The Importance Hearing Srimad-Bhagavatam
By Narasimha das
In the first and second cantos of Srimad-Bhagavatam emphasis is given to the importance of hearing Bhagavatam for the sake of liberation. This hearing is best done in an assembly of devotees and regularly, such as in a daily class or discussion group. The Bhagavatam was originally imparted in the assembly of great sages headed by Srila Sukadeva Gosvami, who heard it from Srila Vyasadeva, and then again in the assembly of devotees headed by Sri Suta Gosvami, who heard it from Sukadeva Gosvami.
TEXT 32: That very Srimad-Bhagavatam I shall recite before you because you are the most sincere devotee of Lord Krishna. One who gives full attention and respect to hearing Srimad-Bhagavatam achieves unflinching faith in the Supreme Lord, the giver of salvation.
Purport: “In Bhagavad Gita it is confirmed that to be in association with the Supreme Personality of Godhead by full surrender in transcendental love frees one from the miseries inflicted by the laws of material existence.” (SB. 2.7.32, Purport)
Non-sectarian God Realization:
Various scriptures in the Vedic world and outside where created especially for certain classes of men of different times and places. In other words, such scriptures are not universal or timeless or fully spiritual. Because Srimad-Bhagavatam focuses primarily on pure devotional service and never encourages karma-kanda, astanga-yoga, jnana–kanda, mundane piety, or other external paths that aim at material elevation, Lord Chaitanya highly praised Bhagavatam, calling it “the spotless Purana.”
“Srimad-Bhagavatam, which is full of narration of the activities of the Supreme Lord, is auspicious for all living beings residing in every planet. One who takes it as belonging to a particular sect is certainly mistaken. Srimad-Bhagavatam is certainly a very dear scripture for the devotees of the Lord, but it is auspicious even for the non-devotees also because it explains that even the non-devotees hovering under the spell of material energy can be delivered from such clutches if they hear with devotion and attention the narration of the Srimad-Bhagavatam from the right source, the representative of the Lord by disciplic succession.” (SB. 2.8.2, Purport)
The real purpose for hearing Srimad-Bhagavatam is liberation from the cycle of birth and death and promotion to the spiritual world. Unfortunately, professional reciters for Bhagavatam advertise the material benefits of hearing Bhagavatam and are not interested in the liberation of their followers.
The real purpose of hearing Bhagavatam is not material improvement but just the opposite: the complete cessation of material existence through purification and renunciation. Only a self-realized soul can impart the real message of Bhagavatam and thus enable everyone to associate with the Supreme Lord through hearing. By careful hearing even materialists and non-devotees can become free from all bodily attachments, including false ego. Such freedom enables one to become fearless in the face of death, as was Maharaja Pariksit, the perfect hearer of Bhagavatam, who was fortunate to hear it from the maha-bhagavata Srila Sukadeva Gosvami.
Although Maharaja Pariksit had left his opulent palace, wonderful family and unrivaled kingdom, he wanted to go further in his renunciation. Even homeless sadhus often remain attached to their bodies and prestige. Maharaja Pariksit knew such attachments based on misconceptions of self may remain deeply rooted even in the stage of vanaprastha or sannyasa and thus cause one to be fearful at the time of death. Fear at the time of death makes it difficult to perfectly remember Lord Krishna. Maharaja Pariksit was therefore eager to give up this final attachment to body and false ego through constant association with the Lord by dint of his careful hearing Bhagavatam from a self-realized soul.
“Maharaja Pariksit was not at all afraid of death because of being fully encouraged by the message of the Lord. One who is fully absorbed in Acyuta-katha can never be afraid of anything in this world.”
Hear From a Self-Realized Soul:
Srila Prabhupada comments in this connection that “it is the duty of the sane” to hear Bhagavatam from an authorized spiritual master and not from upstarts, impersonalists or professionals, who generally mislead their audiences and followers.
TEXT 3: 0 greatly fortunate Sukadeva Gosvami, please continue narrating Srimad-Bhagavatam so that I can place my mind upon the Supreme Soul, Lord Krishna, and, being completely freed from material qualities, thus relinquish this body. (SB.2.8.3)
Purport: “It is the duty of the sane to hear Srimad-Bhagavatam from a self-realized soul without being duped by professional men, and one should continue such hearing till the end of one’s life so that one can actually have the transcendental association of the Lord and thus be liberated simply by hearing Srimad-Bhagavatam. Maharaja Pariksit had already given up all his connections with his kingdom and family, the most attractive features of materialism, but still he was conscious of his material body. He wanted to be free of such bondage also by the constant association of the Lord.” (SB.2.8.3, Purport)
“Mundane manufactured sound has no potency, and as such, seemingly transcendental sound received from an unauthorized person also has no potency. One should be qualified enough to discern such transcendental potency, and either by discriminating or by fortunate chance if one is able to receive the transcendental sound from the bona fide spiritual master, his path of liberation is guaranteed.” (SB.2.9.8, Purport)
Materialism vs. Devotional Service:
Materialistic devotees often believe they can remain attached to their home, family, wealth and prestige in pseudo-religious societies and at the same time make advancement in devotional service. They are often encouraged in their material desires by seeking and receiving “blessings” or cheap “initiation” from pet “gurus” who indulge them in their fantasies for the sake of lucrative donations. This is not the way of success in devotional service.
TEXT 4: Persons who hear Srimad-Bhagavatam regularly and are always taking the matter very seriously will have the Personality of Godhead Sri Krishna manifested in their hearts within a short time.
Purport: “Cheap devotees or the material devotees of the Lord are very much desirous to see the Lord personally without making any requisite qualification. Such third-grade devotees should know well that material attachment and seeing the Lord eye to eye cannot go together. It is not such a mechanical process that the professional Bhagavatam reciters can do the job on behalf of the third-grade materialist pseudo-devotee. The professional men are useless in this connection because they are neither self-realized nor interested in the liberation of the audience. They are simply interested in maintaining the material establishment of family attachment and earning some material benefits out of the profession. Maharaja Pariksit had no more than seven days to live, but for others Maharaja Pariksit personally recommends that one should hear Srimad-Bhagavatam regularly, nityam, always by one’s own effort and with serious devotion also. That will help one to see the Lord Sri Krishna manifested in one’s heart within no time. The pseudo-devotee, however, is very anxious to see the Lord by his whims, not making any serious effort to hear Srimad-Bhagavatam regularly and with detachment from material benefit. That is not the way recommended by an authority like Maharaja Pariksit, who heard and benefitted by hearing Srimad-Bhagavatam.” (SB.3.8.4, Purport)
Text 5: The sound incarnation of Lord Krishna, the Supreme Soul [i.e. Srimad-Bhagavatam], entering into the heart of a self-realized devotee, sits on the lotus flower of his loving relationship and thus cleanses the dust of material association, such as lust, anger, hankerings, etc., and acts like the autumnal rains upon the pools of muddy water.
Who Can Relish Bhagavatam and Bhakti-yoga?
Due to misconceptions deeply ingrained into persons devoted to “blind societies” and false systems of education, most scriptural students misunderstand or fail to carefully study Srimad-Bhagavatam, which for them remains hidden behind a veil of maya. Even so-called followers of Vedic culture are sometimes misled to believe that Bhagavatam is a collection of mythological tales.
“Srimad-Bhagavatam can only be legitimately discussed among the devotees of the Lord. As the Bhagavad-gita was authoritatively discussed between Lord Krishna and Arjuna (the Lord and the devotee respectively), similarly Srimad-Bhagavatam, which is the postgraduate study of the Bhagavad-gita, can also be discussed between the scholars and devotees like Sukadeva Gosvami and Maharaja Pariksit. Otherwise the real taste of the nectar cannot be relished. Sukadeva Gosvami was pleased Maharaja Pariksit because he was not at all tired of hearing the topics of the Lord, and he was more and more anxious to hear them on and on with interest.” (SB.2.8.27, Purport)
“So the science of bhakti-yoga, of worshiping the Lord, glorifying the Lord, hearing the Srimad-Bhagavatam from the right sources (not from the professional man but from a person who is Bhagavatam in life) and being always in the association of pure devotees, should be adopted in earnestness without being misled by misconceptions of “I” and “mine”… The living entity has to be situated in the transcendental position where there is no more influence of time or of the material energy.” (SB.2.9.3, Purport)
“Thus the topic of the Srimad-Bhagavatam is the science of both the Lord and the living entity. Regular reading or hearing of Srimad-Bhagavatam is also performance of bhakti-yoga, and one can attain the highest perfection simply by the association of Srimad-Bhagavatam. Both Sukadeva Gosvami and Maharaja Pariksit attained perfection through the medium of Srimad-Bhagavatam.” (SB.2.9.4, Purport)
Who Can Be Initiated in Devotional Service?
Pseudo-gurus and veda-vada-ratas often stress the importance of receiving initiation from a current, or “living,” teacher—even though such teacher may not be self-realized. The absolute necessity of accepting initiation from a so-called living guru is not supported in any scripture, particularly not Srimad-Bhagavatam. The real necessity is that one surrenders to a self-realized soul and hears from him with great care and attention for the sake of serving the Supreme Lord and achieving liberation. Persons attracted to an unqualified, unauthorized, or duplicitous teacher for the sake of fashion or social function, or without a sincere desire for liberation, can never become a true disciple.
“The Lord is within every living entity as the Supersoul, and He initiated Brahma because Brahma was willing to receive the initiation. The Lord can similarly initiate everyone who is inclined to have it. The Lord is within every living entity as the Supersoul, and He initiated Brahma because Brahma was willing to receive the initiation. The Lord can similarly initiate everyone who is inclined to have it.”
“A devotee should not hanker after anything, but he should be satisfied with things that may automatically come to him by the will of the Lord. That should be the principle of a devotional life. And all these principles are easily learned under the guidance of a spiritual master like Sukadeva Gosvami. Maharaja Pariksit inquired from Sukadeva correctly, and one should follow his example.”
“As soon as the living entity becomes situated in his constitutional glory and begins to enjoy the transcendence beyond time and material energy, he at once gives up the two misconceptions of life [mine and I] and thus becomes fully manifested as the pure self.” (SB.2.9.3)
Who Can Preach Bhagavatam?
Srila Prabhupada wanted all of his disciples to preach Krishna conscious according to their capacity and understanding. The preaching of disciples must always be on behalf of the authorized acharya who is directly empowered by the guru-parampara and Lord Chaitanya. The real potency for preaching is embodied in the pure devotee, who is like the full moon. When the moon is full no starlight is needed, but the brightest stars near the moon become beautiful by association.
“Every devotee should be very enthusiastic, not only in performing his daily rituals of devotional service, but in trying to preach the cult peacefully by following in the footsteps of Lord Chaitanya. If he is not superficially successful in such an attempt, he should not be deterred from the discharge of his duty. Success or failure has no meaning for a pure devotee because he is a soldier in the field. Preaching the cult of devotional service is something like declaring war against materialistic life.”
Purport: “It is said that a single pure devotee of the Lord can deliver all the fallen souls of the world, and thus one who is actually in the confidence of a pure devotee like Narada or Sukadeva Gosvami and thus empowered by one’s spiritual master, as Narada was by Brahmaji, can not only deliver himself from the clutches of maya, or illusion, but can deliver the whole world by his pure and empowered devotional strength.” (SB.2.8.5. Purport)
Who is Fearless?
In the material world everyone is fearful. Fear truly is “the greatest misery of material existence.” This one misery makes all joys in the material world null and void–even for the bravest of people. Padam padam yad vipadam na tesam. Srila Prabhupada said only the fool and the paramahamsa are happy in this world. Of course, the fool is not truly happy and not happy for long. Only pure devotees are truly fearless and happy in this world.
“But one can ply over the ocean of material existence by the grace of the Lord very easily, without any fear of storm or fog. It all depends on the will of the Lord; no one can help if there is some unfortunate danger in the state of conditional life. The devotees of the Lord, however, cross the ocean of material existence without anxiety because a pure devotee is always protected by the Lord (Bg. 9.13). The Lord gives special attention to His devotees in their activities within material, conditional life. (Bg. 9.29) Therefore everyone should take shelter of the lotus feet of the Lord and be a pure devotee of the Lord by all means.” (SB. 2.8.21, Purport)
Who Are the Real Acharyas?
Many pretenders imitate the acharyas, thinking that such great souls are dead and gone. Such posers can’t help themselves or their followers become free from all misery and illusion. Serious students of Krishna consciousness should not settle for imitators but should rather accept only the real acharya, Srila Prabhupada Himself, as their eternal guide and guru. Real gurus are always free from the miseries and illusions of material existence, yet they gladly accept all difficulties in this world for the sake of preaching the mission of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu for the benefit of all conditioned souls.
“A true representative of the Lord like Narada, Sukadeva Gosvami, Lord Chaitanya, the six Gosvamis and later Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura or Srimad Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura, etc., can deliver all people by their empowered devotional service. All such pure devotees like Narada are not only self-realized souls, but they are engaged in preaching work automatically by spiritual impetus, and thus they deliver many poor souls entangled in the material mode. They became so powerful because they sincerely followed the Bhagavatam principle by regular hearing and worshiping.”
“In discharging such devotional service, as it was ordered by Brahmaji to Narada in the preaching of Srimad-Bhagavatam, sometimes the representative of the Lord engaged in preaching work meets various so-called difficulties of life. This was exhibited by Lord Nityananda when He delivered the two fallen souls Jagai and Madhai, and similarly Lord Jesus Christ was crucified by the nonbelievers. But such difficulties are suffered by the devotees in preaching work very gladly because in such activities, although apparently very severe, the devotees of the Lord feel transcendental pleasure because the Lord is satisfied. Prahlada Maharaja suffered greatly, but still he never forgot the lotus feet of the Lord.” (SB.2.8.6, Purport)
“People following the principles of devotional service of the Lord can never be put into difficulty, and thus there cannot be any question of apad-dharma, or religion in distress…” (SB.2.8.18, Purport)
Best Method of Liberation:
Srimad-Bhagavatam and many other scriptures, particularly Sri Chaitanya-Caritamrita, give stress to the chanting of the holy names of the Supreme Lord, particularly the Hare Krishna maha-mantra. Srila Prabhuapda has often explained that chanting and hearing Bhagavatam is the same as chanting Hare Krishna because this most exalted scripture is nothing but pure glorification of the name, fame, and pastimes of the Supreme Lord and His Pure Devotees.
“Devotional service to the Lord, with specific attention for hearing Srimad-Bhagavatam regularly and always, is the best recommended method for liberation from the clutches of illusion.” (SB. 2.8.5, Purport)
“For such a blind human society in the darkness of ignorance, Srimad-Bhagavatam is the torchlight to see things in proper perspective. Therefore it was necessary to describe the science of God from the very beginning, or from the very birth of the phenomenal world. As we have already explained previously, Srimad-Bhagavatam is so scientifically presented that any sincere student of this great science will be able to understand the science of God simply by reading it with attention or simply by regularly hearing it from the bona fide speaker.”
This is an excellent presentation. Now it behooves anyone in the know regarding this philosophy to share it regularly with those who have not had a chance to be exposed to this great work. That is if they whole heartedly believe that the world should have this information or even benefit from it.. However as pointed out here from this posting Bhagavad Gita As It Is should be studied and understood first to one’s best ability with the help of Hare Krsna teachers of any age or gender, before reading Bhagavatam. Most if not all the time when there are great presentations like this Preface to the Srimad Bhagavatam it is left out. As we understand with the book changes topic nothing should be left out or deleted from his books.
Remembering, sharing and understanding the Introduction to the Srimad Bhagavatam is most urgent and was presented in the front of the book to help give a direct purpose to sharing this classic. It is not wishful thinking on Srila Prabhupada’s part but a plea to the leaders of humanity, to us all to present and teach this book in a one on one manner for the whole world to share.
The great sages of the forest of Naimiṣāraṇya, performed “a great thousand-year sacrifice for the satisfaction of the Lord and His devotees”
Let us remember the original mood of devotional service that Srila Prabhupada introduced us and the world to. From the posted article.
” The great sages are always anxious to do good to the people in general, and as such the sages headed by Śaunaka and others assembled at this holy place of Naimiṣāraṇya with a program of performing a great and continuous chain of sacrificial ceremonies. Forgetful men do not know the right path for peace and prosperity. However, the sages know it well, and therefore for the good of all men they are always anxious to perform acts which may bring about peace in the world. They are sincere friends to all living entities, and at the risk of great personal inconvenience they are always engaged in the service of the Lord for the good of all people.”
I now include the Preface to the Srimad Bhagavatam that should be read daily and studied for it’s possible great world wide impact if we all decide to take it up.
Preface
We must know the present need of human society. And what is that need? Human society is no longer bounded by geographical limits to particular countries or communities. Human society is broader than in the Middle Ages, and the world tendency is toward one state or one human society. The ideals of spiritual communism, according to Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, are based more or less on the oneness of the entire human society, nay, of the entire energy of living beings. The need is felt by great thinkers to make this a successful ideology. Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam will fill this need in human society. It begins, therefore, with the aphorism of Vedānta philosophy janmādy asya yataḥ [Bhāg. 1.1.1] to establish the ideal of a common cause.
Human society, at the present moment, is not in the darkness of oblivion. It has made rapid progress in the field of material comforts, education and economic development throughout the entire world. But there is a pinprick somewhere in the social body at large, and therefore there are large-scale quarrels, even over less important issues. There is need of a clue as to how humanity can become one in peace, friendship and prosperity with a common cause. Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam will fill this need, for it is a cultural presentation for the respiritualization of the entire human society.
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam should be introduced also in the schools and colleges, for it is recommended by the great student-devotee Prahlāda Mahārāja in order to change the demoniac face of society.
kaumāra ācaret prājñodharmān bhāgavatān ihadurlabhaṁ mānuṣaṁ janmatad apy adhruvam arthadam (Bhāg. 7.6.1)
Disparity in human society is due to lack of principles in a godless civilization. There is God, or the Almighty One, from whom everything emanates, by whom everything is maintained and in whom everything is merged to rest. Material science has tried to find the ultimate source of creation very insufficiently, but it is a fact that there is one ultimate source of everything that be. This ultimate source is explained rationally and authoritatively in the beautiful Bhāgavatam, or Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is the transcendental science not only for knowing the ultimate source of everything but also for knowing our relation with Him and our duty toward perfection of the human society on the basis of this perfect knowledge. It is powerful reading matter in the Sanskrit language, and it is now rendered into English elaborately so that simply by a careful reading one will know God perfectly well, so much so that the reader will be sufficiently educated to defend himself from the onslaught of atheists. Over and above this, the reader will be able to convert others to accepting God as a concrete principle.
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam begins with the definition of the ultimate source. It is a bona fide commentary on the Vedānta-sūtra by the same author, Śrīla Vyāsadeva, and gradually it develops into nine cantos up to the highest state of God realization. The only qualification one needs to study this great book of transcendental knowledge is to proceed step by step cautiously and not jump forward haphazardly like with an ordinary book. It should be gone through chapter by chapter, one after another. The reading matter is so arranged with its original Sanskrit text, its English transliteration, synonyms, translation and purports so that one is sure to become a God-realized soul at the end of finishing the first nine cantos.
The Tenth Canto is distinct from the first nine cantos because it deals directly with the transcendental activities of the Personality of Godhead Śrī Kṛṣṇa. One will be unable to capture the effects of the Tenth Canto without going through the first nine cantos. The book is complete in twelve cantos, each independent, but it is good for all to read them in small installments one after another.
I must admit my frailties in presenting Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, but still I am hopeful of its good reception by the thinkers and leaders of society on the strength of the following statement of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (1.5.11):
tad-vāg-visargo janatāgha-viplavo
yasmin prati-ślokam abaddhavaty api
nāmāny anantasya yaśo ’ṅkitāni yac
chṛṇvanti gāyanti gṛṇanti sādhavaḥ
“On the other hand, that literature which is full with descriptions of the transcendental glories of the name, fame, form and pastimes of the unlimited Supreme Lord is a transcendental creation meant to bring about a revolution in the impious life of a misdirected civilization. Such transcendental literatures, even though irregularly composed, are heard, sung and accepted by purified men who are thoroughly honest.”
Oṁ tat sat
A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami
Dated at Delhi
December 15, 1962
The presented instructions for teaching and spreading Krsna consciousness from his Srimad Bhagavatam.by Srila Prabhupada.
From Pabhupada Books. How we are to live our lives.
“In this age, the congregational chanting of the holy names of the Lord is the prescribed method for waking up. The ways and means are most scientifically presented by Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, and intelligent persons may take advantage of His teachings in order to bring about real peace and prosperity.’
The forest of Naimisaranya, where the great sage Suta Gosvami spoke the Srimad-Bhagavatam in a thousand-year sacrifice.
TRANSLATION
Once, in a holy place in the forest of Naimiṣāraṇya, great sages headed by the sage Śaunaka assembled to perform a great thousand-year sacrifice for the satisfaction of the Lord and His devotees.
PURPORT
The prelude of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam was spoken in the previous three ślokas. Now the main topic of this great literature is being presented. Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, after its first recitation by Śrīla Śukadeva Gosvāmī, was repeated for the second time at Naimiṣāraṇya.
In the Vāyavīya Tantra, it is said that Brahmā, the engineer of this particular universe, contemplated a great wheel which could enclose the universe. The hub of this great circle was fixed at a particular place known as Naimiṣāraṇya. Similarly, there is another reference to the forest of Naimiṣāraṇya in the Varāha Purāṇa, where it is stated that by performance of sacrifice at this place, the strength of demoniac people is curtailed. Thus brāhmaṇas prefer Naimiṣāraṇya for such sacrificial performances.
The devotees of Lord Viṣṇu offer all kinds of sacrifices for His pleasure. The devotees are always attached to the service of the Lord, whereas fallen souls are attached to the pleasures of material existence. In Bhagavad-gītā, it is said that anything performed in the material world for any reason other than for the pleasure of Lord Viṣṇu causes further bondage for the performer. It is enjoined therefore that all acts must be performed sacrificially for the satisfaction of Viṣṇu and His devotees. This will bring everyone peace and prosperity.
The great sages are always anxious to do good to the people in general, and as such the sages headed by Śaunaka and others assembled at this holy place of Naimiṣāraṇya with a program of performing a great and continuous chain of sacrificial ceremonies. Forgetful men do not know the right path for peace and prosperity. However, the sages know it well, and therefore for the good of all men they are always anxious to perform acts which may bring about peace in the world. They are sincere friends to all living entities, and at the risk of great personal inconvenience they are always engaged in the service of the Lord for the good of all people. Lord Viṣṇu is just like a great tree, and all others, including the demigods, men, Siddhas, Cāraṇas, Vidyādharas and other living entities, are like branches, twigs and leaves of that tree. By pouring water on the root of the tree, all the parts of the tree are automatically nourished. Only those branches and leaves which are detached cannot be so satisfied. Detached branches and leaves dry up gradually despite all watering attempts. Similarly, human society, when it is detached from the Personality of Godhead like detached branches and leaves, is not capable of being watered, and one attempting to do so is simply wasting his energy and resources.
The modern materialistic society is detached from its relation to the Supreme Lord. And all its plans which are being made by atheistic leaders are sure to be baffled at every step. Yet they do not wake up to this.
In this age, the congregational chanting of the holy names of the Lord is the prescribed method for waking up. The ways and means are most scientifically presented by Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, and intelligent persons may take advantage of His teachings in order to bring about real peace and prosperity. Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is also presented for the same purpose, and this will be explained more specifically later in the text.”
Leaving out this most important Introduction to the Bhagavatam at the front of each book shows a lack of faith on the whole subject of Srimad Bhagavatam
It is to bad that there does not exist yet a Hare Krsna Teaching Site for the general public. Back many years ago we had access to Hare Krsna teachers. All we had to do was go to the local temples for classes and share in philosophical discussions. Those temples are gone now so the only temples of learning for the world are on line but not directly available to the people in general, There is no teaching staff.
Below is a presentation from Premanjana Das called All Devotees Should Write. It is all Srila Prabhupada. Unfortunately and I am sure at this point for good reason there still is no Writers Corner for the devotees and guests to share their understandings or even confusion.
“Keep on with the practice of writing articles; in the midst of your heavy duties go on writing something glorifying the Lord and put our philosophy into words. Writing articles means to express oneself how he is understanding the whole philosophy. So this writing is necessary for everyone.” Srila Prabhupada
All Devotees Should Write
Wednesday, 27 February 2013 / Published in Articles / 2,727 views
This is a compilation based on the works of Srila Prabhupada.
Compiled by Premanjana Das
(Pranjal Joshi)
1)
“If you sit down and write some article on Krsna, that means you have to concentrate on Krsna’s activities or Krsna’s devotees’ activities, and that very process will purify your heart. Therefore we always recommend to our students that you write articles, read our magazine, read our book. In this way if we keep ourself… Work for Krsna. This… We have come here in this pandal or in this Kumbha-mela not for any other purpose than to glorify the Supreme Lord so that people may understand the importance of this movement.
(Srila Prabhupada’s Lecture on Srimad Bhagavatam, January 17, 1971)
2)
Keep on with the practice of writing articles; in the midst of your heavy duties go on writing something glorifying the Lord and put our philosophy into words. Writing articles means to express oneself how he is understanding the whole philosophy. So this writing is necessary for everyone.
(Letter to: Giriraja — London 12 August, 1971)
3)
“My long desired scheme of a Krsna Conscious daily newspaper is being implemented. Please do this work very nicely. It will be a very great step in the history of ISKCON movement.”
( Srila Prabhupada, Letter to Satsvarupa 1971)
4)
“Here in this world there are thousands of newspapers and magazines reporting the stale, repetitious happenings of this limited space. So for reporting the news of the unlimited spiritual realm, concerning the eternal, ever-fresh Supreme Personality of Godhead, we could publish a newspaper at every second, what to speak of daily.”
( Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura)
5)
“According to social conventions, it is said that one can speak the truth only when it is palatable to others. But that is not truthfulness. The truth should be spoken in such a straight and forward way, so that others will understand actually what the facts are. If a man is a thief and if people are warned that he is a thief that is truth. Although sometimes the truth is unpalatable, one should not refrain from speaking it. Truthfulness demands that the facts be presented as they are for the benefit of others. That is the definition of truth.”
(Bhagavad-Gita As It Is. Ch 10:4)
6)
Srila Prabhupada- Preaching also means reading and writing, or else what will you preach? (Letter to: Gurudasa — Mayapur 18 February, 1977)
7)
All students should be encouraged to write some article after reading Srimad-Bhagavatam, Bhagavad-gita and Teachings of Lord Caitanya. They should realize the information, and they must present their assimilation in their own words. Otherwise, how they can become preachers?
(Letter to: Brahmananda — Los Angeles 1 July, 1969)
8)
We need so many preachers who are soundly versed in the scriptures to convince the world to take to Krishna Consciousness. I am glad that you and the others are each writing one hour daily essays. That is parampara. All of our previous acaryas on our line have written substantially on the science of God-consciousness, so I would also like all my students to do this and I am very encouraged by this nice program you have initiated.
(Letter to: Vrindaban Candra — Bombay 9 November, 1970)
9)
Realization means you should write, every one of you, what is your realization. What for this Back to Godhead is? You write your realization, what you have realized about Kṛṣṇa. That is required. It is not passive. Always you should be active. Whenever you find time, you write. Never mind, two lines, four lines, but you write your realization. Śravaṇaṁ kīrtanam, writing or offering prayers, glories. This is one of the function of the Vaiṣṇava. You are hearing, but you have to write also. Then write means smaraṇam, remembering what you have heard from your spiritual master, from the scripture.Śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ: [SB 7.5.23] about Viṣṇu, not for others. Don’t write any nonsense thing for any nonsense man. Useless waste of time. Viṣṇu. Write about Viṣṇu, Kṛṣṇa. This is cultivation of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Hear, write, remember, try to understand. Don’t be dull, dull-headed. Very intelligent.
(Sri Brahma-samhita, Verse 32 Excerpt — Los Angeles, August 14, 1972)
10)
“…yes. And our men, all our men should write. Otherwise how we shall know that he has understood the philosophy? Writing means sravanam kirtanam. Sravanam means hearing from the authority and again repeat it. This is our business, sravanam kirtanam visnoh, about Visnu, not for any politician or any other man. Sravanam kirtanam visnoh, about Krsna or Visnu. So that is success. Hear and repeat, hear and repeat. You haven’t got to manufacture. Any one of us, simply if you reproduce the purport which I have given in the Bhagavata, you become a good speaker.”
(Srila Prabhupada’s Arrival Address, June 20, 1975, Los Angeles)
11)
“Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated December 7, 1969 along with the article of Acyutananda. Your decision not to publish this article is correct. To the neophyte devotees we should issue instruction that there are four stages of understanding the absolute truth. The first stage is re-establishing our relationship with Krishna. This is the first stage. The second stage is after understanding our relationship, to perform devotional service under proper guidance. The third stage is acquisition of the desired object. The fourth stage is relishing the nectar of perfectional love. So Radha-Krishna lila belongs to the fourth stage of understanding, and we are publishing BTG for people in general to re-establish their forgotten relationship with Krishna. So we should always remember this and from Srimad-Bhagavatam, Bhagavad-Gita, and Isopanisad they should try to write how our relationship is revoked from this stage of forgetfulness. They should write articles like this: 1) Krishna, the omnipotent, 2) how God can be realized as all-pervasive, 3) the original source of everything, 4) transcendental process of hearing, 5) how one gets out of the clutches of maya, 6) prayers by arjuna, 7) prayers by kunti devi, 8) prayers by Bhismadeva. They should try to understand krishna first in so many ways which are described in our Bhagavatam. They should read them carefully and pick up subject matters as above mentioned. What general people will understand about Radha-Krishna lila? Immediately they will take it as ordinary boys and girls in spite of a thousand warnings, “This is not this, this is not this.” So you shall issue instruction that they should write articles on the subject matters as above mentioned. They should read our Bhagavatam. The purports are there: they should assimilate them in their own words in a literary career.”
(Srila Prabhupada’s Letter to Satsvarupa, December 13, 1969)
12)
“I hear from all our centers that they have instituted regular classes for writing articles and still you say they do not contribute sufficiently to Back to Godhead. How is that? I want all our students to write articles for our transcendental magazine.”
(Srila Prabhupada’s Letter to Satsvarupa, January 11, 1971)
13)
“Regarding your question about writing songs about krishna, this is not very important thing. You can write, but one cannot take it very seriously. If any vaisnava is writing song about krishna, that should be from one who himself has realized Krishna, just like our great saints and acaryas like Madhvacarya, Ramanujacarya, Rupa gosvami, six gosvamis, Bilvamangala, Bhaktivinode Thakura, like that. They are self-realized souls, therefore if they write something song about Krishna, that is perfectly from the transcendental platform, without any tinge of mundane influence or nonsense imagination. Unless someone comes in the category of these great leading vaisnava personalities, his manufacturing some songs will be misleading to himself and to others. And unless his writing of poems and songs can be accepted as gospel, as vedas or the Absolute Truth, such writing is diverting the attention from the subject matter only and should not be regarded very seriously. Now you should become serious to pursue this Krishna consciousness movement with full energy of body, mind and soul. If you are writing poems and songs, that’s alright, you can do it also, but if you can write articles for our Back to Godhead magazine, that is better, that is solid preaching work. No one should write songs of Krishna unless he is self-realized soul, that will spoil the value of the whole thing. But try to use your writing and singing talent for krishna’s preaching work, by writing articles, singing the kirtana, like that. Than you will be happy, and I think you should without further delay try to become devotees as the others are doing and live with us and practise the regulative principles of brahmacari life. In this way, become determined to fix your all attention for seeing Krishna face to face by the Krishna Consciousness process and than you shall qualify yourself for writing songs about Krishna and you chant always this Hare Krishna mantra you can come to the highest point of seeing Krishna very soon, you may know it for certain.”
(Srila Prabhupada’s Letter to Billy Reyburne, March 12, 1972)
14)
‘It is by the mercy of all these Vaisnavas and gurus that I attempt to write about the pastimes and qualities of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Whether I know or know not, it is for self purification that I write this book.”
The purport is that for transcendental writing one must be an authorized vaisnava and should write to purify oneself, not for credit. It may or may not be published, but one who is actually sincere in writing, all his ambitions will be fulfilled.”
(Srila Prabhupada’s Letter to Patita Uddharana, October 14, 1973)
15)
Hari-sauri: “That man from Delhi said that he thought you were an incarnation of Vyasadeva.
Prabhupada: Yes. Any devotee in literary career, he is to be understood… Just like our Vrndavana dasa Thakura. He is described as incarnation of Vyasadeva because Vyasadeva wrote Bhagavatam and he wrote Caitanya-bhagavata.
Pradyumna: Vyasa-puja.
Prabhupada: Vyasa-puja. Vyasa-prasadam. Unless one is blessed by Vyasadeva, he cannot write transcendental literature.”
(Srila Prabhupada’s Room Conversation, February 16, 1977, Mayapur)
16)
“Whatever you might write due to false pride, trying to surpass Sridhara Svami, would carry a contrary purport. Therefore no one would pay attention to it.
PURPORT
Srimad-Bhagavatam has many tikas, or commentaries, following the parampara system, but Sridhara Svami’s is first. The commentaries of all the other acaryas follow his. The parampara system does not allow one to deviate from the commentaries of the previous acaryas. By depending upon the previous acaryas, one can write beautiful commentaries. However, one cannot defy the previous acaryas.
The false pride that makes one think that he can write better than the previous acaryas will make one’s comments faulty. At the present moment it has become fashionable for everyone to write in his own way, but such writing is never accepted by serious devotees. Because of false pride, every scholar and philosopher wants to exhibit his learning by interpreting the sastras, especially Bhagavad-Gita and Srimad-Bhagavatam, in his own way. This system of commenting in one’s own way is fully condemned by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Therefore He says, ‘artha-vyasta’ likhana sei. Commentaries written according to one’s own philosophical way are never accepted; no one will appreciate such commentaries on the revealed scriptures.”
(Caitanya-caritamrta Antya 7.134 – The Meeting of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and Vallabha Bhatta)
17)
“I can see from your writing that you have got capacity to write, this is a great help. You can write articles for Back to Godhead, so writing capacity is not discouraged. And I shall always be glad to receive your long letters.”
(Srila Prabhupada’s Letter to Krsna dasa, October 21, 1968)
18)
“So far as reviews I think that there is no need to review nonsense books and give them publicity at our cost. The sincere theists and philosophers will surely appreciate our presentation of Bhagavad-gita as it is so you can write some articles on the basis of our discussions in this book or in Srimad-Bhagavatam.”
(Srila Prabhupada’s Letter to Janardana, December 19, 1968)
19)
By writing according to our realization we become more and more convinced and all doubts are destroyed.
( Srila Prabhupada, Letter to: Pusta Krsna – Hyderabad 23 March, 1973)