Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 7.7.14–18 – March 17, 1971, Bombay

Prabhupada: Ah, ready?

Devotee: [indistinct]

Prabhupada: Give some prasadam. [Hindi] prasad.

Natural affection of mother to the child. So Prahlada's mother, after being brought in the asrama of Narada. She was, as a chaste lady, was serving the asrama. Now she is queen, a still when even a queen comes in the asrama she has to work just like menial. Either king or queen or ordinary man, anyone who comes to the asrama or in a temple, he or she must render service just like menial servant. That is the system.

So Prahlada Maharaja's mother was giving very good service even though she was a queen. But rsim paryacarat tatra bhaktya-with great devotion, paramaya-ultimate devotion, sati-and she was a chaste lady. Not ordinary woman. Antarvatni sva-garbhasya-but the purpose was material. As woman the purpose was material, she was thinking of giving protection to the child.

Therefore later on it will be stated by Prahlada Maharaja that all the instructions she received from Narada Maharaja, Narada Muni she forgot. If service to the Lord is offered with some material purpose then all the instruction that is received through authorized channels will be also lost. This is the instance.

Narada Muni the great sage was instructing both the mother and the son within the womb of the mother. Dharmasya, what he was instructing? Dharmasya tattvam-the basic principle of religious life, dharmasya tattvam. Jnanam ca-and knowledge. Without knowledge or jnanasya-tattva, without the basic principle of knowledge, without the basic principles of religious life. Nobody can advance in spiritual life, self-realization. Mam apy uddisya nirmalam.

So whatever instruction Narada Muni, the great sage, delivered, that was especially meant for Prahlada Maharaja. He says mam uddisya, aiming at to me. Narada Muni knew it that, "Whatever instruction I am giving, although it is meant for both the mother and the child." But he knew it very well that, "The child will be benefited more than the mother." Because women are considered less intelligent. Sūdras, vaisyas, they're considered less intelligent but still if one sticks to the principles, follows the rules and regulations, te 'pi yanti param gatim [Bg 9.32].

There is no bar for women, sūdra or vaisya, but because they are less intelligent sometimes they fail to receive the essence of the knowledge. That is explained in the next verse:

Because that instruction was given since a very long time ago. Prahlada Maharaja speaking to his class friends at the age of five years and he heard the instruction when he was in the womb of his mother. Of course five years is not very long time, a still because she was women, she forgot. It is clearly stated here that, tat tu kalasya dirghatvat. Of course forgetfulness is our nature, even if we do not remember what was spoken yesterday, what to speak of five years ago. So Prahlada Maharaja says: tat tu kalasya dirghatvat, on account of long duration of time and stritvan, and because my mother was a women.

Stritvan matus tirodadhe, she forgot. Matus tirodadhe rsinanugrhitam mam nadhunapy ajahat smrtiḥ, but because it may be said that to me it was a special favor by the great sage and as such my remembrance has not yet gone, I remember everything. A child of five years old, this is the psychology, he could remember everything, all the instructions, although he heard within. Within the womb of his mother, he remembered. Of course Prahlada Maharaja's case was different. But a women, although she was fairly old, a still she could not remember. This is the natural but there, there is exceptional case everything, in everything exception also. There is no cause of disappointment that because one is women she'll not make progress, everyone can make progress. But that is the general nature of women and a man.

If one actually captures the opportunity of Krsna consciousness it doesn't matter whether one is women or a vaisya or a sūdra or lower than them. They can make progress still, they are actually reposed in the spiritual platform, param gatim. Param gatim means-advancement in the spiritual world.

Because that instruction was given since a very long time ago. Prahlada Maharaja speakingNow another part of instruction is that if you, because you are also demons. A mother, my mother might be because woman less intelligent, but demons, you are demons, you have no faith at all. The demons are generally atheists, they do not have any faith but a still if you stick to the scheme you can also learn, that is another point. Anyone, it does not matter, if he takes Krsna consciousness in faith, then he will also be remembering like me.

The difference between the people in India and in Europe at the present moment in connection with Krsna consciousness. In Europe and America, the boys and girls, they are taking it under some faith whereas in this country [India] when there is krsna-katha. Bhagavad-gita preaching or Hare Krsna, they know what this is, "Oh this is old thing." So they have no faith, they have lost the faith. They are so much enamored by politics and technology they have lost faith. Therefore it is not acting. This is want.

Sri Prahlada Maharaja says, bhavatam api bhūyan, "This utility of instruction of Narada Maharaja can be arisen in you also." Bhavatam api bhūyan me yadi sraddadhate vacaḥ, "If you kindly take the instructions of Narada Maharaja as I am delivering it, if you take them in faith. So there are two faiths. One thing is that the message must be carried through the disciplic succession, just like Prahlada Maharaja has received the knowledge directly from Narada, and he is delivering. But if the party who is receiving the knowledge, if he has no faith, then it will not act. It will not act.

Therefore out of the ten kinds of offenses, one offense is that one who has no faith-this knowledge should not be delivered. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gita also. But because we are preaching, faith or no faith, we are chanting, so that by hearing, hearing one may awake his faith also. That is recommended. Nitya siddha krsna-this is a fact, that everyone has got Krsna consciousness dormant within himself but it has to be awakened by the process of chanting and hearing. Sravanadi-suddha-citte karaye udaya [Cc Madhya 22.107].

So faith or no faith if you go on chanting or hearing the Hare Krsna mantra the time will come when faith will come and then things will be happening very nice. Adau sraddha, without faith nobody can make progress. Adau sraddha tataḥ sadhu [Cc Madhya 22.107]. So faith or no faith if you go on chanting and hearing the Hare Krsna mantra the time will come when faith will come and then things will be happening very nice. Adau sraddha, without faith nobody can make progress. Adau sraddha tataḥ sadhu [Cc Madhya 23.14-15].

This faith, suppose by chance one comes to the association with little faith, not fixed-up faith, "Let me see." But if he remains with this association of faithful devotees then he increases his faith, that's a fact. Adau sraddha tataḥ sadhu, that faith, first-class faith means. As it is stated in the Caitanya-caritamrta: krsne bhakti kaile sarva-karma krta haya [Cc Madhya 22.62].

Krsna says that:

And one who take the statement very seriously, "Yes, if I surrender to Krsna, if I render service to Krsna, then all other things will be automatically done. All other things means there are many other methods, religious methods, philosophical methods, yogic methods. Or any other methods, krsne bhakti kaile sarva-karma krta haya. If one simply develops, develops Krsna consciousness then he is first-class yogi, he is first-class karmi, he is first-class jnani, he is first-class devotee, everything first-class. So to become a first-class devotee-faith is the basic principle.

It doesn't matter whether one is a boy, whether one is woman or a sūdra or a demon or atheist, if with faith one receives. That faith, just like Krsna, Krsna is canvassing Himself the Supreme Personality of Godhead, that "I am the Supreme." But we can not understand Krsna because we have no faith. It is a fact, the sastra says, "Krsna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead." The great sages say that, "Krsna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead." The acarya says, "Krsna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead." Arjuna who heard directly from Krsna, he says, "Krsna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead." And our Guru Maharaja says that, "Krsna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead." But a still we do not accept Krsna as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Why? Because there is no faith. Everyone says, "Krsna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead," but we do not believe.

We have to understand through so many ways or we may not understand because we have no faith. Therefore faith is the, required. It is not blind faith. Why blind faith? So many authorities speaking about Krsna as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Why I should not accept? It is not blind. It is faithlessness, simply faithless. Nothing more. Why they should say that blindly following? We are not blindly following. This Krsna consciousness, it is not a blind faith, it is based on reason, it is based on argument, it is based on philosophy, it is based on authority. So the faith required. If I purposely draw my faith without any reason, without any philosophy, then I am unfortunate.

Caitanya Mahaprabhu regrets, "My dear Lord You are so kind upon Me." Just see how Krsna is kind, He's coming Himself, appears Himself, He showed His activities as the Supreme Personality of Godhead from the very childhood till disappearance, a still people will not accept. What Krsna will do? That faith can be created only in good association of devotees.

Now Prahlada Maharaja is touching on the philosophy of life. Janmadyaḥsaḍ ime bhava. There are six different positions of everyone's life. Janma, sthite, janma, sthite, vrddhi, parinama, apaksaya, mara. They heard it.

First of all he spoke that, "Whatever I am speaking to you, it is directly received from authority, Narada. I remember them by the mercy of Narada." He says. That is the duty of a disciple to say mercy of the... Of course mercy... But it doesn't matter, it doesn't mean that Narada was less merciful to his mother. He is merciful to everyone. But why she forgot? Why she could not catch. Because as a woman she could not do it. So a spiritual master or a saintly person, he is karunika, he is merciful to everyone, but the receiver must be competent. Not that an authority or spiritual master is less merciful to somebody and more merciful to somebody. He is merciful to everyone. Just like the sunshine. Sunshine is distributed equally to everyone, every country but it is the misfortune of some countries that there is no sunshine. Not that sunshine is less. Sunshine is equally distributed but it is the misfortune of some countries that.

Therefore in the sastras said, "Where sunshine is less these such countries are condemned." Sastra states. That they can not receive, similarly those who are condemned, less fortunate, they can not receive the knowledge, they can not receive the knowledge of spiritual master or Krsna very nicely on account of their misfortune. So one should not be disturbed in this connection, even misfortune can be fortunate, provided he fix his faith and he. He struggles a little that, "Why should I remain misfortunate?" Just like in the material world we struggle. A person misfortunate poor man, he struggles, "Why shall I remain poor man? Why shall I remain unfortunate? I shall struggle and make myself fortunate." Similarly, in the spiritual world also, although by nature one is less intelligent one can advance in spiritual knowledge with endeavor-utsaha. Utsaha, utsaha means enthusiasm. Therefore Rūpa Gosvamisays: utsahan dhairyat tat-tat-karma-pravarta, niscayad tat-tat-karma-pravartanat sato vrtteḥ sadhu-sahga saḍbhir bhaktiḥ prasidhyati . One should be enthusiastic and struggle against odds and then he will come out successful.

Thank you very much.

Devotees: [chant Srila Prabhupada Pranati] [End]