19891108 Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 3.10.9

vande 'haḿ śrī-guroḥ śrī-yuta-pada-kamalaḿ śrī-gurun vaiṣṇavāḿś ca
śrī-rūpaḿ sāgrajātaḿ saha-gaṇa-raghunāthānvitaḿ taḿ sa jīvam
sādvaitaḿ sāvadhūtaḿ parijana-sahitaḿ kṛṣṇa-caitanya-devaḿ
śrī-rādhā-kṛṣṇa-pādān saha-gaṇa-lalitā- śrī-viśākhānvitāḿś ca

The following is the lecture given by His Holiness Jayapatākā Swami on November 8th 1989 in Madras, Tamil Nadu, India. The class begins with the lecture on Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 3rd canto, 10th chapter, 9th verse.

Translation:

Lord Brahmā is the most exalted personality in the universe because of his causeless devotional service unto the Lord in mature transcendental knowledge. He therefore created all the fourteen planetary divisions for inhabitation by the different types of living entities.”

Purport:

“The Supreme Lord is the reservoir of all the qualities of the living entities. The conditioned souls in the material world reflect only part of those qualities, and therefore they are sometimes called pratibimbas. These pratibimba living entities, as parts and parcels of the Supreme Lord, have inherited different proportions of His original qualities, and in terms of their inheritance of these qualities, they appear as different species of life and are accommodated in different planets according to the plan of Brahmā. Brahmā is the creator of the three worlds, namely the lower planets, called the Pātālalokas, the middle planets, called the Bhūrlokas, and the upper planets, called the Svarlokas. Still higher planets, such as Maharloka, Tapoloka, Satyaloka and Brahmā loka, do not dissolve in the devastating water. This is because of the causeless devotional service rendered unto the Lord by their inhabitants, whose existence continues up to the end of dvi-parārdha time, when they are generally liberated from the chain of birth and death in the material world.”

Jayapatākā Swami: Thus, ends the Bhaktivendanta Swami, translation and purport to the Śrīmad Bhāgavatam verse 9, chapter 10, canto 3 and the chapter entitled divisions of the creation.

Om Tat Sat

The Sanskrit again is:

Jayapatākā Swami: [leads chanting of the verse devotees repeat]

etāvāñ jīva-lokasya
saṁsthā-bhedaḥ samāhṛtaḥ
dharmasya hy animittasya
vipākaḥ parameṣṭhy asau

Jayapatākā Swami: So, Lord Brahmā gets his power to perform the visarga or the secondary creation due to his rendering of unalloyed devotional service unto the Lord. The situation at the beginning of the universe is described here by Maitreya rṣi or Maitreya Muni to Vidura. That when Brahmā was born on the lotus, he didn’t know his origin so by meditation, he became mature in transcendental knowledge and practical knowledge: jñāna, vijñāna. And practically before the beginning there was a huge wind coming in the universe and that wind was blowing him and some water was also accumulating.

So even Lord Brahmā had to deal with like hurricanes and with flooding from the beginning. But then by his transcendental knowledge he had acquired some spiritual strength. He also had some practical knowledge what to do in such circumstances. He just followed the wind and all the water and everything became peaceful. But it is interesting that even in Brahmā days, he had to also struggle in the beginning with some aspects of material nature. Of course, he could overcome those, but being in this material world means that it is a struggle for existence. Whether you’re a Brahmā or whether you’re a little bug. Brahmā maybe more equipped to deal with the problems than a bug. The reason why, is given in this verse that because he has rendered causeless devotional service, he gets the ability to cross over the difficulties. Through penances and austerities, one can cross over material obstacles.

Modern scientists have crossed over many of the obstacles or tried to solve them by lot of hard work. In their scientific research they do a lot of austerities, day and night studying. Even some of those scientists they died testing their own serum, no-one would test. In old times they shooted it into themselves; sometimes they died, sometimes they were cured. They did a lot of material austerities.

So, this way they developed certain material solutions to their material problems. They didn’t come just easily. But it is recommended that the best way of overcoming all material problems is by rendering devotional service. By rendering devotional service, by re-establishing our relationship with Kṛṣṇa, then it is easy to cross over material obstacles and to achieve something much higher.

It’s also explained here that created fourteen planetary systems: bhūr bhuvaḥ svaḥ. And some of these planets are so elevated, some are even in a more superior position because all of the residents of the planet are rendering devotional service. They say that the residents of Satya-loka they can return with Lord Brahmā back to the spiritual world when the final dissolution of the universe comes. And other residents of higher planets they may make a dash to get up to Satya-loka in order to go back with Lord Brahmā to the spiritual world. If they make it in time, they go back. Otherwise they miss the bus, so to speak, they miss the train. Once that Lord Brahmā left, there’s I don’t think there’s any chance. As far as what I remember in the description.

I had to study it clearly but everyone has to get there when Lord Brahmā goes back to the spiritual world. Those who are with him they get to go also. As far as I remember that is the description given. So, if you don’t make it at the end of the universe up to Brahmā-Loka, it’s not possible to make it from this planet. You have to be in Mahar-loka, some of these very exalted planets, there is a chance; Tapo-loka, maybe Indra-loka. Some of the great demi-gods they can make it in time, the whole universe is on the final destruction. Brahmā is going to leave; the universe is going to close down. So, that is the normal way that one can get back to Godhead by doing good works, by being very pious.

Actually, you gradually go to the highest planets in the material universe. You render devotional service to Kṛṣṇa. Not only material good works but good works with devotion. Then eventually one becomes more and more pious. By rendering unalloyed devotion, one can stay on those planets once you’re there. So normally to get back to Godhead requires staying the whole lifetime of Brahmā. Lord Brahmā is in the planet, rather in this universe for two parārdhas, two halves of his life. Now we are in the second parārdha, beginning of the second half.

But one day of Brahmā is explained as (what is it?) 340 million years times 1000. And they calculated that the whole life-time of Brahmā comes to something in the hundreds of trillions of years. So, one would have to remain you know at least say half of that, couple hundred trillion years in this universe. And one of the upper planetary systems to get out with Lord Brahmā.

But here Lord Caitanya is offering a free ticket. Chant

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

Render devotional service in the saṅkīrtana movement, give up sense gratification; give up the desire for trying to be happy simply through the senses. Do everything in devotional service of chanting, rendering service and you can get back even in one lifetime! So that’s inconceivable.

Demigods they can’t believe it! I mean they are so amazed by this great fortune that they are crying how to get down and join Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s movement. His movement is only in the universe once in a day of Brahmā and for just for some thousands of years. Which by the calculation of the demigods is like a few days.

It’s like maybe a month or two. Because one of our years is 1 day. So, 1,000 years means like 3 of their years. So, it’s here for like 3 years so they might be a little but busy, tied-up, they might have missed the whole thing! So, they themselves are very eager and Lord Caitanya pastime of 14 years, 48 years on the planet, that’s 48 days.

So, they want to get down and be part of Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s pastimes; may not be possible for all of them. They are already living there, how will they get down here? How they will take birth? They are going to live for a long time. So, they’re actually, I don’t know the right word, whether to say jealous or they’re like, they feel how fortunate the people here on this planet are, to be able to participate in Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s movement. They’re crying to be able to come down and join.

So here we are given this opportunity. When Svāyambhuva Manu went to see Kardama Muni. Kardama Muni wanted to get married, experience gṛhastha life and then enter into sannyāsa. So, he got a blessing from Kṛṣṇa that he could do that. So after getting that blessing from Lord Viṣṇu, Svāyambhuva Manu came and approached him and said

“Actually, I have a very nice daughter; Devahūti, she is a great princess, her brothers are the two great emperors of the universe; Uttanapada and Priyavrata, and she wants to marry you because she has heard from Nārada Muni about your qualities of austerity, of penance, of spirituality, culture.

So, I’m offering my daughter to marry, to you, in marriage. But if you don’t accept, when you have a person who wants to get married, I know that, I’m coming to you, without you asking me, I’m offering to you. Now if you don’t accept, out of, for some reason, this could put you in a very difficult situation. Because, someone who wants something and it comes, and the very thing comes without any endeavor, that should always be accepted. Otherwise you don’t accept, later you’ll be searching yourself, how to get that thing. And you may ask someone, and they’ll reject you and treat you badly. And it’ll be very bad for your prestige and your honor. And so, when something comes on its own accord, and the thing is the very thing you want, you just take it without hesitation. Like this he gave so many arguments.

How, of course ultimately Kardama Muni accepted.

But that example because Svāyambhuva Manu, one of the manu’s they are the experts in morality in the universe, experts in logic and scriptural knowledge. He’s saying if something comes, and that’s the thing you want? You should take it! So here, thing is coming given by Caitanya Mahāprabhu, everyone wants, eternal happiness, eternal life. There’s no difficulty at all to practice Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Process is quite simple, only difficulty comes from our own attachments and mind. Difficulties come in the material world whether we are a devotee or not a devotee, there’s going to be difficulties.

Even Brahmā’s facing windstorms and other things. But actually, the practice is quite simple. But here we are given this offer; this offer, this…chant! If we don’t accept it then. Even if someone is a very pious person and they take birth in some higher planet, they’ll have to wait trillions of years possibly before they get out of this universe. Before they can achieve the lotus feet of the Lord. Which Lord Caitanya’s offering now – take it! And a few life-times, a few years we can achieve it. We can understand the how importance, what a great opportunity we are getting.

When someone asks what will happen if the whole world becomes devotees, then what will, you know be the challenges, what will happen? If the whole world becomes devotees then you won’t see any prison houses. But that’s not a problem, there’s always criminals to fill prison houses. But even if you say the whole world became devoted, then here the answer is given in this verse, some planets, or the whole planet is devoted then even when there is dissolution; a devasting water, those planets don’t get destroyed.

Prabhupāda said the whole planet can be transferred to the spiritual world. Of course, it might be difficult to get the whole planet, there’ll always be a few die-hard’s sticking around. But our goal is like, one planet go back to the spiritual world. That’s very nice. Or at least let us get all the residents in each planet an opportunity to take Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s mercy! To hear the chanting of the Holy Name, to get the Mahaprasad of Jagannātha, Baladeva and Subhadrā Mahārāṇī then we can go back easily.

But people are so foolish, they don’t know the value. It’s like if you went around with a real diamond and you wanted to give it, you went door to door and say. “I want to give you this diamond, it’s worth 1 crore”. People will “say get out of here will you, are you crazy or something! Nobody gives away diamond worth 1 crore! You are just joking it must be glass or something”.

People are they won’t take you serious. It might be a real diamond; you want to give it to someone. You got that dream let me give this diamond, you try to give to people you know. Probably even in the airport in America if you want to, every person tries to give them diamond, they think “What is this crazy guy! He’s just joking with me.” Maybe some simple guy he’ll just take it, “give it to my kid for playing or something – alright I’ll take it – here.” The baby will eat it or something. People don’t know the value; we are trying to give them the most valuable thing and they’re thinking “oh no that’s alright, yes yes, but I want to build a hospital, I want do some rituals”. That we can achieve the highest benefit by just chanting the names of the Lord; simply chanting, I wouldn’t say just. The chanting is the most exalted process. It is simply by chanting we can achieve all.

So, the followers of Lord Caitanya, they have understood, realized the importance. They want to give this opportunity to everyone! But unfortunately, the people, you know, they’re less then interested, in many cases.

So systemically we are trying to distribute books, try to build up their awareness. They don’t even know what is spiritual life, they don’t know what is the spiritual world, they don’t know that. They have very poor information about what is the total existence that we’re in. How they fit in.

So, you have to systemically – you’re not this body, you’re a spirit soul. This is one planet in the whole universe. This planet. We have to educate them from the bottom up, so that eventually they can understand in perspective, what is the importance.

Actually, people are pious they can just go on chanting even without understanding they can go back to Kṛṣṇa! That’s how wonderful it is – but most people if they don’t know what it means.. They may chant for a while, someone will tell him something and go and do something else; they won’t be fixed. Because the mind is always fluctuating so therefore, we give them knowledge so that they can fix their mind. Yes – this is the purpose of life; I should stick to it.

If we, at least Prabhupāda said at least, alright, forget the whole world, at least he said, let one society, let one organization practice pure devotional service. Let there be one example in the world, of rendering pure devotional service. Weather everyone else does it or doesn’t, we are trying to let everyone do it. But if they don’t do it at least let us do it, for Śrīla Prabhupāda.

So then people can see “Alright this is the process of devotional service” and those who are coming in contact with Kṛṣṇa consciousness to whatever extent they come in contact, surely, they will get the mercy of Kṛṣṇa. It’s just like a bundle of mercy, anywhere you bite into it, it’s all nectar, it’s all mercy for them. That’s why Locana Dāsa Ṭhākura, he’s saying that, that song, that

“viṣaya chāriya, se rase majiyā, muke bolo hari hari” “viṣaya chāriya” –

give up the desire, the attempt for happiness through sense gratification. Give up type of sense gratification through material activities. “viṣaya chāriya, se rase majiyā” – Absorb yourself in the transcendental ecstasy of pure devotional service. (aside) This Nitāi Gauracandra gave me “mukhe bolo hari hari”.

How?

By chanting Chant

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

The process is very simple it can be explained in a few words but it is so sublime. Of course, to give up “Visaya” – to give up sense gratification, everyone has to know what is sense gratification? What is devotional service? Ideology is very simple, very sublime, that is most profound. If one understands, he has the key for the whole universal secret. How to understand our eternal relationship with Kṛṣṇa? How to develop our pure love for Kṛṣṇa? Again, it will spontaneously come in the heart.

So, when the demigods heard that Lord Caitanya has come, then He was sitting in the lap of his mother Śacī. They came into His house when His father was sleeping in the side room, they put up a big siṁhāsana and took baby Caitanya from the lap of His mother and placed Him on the golden throne and started to perform abhiṣeka, chanting mantras and doing pūjā to Him.

Mother Śacī wanted to scream out, she didn’t how her house was filled with all these soldiers with big helmets and armour. And such a noise it was making and she was like “who are all these people taking my son!”. She wanted to scream but she was frozen, they just looked at her and she couldn’t move. So, she’s watching what’s going on? They’re bathing, offering prayers, they’re bowing down, doing a whole puja to my baby Nimāi. Then they, after finishing the puja they put Lord Caitanya down, cleaned away all the paraphernalia. Lord Caitanya walked over on the veranda to where His father was sleeping in the room and then she was like “yes”, she was thinking “wake up your father!”, “wake up your father!”

But she couldn’t speak she was just thinking. As if He could read her mind He walked over, looked in the room, saw that His father was asleep, walked back onto the veranda and he just went like this to the devas “Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa!” (devotees laughing)

and all the devas they all started to do a big kīrtana – (singing)

Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, (devotees join in) Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare,
Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare!

They started chant the pastimes of baby Kṛṣṇa and while the kīrtana is going on.Then baby Caitanya started to dance He’s like two years old, three years old, just able to walk. He started also to dance, they’re all dancing a big kīrtana. Mother Śacī is watching there “what’s going on?” Seeing all the devas dancing you know, seeing her baby dance like that she fainted! When she fainted, her body hit the ground that made actually some noise, like boom! Collapsed!

That noise was heard by Jagannātha Miśra. He couldn’t hear all the (devotees laughing) mantras and tantras and everything he was like on another dimension (devotees laughing). He just heard that noise!

“Śacī! Śacī!” “Are you alright?”

“What was that noise?”

Then she woke up hearing Jagannātha Miśra’s voice and said “Aaaaahh” and started crying, she’s like hysterical. He ran out “what’s the matter? What’s the matter?”.

She jumped up and embraced him and she’s just crying to get together “what’s the matter? Tell me! Why are you crying?”.

She looked around there, Baby Nimāi’s in the sun in the courtyard playing around just like a little baby ordinary. And then she told him everything that happened, was it a dream? Did it really happen?

He looked around there’s no sign of any you know (devotees laughing) no yogurt, no all the milk. “Well I don’t see anything. It was just a dream. “Anyway, everything is alright don’t worry”.

Of course, when mother Śacī saw Him walk to see Jagannātha Miśra’s, she could before could hear ankle bells at every step (ching, ching, ching). But she looked at Lord Caitanya’s feet, there was no ankle bells.

Later on, when they saw Lord Caitanya they could hear ankle bells, they looked and they came, they saw His feet had no ankle bells but they could hear the sound and they thought “Oh, maybe those things did happen”. So here all the devas, they came from the different planets to come and worship Caitanya Mahāprabhu. And what did He do? “Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa!”

So, He’s telling us the same instructions “kīrtanīyā sadā hari” Always chant

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

(Aside) Any questions?

Whatever you like!

[devotee asks a question in another language

Jayapatākā Swami: Some certain higher planets [devotee continues his question in the same language]. It’s completely absent in the presence of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Not in higher planetary systems. In higher planetary systems, what’s considered “svarga”, to be a “svarga vāsi” you have to be a deva. To be a deva means you have to respect Viṣṇu.

So, some amount of devotional service is there, but mixed with fruitive activities, mixed with jñāna but some bhakti has to be there, that’s why it’s considered a higher planet. Although one time we heard in a morning walk His Divine Grace Om Viṣṇu Pāda Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura was walking and he could see the, you know in the day time you can sometimes see the moon, or maybe it was a night walk? But it was some walk he saw the moon and he said “Now in Chandra loka they’re becoming viṣayī, they’re becoming absorbed in sense gratification. They’re practically devoid of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. So, we have to go there and preach (devotees laughing). So instead of giving them the Kṛṣṇa consciousness, everybody was like you know, we’re going to the moon (devotees laughing) for preaching…Wow Amazing!

So, a devotee doesn’t care for higher lower planet, we go anywhere for the same purpose: Preaching Kṛṣṇa consciousness! Yes, in higher planets there’s some Kṛṣṇa consciousness. But sometimes they get absorbed in sense gratification, generally. And because of sense gratification too much, they forget about Kṛṣṇa. That is the danger!

But generally, to get there, one has to be somewhat devoted, has to be a devotee. Generally, there is some at least religious atmosphere. There are lower planetary systems which are very opulent, where there’s a lot of sense gratification but which are totally devoid of, practically devoid of God consciousness. They’re considered hellish planets because they’re just doing material sense gratification. They’re taking the reaction of their pious activity and enjoying but because they’re not devoted, they’re doing in a totally materialistic platform.

So those are considered lower planets even though they’re having some sense gratification, because there’s no spirituality; it’s a dead-end road. At least in the higher planets there’s a scope for developing your Kṛṣṇa consciousness. But they may neglect it sometimes. In the lower planets, there’s no God consciousness; it’s just like animal life. But maybe a little sophisticated, they’re enjoying but, it’s a dead-end.

But even to those planets we can go to preach. One devotee goes to a place, even though the people are not devoted at all. By the presence of a devotee he can change the whole situation. Śrīla Prabhupāda by just going to some place he made a place devoted. Made them spiritualized.

(Aside) Madhusūdana any questions?

Devotee: [Indistinct 28:20] “In the modern day, king’s like Parīkṣit Mahārāja, why they are going hunting even though they are” (inaudible 28:15).

Jayapatākā Swami: You see the Vedic culture is very practical and the kṣatriyas they had a different code of conduct. Vedic culture understood that in order to govern you had to have military power because the criminal elements in society will not listen to your kind words. They have to be controlled by force.

The honest people they’ll listen to words and laws and all, but the criminals – if there’s not a powerful government with a powerful military and police they will reap havoc on the innocent public.

So, because the kṣatriyas were practical rulers, who also were supposed to be chivalrous. They’re not supposed to sit in some room in a distance place and push buttons and tell the citizens go out and die in some political war. They thought the war was important; they have to go in the front line and fight it – with their soldiers! That was the system; they had to come back with some wounds so that everyone knew “that they think it’s important so we also get ready to sacrifice their life. We are willing to sacrifice ours but with our ruler”. And not everyone will fight – the kṣatriyas will fight.

So, in the peace time just like there are military exercises now – they go out, they shoot different type of testing bullets at each other. Every time few hundred people die because they don’t aim it right, a few bullets are their real bullets. What they have in Europe so many times, allied, NATO told me this (inaudible 29:57), NATO, (inaudible 29:59), they used to have all these exercises.

Now I read in a paper yesterday they are doing it by computer game. Saves a lot of money they say, they just do it by computer. All the Generals sit there with their computer’s and they fight each other by computer. No soldier goes out – just all figures and things.

So, but the kṣatriyas they have to practically go out, so to practice they go out and hunt. Say there’s some man-eating tiger, they go out and kill the tiger, there’s some big demon. Sometimes there’s no tiger, there’s no demon, so they go out and hunt. They could even kill a deer, that was allowed for them. Otherwise how to hit a moving tiger?

In a war people don’t just stand still saying “Here I am – shoot me with an arrow!” They run, they move, they fight back. So least you know you can’t find a tiger or some big giant or something to fight with some demon. Then they you know they’re shooting some deer running; they have that license. That’s the defect of being a kṣatriya – you have to go out and fight and kill criminals.

Sometime when it’s so peaceful no-one will fight, they go out and just do hunting to keep their skills accurate. Otherwise they’re just sitting in the palace all the time doing the court and tricks, how will they be able to protect the kingdoms? So they have to learn how to ride their horse, learn how to go through the forest and how to hunt. So these will at least sharpen some of their practical skills and that environment. Now of course everything is by (inaudible 31:26) and nuclear weapons and missiles; it’s a different situation. But in those days, it was done by personal combat. So the innocent people, now if you throw a bomb, it’s not a question of kṣatriya’s dying, but everyone dies; women and children, babies, old people. It’s a massacre – uncivilized!

People are complaining why the Kṣatriyas are killing deer going hunting? Well when a kṣatriya is fighting; kṣatriyas fight against kṣatriyas. Now if there’s a war, they kill everyone! So, what is more civilized; that of kṣatriyas ready to fight, if there’s a war let them fight it out. Then whoever wins they follow the government, they are the new government. But they have to follow the Vedic culture and the brāhmaṇas.

So, that’s a totally different culture you have to see the whole thing in context then you say “alright kṣatriyas got different problem”. I mean the sādhūs they won’t even wars, they don’t like to, Lord Caitanya refused to let the king see Him.

 He said “I’m a sannyāsī, kings are materialistic people, they are doing all these things. They have the license to do but that doesn’t mean, I’m a spiritualist I don’t want to associate with such materialistic people”. The only way the king could see Him and notice the king had to go in disguise as a Vaiṣṇava, very humbly and then he could see. The brāhmaṇas were (inaudible 32:44) exalted, king if they wanted to see a brāhmaṇa they had to go like just like a humble person - That was the previous culture.

So, they got blessings from the brāhmaṇa and instructions and this was the way they could manage the kingdom and the spiritual life. But they had to do the dirty work and so to do that they had to practise, they had to know how to do it. Brahmins they don’t go out and fight; let the kṣatriyas do it.

So, they could fight, they could risk their lives, they could also enjoy certain material opulences. They are in the mode of passion; pure passion with spiritual (inaudible 33:19). They had to be religiously trained then they could, the passion became purified.

Hare Kṛṣṇa!