19940707 Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 2.1.6

Following is a lecture given by His Holiness Jayapatākā Swami on July 7^th 1994 in Brisbane, Australia the class begin with the reading from the Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 2^nd canto, chapter 1, verse 6.

etāvān sāṅkhya-yogābhyāṁ

sva-dharma-pariniṣṭhayā

janma-lābhaḥ paraḥ puṁsām

ante nārāyaṇa-smṛtiḥ

[Devotees repeats]

Translation by His divine grace Śrīla A.C. Bhaktivedant swami Prabhupāda:

The highest perfection of human life, achieved either by complete knowledge of matter and spirit, by practice of mystic powers, or by the perfect discharge of occupational duty, is to remember the Personality of Godhead at the end of life.

Purport by Śrīla Prabhupāda:

Nārāyaṇa is the transcendental Personality of Godhead beyond the material creation. Everything that is created, sustained, and at the end annihilated is within the compass of the mahat-tattva (material principle) and is known as the material world. The existence of Nārāyaṇa, or the Personality of Godhead, is not within the jurisdiction of this mahat-tattva, and as such the name, form, attributes, etc., of Nārāyaṇa are beyond the jurisdiction of the material world. By the speculation of empiric philosophy, which discerns matter from spirit, or by cultivation of mystic powers, which ultimately helps the performer to reach any planet of the universe or beyond the universe, or by discharge of religious duties, one can achieve the highest perfection, provided one is able to reach the stage of nārāyaṇa-smṛti, or constant remembrance of the Personality of Godhead. This is possible only by the association of a pure devotee, who can give a finishing touch to the transcendental activities of all jñānīs, yogīs or karmīs, in terms of prescribed duties defined in the scriptures. There are many historical instances of the achievement of spiritual perfection, such as that of the Sanakādi Ṛṣis or the nine celebrated Yogendras, who attained perfection only after being situated in the devotional service of the Lord. None of the devotees of the Lord ever deviated from the path of devotional service by taking to other methods as adopted by the jñānīs or yogīs. Everyone is anxious to achieve the highest perfection of his particular activity, and it is indicated herein that such perfection is nārāyaṇa-smṛti, for which everyone must endeavour his best. In other words, life should be moulded in such a manner that one is able to progressively remember the Personality of Godhead in every step of life.             

His Holiness Jayapatākā Swami: Thus, ends Bhaktivedanta swami translation, purport text 6, chapter 1, canto 2 of the Śrīmad  Bhāgavatam  in the matter of the first step of God realization.

Everyone knows what the meaning of nārāyaṇa-smṛti is?

Nārāyaṇa means Kṛṣṇa the Supreme Personality of Godhead and smruti remembrance. To remember to be absorbed in the remembrance of the Supreme Personality of Godhead Kṛṣṇa called nārāyaṇa-smṛti.

So, this ‘ante nārāyaṇa-smṛti, ante means at the end.

How we end the race, how we end this life which is very important if we are… at the end absorb in remembering Kṛṣṇa then we go back to Kṛṣṇa.

 In Bhagavad Gītā this is also a verse where Kṛṣṇa says whoever remembers me at the time of leaving the body, they shall attain to me and apart from that whatever they remembering at the time of leaving their body that’s what they going to attain to.

If someone’s remembering their dog at the time of leaving body very good chance that they could take birth of a dog.

If someone is remembering whatever they might be remembering at that movement.

Sometime you see the trees there is one tree completely in you know… they grow up together like some of the tree [Not audible] this is certain kind of tree.

Sometime that husband and wife who die when having sex in a moving vehicle or something. 

Therefore, it says one should never sex in a moving vehicle like a train this would crash or something non for that other reasons as well.

So, the wife remembers the husband at the time of death she takes a birth as a man in the next life and if the husband remembers the wife at the time of death, he takes a birth as woman.

So, husband wife may again be married but they may reverse the position.

Here it’s saying that the ultimate thing we should remember at the time of leaving the body is Kṛṣṇa that is the perfection.

Now He explains different processes of self-realization sankya, yoga and the karma or svadharma.

To be a karmī is actually very great thing of course in a point of view of devotees sometime oh! someone is karmī.

But actually, going to Vedic terminology a karmī is someone who is very well fixed in his religious duties.  But he is a fruitive worker he is doing so in order to be materially happy, but go to heavenly planet so something like that. But he is following rules and regulations of the scripture very carefully therefore he is called karmī that he is doing fruitive work.

Fruitive work means according to shastra karmī is not a sinful person karmī is a pious person Vikarmī is a sinful person.

Someone who going against the dictations of the scripture. Of course, even by doing good karma normally one cannot achieve the highest perfection but they only get a better birth by doing good works one doesn’t get liberation.

It says that by doing good works you get a birth in a good family aristocracy, wealth, education and good looks this one can expect by doing very good works. But you still have to take birth back again in the material world in the part of the prison house of this material world.

So, the jñānīs, is those are people who try to get free from the material world they want to understand what is spiritual subject matter.

Sankya yogis they are very analytical people they try to understand what is matter and what is spirit, what is different between matter and spirit.

A jñānīs is primarily involved in spirit where sankya is very practically analyzing working in a material world with the aim of finding out what is actually eternal, what is spiritual reality. A Scientist some kind… almost like snakhya but they don’t have guidance of proper guru so, they don’t understand about the spiritual reality.

Otherwise Kapila deva he was very analytically studying what are all the different things are happen to a person and in the conclusion was to practice Kṛṣṇa consciousness to be free from the difficulties of material world.

Just like now you find that in the Vedas it’s saying that the satvik diet is fruits, vegetables, grains, pure milk products, these are things which are in the mode of goodness they are very good for the health.

So, now----really going in to start whether they are effective different kinds of food in the body it’s seen their than non-vegetarian meal diet causes more cancer, causes various problems, high cholesterol so on.

Gradually they recommending take more vegetables, take more fruits, take more fiber fresh vegetables things like that. So, somehow by their analytical study in the material world they coming to the same conclusion that Vedas are already giving.

But even though someone might study come to lot of good conclusion great difficult to achieve the highest perfection just like that.

But if one is able to remember Nārāyaṇa at the end of life then everything is perfect ‘Nārāyaṇa ante smruti’. Here is ante Nārāyaṇa smruti this is a very well-known these three words very well known in the Vedic culture. Yogabhyam.

Even the yogi’s those who do hatha yoga various type of mystic yoga processes even they may be able to meditate do many things. But they not guarantee to be free from birth unless they can focus their mind on the Nārāyaṇa at the end. -----about some mystic yogi he was all proud about his mystic powers but he got a lesson from Abhiram Thakur so then he took up devotional service.

There is a story you know about brahmacārī yogi who came to see Lord Caitanya’s sankirtan in Nawadwip.

Lord Caitanya was in the evening chant kirtan with Srivas Thakur and all of the devotees gather together and they be chanting in ecstasy.

So, one young brahmacārī yogi came from the forest to Nawadwip he was dressed in his special clothes made from bark of trees had matted hair had a stick and Kamandalu and he went to see Srivas Thakur and he asked Srivas Pandit whether he could see the kirtan he can join the kirtan of Caitanya Mahāprabhu.

Lord Srivas said that unless you are a known devotee, they will think of you join like that. So, I am living in the forest I eat berries and leaves, plants you are brahmacārī you do stay in my house and look through the window you can see the kirtan. If I get permission, I can join the kirtan directly.

So, the yogi brahmacārī went in to the house of Srivas and the kirtan was started Lord Caitanya assembled with so many devotees and they all started to chant

Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare,

Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma Hare Hare.

Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare,

Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma Hare Hare.

kirtan went on with Lord Caitanya stop the kirtan that why I am not feeling ecstasy?

Who is responsible for me not feeling ecstasy today?

So, all the devotees look at each other they were worried. What did I do today?

What aparādha did I commit every devotee was so naturally humble that they all immediately didn’t think must could be me must be the other guy instead they all thinking must be me what did I do?

I am so fallen somehow my fallen nature impending Lord Caitanya’s having ecstasy. They are thinking what I do wrong today and Srivas he thought I must be fault because this brahmacārī yogi he shouldn’t be watching the kirtan.

He said there was one brahmacārī yogi came wanted to join the kirtan so I said you can look through window in my house. Lord Caitanya said bring that yogi who is this yogi so they brought… brahmacārī yogi came out with his stick and his Kamandalu bark on his body the hair matted everything beard came out and…

Lord Caitanya said you know who are you?

What do you do?

I am a yogi, I practice the eightfold mystic yoga system, I meditate in the forest I am living on the barriers and the leaves in the forest meditating; little bit arrogant.

So, Lord Caitanya said what are doing here in the city you are coming here to show off your so-called renunciation and get some cheap adoration from this city people because they respect people who look renounced.

But actually, in your mind you always thinking about sense gratification and you are attached to fame, distinction and moderation you are not actually very absorbed in spiritual meditation but you put on a good show. These devotees here they may be householders and students but they are fully absorbing themselves in Kṛṣṇa consciousness therefore they are much more advanced than you are, you are not qualified to be in a kirtan here.

Please go outside, take him to the door so he was taken to the door; take outside go.

Jai Śrī Śrī Gaur Nitāi ki

Devotees: Jai

Then they started the kirtan again

Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare,

Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma Hare Hare.

Devotee:

Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare,

Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma Hare Hare.

His Holiness Jayapatākā Swami – Hari Bol!

And the brahmacārī seating outside he was thinking you know really got smashed. He was seating their and meditating what happen and he said it is true whatever Lord Caitanya said absolutely true.

He is kind of bore seating in the forest meditating surly I am an imitated yogi and it was true those devotees who were chanting, they were definitely their consciousness was in the other world. They were totally absorbed in a meditation they were singing and dancing, they are actually in samadhi I am really not qualified truly I am not qualified.

What I can understand this although I am not qualified the Lord knowing He must know that I was their right from the beginning but He let me watch the kirtan for at least fifteen twenty minutes. Even though I am so unqualified.

Lord is so merciful that He allowed me to see the beautiful kirtan. May be one day I will be able to become a devotee be qualified to join that sankirtan of Caitanya Mahāprabhu and I guess he start to cry feeling himself very unqualified. Inside the kirtan was going on.

Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare,

Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma Hare Hare.

Devotee:

Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare,

Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma Hare Hare.

His Holiness Jayapatākā Swami: Lord Caitanya stop the kirtan where is that brahmacārī yogi?

He is outside my lord he is outside.  Yes, I know now you can bring him back in now he is qualified to join the kirtan

Hari Bol, Nitāi Guar Premānande Hari Bol

Devotee: Hari Bol

His Holiness Jayapatākā Swami So, we cannot enter to the sankirtan of Caitanya Mahāprabhu easily in a very proud, arrogant manner but if we very humbly approach to Lord it easy to penetrate, easy to get His mercy into a minute.

So, even a Patanjali yoga system in the books Patanjali it says that in order to advance in yoga we also need Hari bhakti one needs to devotion to Hari. And the perfection of yoga is one has pure devotion to Lord so that yoga system is impersonal we meditate on the super soul in a heart and ultimately, they also appreciate the devotion is a perfection.

So, here it explaining that from all the different processes one can actually achieve the perfection of having one born as a human being simply by remembering Nārāyaṇa at the end of life.

Nārāyaṇa smrti someone might say what’s the problem I just enjoy life and at the end of life I just remember Nārāyaṇa, it’s very simple … why do all this chanting, austerities when I can just remember Nārāyaṇa at the end.

Of course, the thing is that normally people at the end would think whatever they are attached to, they think of the thing that they are most attach to. So, if we chanting the Lords name and engage in His service than we maintain an attachment for the Lord throughout our life.

It’s like a fiber that holding everything together. So, through all different activities the Lord is come into nominator, it comes in central pivot point in our different activities so whether one is engaged whatever process one is engaged in just remembrance of Nārāyaṇa taking shelter of Kṛṣṇa is very important is the most important aspect.

So, person gets habituated to remembering Kṛṣṇa so that at the end of life it’s very easy also to remember Kṛṣṇa.

Always Śrīla Prabhupāda tells the story how when he had a friend in Allahabad who was industrialist and he went to see when he was in hospital doctor just told them he is going as very little time to live.

So, then Śrīla Prabhupāda witnessing what is going on and man held the doctor’s hand and said please doctor give me just one more year I just invested five hundred thousand rupees in my industry and it will double its value in one year so just let me one more year. When a doctor… doctor can’t do it. It’s not in his hand he said nothing I can do.

It strucked Śrīla Prabhupāda that here what is he got maybe he got so many millions now he just invested half million become one million after one year what will he… how his position be any better after one year even if he lives, he is not going to be able to take half million or the one million with him.

How he is preparing himself for the next life the whole purpose of human birth is that after this birth we should have better destination where we came from. This person so totally absorbed in his business that he is not even thinking that doctor’s telling him you going to die any movement you are going to leave your body. He is not thinking what is going to happen what’s the future.

In India there was a very famous actor called Uttama kumar he was like an [Not audible] hero of the screen in India do all the special leaping and jumping and firing whatever he was like aerobic hero.

But doctor… he suddenly got some kind of disease and the doctor came to see him and it came out in the paper was like a thing that he passes away. So, the final thing that happened a doctor came and told them that you are going to die. You had very, very little time to live all the symptoms are there person living his body.

So, then the man he grabs the doctor’s hand he said but doctor, doctor I don’t want to live I don’t… I don’t want to die. I don’t want to die save me save me I want to live save me doctor and he is…

So, all the newspaper makes him a big celebrity, so they all came ask the doctor how can the patient died holding your hand begging you to help him.  Don’t you feel bad about that? Why didn’t you help him?

He said no I don’t feel bad I helped him so many times it’s not the first time I helped him so many times. So, in this one time I failed (laughter).  So, that was quite interesting. So, there was a big thing wife said he is big celebrity he should be cremated with sandalwood …sandalwood very expensive using some ordinary wood instead use sandalwood. It doesn’t hardly matter what you cremate the body with; soul is already gone they wanted to keep up the standard. So, he had a chance doctor give him warning you just have a chance you have few minutes what you going to do.

The whole Śrīmad Bhāgavatam is being spoken in that movement Śukadeva Goswami came because Parīkṣit Mahārāja was given the warning he has seven days to live. After seven days he was going to leave his body. So, he called all the spiritual leaders of the universe together and he asked all of them “what is the duty of a person who was about to die, about to leave his body?

How can he achieve perfection in human life?

In general, for everyone what is the perfection of life?”

So, there was big debate going on somebody was saying do good work good works in seven days how many good works can you do?

You guarantee to go. It couldn’t guarantee that you get a perfection in seven days of good work. Someone says you do yoga system.

 Yoga system it takes years just to learn how to seat properly what to speak of seven days was not enough. Like every one of the spiritual process these seven days was a big fact you know they all going to give perfection but it takes quite a big time.

But Śukadeva Goswami showed out everybody stood up and accept as father and guru offer a more respect he was liberated from birth and when he taught the science of Kṛṣṇa consciousness and science of the Śrīmad Bhagvatam directly by his father Vyas dev who while he was in the womb of the mother.

So, when he was asked same question by Parikshit Maharaj he said seven days it’s a long time there is no problem in liberating you in the seven days. Because there was one maharaja Khatvanga and he was able to be liberated, he was able to achieve perfection in one movement, in one muhurt.

So, there was a inter planetary war going on according to in the history of the universe between and the most powerful good powers of the universe match against the most powerful evil force and they have like inter planetary wars.

At that time the deva’s the good power they recruited king of the earth planet, Katvanga maharaja, although he was the human being, he was very religious and he had some spiritual power. And so, there was some reason why he was able to be victorious against even the much more powerful demons when he was empowered by the devas.

Sometime human beings can do wonderful things if they get divine power. So, he was victorious good come out this particular battle demons were driven back out to the lower regions of the universe.

The devas were very pleased with Khatvanga maharaja and they offered him we give you anything you want just ask what you want. So, the devas have the power to give fabulous material benefit.

So, first question Khatvanga maharaja ask very smart question so, how long do I have to live?

 What’s the use of asking so many things how long to stay in this body to enjoy it?

And they told him yes you have exactly one muhurt that’s about forty-eight half minutes. So, then he thinks I don’t need anything from you but I want just send me immediately instantaneously, I want to go back in my Kṛṣṇa temple.

I want to surrender there before my deities and I want to be in association of all the devotees when I leave my body. I think this time around just nothing you have I need, except for that.

So, they sent him back by their special methods of transportation immediately to his temple. And he went and paid his flat-out obeisance’s in front of Lord Kṛṣṇa and he surrendered to Kṛṣṇa so, I completely surrender to you Nārāyaṇa, to you Kṛṣṇa.

 And by totally surrendering to Kṛṣṇa being absorb in remembering Kṛṣṇa left his body like that he immediately went back to the spiritual world.

So, he really had his priorities are straight he didn’t find oh! I have forty-five minutes just enjoy for forty-six and last two… he didn’t want… he didn’t want take any… forty-eight-minute ok that’s hardly enough time to remember Nārāyaṇa.

So, that one movement he could himself on Kṛṣṇa consciousness and he go back to Godhead.

So, Śukadeva Goswami said you got seven days what’s the problem you can easily achieve perfection also.

So, that’s how the whole Bhāgavatam began now they both seated and Śukadeva Goswami explaining all these things to Parikshit maharaja.

It’s very important Parikshit maharaja he is at the end so ante Nārāyaṇa Smruti most important to him he is at the end.

By this time, he only has six days left one day might already gone by a good part of the day giving out the second book of Bhāgavatam, time is running out. So, he is being reassured by Śukadeva Goswami nothing to worry about.

No matter what a person may be whether he is yogi, karmī, or jñānīs, the real perfection is when you can remember Nārāyaṇa, remember Kṛṣṇa at the end of life should be Kṛṣṇa conscious at the end.

All the different processes are like rivers just like here by the side of Brisbane river (it is not Brisbane river) and this river goes in to the ocean eventually, so even rises and falls with the tides that happens after a certain distance.

Even a Ganges a tide of river up to the Triveni but then up to Māyā pur doesn’t reach the tide it doesn’t reach tide doesn’t reach don’t get up and down movement up to certain level do half way up to Māyā pur.

One time the ocean came right up to Māyāpur to Nawadvip which feeling so much eagerness to reach Nawadvip Dham and get the blessings of Lord Caitanya. The ocean water came up to Nawadvip the place called Samudra gaya.

Samudra means ocean in Sanskrit so the ocean tide came up to that point where never came up that high hundred must be about two hundred kilo meters from the ocean roughly.

So, never came up that high this time came up to get the blessing of Caitanya Mahāprabhu and then the ocean and personified… personality of the ocean was discussing the personality of the Ganges.

The ocean was glorifying the Ganges that you are so fortunate because Lord Caitanya is bathing in your waters. And the Ganges told He only was here twenty-four years and He went to Jagannātha Puri every day He was bathing in your water so you are most fortunate.

He said no He only bath in my waters eighteen years He was in Jagannath Puri but He is eternally in Nawadvip Dham so He is always in your waters visibly or invisibly.

So, when we go on Nawadvip parikrama we visit the place of Samudra gaya where the ocean through the tide of movement came up to Nawadvip to take the blessings of Lord Caitanya.

So, anyway here we are talking about the rivers they all going to the ocean. So, it’s like that ocean is like Kṛṣṇa consciousness so many processes but ultimately be in conscious of Kṛṣṇa at the end of life is a perfection.

One cannot God conscious then ultimately, they are not how that can be successful again have to take birth in some material situation.  Due to their pious activities some may be better situated to be able to continue in their practice of yoga but the perfection is achieved when they can be fully Kṛṣṇa conscious at the end of life.

So, he starts of trying to be Kṛṣṇa conscious if the person practices Kṛṣṇa consciousness right from the beginning of course that is perfect.

So, one has to do karma, jñān, sankhya, or yoga before being a devotee. It might help some people to be detached from the material world but the process of devotional service itself is complete doesn’t depend on other processes. But the other processes are not complete until they finely bring you to the level of devotion to Kṛṣṇa.

Nārāyaṇa is beyond this material world wise is simply remember Nārāyaṇa remembering Kṛṣṇa can help us because He is beyond the material world.

If we remembering Him that means our consciousness is beyond the material world we go to where consciousness situated at the time of death.

If our consciousness beyond the material world, we go beyond the material world if we are beyond the material world that means liberation.

If the Nārāyaṇa was within the material world, we will come back to material world since He is beyond it, we live it anything else remembering of the material world means it’s back again in to material world.

If we follow the instructions of the spiritual master then it’s… Prabhupāda mentions here we need to perform this in the association of pure devotee who can give a finishing touch to the transcendental activities.

If take shelter of bona-fide spiritual master and under his guidance he tells us how we can keep Kṛṣṇa in centre of life. Of course, basically chanting of

Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare,

Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma Hare Hare

is recommended for everyone; this the mahamantra of this age.

But since someone does… few people are able to chant twenty-four hours a day mahamantra they are working for their existence of that after doing so many other types of activities.

So, they need some routine and some guidelines some advice how to mold their life so Kṛṣṇa always remain in the center.

So, that way, the guidance of spiritual master gets important sometime little error can cause one to get detour.

Like a Bharat Maharaja he was the great emperor, son of the incarnation of Godhead Rishabh deva, he renounced his whole kingdom and went in to the forest and was meditating.

And he was also very Kṛṣṇa conscious when he would remember Kṛṣṇa tears would come his eyes, he reached the level of ecstatic love for Kṛṣṇa.

But somehow due to lighting a deer was killed and just at the time of giving birth to fawn a baby deer.

Baby deer are called fawn to the fawn.

So, then fawn had no one to take care, he brought up the fawn became affectionate little bit because fawn for the fawn, he was like a mother father everything. So, then the fawn grew up to be a deer would always stay there in the ashram when the yogi was…

when Bharat maharaja was meditating go on licked the Bharat maharaja. When he was dying; he way looking his face and Bharat was thinking who is going to take care of; the deer left his body.

So, instead of the being the Kṛṣṇa conscious he was deer conscious so instead of thinking will Kṛṣṇa had to take care of deer I have to focus my mind on Kṛṣṇa. He got slightly deviated as a result next birth he took birth as a deer. Because he was such a great devotee, he remembered his previous life and he was thinking how I came in this body I was emperor of entire world I was given up everything and I just a little bit of carelessness I end up in deer body.

So next time you know he wasn’t do be sure next time I take birth I am not going to mess it out; real careful, simply remember Kṛṣṇa my whole life I wasn’t slip for a minute.

So, how can he get deviated like that because he never consults with his guru, he never consulted anyone he was their alone.  What should he do with deer like that deer get so affectionate to him and he was thinking about the deer he didn’t consult anyone whether there was a danger in life?

So, may be very small thing one might be doing ninety nine percent great in Kṛṣṇa conscious but the guru may notice that some problem that one percent problem can be enough to deviate us causes us to take another birth.

So, the guru’s duty is to pick out what are the defects and give guidance so we don’t get detoured, we don’t get of the path so that’s called Prabhupāda called it’s finishing touch.

You know the story about the crane and the bull?

The crane got detour for his svadharm.

You know what a crane is?

What is they eat they stand on the legs on the rivers and the legs mainly ponds of water and they wait for the fish to come by, isn’t it?

And they go fast in the water and get the fish.

So, he was a very intelligent crane standing in the water waiting for a fish to come by this is what all cranes do like their duty, their normal activity nothing wrong for a crane to eat a fish.

Humans have got their food and cranes are got their food. So, the crane food is fish just like it is not sinful for tiger to eat deer they are tiger what you expect? That’s their food kind of carnivores’ animals.

So, crane are fish eaters so he is standing their long time getting hot these are hot summer day Sun is beating down no fish are coming getting hungry; just waiting and waiting. And it’s happened by the side of lake a bull came to drink water when the bull turns around start walking away the crane looked long behold, crane saw a big fish hanging from the back of the bull between his legs. And he said was it really a fish was the meal, it was a testicle, it was a bull and the bird thought it was a fish.

He thought what I am doing here standing in the water in the hot sun nothing happening right there, there is a fish fall down any movement form the bull. So, he left the water and start following the bull waiting for the fish to fall.  This is easy why should I you know I can get happiness quick instead of waiting so long in the Sun.

Then after walking quite a little way bull looking what is this bird doing. The bird is walking come on fishy come on fishy fall down nothing is happening. So, the bird thought that let me help this I don’t know what wrong with this fish why doesn’t fall.  So, let me help the fish to fall ... just you know fall right of. So, he goes … you can imagine the bull doesn’t appreciate too much, kick him get out of here the bird get smash back occupational hazards too much.

Just want to enjoy the fish bull is giving me such a hard time because the bull thinks what is wrong with this bird? Why is he [ not audible] at me. So, then the bird goes again [ not audible] you know kicks him again this goes on for the bird finely really get smash by the bull I think it’s better off in the water at least you don’t get kick like that. So, with the wistful glance at the fish behind the bull back to the water. He stood back to the lake waiting for the real fish.

So, do you understand the moral of the story.

Who is the crane?

No, spirit soul in what state of existence?

condition state (not audible) I don’t know, water is the natural constitution but bird is the devotee.

The bird someone trying to get self-realization condition soul trying to get liberated and the fish is allegorically self-realization that ultimate happiness God realization.

So, the real fish in the water and the real process getting it for that bird is to stand in the water and wait for the fish to come by and catch it. And the bird he sees the illusory fish and the bull what is that illusory fish? but then allegorically (not audible) māyā what is māyā? The illusory energy which is false promise of enjoyment.

The illusory happiness of the senses. Although we   try to gratify, we try to get satisfaction to gratifying the senses you don’t get satisfied for your all good affords you get kick by the material nature don’t you have ever heard before being kick by māyā.

So, it’s getting at least sense that devotee in the path of Kṛṣṇa consciousness he thinks oh! I could be happy there.  So, he gets distracted and he gets some time might be māyā or might be māyā cover some kind of alternative spiritual process who seems like a quick hit, you get their quick.  Somehow, he is getting bewildered and he is going after something which appears to be happiness but it’s not; appears to be self-realization but it’s not.

So finally, of course he is fortunate he goes back into the water and he finally gets his fish. Of course, we are so conditioned, no meat eating, no fish these things you know he had to get out of that condition for crane. It's alright to have fish, they give hint. We are not cranes, we are human beings so first we shouldn’t eat fish for cranes. It's ok that’s their svadharma, that's their constitutional position.

So, like our constitutional position eat to Kṛṣṇa prasad and to engage in Kṛṣṇa’s service. So, it’s like that we get misled illusion is so strong we think oh! Why am I what I am doing? I could be happy very quickly process of devotional service takes time Śrīla Prabhupāda said it’s a gradual process.

Some time someone wants to joints the process and they think well I probably be you know God realize within the next few days or months but they may take entire life time to be God realize for may take many years.

Prabhupāda said took him twenty years to realize Kṛṣṇa. Many people they only realize Kṛṣṇa at the end of life.