19810912 Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.8.9

The following is a class given by His Holiness Jayapatākā Swami Mahārāja on September 12, 1981 in Miami, Florida. The class begins with a reading from the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam Canto 1, Chapter 8, Text 9.

oṁ ajñāna-timirāndhasya jñānāñjana-śalākayā
cakṣur unmīlitaṁ yena tasmai śrī-gurave namaḥ

nāma oṁ viṣṇu-pādāya kṛṣṇa-preṣṭhāya bhū-tale
śrīmate bhaktivedānta-svāmin iti nāmine
namas te sārasvate deve gaura-vāṇī-pracāriṇe
nirviśeṣa-śūnyavādi-pāścātya-deśa-tāriṇe

śrī-caitanya-mano-'bhīṣṭaṁ
sthāpitaṁ yena bhū-tale
svayam rūpaḥ kadā mahyaṁ
dadāti sva-padāntikam

namo mahā-vadānyāya
kṛṣṇa-prema-pradāya te
kṛṣṇāya kṛṣṇa-caitanya-
nāmne gaura-tviṣe namaḥ

he kṛṣṇa karuṇā-sindho
dīna-bandho jagat-pate
gopeśa gopikā-kānta
rādhā-kānta namo 'stu te

tapta-kāñcana-gaurāṅgī
rādhe vṛndāvaneśvarī
vṛṣabhānu-sute devī
praṇamāmi hari-priye

jaya śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanya
prabhu-nityānanda
jayādvaita gadādhara
śrīvāsādi-gaura-bhakta-vṛnda

Hare Kṛṣṇa Hare Kṛṣṇa
Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Hare Hare
Hare Rāma Hare Rāma
Rāma Rāma Hare Hare

oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya!

nārāyaṇaṁ namaskṛtya
naraṁ caiva narottamam
devīṁ sarasvatīṁ vyāsaṁ
tato jayam udīrayet

mūkaṁ karoti vācālaṁ
paṅguṁ laṅghayate girim
yat-kṛpā tam ahaṁ vande
śrī-guruṁ dīna-tāraṇam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.8.9

uttarovāca
pāhi pāhi mahā-yogin
deva-deva jagat-pate
nānyaṁ tvad abhayaṁpaśye
yatra mṛtyuḥ parasparam 

uttarā uvāca — Uttarā said; pāhi pāhi — protect, protect; mahā-yogin — the greatest mystic; deva-deva — the worshipable of the worshiped; jagat-pate — O Lord of the universe; na — not; anyāṁ — anyone else; tvat — than You; abhayam — fearlessness; paśye — do I see; yatra — where there is; mṛtyuḥ — death; parasparam — in the world of duality.

Purport by His Divine Grace Śrīla A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda: This material world is the world of duality, in contrast with the oneness of the absolute realm. The world of duality is composed of matter and spirit, whereas the absolute world is complete spirit without any tinge of the material qualities. In the dual world everyone is falsely trying to become the master of the world, whereas in the absolute world the Lord is the absolute Lord, and all others are His absolute servitors. In the world of duality everyone is envious of all others, and death is inevitable due to the dual existence of matter and spirit. The Lord is the only shelter of fearlessness for the surrendered soul. One cannot save himself from the cruel hands of death in the material world without having surrendered himself at the lotus feet of the Lord.

Thus end the Purport by His Divine Grace Śrīla A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda.

Jayapatākā Swami: Uttarā, the widow of the son of Arjuna was approaching the protector of the Pāṇḍavas, Bhagavān Śrī Kṛṣṇa, because Mahārāja Parīkṣit in her womb was being threatened or attacked by brahmāstra weapon. The Pāṇḍavas were completely surrendered unto Kṛṣṇa, they completely dependent upon Kṛṣṇa; therefore Kṛṣṇa took a special care of them.

Śrīla Prabhupāda here in the purports, he very clearly explains that the Lord is equal to everyone. He takes care of everyone, but that devotee who completely depends upon Him, He takes a special care. Just like a father takes care of all the children but the little children, a child who completely depends upon the father naturally he takes his special attention. So here is the secret for our success, “We should be so simple like a little child, simply depending upon Kṛṣṇa.”

Although this statement may appear very simple, but actually we can see that this is one of the great secrets of devotional service, one of the great mysteries. Because, by that simple attitude of faith and dependence, along with that dependence that… dependence means one is having faith. You can't depend on someone unless you have faith in him. So that dependence means that they have complete faith in Kṛṣṇa. And because they have complete faith in Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa never lets them down. He always protects them.

Sometimes those devotees who are going out and preaching in the field, they want to know, “How to increase their preaching effectiveness or how they can become more Kṛṣṇa conscious in their service?” Here we see the secret is given by Uttarā Devī as explained by Śrīla Prabhupāda; that is to completely depend upon Kṛṣṇa. Not that we depend on our false ego or we depend upon some apparent material ability. The real quality is to depend upon Kṛṣṇa to reach the heart every person we speak to in this material world, Kṛṣṇa is there in the heart. Why even the people we speak to? He is even in the heart of the snakes, of the animals, of the birds, of every creature.

When Haridāsa Ṭhākura was sitting in the cave, the guhā at Phulia, just by the side of the Ganges in Nadia District, and the devotees would come to visit him, there was a big snake there. And they were always very frightened about this snake, because going for a darśana when you have a snake, not ordinary snake but a man-eating python about twenty, thirty feet long. Just while you are having darśana there on the one side is a python. So naturally one could get a bit nervous under such a situation. So, this was the exact position of those devotees or brāhmaṇas who were coming to see Haridāsa Ṭhākura.

So, they were requesting him that, "Don't stay here. It’s a bit dangerous place.” He said, "There is nothing to worry about.” But they were always feeling a bit nervous. So, one day he decided, "Let me go out, so that these people coming may not be disturbed.” As soon as he decided to leave that cave, the snake got up and left. Why? Because Kṛṣṇa was in his heart, didn't want his devotee to go through the difficulty of leaving. He just told the snake, "Go on out.” Generally, Kṛṣṇa doesn't interfere, but sometimes, to please a devotee, then Kṛṣṇa takes some special care.

When Haridāsa Ṭhākura was being beaten in 22 market places by those demons, Lord Caitanya revealed to Haridāsa Ṭhākura during His mahā-prakāśa-līlā that, "I personally came there with My Sudarśana cakra to cut off their heads, but when you were wishing them all good, you were wishing them all benediction, how could I cut off their heads?” So instead Lord Caitanya took the beating from those demons.

So similarly, when the devotee preaching and is meeting a person, Kṛṣṇa in that person's heart, by the blessings, by the good will, by the complete dependence and surrender of that devotee, that person's heart can be touched by Kṛṣṇa as a special mercy, and for the preacher to feel that it is Kṛṣṇa's mercy, only that someone's heart was touched is the real understanding, free from all type of dangers of illusion.

We can see how, this mother Uttarā was completely sinless. You see, how she was completely unassuming. She simply wanted to take the shelter of Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa doesn't turn away surrendered souls.

In this material world if someone wants to surrender, there is ever the chance that the person will not accept that service, because it does not suit his interest. Therefore, there are so many deserted partners from marriage; there are so many lost lovers, so many unemployed people, because everything, even the so-called love of this material world is on a business level. But the relationship between the devotee and Kṛṣṇa is on the level of kṛṣṇa-prema, on level of pure love and affection. Therefore Kṛṣṇa, He doesn't refuse the service of a pure devotee, someone who is simply giving that service to please Kṛṣṇa.

Haridāsa Ṭhākura was asked by one lady devotee that, "What is the best way of chanting? There are different opinions. Some say chant loudly, some say chant softly, some say chant mentally. What is the best way?” So Haridāsa Ṭhākura revealed that, “The best way of chanting is loudly. That loud chanting is 100 times more effective than soft chanting. Because by loud chanting, so many other living entities are benefited by hearing the Harināma.”

Hearing the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra, animals, birds, beasts, even micro-organisms they all benefited. So, by serving others, by bringing them closer to Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa is specially merciful and one gets forgiven for offenses. When one gets forgiven for offenses, the path of devotional service becomes very easy and one advances most quickly. Therefore, loud chanting is more effective. Similarly, from this we can understand, that service which is bringing more people to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, that service which is bringing more people into the service of Kṛṣṇa, frees one from offenses and that’s why it is more effective. It is more purifying.

If one dedicates his life for preaching Kṛṣṇa consciousness, for distributing Śrīla Prabhupāda's books, for establishing the message of Caitanya Mahāprabhu in the world, then by broadcasting that message, just like loud chanting, by loud broadcasting, one is getting purified of offenses. That means that one’s chanting and one’s devotional service will get special shelter by Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa. It will be more effective.

So, we should take these very secret and wonderful lessons to heart. If one wants to make a special advancement, very quick return back to the spiritual perfectional platform, then we need to take all the advantages that are at our… that are available. So, this loud broadcasting of the Harināma, preaching of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, this is how we can advance more efficiently, more rapidly.

Sometimes devotees think, “First, let me read a lot or do a lot of preliminary work, then I will begin my preaching career.” But after we have a basic understanding of Kṛṣṇa Consciousness, actually it is the preaching which makes us more purified quicker. Because this is not a scholastic exercise that we understand Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Otherwise all these big scholars had read the different books they’d all be, you see, realized souls. But in spite of reading the books of Caitanya Mahāprabhu or Kṛṣṇa they don’t understand. Because Kṛṣṇa keeps Himself covered by yogamāyā, except to His devotee. Na me… bhaktyā mām abhijānāti - except for the devotee no one can know Him. So therefore, simply by scholastic endeavor or by other type of external endeavor, because of so many subtle offenses that we are liable to commit, this will not be as effective. It will be much slower than engaging ourselves in actively distributing the mercy of Lord Nitāi-Gaura.

Why the Kṛṣṇa conscious movement has expanded so quickly? Because the devotees have become purified. Purity is our force and preaching is the essence. Because they preach therefore that helps the purity internally. But here we can see the danger. If we lose our dependence on Kṛṣṇa, then naturally Kṛṣṇa, He will not protect us to that same extent; because we are not asking always in our heart of heart for that protection. We are thinking that, “I know how to do. I am very expert.” Then what happens is, we miss out from Lord Caitanya's mercy. So very intensively we have to maintain always our complete dependence and faith on Kṛṣṇa.

In this material world to be dependent on someone means to be weak. Because ultimately anyone in this material world can let us down. Because they are all subject to the influence of the senses, no matter how faithful the wife, how faithful the husband, how faithful a friend, when it comes to the attachment to the senses and different allurements of the senses, there is every possibility of fall down and other considerations are forgotten. They fall prey to the senses, when different allurement comes or they become angry. Even Lord Brahmā was running after his daughter at one point. So, these senses are so strong that if we depend on another conditioned soul in this material world, naturally we will be let down sooner or later. Therefore, it is a weakness. But to depend on Kṛṣṇa, because Kṛṣṇa is never under the influence of this material world; He is always transcendental, this was even accepted by Śaṅkarācārya – “nārāyaṇaḥ paro 'vyaktāt - Because Śrī Kṛṣṇa has a transcendental form, which is above the contact of this material world.”

kṛṣṇa — sūrya-sama; māyā haya andhakāra
yāhāṅ kṛṣṇa, tāhāṅ nāhi māyāra adhikāra
[Cc Madhya 22.31]

Kṛṣṇa is like the sun and nescience is like darkness. Wherever there is Kṛṣṇa, there is no nescience. Darkness cannot stand before the light of Kṛṣṇa. Last night, it was pitch black, because there were rain clouds in the sky. But as soon as the sun started to come, even before it came, there was illumination. Similarly, for the devotee who is preaching, the devotee who is dedicating and depending on Kṛṣṇa, even before Kṛṣṇa is fully visible, just like the sun rising in the east, already the sky becomes illuminated, already the person's consciousness becomes illuminated and becomes inspired with Kṛṣṇa Consciousness.

Śrīla Prabhupāda very proudly would tell the people in India, how the Christian priests were commenting that, “Your boys and girls of your Hare Kṛṣṇa Movement their faces are very bright. How do they get this effulgence or brightness in their face?” He was very proud of that. Because even they may not have all realized Kṛṣṇa directly or may not have realized Kṛṣṇa face to face, but even in the preliminary stages, as Kṛṣṇa is coming closer to the devotee who is depending on Him, already there is illumination. Already there is, the light is taking away the darkness, and one can see things as they are; who is happy in this material world and who is not happy.

Therefore, those who say that, one should spend so much time studying or so much time preparing, after one has the basic understanding, basic preparation, there is no need to wait until one becomes fully Kṛṣṇa-realized, then one should preach. No. Because we have so many offenses, we need to preach as soon as we are strong enough to do so to get rid of those offenses. That will bring us close to Kṛṣṇa. That will attract Kṛṣṇa to us, because we depend on Him.

Why, Kṛṣṇa was immediately attracted, when Uttarā ran up and said,

pāhi pāhi mahā-yogin
deva-deva jagat-pate
nānyaṁ tvad abhayaṁ paśye
yatra mṛtyuḥ parasparam
[SB 1.8.9]

Nānyaṁ - no one else. tvad - except for You. No one else is there to protect me except for You. And not even that she wants her own protection, but she is praying for the protection of the embryo in her womb. Similarly, the devotee praying for the deliverance of the foolish people who may show some little attraction for Kṛṣṇa, they are stopping, they are hearing, they are showing some attraction.

Yesterday in the Miami airport we were sitting down; you see, and there right next to us there was one 60, 70-year-old lady who was reading the science of self-realization in Spanish. Very much absorbed in Śrīla Prabhupāda's literature. Very enlightening to the heart to see how the people, they like Śrīla Prabhupāda's literature. That means that they are having some attachment, some attraction to Kṛṣṇa. And the devotee praying to Kṛṣṇa for their deliverance, praying for their mercy, depending on Kṛṣṇa, those who are little bit attached, naturally, they will be able to get the mercy. So, this is the perfect platform to attract Kṛṣṇa to us.

Śrīla Prabhupāda said, "Do not try to see Kṛṣṇa, act in such a way that Kṛṣṇa want to see you". So, in this way, just as she was crying to Kṛṣṇa, for protecting the embryo dependent, this whole world is dependent on the preachers of the Kṛṣṇa Consciousness. There is no other hope. Who else is preaching pure God Consciousness in this world?

In the Western world, there is not even a trace, there is not even a resemblance. So therefore, that means that these people who are, just like in the Bhagavad-gītā describes, one of the stages is like, womb - embryo in the womb that is considered to be very covered up, and other is like, fire in the smoke - fire covered by smoke. So, there may be some people who are like fire covered by smoke, but the animals, they are considered like, the embryo covered by the womb.

So practically we can see that in the Western countries many of the people, they are completely absorbed in... although human beings, they fit the description that Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura and other great saints – “They are animals without horns and without tail. They don’t have any spiritual concept at all. They’re simply acting on the basis of the senses.”

So even if they are at the stage, where they are on embryo, covered by the womb, then the devotee out of compassion, just like Uttarā out of compassion for her embryo on her womb can see that there is no other person to help, and the brahmāstra, the deadly weapon of death, is approaching them very soon, much sooner than they expect; it may only be moments away; therefore, the devotee is praying to give these souls, the mercy.

Because Nitāi-Gaura so merciful, They want, “Pāpī-tāpī jata chilo hari-nāme uddhārila - every fallen soul to get this mercy.” Therefore, They hear these sincere prayers and therefore people take these transcendental literatures and they are benefited. The preacher is benefited. He is being forgiven by so many offenses. He is attracting Kṛṣṇa. He is learning to depend on Kṛṣṇa. He is being purified. And the person is being actually saved. He is being saved from the indestructible hand of death.

Simply by even reading one word, in the transcendental literature Śrīla Prabhupāda explained, that begins one’s spiritual life. Each word describes in the Bhāgavatam, janatāgha-viplavo - It's like a revolution in the sinful life of the people.” Even if they read one word, that is the beginning. That has begun their connection with Kṛṣṇa. That has given them the first spiritual step.

Then again, they will be inclined to read more, to do some more service, to have some more contact. Gradually build up the spiritual bank balance, their spiritual credits. When they have enough sukṛti, then they will be eligible also to engage directly in pure devotional service for Kṛṣṇa. It is simply a matter of time. The more intensely that one can engage, the more rapidly one can reach pure devotional service. But there has to be a beginning somewhere.

That someone has come in the movement and is distributing the mercy of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu means that he has got some special mercy in previous lives or in this life from devotees of the Lord. What a greater, what a wonderful engagement and to give that same mercy to others - Begin or help their spiritual life along? The more mercy they get in that way. As long as this is given, in such a way that, they are not inimical. They don’t become resentful of getting that mercy. Then they make a pure advancement without any inebriation and any inebriety.

So, we can take a very nice instruction from this śloka. Feeling compassion like Uttarā felt compassion for embryo, for the people in this material world, who are covered like an embryo in the womb with so many materialistic desires, but somehow or another if their mind becomes attracted to Kṛṣṇa or engage in Kṛṣṇa's service, hearing, remembering, chanting: These are all services to Kṛṣṇa.

When they read, that’s a kīrtana, it's also a śravaṇa: a hearing, a chanting. And when they try to understand, when they remember that - this is all part of remembering. In this way they are engaging in different services. By engaging in these nine practices of devotional service, they become connected with Kṛṣṇa. Then they are further purified as friends of Kṛṣṇa, as devotees, as preachers. In this way, all good fortune is achieved.

Yesterday we read that the witch Māyā, practically speaking, ghostly haunts the materialists; therefore, they are very nervous. But when someone who is haunted by this witch Māyā meets a pure saint, pure devotee of Kṛṣṇa, who is representing Kṛṣṇa for the purpose of delivering fallen souls, and when that empowered devotee speaks Kṛṣṇa consciousness; sings various songs, that drives away that witch Māyā, and frees that person from the illusion; therefore, it is essential that devotees give their association to the innocent people and free them from the clutches of māyā.

Without that association, without hearing Kṛṣṇa consciousness, without getting the transcendental literatures which give that same association, then they are always running away from Kṛṣṇa. And as long as they are running away from Kṛṣṇa, keeping their face away from Kṛṣṇa, being under the clutches of māyā, then māyā kicks them.

kṛṣṇa bhuli' sei jīva anādi-bahirmukha
ataeva māyā tāre deya saṁsāra-duḥkha
[Cc Madhya 20.117]

They are given the miseries of this material world. They are being kicked; ultimately, they are being killed.

So be compassionate. Help the fallen souls. Take responsibility, because no one else is taking responsibility. It was a desire of Caitanya Mahāprabhu that everyone should get this mercy. Therefore, it is the devotees who have to take the compassion.

Uttarā, she should have simply joined her husband in the fire, but she is protecting her womb, her embryo, her baby; because that responsibility there is no one else to do it. She must do it. Even other, she would rather joined her husband and jumped into the fire.

Similarly, the spiritual master may be present or may not be present, but the fallen souls who are in this ignorant dependent situation, dependent only on the devotees to give them spiritual knowledge, there is no one else to give it to them. Even though they like to simply like to go with the spiritual master, they know that it is the responsibility to take care of the dependents, bring them up to spiritual knowledge and then in due course when they also can take the responsibility, when they become advanced, then one will also join the spiritual master. Until that time, one has to take that compassion, and that responsibility.

So we can see here, in this śloka, many correlations between our situation and how we should be dedicated to giving the mercy of Caitanya Mahāprabhu, to taking this responsibility, even though might be something we like to do better, even though we are feeling some separation from our spiritual master, still this responsibility is far more dear to the spiritual master and it is our duty to perform it, even though it may seem an impossible task, just like it was impossible for a simple woman to defend herself against an atomic weapon which was set against her to kill her embryo.

Similarly, māyā sends so many different type of high-powered weapons to bring the materialistic mind away from Kṛṣṇa. But when the devotee is purely depending on Kṛṣṇa and Caitanya Mahāprabhu, then Lord Caitanya sends, just like Kṛṣṇa sends His Sudarśana cakra, He sends His mercy and that mercy protects the conditioned soul against māyā, because of the intervention and the prayers of the pure devotees, who are preaching Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Glories to mercy of śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanya prabhu-nityānanda śrī-advaita gadādhara śrīvāsādi-gaura-bhakta-vṛnda!

Jaya Śrīla Prabhupāda kī ...

Devotees: Jaya!

Jayapatākā Swami: Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare

Are there any questions? Yes?

Devotee: One doesn’t have enthusiasm to go out to distribute, is it just lack of hearing? And by going out, you become enthusiastic?

Jayapatākā Swami: Lack of understanding. Uttarā, why she was enthusiastic to protect her child? She knew that this was her responsibility. She saw the connection between her and the child. The child was given to her by the husband. It was her ward, she had responsible.

Because a devotee is not focused on the responsibility given by the spiritual master, is somehow absorbed in some kind of selfish materialistic consciousness or just due to ignorance, has become put in the type of a selfish consciousness. Selfish means not the real self-interest, but the interest of simply the body and mind due to some misplaced sentiments. It won't actually seize the connection.

The spiritual master has given us these fallen souls to deliver. He’s given them. They’re our ward; otherwise we could simply go with the spiritual master or if the spiritual master is not present, we could commit suicide and leave our body. Why live in this world without our spiritual master? Or why be somewhere without him? We can just go wherever he is, you see. We have another responsibility and we should see that these fallen souls are dependent upon us. If we have that compassion, if we see that connection, then how can we help with being enthusiastic to go out, and preach up to our full capacity? We don't see that connection.

If you want liberation, if you want mystic power, if you want sense gratification to go to heavenly planets, then why work so hard? We just chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, do some service, somehow or another, if we can simply stick it out, till we leave this body, then we are guaranteed to get either heavenly planets or to get Vaikuṇṭha, get some liberation. Somehow or another we can stick it out, we will get back to Godhead. So instead of actually taking up the responsibility given by the spiritual master, we are just so, more or less waiting for some liberation from the present miserable condition. Therefore, that resolute determination, that pure devotion is not coming.

That’s why liberation has been said to be an obstacle in the path of devotional service. This desire for liberation, if we simply desire to serve Kṛṣṇa, to serve our spiritual master, then how the determination to distribute His mercy cannot come? It must come.

Its only when our desires are not focused properly, when we are becoming distracted by bhukti-mukti-spṛhā and therefore we become, disturbed in our mind. Kṛṣṇa-bhakta-niṣkāma, ataeva 'sānta - because a devotee doesn’t have, the Kṛṣṇa devotee doesn’t have any ulterior lust, he is simply trying to give out the mercy, taking the responsibility that was given by Caitanya Mahāprabhu through the guru-paramparā, therefore, he is peaceful.

But the others, those desiring muktibhukti-siddhi-kāmī - liberation, sense gratification or mystic power– they are all unhappy, they all disturbed in their mind. And a disturbed person, it’s very difficult for him to preach. For a short time, one can do it. So, the solution is to purify our consciousness, to become situated in the mood of pure devotion. That will attract Kṛṣṇa, that will bring us to the goal. Could you follow?

Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa,
Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare
Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma
Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare

Nitāi Gaura Guru Gaurāṅgadeva kī

Devotees: Jaya! Śrīla Ācāryapāda kī! Jaya!