20070121 Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 7.10.51-59

The following is a lecture given by His Holiness Jayapatākā Swami Mahārāja on January 21^st, 2007 in Belgaum, India. The lecture beings with a reading from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam canto 7, chapter 10, text 51 to 59.

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 7.10.51

sa eṣa bhagavān rājan
vyatanod vihataṁ yaśaḥ
purā rudrasya devasya
mayenānanta-māyinā

Translation by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda: My dear King Yudhiṣṭhira, long, long ago in history, a demon known as Maya Dānava, who was very expert in technical knowledge, reduced the reputation of Lord Śiva. In that situation, Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, saved Lord Śiva.

Purport: Lord Śiva is known as Mahādeva, the most exalted demigod. Thus Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura says that although Lord Brahmā did not know the glories of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Śiva could have known them. This historical incident proves that Lord Śiva derives power from Lord Kṛṣṇa, the Parabrahman.

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 7.10.52

rājovāca
kasmin karmaṇi devasya
mayo ’hañ jagad-īśituḥ
yathā copacitā kīrtiḥ
kṛṣṇenānena kathyatām

Translation: Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira said: For what reason did the demon Maya Dānava vanquish Lord Śiva’s reputation? How did Lord Kṛṣṇa save Lord Śiva and expand his reputation again? Kindly describe these incidents.

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 7.10.53

śrī-nārada uvāca
nirjitā asurā devair
yudhy anenopabṛṁhitaiḥ
māyināṁ paramācāryaṁ
mayaṁ śaraṇam āyayuḥ

Translation: Nārada Muni said: When the demigods, who are always powerful by the mercy of Lord Kṛṣṇa, fought with the asuras, the asuras were defeated, and therefore they took shelter of Maya Dānava, the greatest of the demons.

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 7.10.54-55

sa nirmāya puras tisro
haimī-raupyāyasīr vibhuḥ
durlakṣyāpāya-saṁyogā
durvitarkya-paricchadāḥ

tābhis te ’sura-senānyo
lokāṁs trīn seśvarān nṛpa
smaranto nāśayāṁ cakruḥ
pūrva-vairam alakṣitāḥ

Translation: Maya Dānava, the great leader of the demons, prepared three invisible residences and gave them to the demons. These dwellings resembled airplanes made of gold, silver and iron, and they contained uncommon paraphernalia. My dear King Yudhiṣṭhira, because of these three dwellings the commanders of the demons remained invisible to the demigods. Taking advantage of this opportunity, the demons, remembering their former enmity, began to vanquish the three worlds — the upper, middle and lower planetary systems.

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 7.10.56

tatas te seśvarā lokā
upāsādyeśvaraṁ natāḥ
trāhi nas tāvakān deva
vinaṣṭāṁs tripurālayaiḥ

Translation: Thereafter, when the demons had begun to destroy the higher planetary systems, the rulers of those planets went to Lord Śiva, fully surrendered unto him and said: Dear Lord, we demigods living in the three worlds are about to be vanquished. We are your followers. Kindly save us.

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 7.10.57

athānugṛhya bhagavān
mā bhaiṣṭeti surān vibhuḥ
śaraṁ dhanuṣi sandhāya
pureṣv astraṁ vyamuñcata

Translation: The most powerful and able Lord Śiva reassured them and said, “Do not be afraid.” He then fixed his arrows to his bow and released them toward the three residences occupied by the demons.

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 7.10.58

tato ’gni-varṇā iṣava
utpetuḥ sūrya-maṇḍalāt
yathā mayūkha-sandohā
nādṛśyanta puro yataḥ

Translation: The arrows released by Lord Śiva appeared like fiery beams emanating from the sun globe and covered the three residential airplanes, which could then no longer be seen.

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 7.10.59

taiḥ spṛṣṭā vyasavaḥ sarve
nipetuḥ sma puraukasaḥ
tān ānīya mahā-yogī
mayaḥ kūpa-rase ’kṣipat

Translation: Attacked by Lord Śiva’s golden arrows, all the demoniac inhabitants of those three dwellings lost their lives and fell down. Then the great mystic Maya Dānava dropped the demons into a nectarean well that he had created.

Purport: The asuras are generally extremely powerful because of their mystic yogic power. However, as Lord Kṛṣṇa says in Bhagavad-gītā (6.47):

yoginām api sarveṣāṁ
mad-gatenāntarātmanā
śraddhāvān bhajate yo māṁ
sa me yuktatamo mataḥ

“Of all yogīs, he who always abides in Me with great faith, worshiping Me in transcendental loving service, is most intimately united with Me in yoga and is the highest of all.” The actual purpose of mystic yoga is to concentrate one’s attention fully on the Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa, and always think of Him (mad-gatenāntarātmanā). To attain such perfection, one must undergo a certain process — haṭha-yoga — and through this yoga system the practitioner achieves some uncommon mystic power. The asuras, however, instead of becoming devotees of Kṛṣṇa, utilize this mystic power for their personal sense gratification. Maya Dānava, for example, is mentioned here as mahā-yogī, a great mystic, but his business was to help the asuras. Nowadays we are actually seeing that there are some yogīs who cater to the senses of materialists, and there are imposters who advertise themselves as God. Maya Dānava was such a person, a god among the demons, and he could perform some wonderful feats, one of which is described here: he made a well filled with nectar and dipped the asuras into that nectarean well. This nectar was known as mṛta-sanjīvayitari, for it could bring a dead body to life. Mṛta-sanjīvayitari is also an Āyurvedic preparation. It is a kind of liquor that invigorates even a person on the verge of death.

Jayapatākā Swami: How many want this mṛta-sanjīvanī, made by Māyā Dānava and how many want Kṛṣṇa's mercy (Jaya, I am in the right place)

There was one devotee was taking some medicine with the same name or very similar name Mṛta-sanjīvanī. He was taking for his disentan, every day he was taking good quantity. Then I showed that to Prabhupāda. He said this is wine, Ayurvedic wine. But it’s made by Śukrācārya. He said, yeah, he’s the guru of the demons. Of course, if you’re really sick then it may be okay to take some time. But not regularly. Like tonic. That was Śukrācārya’s formula. I don’t know. Same as Māyā Dānavas maybe same sampradāya. So, this how the Śiva’s honour was his fame was reduced because he kept killing them.

And the Māyā Dānava kept bringing them back to life. Śiva was feeling a little frustrated. ‘I kill them, they come back. I kill them, they come back’. So that’s how the Viṣṇu came. That’s how Viṣṇu was called in to help Śiva and restore his fame. Śiva is considered the greatest devotee. Vaiṣṇavānāṁ yathā śambhuḥ, and of all the Vaiṣṇavas, she was the greatest just like that Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is greatest of the books. So, this Śiva got the mahā-prasāda from Nārada Muni who got the mahā-prasāda from Lakṣmī. Who got the mahā-prasāda from Nārāyaṇa. But Pārvatī devī didn’t get the. She is very frustrated, very unhappy. So she said that, “I want to make arrangement that all the people, nobody gets deprived from kṛṣṇa-prasāda.” How many of you like kṛṣṇa-prasāda? Pārvatī also likes. But she didn’t get. So, there was big argument between Śiva and Pārvatī.

Pārvatī saying, “Why you didn’t give me?” “So I think you’re not qualified.” She was angrier. She became more angry. “Why I am not qualified? I am viṣṇu-śakti, I am Nārāyaṇī, I am Vaiṣṇavī, why everybody in the whole universe they get prasāda and I am the only one who can’t get. This is the most. This is the worst suffering. I don’t want anyone to suffer like this deprivation of prasāda.” So then Viṣṇu came, she expressed her desire to Him that everyone get prasāda. He said, “Even if they smell prasāda, they get liberated. What to speak of if they eat it, the whole universe can become empty. You will have no more prisoners.” So, she said, “I don’t care. But I say, if they want prasāda they shouldn’t be deprived.” Unfortunately, there are many foolish people. They don’t want prasāda. They’re not desiring it. They don’t know about it.

They know about Coco-cola or something else. So, they don’t know about prasāda. (confirm) So they have to take birth again? So they get prasāda, or till they pull the ratha, or till they chant Hare Kṛṣṇa.

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

So Viṣṇu made a deal with Pārvatī. He will come as Jagannātha, Baladeva and He will come as Jagannātha. She will come as Subhadrā and Balarāma will come as Baladeva. And Yogamāyā, her origin will come in Subhadrā devī and she will come. She will be there as Vimalā Devī to get all the prasāda. In Jagannātha Purī all prasāda is offered to Vimalā Devī. Therefore, it’s called mahā-prasāda. It is offered to the great Vaiṣṇavī.

So today is Ratha-yātrā festival in Belgaum. How many want to attend the Ratha-yātrā festival? You have to. It’s like there was an army of demons. Then we have an army of devotees to win over the hearts of the people. But we don’t use weapons of violence. We use prasāda.

We use the kīrtana weapon, the dancing weapon, the khola and karatālas, the mṛdaṅga and karatālas weapon, the sacred books, the grantha weapon, dramas, cultural programs about Kṛṣṇa, all these kinds of transcendental weapons. So that people they get purified, and they become attracted, ‘We want to also serve Kṛṣṇa.’ So nice. Many people think that you should enjoy life when you’re young and then do religion when you’re old. Because religion is not enjoyable. Caitanya Mahāprabhu showed this is paramānanda, supreme happiness, cannot get a higher happiness than in serving Kṛṣṇa. All the great yogīs, great kings, they’re all looking for that paramānanda. Bharata Mahārāja after whom this planet is named, He left everything looking for that spiritual happiness. How many want this transcendental happiness? Lord Caitanya, He said, “You can have it whether you’re brahmacārī or gṛhasthī, if you chant Hare Kṛṣṇa and dance – gṛhe thāko vanete thāko sadā hari bole ḍāko – we want everyone to chant Hare Kṛṣṇa and dance during the Ratha-yātrā.

We pray that you all taste the paramānanda. Two years ago, I came for the Belgaum Ratha-yātrā. Last year I wanted to come but something happened where I couldn’t come. This Ratha-yātrā is very close to the Vasanta-pañcamī where we have big festival in Bangladesh some years. Puṇḍarīka Vidyānidhi, Lord Caitanya's dear associate, his birth festival is on the 23^rd. So, I got two days ahead, so this year I could come. When I saw the Ratha-yātrā before, I was amazed how so many people came out. The whole town people came out for the Ratha-yātrā. It was very wonderful, and how devotees from all over southern Maharashtra and northern Karnataka they also came to participate. Shimoga, Goa, then that Lakṣmī’s place, Kolhapur. Anybody here from Kolhapur?

They will be coming shocking didn’t come here. You can tell them I mentioned their name. So, lots of nice devotees, It’s very special Ratha-yātrā.

500 years ago, Caitanya Mahāprabhu was also doing Ratha-yātrā in Jagannātha Purī, there He was with His associates. Thousands and thousands, hundred lakhs of local people were there. But His devotees were the jewel of the show. They had seven kīrtana groups. They were dancing. Lord Caitanya was crying, Lord Caitanya gave a special mercy, this Ratha-yātrā day to King Pratāparudra. Because King Pratāparudra, he did a humble service. He swept the road before Jagannātha. So, because of the king accepting to be a menial servant before Lord Jagannātha, Lord Caitanya decided to give him mercy. Lord Caitanya remembers, refused to see the king saying it would be bad association for a sannyāsī to associate with a worldly person like a king.

But now He saw that he was a nice devotee. So, He wanted to give him some special mercy. So, He gave him divine vision where he could see the transcendental past times of Lord Caitanya. When Lord Caitanya was dancing in seven kīrtana parties He simultaneously was on each party. But hardly anyone could see this. It was special mystical potency. But King Pratāparudra could see it. He was given the vision. Pratāparudra Mahārāja, he said to Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya, “Look at ‘Lord Caitanya in seven forms!” “Wow, you’re getting special mercy to see that.”

(train whistle sound) Is this the back to Godhead expresses? Carry it back to Godhead Express. Well, Lord Jagannātha Ratha-yātrā is back to Godhead Express. Who sees it goes back to Godhead, who walks with it, who pulls it, who dances and chants Hare Kṛṣṇa before it, everyone gets ticket back to Godhead. Bhakti Vikāsa Mahārāja and Candramauli Mahārāja were on Air Deccan to fly here this morning. But flight got cancelled. So somehow Bhakti Vikāsa Mahārāja is coming via Goa. So, this ticket got cancelled. But your ticket for Ratha-yātrā ticket to go back to Kṛṣṇa won’t be cancelled. This is not cancellable, unless of course you don’t want to go. No, no. I want to stay. Even they may go eventually. But what’s important as we develop, we awaken our love for Kṛṣṇa that in man put in this Ratha-yātrā.

Lord Caitanya did so many pastimes. So many līlās were going on. There were the pastimes with Pratāparudra Mahārāja. There was a pastime of Nityānanda Prabhu. Nityānanda Prabhu kept trying to catch Lord Caitanya when He would crash to the ground. So He will be running after Lord Caitanya, and whenever He would fall, He’d catch Him. Every devotee had some līlā with Lord Caitanya.

Every group thought Lord Caitanya is with our group. He gave us all the mercy like this, so many pastimes were going on. Pastime with Jagannātha also. Sometime He go behind Jagannātha. Jagannātha would stop to show that, “I know You’re there. I love you.” Because Lord Caitanya was in the mood of Rādhā. Then Lord Caitanya come forward. Then Lord Caitanya… Then Lord Jagannātha’s ratha would start moving. So many different pastimes which were written in Caitanya, and so many pastimes which are unwritten. Every devotee was having his own exchanges with Lord Caitanya. So, you can also, you will be having many pastimes with Lord Caitanya and with the Lord Jagannātha, today Abhinna Jagannātha Purī in Māyāpur Navadvīpa dhāma, there is one place called its non-different from Jagannātha Purī there is Jagannātha, Baladeva and Subhadrā,

Have you been there? How many seen Māyāpur Jagannātha.

How many are going this year to ratha, to Janmāṣṭamī, to other Gaura-pūrṇimā festival. So, few people. This is the year for loving exchange. You’re all loving devotees. So, a good time for you to go and exchange some love. You see, there are no fees. No fees? No. And from Delhi hundreds are coming from Bombay. I don’t know how many come, but like maybe 100 or more come. So, Belgaum, this group should be more than 100 coming. Don’t deprive us of your love also. This is our festival where we receive all the guests, India receives all the guests from around the world. So, for a few years Chowpatty temple devotees. They have been helping to receive the visiting devotees. Giving them candana garlands, giving the, rooms, giving them also that loving reception. So, we’re very grateful that they’re helping us in receiving the devotees from around the world.

So, you should think about if not this year, some year everyone should go sometime to this festival. Prabhupāda wanted the devotees to come. Just like Lord Caitanya’s devotees, they go to Jagannātha Purī to meet with Lord Caitanya for Ratha-yātrā, and just like here that from this region people are coming for Belgaum Ratha-yātrā. But from all over India, all over the world people come to Māyāpur for Gaura-pūrṇimā festival. So, you should think if you’re not going, you’re missing out on something. Delhi Devotees do lot of drama for the international group. But I heard that the Belgaum dramas are better. What to see that, little competition.

So, this Jagannātha in Māyāpur, He’s very, He’s also always giving some exchange with the devotees. His Ratha-yātrā is going on every day. He doesn’t move anywhere. But yātrā is going on. Maybe not Ratha-yātrā, but līlā-yātrā. Just a few months ago something. New recent līlā happened, of course, in the meantime, I did some more but I didn’t hear yet. I have been out of Māyāpur.

One Muslim came to visit the temple. We allow Muslims to come into our temple if they are respectful. But this Muslim, we gave him prasāda. Pūjārī offered him prasāda but he refused it. He took it, threw it on the ground, “No! What is this?” “I do not take prasāda idols,” the Muslims. “So, this not idol. This is saksād bhagavān vigraha. You’re offending the Lord. Go out from here.” Then next day that same Muslim came back. He is offering his full daṇḍavat flat out in the temple, begging for prasāda. “So yesterday you threw the prasāda, today you’re asking what happened to you. Why the change?” He said, “You see, last night I had a dream. It was like I was awake. It was not like a dream. It was like an experience. This one here with a white face, He came to me. He grabbed me by the neck. He was slapping me. He said, ‘You offended my brothers prasāda. I am going to kill you.’ ‘So no!’ ‘Yes, I am going to kill you. You’re aparādhi.’ And the one with the yellow face? The Muslim said, ‘With the yellow face? She said, ‘Yes, kill him! Kill him! Yes, aparādhi’’ But the one with the black face, He saved me. He said, “No, don’t kill him. It’s not so bad. Give him another chance.” “So, I am coming back. I never do it again. I never throw prasāda. I believe now. I believe, I believe now.”

Jagannātha made one more devotee. I was in Toronto for the Ratha-yātrā One Christian lady came up. She said, “This is so beautiful. What you’re doing is so beautiful. What a wonderful festival. I never saw anything in my life so beautiful as this.” I said, “Why don’t you go and you pull the ratha? You see the rope, that you pull the rope you get more blessing.” I was thinking that even by appreciating she’s getting blessed. If she pulls, she will get more blessings. So she went and pulled the ratha. “Oh, I feel so good from pulling the ratha” so like that. So much mercy is in Ratha-yātrā. Even people from other religions.

I was in Malaysia. There are many Chinese, Buddhists, when they see Jagannātha, they become filled with devotion. They fold their hands, and they offer like this praṇāma (shaking) so much Chinese people, so many people. Jagannātha brings out devotion in everyone, so special mercy today.

In the English dictionary they put the word Juggernaut, means unstoppable force. That’s from the word Jagannātha. So only thing, we’re very sad today that His Holiness Rādhānātha Swami is not with us, we hear that His health is still not so strong. We pray to Kṛṣṇa that if it so please Him, his health will get better. so he can come also every year.

Haribol Haribol Haribol!

Thank you again for coming. Now we have to get ready for the inauguration and Ratha-yātrā festival. Only one and a half-hour was it? About two hours left and the Jagannātha will start rolling.

Anybody has any question? If you one or two questions. Not much time.

Question: When do you know the real form or nature of a human being?

Jayapatākā Swami: You see, this human body is always changing, from youth to old age to youth to childhood youth to old age. Then we die and we change again. The ātmā is the real form, but the ātmā you’re not able to see until you get spiritual vision. So, you practice bhakti-yoga and then Kṛṣṇa will reveal your eternal form. Nārada Muni saw his eternal form, he looked down and saw his dead physical body. But he saw himself with his eternal blissful form. He knew this is the real form, this is the real form. When you see your siddha-svarūpa you don’t have any doubt. But this physical body is always changing, the eternal body doesn’t change.

How many want to realize their eternal form?

So, chant Hare Kṛṣṇa and be happy.

Hare Kṛṣṇa, Okay. Thank you. Dhanyavāda!