Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 7.7.29–30 – March 21, 1971, Bombay

Prabhupada:

So Prahlada Maharaja is recommending. There are different kinds of yoga and the purpose of yoga is bija-nirharanam. Bija-the seed, which is sprouting in so many trees and branches; or material entanglement. So that bija, that seed has to be, what is called, extinguished. Bija-nirharanam. Just like during rainy season we find various kinds of vegetation and during summer season they all dry. During winter. Eh? Just like in your country during winter season there is no leaves. All trees are simply wood standing. But as soon as there is spring the leaves come out, sprout. So why? Because the source or the cause of the leaves coming out is already there, so bija-nirharanam.

This propensity for sense gratification is just like a bija, the same example. The all the grasses, all the different vegetation's dry up. And as soon as there is favorable conditions, little water, but because the tree is there, they again come out. Again come out. So artificially stopping the senses will not help us. This is yogis. They were by artificial means they try to control the senses but that will not help. As soon as there is favorable circumstances they will come. There are many instances. That is repeat... repeatedly expressed in Bhagavad-gita [2.59], param drstva nivartate. Even Visvamitra Muni, great yogi, he also failed. He was in great meditation and as soon as there was a chance of meeting a very nice beautiful woman, he failed.

So Prahlada Maharaja is recommending not that type of yoga. Which will fail. It will fail. There is so many instances. He says that:

So you accept this, what is called, extinguishing or impotency. Impotency. Making the seeds impotent, no more fructifying. Stop the fructifying process. So actually bija never becomes impotent, it remains potent. In the case of devotee that, the potency is there but devotee becomes so advanced that they have no more any interest in these potencies. That is.. It is not that a devotee is impotent. Just like this Ramakrishna, he became impotent and a falsely claimed that he called his wife mother. That is the history, I heard it from my Guru Maharaja, it is not a false statement.

Devotee: [indistinct]

Prabhupada: Yes. This man was in his young days, he was very, very much fond of women and in India there is no free mixing with women. He appeared to be in a high-class brahmana family, so he had no chance. So these lower-class young girls, they would hanker after that. He and one of his friends and just friend he stated personally, he was right [?] So when his brother thought that, "My brother is spoiling," so that is the duty of the guardian. He got him married and settled him as a priest, assistant priest in the temple. His brother was priest. But he was impotent. There was no possibility of sex life therefore he adopted this philosophy that, "I am seeing everyone as my mother." That made him famous, you see. Just see [laughs].

Devotees: [laugh]

Prabhupada: He had no other alternative, you see. But not that type of. A devotee is not rejecting sex life under false pretenses. A devotee has been completely potent but he did does not like it-param drstva nivartate. He finds that the whole world is captivated by sex life. Why? Because they have no other object of being captivated. They do not know that there is Krsna and He is more alluring than sex life. They have no information. Therefore material enjoyment...

[aside:] Not like that. The legs should not be seen. It must be covered. You can sit down that way but it should be covered. Before a superior, before Deities. The legs should not be open.

Eh? So bija-nirharanam. There are two kinds of dealings we have. One, just like in the hospital. Every day there is Ekadasi. Is it not? [laughs] If you say, "Oh, these patients are very fortunate, they are having every day Ekadasi." And because they are fasting, with physician. Have stopped eating. Eh? For some disease, they're they are suffering from fever or typhoid, naturally no solid food. So does it mean that they are observing Ekadasi? No. The desire is there but he is forced to abstain under the instruction of the doctor. That, that kind of forced abstention has no value. That man, as soon as he is cured from the diseased condition, he will leave.

So that is not bija-nirharanam, bija-nirharanam means that although he is potent, completely potent. Just like Lord Siva. Lord Siva the Kartikeya. The birth of Kartikeya. Lord Siva was in meditation and there was fight between the demons and the demigods and they were defeated, the demigods. So therefore there was a plan that there must be a commander-in-chief so powerful that he must be born out of the semena of Lord Siva. That was the plan. So Lord Siva was at that time, in meditation. So he was induced to be sexually agitated by sending Parvati, young girl. And she was worshipping, from that the meaning of worship, siva-lihga worship has begun. Haj. That is the system. So she was worshipping the genital of Lord Siva but a still he was silent.

So that is remarked by Kalidasa that, "Here is a dhira." The young girl is touching the genital of Lord Siva, he is still unagitated. But that does not mean he was impotent. No. He was potent. But when he was, he was informed that, "We want such a child," then he begot Kartikeya. So having potency he could beget child but he could control also. That is also stated in the Bhagavad-gita. Control means whenever it is required he will use his senses but when it is not required it is controlled. Not that to become by artificial means to become impotent-and control. No. Bija-nirharanam.

[aside:] Bol right nirharanam.

So how to control the senses. Controlling the senses means stopping further fructification of these material activities. To remain brahmacari means, if one keeps himself strictly brahmacari, he becomes free from all [indistinct] of this material world. No more, he is free. He can live anywhere, any circumstances very happily. That is brahmacari. Because that bija-nirharanam. Brahmacariti means very much sane in Brahma consciousness, Krsna consciousness, he has no more any desire. A simply loin cloth and a brahmacari can lie down anywhere on the floor. He doesn't require any apartment, he doesn't require any nice bedstead. His health is very sound, any kind of eating will give him strength, any simple eating. There is no need of eating too much or any fatty things because by nature.

I have seen actually in my household life there was a servant, a young boy, about twenty-one years but he was eating only corn. He was getting only some twenty rupees in those days so he was saving some money. So eating corn. Yes, he was crushing corn. The portion which is powdered, he used to make capati from that powder, and the portion which was very hard, he used to make as rice, boil it. He was actually eating that capati and rice and nothing else but he was so stout and strong. No meat, no fat. Such a young man that in that way between sixteen to twenty-four years there is by nature, supply of energy. That whatever he eats, if he can digest, he'll be so stout and strong.

So woman, by nature, they are supplied with extra fat. So even though women begets children. Builds the body of the child within womb. She remains healthy, by nature. Just like cow, cow. What they are eating? They are eating grass. Dry grass. But they are getting full of vitamins, fat. Otherwise wherefrom the milk get fat? So how you can derive fat from dry grass? Is there any scientist who can draw fat from dry grass? But wherefrom this cow is getting?

[aside:] You can go and sleep.

Why, how he is getting fat? In nature, in nature there is arrangement that at a certain age, if you keep yourself strictly on the principles of nature, you'll get. You'll get enough strength to become happy. Happy. Because we violate the laws of nature therefore we have to compensate with this way by medicine, by vitamin D by this and that. That is the modern society.

So from this, Prahlada Maharaja's beginning of instruction was kaumara acaret prajno dharman [SB 7.6.1]. From the stage of kaumara, from just after five years, the children should be engaged in understanding what is life. That is brahmacari. From five years to seventy-five years, thirty, or twenty years. They are playing. That civilization and this civilization, is it possible to compare? No. It is not possible. Here we are begetting simply cats and dogs and training them like cats and dogs and we want to. In the Bhagavad-gita it is said when there is increase of the cats and dogs the whole world is just like a hell, it is just like a hell. So the training of the children is most essential part of human civilization. Kaumara acaret, from the very beginning they should be trained up as brahmacari then nice population will come. The whole world will be peaceful, just like Vaikuntha. Nobody will be any envious, nobody will be violent, nobody would be uncivil. And there is possibility. By law you can not check. To make them cats and dogs and you want to check them by law, that is not possible.

Kaumara acaret prajno dharman, and that brahmacari; dharman bhagavatan. There are different kinds of dharma but bhagavata, the dharma which enlivens one to understand God and his relation with God, that is real dharma. Just like Krsna is teaching: sarva-dharman parityajya [Bg 18.66], "Give up all nonsense religion."

Give up this Hindu religion, Muslim religion, this religion, that religion. No. Real religion is here, you surrender and that is bhagavata dharman bhagavatan. And your relation to understand your relationship with God. What is that? You are eternal servant therefore you must surrender. You must carry out the order of Krsna, then you are. Otherwise there is no question of religion. Dharman bhagavatan.

So Prahlada Maharaja says that to make the bija, the seed of gratifying the senses, there are many different ways. See just like the hatha-yogis, by artificial dhyana, dharaha, asana, they also try. So Prahlada Maharaja says: tatropaya-sahasranam [SB 7.7.29]. There are hundreds upaya, "I accept that your process is very nice." Everyone will say, "My process is very, my religion," my artificial [?]. That's alright. Here is.

Just like Prabodhananda Sarasvati says that [Caitanya-candramrta 90]: he sadhava, "You are very learned scholar-sadhu." That's alright. He sadhavaḥ sakalam eva vihaya dūrad-"You know my only request is that whatever you have learned please, for the time being, forget it. Forget it." He sadhavaḥ sakalam eva vihaya. The same thing, as Krsna says: sarva-dharman parityajya-"Give up all other religiosities." There may be many thousands but please give up that. Throw them away. A simply surrender. This is religion. Similarly Prabodhananda Sarasvati says: he sadhava, "You are very learned, you are very good devotee. It is alright but whatever nonsense you have learned kindly set aside, for the time.

Forget that you are a very learned man, you a very good scholar, you are very good religious and devotee. That's alright. But my request is for the time being please set them aside." Then what to do? Sakalam eva vihaya dūrad, caitanya-candra-carane kurutanuragam. "Kindly give your attention to the lotus feet of Lord Caitanya." This is our preaching. "Sir you are very good, advanced; religious man and you know everything you are a sadhu. That's alright but kindly set them aside for the time being and try to understand the teachings of Lord Caitanya." Sakalam eva vihaya. Prahlada Maharaja also said that.

[aside:] Why do you not go and sleep? [Hindi]. Anyone who is too sleepy may not kindly sit down here. That is very of disturbing. Yes. It is better to sleep too your satisfied. That's nice.

Although there are many thousands of ways and means. But here bhagavatoditaḥ. As it is directly said by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The same thing, bhagavatoditaḥ, what bhagavatoditaḥ? What Supreme Personality of Godhead said? It is clear. Sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam: "You simply surrender to Me." What is the difficulty? If you don't surrender that is different business. But this is the instruction only Prahlada Maharaja says, bhagavatoditaḥ. As it is instructed by the Lord Himself, that, that process is the best process. There may be other different processes but this process is best.

Bhagavatoditaḥ. Sridhara Svami gives this is called comment. Sridhara Svami is giving that what is bhagavatoditaḥ:

So bhagavatoditaḥ. Here Sridhara Svami says naradoktam. Narada is also sometimes called Bhagavan. A great devotee is also called Bhagavan because great devotee means. Narada is engaged in preaching devotional service to the Lord. Or any very, very powerful living entity is sometimes addressed as Bhagavan. Therefore Lord Siva is sometimes called Bhagavan. Similarly here Prahlada Maharaja learned from Narada so he is calling bhagavatoditaḥ. So it has take otherwise. Because whatever Narada speaks, that is spoken by the Lord, or if we take Narada as addressed as Bhagavan, that also applicable.

So Sridhara Svami gives note that:

The perfect process is spoken by the Supreme Lord or by his representative. Tatha he gita-tū [?]. And he is immediately quoting from Bhagavad-gita:

He is quoting directly from the Bhagavad-gita that this is the process, that you have to give everything to the Lord. Yat karosi-that whatever you do, the result should be given to the Lord, yat karosi. Whatever you eat the result the first should be given. First of all to the Supreme Lord. Yat karosi yaj juhosi yad asnasi yat tapasyasi. And if you are very much anxious to meditate and undergo austerities, penances do it for Krsna, do it for Krsna. Observe daily Ekadasi. That is. Of course Ekadasi is there but there are many devotees who try to minimize eating as far as possible. That is good. That is tapasya. Tapasya means voluntarily accepting some tribulations of the body. If I don't eat sufficiently I shall become weak, but a still they fast voluntarily. So that full concentration can be given in the matter of chanting Hare Krsna. Tapasya. Yat tapasyasi kurusva karma: "You do it for Me." And another verse he is quoting: Bhaktya mam abhijanati [Bg 18.55].

"You can not understand God by any other means except devotional service." The Lord Himself says bhaktya mam-only to Me. They say yato mat tato pat: "Whatever way I accept. That will lead me to the ultimate goal." That is Ramakrishna Mission, yato mat tato pat, "Whatever demigod I worship it is as good as worshipping the Supreme Lord." This bija is there, but according to Bhagavad-gita, no, bhaktya mam abhijanati. You can not understand the Supreme Lord by karma, jnana, yoga, it is not possible. They may help to a certain extent but there is possibility of falling down. There is a greater possibility of falling down than success. There is no guarantee in any other way, the only guaranteed process is devotional service-bhaktya mam abhijanati. Without devotional service you can not [indistinct]. Therefore Prahlada Maharaja recommends bhagavatoditaḥ, so what is spoken by the Lord or his representative. That is the perfect method of self-realization and getting out of this material entanglement. How it begins?

Somehow or other your attachment should be for Krsna. Yena tena prakarena. Rūpa Gosvami also says: yena tena prakarena [Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu 1.2.4]. Never mind, in whichever way it is possible, try to engage oneself in Krsna consciousness. That is the recommendation. Then: sarve vidhi-nisedha syur etayor eva kihkaraḥ [Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu 1.2.4].

Other rules and regulations we shall see later on. We shall see later on. Because if one is actually attached to Krsna he will develop all good qualities without any doubt. Not by simply by forcing him, "Do this, do that." No. The only thing is that he is serious to be always chanting Hare Krsna then all other things will automatically come.

Yad isvare bhagavati yatha. Now we have to, so far rules and regulations is concerned, that is also required. Both ways you have to try. But the rules and regulations makes us automatically, in a mechanical way, attached to Krsna. This is just like this is a rule: "Everyone should rise early in the morning." This is compulsory, early in the morning. What is the difficulty? You go. Of course one who is engaged extraordinarily, that is a different thing. Generally if you go to bed at ten you receive six hours sound sleep. More than sleeping six hours is a diseased condition. Six hours you can get up. Of course, those who cannot follow, that those who cannot rise in spite of going at ten to bed. Then he should not eat at night. Then he will be forced to get up. There is no difficulty. Don't eat at night then he'll be. So why not [indistinct] belly? Because it makes him a bit sleep more. So you do not overwork, then you will be able to rise early. This is easy. Rules and regulations. Prahlada Maharaja recommended:

This is the beginning of rules and regulations. What is that? First thing is to serve the spiritual master-guru-susrūsaya. Susrūsaya means service. A brahmacari is supposed to work as a menial servant of the spiritual master. Not only menial servant, whatever he collects he should immediately deliver to he. He should not think that, "Oh I have collected so much, it is my money." He should immediately deliver. Guru-susrūsaya bhaktya. That is not a mechanical, bhaktya. The first beginning of bhakti, devotion begins from the guru. Guru-susrūsaya bhaktya. Guru-susrūsaya bhaktya sarva-labdharpanena ca. And whatever there is being.

When the duties of brahmacari is described by Narada Muni. It is stated that, that one who is living under the guidance of spiritual master, the same thing, sarva labdharpanena. Whatever he gains, whatever he makes profit it should be immediately offered to guru. And so far eating, unless the guru calls him, "My dear boy please come and take prasadam," he should not take. If one day he forgets to call his disciple or devotee or student then he should not take, he should starve. That means without permission of the guru he can not eat. There are so many strictures. That is very difficult to follow, at the present moment it is not possible, but as far as possible. The regulation given by the spirtual master must be faithfully followed. That is the beginning, Prahlada Maharaja.

And the association should be a sadhu. Sadhu means those who are engaged in devotional service. And more clear this-bhaktanam. Sadhu means whose characters are spotless, they are called sadhus. And especially unless one's character is spotless he can not be a pure devotee. Here it is said that one should engage himself very sincerely and with devotion to serve the spiritual master in the association of sadhu-bhaktanam. In the association of nicely, I mean to say good character men and devotees. And what are they. What they will they do? So we are all devotees. No. A devotee-bhaktanam isvararadhanena ca.., isvara, aradhanena. Being engaged in the service of the Lord. Not that a guru will say: "There is no need of Deity worship. I am god." That is another way. Just like you chant the. It is the duty of guru or spiritual master he:

He should engage the students in the worship of the Deities. So no center should be without Deities. But if there is no arrangement, if there is no qualified persons, devotees to worship, it may not be taken up, the only chanting of Hare Krsna mantra will help. But if there is possibility Deity worship must be there in every center. But not neglectfully. Deity worship is very difficult. Not a mlecchata. Therefore in Kali-yuga Deity worship is also stopped: harer namaiva kevalam . Alright, you can not worship Deity [indistinct]. Dvapare paricaryayam [SB 12.3.52]

It was possible... What to speak of you. You are coming. Even the so-called Hindus, they cannot worship Deity, you see. It is a matter of routine, then they engage some hired priest. He will come and throw some water and: "Now I will go away." That is Deity worship. That is going on. You see? So such kind of Deity worship is worthless. Deity worship should be done very nicely according to the rules and regulations.

And Prahlada Maharaja says: These are the. First thing is that we have to accept what is directly spoken by the Supreme Lord, that principle we should accept. Or through His bona-fide representative. And then that surrender begins, surrendering to the spiritual master. Because spiritual master is the representative of Krsna. Therefore you cannot, we cannot not see eye-to-eye Krsna therefore the surrendering process begins from the point by surrendering to the spiritual master. Tad viddhi pranipatena. Pranipat means surrender.

That you have to learn the transcendental science. First business is pranipat. Prakrsta-rūpena nipata. This falling down just like a rod. That is pranipat. Nipata. Nipata means-fall down. Pranipatena. Tad viddhi pranipatena pariprasnena-also inquiries, question. Pariprasnena sevaya. But that pariprasna should not be without seva. The whole process is seva.

The more we are engaged in service then the more we advance. If we can engage ourselves twenty-four hours in the service, that is very good. Therefore we have to minimize everything. Save time simply to render service. Simply to render service. That instruction everywhere. Tad viddhi pranipatena. That is instruction in the Bhagavad-gita.

So if you want to learn that transcendental science then tad viddhi, try to understand what is this pranipatena. Here also Prahlada Maharaja asks. That is, that is the symmetry. Sadhu-guru-sastra-vakya tinete kariya aikya [Guru-vandana]. A sadhu, Prahlada Maharaja is sadhu [coughs]. He is speaking, he is speaking the words which he has heard from his guru, Narada, and that there is no discrepancies with the sastra. Whatever he is speaking that is stated in the sastra. Just like he's a guru-susrūsaya. That, that is stated in the sastra. Adau gurv-asrayam [Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu 1.1.74], tad viddhi pranipatena, tad-vijnanartham sa gurum evabhigacchet [Munḍaka Upanisad 1.2.12]

This is sastra. And Prahlada Maharaja is speaking the same thing under the instruction of Narada. These three things are very important: sadhu, guru, sastra. Sadhu-guru-sastra-vakya tinete kariya aikya. So there is no difficulty how to find out bona-fide, bona-fides of anything. If, when we are expert in understanding or following the instruction of sadhu, guru then it will be easier to understand sastra. Yasya deve para bhaktir yatha deve tatha gurau [SU 6.23].

One who has got unflinching faith-para bhaktir, unflinching faith. Yasya deve, deve means God. Yasya deve para bhaktir yatha deve tatha gurau. Similarly as much faith he has got in Krsna, similar faith he has got to his guru. Not that: "Guru is a man, he is not a. So non-sense god, let me directly understand Krsna." That is foolishness. That is foolishness. One can not understand Krsna without going through the guru. Just like Prahlada Maharaja. He is speaking the exact truth because he has taken the knowledge from Narada. Yatha deve tatha gurau, tasyaite kathita hy arthaḥ prakasante mahatmanaḥ.

So all the Vedic literatures will be revealed, the meaning of the Vedic literatures will be revealed to him. This is spiritual process. The spiritual process is not that: "I am very learned man, I am a very good scholar therefore I will learn it by reading myself." No. He will not understand anything. Even a scholar like Dr. Radha-Krishna, he is also mislead, what to speak of others. He was mislead because he is not understanding Bhagavad-gita through guru. He has no guru. He's, he is very much proud of his so-called academic education but that is not the process. Here is the process. And Gaurakisora-dasa Babaji Maharaja, he could not sign his name, and he had his disciple my Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami and he was illiterate but when he was speaking he was speaking correct to the sastra. How it happened?

All right.

Devotees: [obeisances] [End].