Bhagavad-gītā 4.10 lecture on Radhastami
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Calcutta, September 23, 1974
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Calcutta, September 23, 1974
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Nitāi: “Being freed from attachment, fear and anger, being fully absorbed in Me and taking refuge in Me, many, many persons in the past became purified by knowledge of Me—and thus they attained transcendental love for Me.”
Prabhupāda:
vīta-rāga-bhaya-krodhā
man-mayā mām upāśritāḥ
bahavo jñāna-tapasā
pūtā mad–bhāvam āgatāḥ
[Bg. 4.10]
So I think I can speak in English. Is that all right?
Guests: Yes, yes.
Prabhupāda: Nowadays, ladies, they can understand. This is the process. Mad–bhāvam āgatāḥ. Our thishuman form of life is meant for going back to Kṛṣṇa, back to home, back to Godhead. This Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is giving information to the people in general how to make life successful. What is that successful life? To go back to home, back to Godhead. This is not our home. This material world, this is foreign country. We are… Just like I am travelling all over the world. My home is in India, but I am going to so many countries, Europe, America, Canada, Australia, Africa… But my home is in India. This is a crude example. Similarly, we are all part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa. Mamaivāṁśo jīva-bhūtaḥ [Bg. 15.7]. Kṛṣṇa says. “All these living entities, they are My part and parcel.”
So Kṛṣṇa is sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ [Bs. 5.1]. Kṛṣṇa, His body is not material body. Those who are thinking Kṛṣṇa’s body as material, they are called Māyāvādīs. But actually, Kṛṣṇa’s body is not material. The evidence isthat Kṛṣṇa knows past, present and future. In the material body that is not possible. Just like I had my previous body in my previous birth, but I don’t remember. If somebody asks me, “What you were in your previous life?” itis very difficult. Because death means forgetfulness.
We are not dying. So far we are, living entities are concerned, we are not dying. Na hanyate hanyamāneśarīre [Bg. 2.20]. We do not die. This is a disease, that we accept a foreign body, material body. And the foreign body is a machine. Just like you have got a car. You can ride on, drive on the car so long the machine is working. But as soon as the machine does not work, you have to change your car. It is like that.
īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ
hṛd-deśe ‘rjuna tiṣṭhati
bhrāmayan sarva-bhūtāni
yantrārūḍhāni māyayā
[Bg. 18.61]
Yantrārūḍhāni māyayā. Īśvara, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is situated in everyone’s heart. And He isgiving us the facilities for material enjoyment. Because we have come here, we have come in this, in the material world, for sense enjoyment.
kṛṣṇa-bahirmukha hañā bhoga vāñchā kare
nikaṭa-stha māyā tāre jāpaṭiyā dhare
(Prema-vivarta)
This is a simple poetry given by a Vaiṣṇava. As soon as we want to enjoy life independently, immediately māyācaptures. So this is simple presentation.
From śāstra it is understood that Kṛṣṇa, who is sitting within your heart, He knows what you are willing. You cannot conceal anything from Kṛṣṇa. Anumantā upadraṣṭā. The Paramātmā is described as upadraṣṭā, seeing everything. So because we have come to this material world for sense enjoyment, Kṛṣṇa is giving us chance. “All right.” Sarvasya cāhaṁ hṛdi sanniviṣṭo mattaḥ smṛtir jñānam apohanaṁ ca [Bg. 15.15]. Kṛṣṇa says, “I am sitting in everyone’s heart.” And because the living entity wanted to do something for his sense enjoyment, He gives the chance, “All right, here is the chance. You can do it.” But actually, Kṛṣṇa does not want it. But we want it. We want it. Just like a father says, “My dear boy, you do not do this. You do this.” But the son insists, “No, I’ll do this.” So therefore father also says, “All right, do it at your risk.”
Similarly, this material enjoyment is not required because we are spiritual entity. We have nothing to do withthis… Asaṅgo ‘yaṁ puruṣaḥ. We have no connection with this material world. But somehow or other, we are attached to this material enjoyment and we have forgotten Kṛṣṇa, we have forgotten our home, we have forgotten our real identity. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says here, vīta-rāga-bhaya-krodhāḥ [Bg. 2.56]. Vīta-rāga-bhaya-krodhā man-mayā mām upāśritāḥ [Bg. 4.10]. If somebody understands that “This is not my home. I am wandering in these foreign countries,” that is knowledge. But those who have no knowledge, they think that theyare this body.
yasyātma-buddhiḥ kuṇape tri-dhātuke
sva-dhīḥ kalatrādiṣu bhauma ijya-dhīḥ
yat-tīrtha-buddhiḥ salile na karhicij
janeṣv abhijñeṣu sa eva go-kharaḥ
[SB 10.84.13]
This is animal conception of life. “I am this body.” “I am Indian.” “I am Hindu.” “I am Muslim.” “I am American.” “I am Christian.” “I am Hindu.” Like that. This is all bodily conception. Sa eva go-kharaḥ [SB 10.84.13]. This conception of life is animal conception.
Just like a dog. He does not know that he is spirit soul. He cannot understand. Ahaṁ brahmāsmi. He cannotunderstand. It is in the human body one can understand that “I am not this body.” A human body canunderstand what is written in the Bhagavad-gītā. Tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ [Bg. 2.13]. You have to change your body. You do not know what change is going to be happened. But you have to change your body. How? There are so many bodies. Cats, dogs, demigods, and so many others. You have to accept. According to your karma.Karmaṇā daiva-netreṇa [SB 3.31.1], by the judgement of superior authority, and according to your karma,you’ll get a body.
So this is the problem of life, and in the human form of life there is chance of understanding what is theproblem of life. The problem is that “I am eternal spirit soul. Ahaṁ brahmāsmi. I am not this body.” That, thatis called knowledge.
Knowledge, nowadays they are fond of the technical knowledge, but try to understand what is the technical knowledge. In Boston I was invited by the Massachusetts Technical Institute. So I asked them, all the students, that “What has, what is that technology that when this machine stops to work, what technology you have got to get this machine again working? Have you got any department?” So they could not answer that, but they were very much attracted.
And we are now sending our representative all over the world to the scientists. Here is Dr. Svarūpa DāmodaraPh.D… He is from California. He has passed his chemistry and he has written one book. So in Manipur, he was, he was invited by many universities, schools, colleges.
So this movement is not a sentimental movement. It is the scientific movement. It is the most elevated, scientific movement. If you are a scientist, you can question. Here is scientist present. He will answer you scientifically. Don’t take this movement as some something sentimental. Authorized movement. We are speaking the science which is given by Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Authority.
So here Kṛṣṇa is giving you the idea, how you can get out of this material entanglement. Vīta-rāga-bhaya-krodhāḥ [Bg. 2.56]. In the material life we are attached to four things: āhāra-nidrā-bhaya… Bhaya means fearfulness. So the fearfulness must be there. Because we accepted this material body, there must be always, we must be always afraid. Not only we, even a small ant or birds and beasts, everyone. Sadā samudvigna-dhiyāmasad-grahāt [SB 7.5.5]. Always full of anxiety. Why? Asad-grahāt. Because we have accepted this body, asat. Asato mā gama, sad gama. That is the Vedic injunction. “Don’t keep yourself in this asat material world.” Sadgama. Jyotir gama. Tamasi mā. These are the Vedic injunctions.
So here Kṛṣṇa says that “Many people…” Bahavaḥ. Not only one or two. Kṛṣṇa says, bahavo jñāna-tapasā.Jñāna, knowledge, and tapasā, austerities. So this human life is meant for jñāna and tapasā. Then we become purified. Jñāna-tapasā pūtā. Pūtā means purified. We have to purify our existence. This is human activity. Just like we are training. We are training our students how to become purified. No illicit sex life, no intoxication, no gambling, and what is the other?
Brahmānanda: No meat-eating.
Prabhupāda: No meat-eating. You have to purify yourself. That is the injunction of all Vedic literature.
tapasā brahmacaryeṇa
śamena ca damena ca
tyāgena satya-śaucābhyāṁ
yamena niyamena vā
[SB 6.1.13]
So if we don’t take to tapasya and don’t take to knowledge, then this human form of life is spoiled. That, that,this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is meant for this purpose.
So today is Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī’s birthday, Rādhāṣṭamī. So we called you for meeting. This Rādhārāṇī, about some, Rādhārāṇī… Because this Rādhārāṇī is the source of spiritual inspiration. Source of spiritual inspiration.Apareyam itas tu viddhi me prakṛtiṁ parām, jīva-bhūtāṁ mahā-bāho… Prakṛtiṁ parām [Bg. 7.5]. Theaparā-prakṛti is this material world, bhūmir āpo ‘nalo vāyuḥ [Bg. 7.4].
And there is another prakṛti, parā-prakṛti. That is also mentioned here: mad–bhāvam. Mad–bhāvam meansthe nature in which Kṛṣṇa is there. In this material nature, although Kṛṣṇa is there, but we do not understand. We cannot see Kṛṣṇa. That is material, forgetfulness of Kṛṣṇa. But when you remember Kṛṣṇa even in thismaterial world, then it becomes spiritual.
Just like this temple. This temple is the opportunity of remembering Kṛṣṇa. Here is Kṛṣṇa worship. Here youcan remember Kṛṣṇa. Here is the inmates of this temple. They are chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa Hare Kṛṣṇa KṛṣṇaKṛṣṇa Hare Hare, Hare Rāma Hare Rāma… So that is called mām upāśritāḥ. Mām upāśritāḥ. They have takenthe shelter of the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa. And man-mayā, and always thinking of Kṛṣṇa. And vīta-rāga-bhaya-krodhāḥ [Bg. 2.56]. Rāga, we have got some attachment, this material attachment. But as soon as you become attached to Kṛṣṇa, you’ll be detached to this material world. That is… Bhaktiḥ pareśānubhavo viraktir anyatrasyāt [SB 11.2.42]. That is the test of bhakti.
Bhakti means… When you are advanced in bhakti… Bhaktiḥ pareśānubhavo viraktir anyatra syāt. That isthe test. The example is… Just like when you are hungry, you are given some food, you are eating voraciously. But when you are satisfied, you’ll say, “No more. No more.” Similarly, when you get Kṛṣṇa, then you will say, “No more. No more material necessities.”
Just like Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, the point of realization: na dhanaṁ na janaṁ na sundarīṁ kavitāṁ vājagadīśa kāmaye [Cc. Antya 20.29, Śikṣāṣṭaka 4]. He says, “I don’t want these material riches, dhanam.”Everyone is after money. “Money, money, money.” But Caitanya Mahāprabhu says, na dhanam, “I don’t want money.” Na dhanaṁ na janam. “Don’t want followers.” Everyone wants to become leader and some followers.Caitanya Mahāprabhu says that “What is the use of becoming leader of these fools?” Na dhanaṁ na janaṁ nasundarīṁ kavitāṁ vā. Everyone wants very beautiful, obedient wife. He says, “That also I don’t want.” Then what do You want? Mama janmani janmanīśvare bhavatād bhaktir ahaitukī tvayi [Cc. Antya 20.29,Śikṣāṣṭaka 4]. It is so pleasure, it is so great a pleasure that if you come to this bhakti platform, if you realize little, then you’ll forget all these things.
Svāmin kṛtārtho ‘smi varaṁ na yāce [Cc. Madhya 22.42]. Just like Dhruva Mahārāja said. When he… He went to the forest for getting some material profit, but when he realized God, when he saw Kṛṣṇa, Viṣṇu, he…Viṣṇu wanted, “Now you take benediction, whatever you want.” He said, svāmin kṛtārtho ‘smi varaṁ na yāce: “Svāmin, I am now satisfied.” So this is the position that yaṁ labdhvā cāparaṁ lābhaṁ manyate nādhikaṁtataḥ.
So if you take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then these are the result. Vīta-rāga-bhaya-krodhāḥ [Bg. 2.56].Krodha means when we cannot satisfy our senses in the… We try to satisfy our senses… Just like the jackal. He wanted to eat some grapes, but jumping, jumping, he could not get. Then, in krodha, he says, “Oh, it is useless. It is sour. We don’t want.” So this krodha, in the absence of sense gratification, there is krodha. Kāma eṣakrodha eṣa rajo-guṇa-samudbhavaḥ.
So Kṛṣṇa says, man-mayā, “being always absorbed in Me.” Man-mayā, mayā, mayā, mayā. Vikārārthe mayārthe.(?)When, just like, one thing is covered with gold, it is called svarṇamaya. Similarly, when… We are now materially covered. When we become covered with Kṛṣṇa consciousness, that is called man-mayā. Man-mayā, always thinking of Kṛṣṇa. How it is possible? Man-mayā mām upāśritāḥ. When you take shelter ofKṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa is so kind, He gives you shelter. He says,
sarva-dharmān parityajya
mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja
ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo
mokṣayiṣyāmi mā śucaḥ
[Bg. 18.66]
We cannot become kṛṣṇamaya so long we are sinful
yeṣāṁ tv anta-gataṁ pāpaṁ
janānāṁ puṇya-karmaṇām
te dvandva-moha-nirmuktā
bhajante māṁ dṛḍha-vratāḥ
[Bg. 7.28]
So these are the formulas. So one has to become man-mayā. By taking shelter of Kṛṣṇa, one has to become absorbed in thinking of Kṛṣṇa. That is not very difficult. Man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁnamaskuru [Bg. 18.65]. It is not at all difficult. You simply chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. You’ll be man-mayā. Thisis so nice thing. Therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu has recommended,
harer nāma harer nāma harer nāmaiva kevalam
kalau nāsty eva nāsty eva nāsty eva gatir anyathā
[Cc. Ādi 17.21]
So our request is… Everyone who is present here… Today is Rādhāṣṭamī. So pray to Rādhārāṇī. And She is hare,harā. This hare, this word, is Rādhārāṇī. Harā, Rādhārāṇī. Rādhā or harā the same thing. So Hare Kṛṣṇa. So we are praying to Rādhārāṇī, “My Mother, Rādhārāṇī, and Kṛṣṇa.” Hare Kṛṣṇa. “O Kṛṣṇa, O the Lord.” HareKṛṣṇa Hare Kṛṣṇa, the same thing, repetition. “O Rādhārāṇī, O Kṛṣṇa.” “O Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa.” “Rādhe-Kṛṣṇa” or “Hare Kṛṣṇa,” the same thing. Hare Kṛṣṇa Hare Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Hare Hare. Again addressing, “O Kṛṣṇa, OKṛṣṇa, O Rādhārāṇī.” Hare Rāma. The same thing, again. Hare Rāma. Rāma is also Kṛṣṇa. Rāma is Rāma,Rāma is Balarāma. They are all Kṛṣṇa. Hare Rāma Hare Rāma Rāma Rāma Hare Hare. So this repetition of addressing Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa or Hare Kṛṣṇa is to pray, “My dear Lord, the, and the energy, the spiritual energy of the Lord, kindly engage me in Your service.” That’s all. “I am now embarrassed with this material service. Please engage me in Your service.”
This is good sense. We are servants here. We are engaged in so many services. But it is not giving us comfort.Na trapā nopaśānti. The service which we are rendering to others, they are not satisfied, I am not satisfied. Thisis material service. But if you give service to Kṛṣṇa… Svalpam apy asya dharmasya trāyate mahato bhayāt. A little service can save you from the greatest danger. This is the formula.
Just like Ajāmila. Ajāmila, in his boyhood, he was brāhmaṇa. He was giving service to Viṣṇu. But in young age he became a victim of a prostitute, and he fell down. But at the end, ante nārāyaṇa-smṛtiḥ [SB 2.1.6], whenYamadūta was coming and were so fearful, he did not know whom to take shelter, but he was attached to his youngest son, whose name was Nārāyaṇa. So he thought, “This Nārāyaṇa would give me protection.” So he asked him, “Nārāyaṇa!” But at the same time he remembered that “That Nārāyaṇa, oh, hm, I sometimes gave service.” So immediately Nārāyaṇa saved him. Svalpam apy asya dharmasya trāyate mahato bhayāt.
So it is our duty therefore… That is the duty of human life, to become Kṛṣṇa conscious. And that is stated here. Vīta-rāga-bhaya-krodhā man-mayā mām upāśritāḥ, bahavaḥ [Bg. 4.10]. It is not that one or two. Many.Jñāna-tapasā. Jñāna. That is required, knowledge and tapasya. That is human life. If, if we remain just like cats and dogs, eat, sleep and have sex life, beget children and die someday, this is cats’ and dogs’ life. This is not human life. Human life is different. Man-mayā mām upāśritāḥ. Jñāna-tapasā pūtā. To become purified by knowledge and tapasya. Tapo divyaṁ yena śuddhyet sattvam [SB 5.5.1]. That is the statement of Ṛṣabhadeva. Everywhere. We have to purify our existence, and get out of this repetition of birth and death. That is success of life.
So we shall pray to Rādhārāṇī… What is Rādhārāṇī? Rādhārāṇī is the pleasure potency of Kṛṣṇa. Pleasure potency. Parāsya śaktir vividhaiva śrūyate [Cc. Madhya 13.65, purport]. The Supreme Lord has many potencies. Na tasya kāryam karaṇaṁ ca vidyate. Therefore He has nothing to do. He has got so many potencies. Just like big man, a rich man. He’s sitting. But his energies, his potencies, are working. Big, big factory. And he knows everything. Similarly, parāsya śaktir vividhaiva śrūyate. He has got many multi-potencies. One of them is this pleasure potency. Pleasure potency…
He also wants pleasure. So when Kṛṣṇa wants… Kṛṣṇa is Paraṁ Brahman. He cannot enjoy anything material. He has to create the source of enjoyment by His own spiritual potency. That is Rādhārāṇī. So Rādhārāṇī is described in the śāstra: rādhā-kṛṣṇa-praṇaya-vikṛtir hlādinī-śaktir asmād [Cc. Ādi 1.5]. That isKṛṣṇa’s hlādinī-śakti. She gives pleasure to Kṛṣṇa. So She is very kind. And today is Rādhāṣṭamī. If we pray to Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī… Therefore in Vṛndāvana you’ll see. They are first of all glorifying, “Jaya Rādhe!”Everywhere you’ll hear. “Jaya Rādhe.”
Guest: Jaya Rādhe.
Prabhupāda: To glorify Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī. So if Rādhārāṇī’s pleased, he’ll be able to approach Kṛṣṇa very easily. And that is the goal of our life. That is the goal of life. Vīta-rāga-bhaya-krodhā man-mayā māmupāśritāḥ [Bg. 4.10]. Mām upāśritāḥ means you have to take… You cannot take shelter of Kṛṣṇa directly. You have to take shelter of His potency.
Kṛṣṇa is therefore trying to help us. Guru-kṛṣṇa-kṛpāya pāya bhakti-latā-bīja [Cc. Madhya 19.151]. He iswithin. He is called caitya-guru. If you are purified… Kṛṣṇa… Buddhi-yogaṁ dadāmi tam. He’ll directly speak you. And so long you cannot, then He sends His representative, the spiritual master, the guru. You can ask through the spiritual master about Kṛṣṇa. Yasya prasādād bhagavat-prasādaḥ **.
So in this way we have to be absorbed in the thought of Kṛṣṇa. We have to take shelter of Kṛṣṇa. Then… If you take shelter of Kṛṣṇa, this jñāna…
vāsudeve bhagavati
bhakti-yogaḥ prayojitaḥ
janayaty āśu vairāgyaṁ
jñānaṁ ca yad ahaitukam
[SB 1.2.7]
The same thing. Kṛṣṇa will speak. Kṛṣṇa is within you. Simply you have to take shelter of Kṛṣṇa, always thinking of Kṛṣṇa, chant Hare Kṛṣṇa Hare Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Hare Hare, Hare Rāma Hare Rāma…
Guests: Hare Rāma Rāma Rāma Hare Hare.
Prabhupāda: Thank you very much. That’s all. (end)
http://prabhupadabooks.com/classes/bg/4/10/calcutta/september/23/1974
pamho agtacbsp, Sri radhastami mahotsava ki jay,this is talking straight away by convincing people to take to krsna consciousness,with the power of brahmacharya through the purity.that’s the proof of the perfect hare krsna devotees.Srimati radharani is so merciful that Sri krsna accept us through her when She say this living entity is better then me please accept him, then She say I don’t know what make Sri krsna happy however if He is happy to see me distressed that distress is for me the highest happiness,
is not the case that Sri-ji is a female by having to deal with jivatma in para prakrti that’s means we are all female nature and Sri krsna took the form of the supreme female beauty called Sri-ji because the real beauty is beyond the factor time and is not stinky at all, bhakti come first in everything then wealth ,health ,span of life,beauty etc..will follow within bhakti anyatra syat. varsane ki chori,akheli nah in She is the theft of varsana and She is never alone I mean the butter thief is always with her and all the vaisnavas are always with Them. Sri mating radharani avirbhava mahotsava ki jay agtacbsp ys haribol
Pamho agtacbsp, SRI RADHASTAMI MAHOTVA KI JAI,nice class by HDG ACBSP,today is the most auspicious day to ask to SRIMATI RADHARANI to destroy all our hidden enemies in such way we can surrender to HER by getting the lotus feet of SRI KRSNA BHAGAVAT through bhakti paresanu bhavo viraktir anyatra syat,to chant RADHARANI KI JAY MAHARANI KI JAY BOLO VARSANE VARI KI JAY JAY JAY, three times today by begging the mercy of SRI-JI,anyway any sincere sadhaka chant the song to SRIMATI RADHARANI THREE TIMES DAILY and not just today plus the song to SRI CAITANYA MAHAPRABHU and SRI NITYANANDA RAM,but today is very special day to make spiritual advancement by coming closer to our best friend SRI KRISHNA through our eternal guru maharaj SRI-JI, SRI KRSNA and all the paraphernalia connected to THEM.agtacbsp ys haribol