Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 7.6.24–30 – March 14, 1971, Bombay

Prabhupada:

[indistinct] You can read that sloka. Stay there. Your going to [indistinct]

Devotee 1: [indistinct]

Devotee 2: [indistinct]

[pause]

Prabhupada: So this popular word vividha [?]. Generally the people say vividha. Here is the example of viva[?] vividha means to be merciful upon the fallen souls. So here is the example given by Prahlada Maharaja that, bhavam asuram unmucya. People ought to be educated, trained scientifically how they can give up the asuram bhavam. Asuram bhavam means demonic attitude. Demonic attitude, means atheists, not to surrender unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead. This is demonic, as it is stated in the Bhagavad-gita:

So vividha means he must be full of all the living entities means to drive their attitude, demonic attitude somehow or other. That is the first-class service to humanity.

So one who understands Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead as transcendental to this material creation and although he can not see Him within this material world but you can perceive His presence and derive transcendental pleasure out of that by anubhava, by feeling how Krsna is present everywhere. That instead of the asuric, the atheists and the demons they are simply challenging: "There is no God. God is dead. Everyone is God. God is impersonal. God is void." So we have to educate them about Krsna consciousness and they will derive the transcendental pleasure when they feel the presence of the Lord everywhere. This is the Krsna consciousness movement. Following the footsteps of Prahlada Maharaja-sarvesu bhūtesu dayam kuruta sauhrdam. So you become friend of all living entities and be merciful on them and awaken their Krsna consciousness which is dormant within him and let them be helped by drive away driving away the demonic activities. This is the sum and substance of Krsna consciousness movement, drive away their demonic habits. Then Prahlada Maharaja:

Prahlada Maharaja says, "Now our position is though service," that if you can please the unlimited Supreme Personality of Godhead. Kim tair guna-vyatikarad iha ye sva-siddhaḥ. Guna-vyatikarad-you desire within this material world many things which are nothing but is created by the interaction of the three modes of material nature. Sva-siddhaḥ, sva-siddhaḥ means-you do not require to endeavor for them, they will come automatically. If Krsna is satisfied then your necessities, eating, sleeping, mating, you haven't got to make any separate endeavor. Just like the karmis, they are simply trying to adjust, how they can very favorably enjoy this eating, sleeping business but you can practically see that due to Krsna consciousness we have no such problems. They are automatically, we will be supplied by the Supreme Personality of Godhead-sva-siddhaḥ. Sva-siddhaḥ means automatically there is.

There are, not only in India, outside India also, there are hundreds and thousands of temples and mosques and churches and none of them are starving unless they are devoid of God consciousness. Tuste ca tatra kim alabhyam, there is no question. The yogis, they try to achieve the siddhis-perfection to get something but Prahlada Maharaja says that, "If you can please Krsna then there will be nothing unavailable, everything will be available." We should remember this.

And there is no need of acquiring religious perfection. One who is worshipping Radha-Krsna in the temple, he has already attained all religious perfections. There is no question whether he is Hindu, he is Musilman he's, everyone is trying to be religiously perfect. But he's, anyone who is engaged in Krsna's service, the religious perfection is already there. Manusya-jivana paiya, radha-krsna na bhajiya, janiyasuniya bisa khainu [Hari Hari Bifale]. Dharmadayaḥ kim agunena, as aguna-means nirguna or becoming brahma-bhūta, that is philosophy-or liberation. So there is no need of hankering after liberation because one who is engaged in the service of the Lord, actually doing service, he is already liberated.

Krsna also says in the Bhagavad-gita, same thing, that anyone who is engaged in My service by executing prescribed devotional service between war. Mam ca yo 'vyabhicarena: this word avyabhicarena means-without any fault. There are offenses in seva also, seva-aparadha, these things are described in the Nectar of Devotion. There are sixty-four kinds of seva-aparadha. Just like we should not come to the Deity room without changing our cloth, without taking bath, there are so many rules and regulations. So those who are engaged, avyabhicarena bhakti yogena, without any faults, those who are engaged in devotional service. Sa gunan samatityaitan brahma-bhūyaya kalpate: immediatly he becomes liberated and his brahma realization is already there-brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannatma [Bg 18.54].

The jnanis who have tried to realize their brahma identity by so much tapasya but anyone who has somehow or other pleased Krsna, his brahma realization is immediately-He accepts. Ceto-darpana-marjanam bhava-maha-davagni-nirvapanam [Cc Antya 20.12], this is brahma realization.

Such an insight, first installment is ceto-darpana-marjanam-cleansing the heart. The next installment is brahma, brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannatma. So Prahlada Maharaja he says: dharmadayaḥ kim agunena ca kahksitena, "What is the use of hankering after perfection in religion or merging into the existence of the Lord." There is no gain. Muktiḥ mukulitanjali sevate 'sman [Krsna-karnamrta 107]

Mukti, liberation, Bilvamahgala says: "Why if I've got real devotional service, unflinching devotional service unto the Lord then mukti will stand before me with folded hands, 'My dear sir, what can I do for you?' " Muktiḥ mukulitanjali.

So Prahlada Maharaja is saying: dharmadayaḥ dharma, artha, kama moksa-this is yajna. So there is no need of performing any other religious life, simply the devotional service to Krsna. Radha-Krsna, as in our temple we are doing. Such persons have nothing to do with any other religious rituals. No. Dharma. Neither they have to hanker after merging into the existence of the Lord-agunena.

Saram jusam caranayor upagayatam naḥ. Now if we are absorbed in the thoughts of in glorifying, sahkirtana of the Lord then you should know that we have taken the essence of all religious performance. Aradhito yadi haris tapasa tataḥ kim [Narada Pancaratra 1.2.6]. Somehow or other if we can approach Hari, Krsna and engage ourselves in His service then there is no other, no necessity of any kind of austerities or penances.

Sridhara Svami gives this comment on this. He is putting forward for arguments sake that, "Then why are there so many religious rituals?" So many in the Vedas, big, big yajnas, big, big ritualistic ceremonies, they are described here. Īksa. Īksa means-atma-vidya. Atma-vidya means-self realization. For self-realization so many prescribed rules and regulations are there. Īksa trayi. Trayi means karma-vidya or karma-kanḍa in the Vedas. Performing yajnas, elevating oneself to the heavenly planets or going to the moon planet. There are so many vidyas-science. So iksa trayi naya-damau, naya-damau means-philosophical argument to understand brahma. Naya-damau tarko danḍa-nitis ca. dvi-vidha ca [Bhavartha-dipika 7.6.26]. They are simply professional occupations, actually the aim is by understanding or undergoing all these processes one has to come to surrender to Krsna. So anyone who has surrendered to Krsna it is meant. It means that he has already surpassed all these processes.

They are actually fact, truth, that Krsna is good, but svatmarpanam sva-suhrdaḥ paramasya pumsaḥ. That is they are not ends in themselves but they are means to come to Krsna and surrender. So one who has directly surrendered then: aradhito yadi haris tapasa tataḥ kim. There is no need of undergoing so many formulas. It is not that a devotee when he is engaged in devotional service, it is not that he has not passed other formulas described in the Vedas. Just like a Vaisnava, as soon as he is a Vaisnava he is immediately a brahmana. The brahmana means the brahma-jnana, he is already there. Anusmrta, it is called anusmrta.

These things are meant for surrendering to the Supreme Personality of Godhead who is our real friend. Krsna also confirms this in the Bhagavad-gita:

These. All these formulas, ritualistic ceremonies are to purify oneself from the contamination of this material world, sinful life, but without doing this nobody can approach to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Absolute Truth. But if one is actually engaged in the service of the Lord it is to be understood that he has already dismissed all sinful activities.

Just like my Guru Maharaja used to... I mean to say, quote one story that one man, two friends, so one was very learned another was not very learned so another third friend was saying, "Oh your friend has become High Court Judge." So he could not believe that. "No. No. I don't believe that, he's not so learned, how he could be High Court Judge?" "No Sir, I have seen him, he's in his bench in the High Court. I've seen him delivering judgements." "Alright, maybe. Then he is not getting any salary, he must not be getting any salary." You see? He maybe at the bench of the High Court, but he is not getting any salary. Because he does not, he never agree, that he was not very learned. "How he can be a High Court judge?" But this man is insisting, "Yes I have seen with my own eyes that he is siting on the bench and delivering judgements." "Maybe but he is not getting salary."

So actually people, they do not know that if one is engaged in devotional service he has already surpassed all these ritualistic ceremonies, Vedas, everything. There is a nice verse in the Bhagavata. I just now do not remember. It is said like that. Here. He has already done everything. Just like the same example. If one has become actually observed in the High Court that means he has already passed all the law examinations, you may say that he is not getting salary, that is a different thing, that is your envious nature, but he has passed all the examinations. Similarly if one is actually engaged in devotional service of the Lord it is to be understood that he has performed all the tapasyas, all the austerities, in previous lives. It is to be understood.

So:

And if after performing all these ritualistic ceremonies if one does not attain to that position, Krsna bhakti, then it is to be understood they are all false, simply waste of time. Svanusthitasya dharmasya, samsiddhir hari-tosanam [SB 1.2.13]. If one has not learned how to develop, how to love Krsna or the Supreme then all his ritualistic ceremonies and austerities and penances are simply useless waste of time. There is no meaning.

Anyatha: is they are not leading to the devotional service of the Lord they are asatyam eva, they are untruth, they have no meaning.

He is quoting also from the Bhagavad-gita when Krsna advised Arjuna that, "You become, be situated on the transcendental position, don't be. I mean to say-puzzled by the performance in the three modes of material nature," trai-gunya-visaya veda [Bg 2.45].

Now, Prahlada Maharaja is speaking to the demons, demonic friends. So Prahlada Maharaja is giving his comments that, "You are speaking so nice things, this is alright, but what is the authority of your things? Anyone can say." It is very nice question that, "You are saying so many things, you are a five years old boy. How we should check it or accept it as authoritative statements?" This is the challenge. So his friends:

So:

Therefore:

So he says that, "Because I received it through the authority of Narada-therefore it is fact." This should be our position. This is called parampara, receiving knowledge from parampara system, authority. We can not speak anything authoritatively, we have no power. But if we receive that knowledge from the authority by disciplic succession. Then whatever we say, that is authoritative. Jnanam tad etad amalam. Prahlada says: "This is without any contamination, this is perfect knowledge. Duravapam-and it is very difficult to obtain also. Narayano nara-sakhaḥ kila naradaya-but it is received from Narada, therefore it is authority.

Ekantinam-those who are fully surrendered unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Akincana-and one who has nothing in his possession except Krsna. Bhagavatas tad akincananam padaravinda-and just be simply pure by taking bath in the ocean of the dust of the lotus feet of Krsna. Dehinam-others. This Bhagavata-dharma, only it is possible for them those who are fully surrendered to Krsna and they have taken bath in the dust of the lotus feet of Krsna and have taken shelter of a bona fide devotee coming in disciplic succession. For them this knowledge is understandable, not for others.

I have received this knowledge from Narada-deva-darsanat, who is aspired to be seen by many, many big demigods from whom I have received this knowledge. Srutam etan maya pūrvam: because he was five years old when he heard this message from Narada when he was in the womb of the mother, therefore he said, srutam etan, srutam, "I have heard it." Srutam etan maya pūrvam jnanam vijnana-samyutam-it is not bogus, it is the most scientific knowledge. Dharmam bhagavatamsuddham-and it is known as Bhagavata-dharma. Suddham-pure, without any material contamination. Naradad deva-darsanat.

So the asura-bala, the asura boys, that, "My dear Prahlada you are also a son of the royal family. You never went to learn any transcendental subject matter from anybody else. You are simply coming to the school, now as you have no other chance, so how you have learned all these things?" Therefore he explained. "Yes. I learnt it from Narada." So anyone who challenges that, "Wherefrom you go this knowledge?" So we have to say that we have got it from the parampara system directly from Krsna. The our knowledge is perfect here. Actually from practical point of view Krsna says: sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja [Bg 18.66].

Or Krsna says that: mattaḥ parataram nanyat kincid asti dhananjaya [Bg 7.7]. "There is no more superior authority than Me. You surrender unto Me." Then what we are preaching? We are preaching the same thing that, "Krsna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, no-one is greater than Him, you surrender unto Him." Therefore our knowledge is perfect. We are speaking nothing extra. What Krsna says, Krsna is perfect. So His teachings are perfect and we are distributing that teaching therefore our philosophy is perfect, our preaching is perfect.

Now, this question that, "Prahlada you were never out of your palace, how you could learn this?" This explanation will be given next chapter.

Thank you very much.

[break]

Devotee: Srila Prabhupada [indistinct]

Prabhupada: Not like that. Suppose a man has got one million dollars by doing very large-scale business and another man, somehow or other, got the same million, one hundred million dollars. So it is to be understood that he has done all the business. The effect is there. The effect is there. Phalena pariciyate, phalena pariciyate-you haven't got to study how he has got it. When he has got it, it is to be understood that he has all done all this business, all this hard labor for this, because he has got the perfection. That is the analogy, that anyone who is already engaged in the transcendental loving service of the Lord, it is to be understood that he has already done all these pious activities legal, cultural and everything-phalena pariciyate. Even if he has not done it is to be understood that he has done.

Devotee: That means he doesn't have to do it any more?

Prabhupada: No. Why? If you have got one hundred million dollars why should you work hard as a businessman? What is the gain? What is the profit there? You've already got the result. Why should you waste your time in that way? Another example can be given. That how high skyscraper building, one who is coming step by step, step by step, another is lifted by the elevator immediately. So it is to be understood that he has crossed over all the steps. It is two hundred steps. Why he should go again down, "Oh let me come step by step, step by step?" Do you like that? Very intelligent?

Devotee: No.

Prabhupada: It is to be understood, "Yes. I have got all the steps." And if somebody says, "Oh I have not passed all the steps, step by step, let me go down again and come back." That is not very intelligent. It is not required. Your result is already there. You have come to the one hundred and second floor, that's all.

And attend these classes. If you want to maintain this temple you must follow this routine work. Otherwise what is the use of occupying this big hall and big house? There will be Deity installed. You will have to worship. You'll have to perform the regulative service. Make program. Simply for residential purpose there is no need of occupying such big house. Is it necessary? That simply for residing [indistinct] at night? That is also not very perfectly.

The regulative principles should be followed very strictly. [End]