartham sa gurum evabhigacchet. [Munḍaka Upanisad 1.2.12]
[Transl. Accept a genuine devotee of the Supreme Personality of Godhead as guru and take shelter of him. By taking complete shelter of such a guru you can receive knowledge, Vedic knowledge. And yositam sahgi-sahgam, who are engaged in sense gratification and are simply interested in earning money that is also pramatta-mata [madness].
[Transl. These karmis, work very hard whole day. What is the reason? Sense gratification and nothing else. Here also nowadays started. There also totally in the western countries. Simply sense enjoyment. They have no other work. Even if they are unable to enjoy any longer still. Big, big, in Paris there are big, big clubs. And old businessmen and politicians, they go there just to drink wine and enjoy with prostitute. Some are eighty-years old and some are seventy-five years. They purchase fifty dollar ticket just to enter into the hotel. They spend lavishly there. This is going on. Just see. Simply for sense gratification. They don't have the physical capacity for sense gratification, old men, still they go there at night. No other work. This means madness. Therefore long, long years ago the sastra has already foretold that these madmen who are always engaged in sinful activities like a mad, but why they do so? Is it for any good cause?
[Transl. They earn so much money like mad. No. Indriya-pritaye. Only for sense gratification. Therefore Rsabhadeva advises na sadhu manye, this is not a noble work. Only for sense gratification. Sense gratification is an act of the hogs. The hogs also do that. The dogs also do that. The human beings will also do that? No. For human beings tapo divyam. They will control the senses. That is the duty of the human beings. Then only they are human beings. If I also do the same thing which the hogs and dogs do then what is the distinction? This is the responsibility of the human form of life. We have received this human birth. Therefore one is trained to become a brahmacari. brahmacari guru-kule vasan danto, santa danta. [SB 7.12.1]
[Transl. Learn to control the senses. Because the main reason behind our material entanglement is sense gratification. Birth and death. If one desires to enjoy sense gratification like that then the Supreme Lord gives him a suitable body. I explained this to you yesterday that this is not good. You should associate with devotees. Mahat-seva. Serve the mahatmas, the devotees of the Lord and take instructions from them. As they instruct and behave, just like the Gosvamis tyaktva tūrnam asesa-manḍala-pati-srenim. Why did they give up? They were always Gosvamis. Wherever they lived they already had pure devotional service. But people…Just like Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Caitanya Mahaprabhu Is the Supreme Personality of Godhead Himself. He is Lord of the goddess of fortune. He is not fit for begging. Still He accepted sannyasa and then, it is described in the Srimad-Bhagavatam about Him that,
tyaktva su-dustyaja-surepsita-rajya-laksmim
dharmistha arya-vacasa yad agad aranyam maya-mrgam dayitayepsitam anvadhavad vande maha-purusa te caranaravindam [SB 11.5.34] [Transl. This Caitanya Mahaprabhu is the Supreme Personality of Godhead Himself. Laksmi-Narayana. But He too at the age of twenty-four left His young wife and affectionate mother. He was certainly a very prestigious brahmana, Nimai Panḍita. In spite of all this, just to bestow mercy upon the foolish people of the world, Caitanya Mahaprabhu accepted sannyasa and did a great benevolent work. So this is the right thing for everyone. The four varnas and four asramas, ideal brahmana, ksatriya, vaisya, sūdra, and asrama, brahmacari, grhastha etc. There is reason for this that by mutual co-operation in the society amongst these divisions they can live peacefully and help each other. Just in our body there are divisions: the head, the arms, the belly and the legs. Similarly, by mutual co-operation between brahmana, ksatriya, vaisya and sūdra the human society can live peacefully just as the body remains healthy by mutual co-operations of the different parts. This is the purpose of the varnasrama-dharma. Sva-dharma. Brahmana, ksatriya, vaisya, sūd…Sva-karmana tam abhyarcya. [Bg 18.46]
[Transl. Render service to the Supreme Lord. The brahmanas should do, the ksatriyas should do, the vaisyas should do, as per their respective capacities according to the Supreme Lord's order. Then the Supreme Lord will be pleased and the human form of life will become successful. Therefore mahat-sevam dvaram. The mahatma will instruct, you have got qualifications of a brahmana, so you act in this way. You have the nature of a ksatriya you serve like this. You have got vaisya-nature, guna-karma vibhagasaḥ, [Bg 4.13] the guru used to determine and they used to follow. And those who are ignorant, ordinary, they should work for the brahmanas, ksatriyas and vaisyas. They are sūdras. These are the rules. Therefore mahat-seva is recommended.
[Transl. We should take shelter of the mahatmas if we want liberation. Mahat-sevam dvaram ahur vimuktes. And if we associate with those who are simply interested in sense gratification available in the whole world, tamo-dvaram yositam sahgi-sahgam, [coughs] [aside:] Water. Hmm. So who is a mahatma? How will I know? Everyone has got some identification. Sastra declares that he who serves the Supreme Lord without diviation is a mahatma. Without deviation, he is a mahatma. Mahantas te sama-cittaḥ prasanta. These are mahatma's qualities. Sama-citta. Sama-citta does not mean to help one person and hate another person; "he is untouchable." He is not mahatma. He is ready to help everyone. Everyone. Paritranaya sadhūnam. [Bg 4.8] Sama-citta. His feelings are equal for everybody. Samaḥ sarvesu bhūtesu [Bg 18.54]
[Transl. This is stated in the Bhagavad-gita. It is not that I will help the Hindus only or Musselmans only, or the Indians only. No. Every living entity is part and parcel of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Help everyone as far as possible. So Sama-citta. Prasanta. He is very sober and peaceful. He does not become agitated in the material world. By helping everyone one becomes peaceful. Prasanta, Prakrsta-rūpena, prakrsta-rūpena santa. Santa is ordinarily peaceful and if you add a prefix 'pra' it becomes prasanta [completely peaceful]. Who is that? He is a devotee of the Supreme Lord. The Supreme Lord has said,
bhoktaram yajna-tapasam
sarva-loka-mahesvaram suhrdam sarva-bhūtanam jnatva mam santim rcchati [Bg 5.29] [Transl. Who can become peaceful? He, who understands the three things. One is that the Supreme Personality of Godhead is the only enjoyer. Just like this temple. What is the purpose? Here is a temple and adjacent to it is a house. Why this one is called a temple and the other one by its side is called a house? What is the reason? The reason is here it is understood that the enjoyer is Bhagavan. Here whatever activities are going on, the enjoyer is Bhagavan. Radha-Krsna. To decorate Them, to dress Them, to offer arati to Them, to publish books so that people can understand Them, and to distribute these books to general people, but what is the purpose?
[Transl. To enable people to understand that Bhagavan alone is the enjoyer. We have no other business than this. What is the aim of Krsna Consciousness? To accept and acknowledge that Bhagavan is the only enjoyer. For Bhagavan's satisfaction you work, you go to office, render service, write books about Him, distribute books, preach to mad people that Bhagavan is the proprietor of everything. One who does not realize that the Supreme Lord is the proprietor, how can he attain peace? Kuto santi ayuktasya. [Bg 5.12] One who is ayukta, who has no connection with Bhagavan, how can he have peace of mind? Impossible. Cannot be.
[Transl. Bhagavan is the proprietor of all lokas. Sarva-loka. There are innumerable planets. At night you see so many stars and planets. Each one is a separate planet. Moon planet, sun planet, earthly planet, heavenly planet. These are called planet. So sarva-loka-mahesvara. So many planets. So there must be a proprietor. So who is the proprietor? Bhagavan. This should be understood. And who is the enjoyer? Who is qualified? Just like there is a huge palace or a big house and there are so many servants, but the enjoyer of all that is the proprietor. Similarly, there are millions and trillions of living entities, but they are all servants of Bhagavan. jivera 'svarūpa' haya-krsnera 'nitya-dasa'. [Cc Madhya 20.108] All living entities beginning from Heavenly King Indra to an insignificant insect called Indragopa, from that Indra to this Indra.
[Transl. From this insignificant insect Indra to that Indra, the king of heaven, all living entities are enjoying the fruits of their respective karma and are engaged in their own activities. But karmani nirdahati kintu ca bhakti-bhajam If one becomes a devotee he is not under the entanglement of karma. He is immune. Bhagavan has freed him. What did He do? Bhagavan says aham tvam sarva-papebhyo moksayisyami ma sucaḥ. [Bg 18.66] "I will free you." So he becomes liberated. One who renders service to the Supreme Lord he is totally free, liberated. The current topic is about liberation. Isn't it? Prasanta. The devotees are prasanta [completely peaceful]. They know that Bhagavan is the proprietor, Bhagavan is the enjoyer and Bhagavan is the well wisher of everyone. Because the Supreme Personality of Godhead is the well wisher of everyone therefore He comes running.
[Transl. We are terribly entangled here. So in order to deliver us Bhagavan personally descends. So one should understand Bhagavan and by understanding Him one becomes completely peaceful. Prasanta. And vimanyavaḥ. Vimanyavaḥ means completely indifferent. He has no attachment, anger and hatred. Vimanyavaḥ. Suhrdaḥ. He wants everyone's benefit. A sadhu, a devotee wants well being for all. He is para-duḥkha-duḥkhi he is not unhappy about himself. What's his unhappiness? One who has realized the Supreme Personality of Godhead, what's his distress? He has no personal unhappiness. But his only unhappiness is for those who do not accept Bhagavan.
[Transl. The devotees' unhappiness is that these foolish persons, for illusory happiness for ten, twenty or fifty, or at most hundred years, that is also diminishing, they abandon even Bhagavan for the sake of temporary happiness. Soce tato vimukha-cetasa. He is eternal. His relationship with Bhagavan is eternal. Forsaking that eternal relationship they come to this world and make a ten, twenty, fifty years relationship in the name of Socialism, Nationalism, this ism, that ism and so on. This is all related to this body only. The moment a person dies, where is his society, where is his nation and where is his family? Everything is vanquished. So maya-sukhaya. This is called illusory happiness. Maya-sukha means we think it is happiness, but actually it is not. Maya. Ma-ya. It is not happiness.
[Transl. So maya-sukhaya bharam udvahato vimūḍhan. Simply for this illusory happiness they build big, big industries, and big, big palaces. There are many big, big politicians and diplomats who dream of becoming big shots by deceiving others. This is going on. Bharam udvahato vimūḍhan. They are vimūḍhas. Otherwise what else? Temporary. The real happiness is…We are spirit souls and we have got a relationship with the Supersoul and we should revive that relationship. And when one attains the happiness derived from that relationship then, yam labdhva caparam labham manyate nadhikam tataḥ, he will never hanker after any other happiness. [Bg 6.22] Just like Dhruva Maharaja said to the Supreme Lord that I do not want anything anymore. Why not? You underwent severe penance to enjoy a kingdom? Take it. But he replied, I don't require all these. This is devotional service to the Supreme Lord.
[Transl. By developing devotional service unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead one becomes fully satisfied. I don't want anything else. Therefore it says here vimanyavaḥ suhrdaḥ sadhavo ye. So, one should take shelter of such kind of mahatmas and under his instruction practice austerity. It is not that you give up everything and roam around naked. No. Nirbandha krsna-sambandhe yuktam vairagyam ucyate. [Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu 1.2.255]
[Transl. Engage all your activities in relation to Krsna. Now see, we have got this temple here. It is meant for serving Bhagavan. It requires some money. This present house we are renting now. It requires money. Then to offer foodstuffs to Bhagavan requires money. Money is needed, no doubt. But nirbandha krsna sambandhe, you spend it in the service of Bhagavan. Do not spend money for drinking wine, eating meat and having illicit sex. Then your life will be successful. Everyone can do that. Just like in the temple we do it, you do it at home. It was the system in Hindu dharma that in every house the Supreme Lord's Deity was installed. Food was cooked for and offered to Bhagavan. And everyone used to honor Prasada. In the evening there used to be kirtana, and festivals were held from time to time. If the topics of the Supreme Lord enter into somebody's brain once then whether he does business, or does any other work, it will be automatically for Bhagavan. Yat karosi yaj juhosi yad asnasi yat tapasyasi kurusva tad mad-arpanam. [Bg 9.27]
[Transl. You become a sadhu. Is there any difficulty in becoming a sadhu? Whatever we do here…We learn and teach others. This should be done in each and every house. Just like you all kindly come here, if you have no time to come then stay at home. Install a Deity of the Bhagavan, offer arati, recite Gita, and all the members of the house sit down together and perform kirtana. Then you will have no time to go to cinema and spend money. This is called Krsna Consciousness movement. Always think of Krsna.
[Transl. This is the instruction of Bhagavan that always discuss about Me, glorify Me, offer obeisances to Me and worship Me. What's the difficulty? And by doing this you will attain, mahat-sevam dvaram ahur vimuktes. You will become liberated. But if you give up this and simply engage in sense gratification that is not proper at all.
[Transl. So long we keep on accepting material bodies we will have to suffer miseries. It is impossible to have a material body and yet remain happy. No. Not possible. That is crookedness. Durasaya ye bahir-artha-maninaḥ [SB 7.5.31] The whole world is under this misconception that by bodily happiness I will be happy. That is completely wrong. No. The soul should be happy. And the soul will become happy only when he renders devotional service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. That is Krsna Consciousness movement. You try to understand it perfectly and apply in your own life. You will become happy. Thank you very much. Hare Krsna. [end]
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