20230707 Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 2.8.14

mūkaṁ karoti vācālaṁ paṅguṁ laṅghayate girim

yat-kṛpā tam ahaṁ vande śrī-guruṁ dīna-tāraṇam

paramānandaṁ mādhavaṁ śrī caitanya iśvaram

hariḥ oṁ tat sat

Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya
Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya
Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 2.8.14

yasmin karma-samāvāyo
yathā yenopagṛhyate
guṇānāṁ guṇināṁ caiva
pariṇāmam abhīpsatām

Translation: Then again, kindly describe how the proportionate accumulation of the reactions resulting from the different modes of material nature act upon the desiring living being, promoting or degrading him among the different species of life, beginning from the demigods down to the most insignificant creatures.

Purport by Śrīla Prabhupāda: The actions and reactions of all works in the material modes of nature, either in the minute form or in the gigantic form, are accumulated, and thus the result of such accumulated actions and reactions of karma, or work, become manifested in the same proportion. How such actions and reactions take place, what the different procedures are, and in what proportion they act are all subject matters of Mahārāja Parīkṣit’s inquiries from the great brāhmaṇa Śukadeva Gosvāmī.

Life in the higher planets, known as the abodes of the denizens of heaven, is obtained not by the strength of spacecraft (as is now being contemplated by the inexperienced scientists), but by works done in the mode of goodness.

Even on the very planet where we are now living, there are restrictions upon the entrance of foreigners into a country where the citizens are more prosperous. For example, the American government has many restrictions for the entrance of foreigners from less prosperous countries. The reason is that the Americans do not wish to share their prosperity with any foreigner who has not qualified himself as a citizen of America. Similarly, the same mentality is prevailing in every other planet where there are more intelligent living beings residing. The higher planetary living conditions are all in the mode of goodness, and anyone desiring to enter the higher planets like the moon, sun and Venus must qualify thoroughly by activity in complete goodness.

Mahārāja Parīkṣit’s inquiries are on the basis of proportionate actions of goodness which qualify one in this planet to be promoted to the highest regions of the universe.

Even on this planet of our present residence, one cannot achieve a good position within the social order without being qualified with proportionate good work. One cannot forcibly sit on the chair of a high-court judge without being qualified for the post. Similarly, one cannot enter into the higher planetary systems without being qualified by good works in this life. Persons addicted to the habits of passion and ignorance have no chance of entering the higher planetary systems simply by an electronic mechanism.

According to the statement of the Bhagavad-gītā (9.25), persons trying to qualify themselves for promotion to the higher, heavenly planets can go there; similarly, persons trying for the Pitṛlokas can go there; similarly, persons trying to improve the conditions on this earth can also do that, and persons who are engaged in going back home, back to Godhead, can achieve that result. The various actions and reactions of work in the mode of goodness are generally known as pious work with devotional service, culture of knowledge with devotional service, mystic powers with devotional service and (at last) devotional service unmixed with any other varieties of goodness. This unmixed devotional service is transcendental and is called parā-bhakti. It alone can promote a person to the transcendental kingdom of God. Such a transcendental kingdom is not a myth, but is as factual as the moon. One must have transcendental qualities to understand the kingdom of God and God Himself.

Jayapatākā Swami: So I am very grateful to those who was scheduled to give the Saturday class, Premāñjana dāsa for allowing me to give the class. Usually, I give class on Saturday. But apparently there is a new person who fixes the class, so he did not ask. And I said I will move it and give class on Sunday. But my secretary wasn’t agreeable because a special person is coming to visit tomorrow for my therapy. This is a very important verse that we get the result of the different activities that we do. If we want to go to the heavenly planets, we should act in the mood of goodness. Śrīla Prabhupāda, he described that even on this planet the rich countries like America put different obstacles to go there. And this kind of restrictions are there for particular planets as well. If we want to go to a particular place one must act accordingly. And he describes that if you want to go to the spiritual world you have to do bhakti. When you do bhakti mixed with mystic yoga, then you can go to some particular place. But if one wants to participate in the transcendental pastimes of the Lord then one must perform pure devotional service. This Navadvīpa dhāma is a spiritual place. This place is ideal for performing pure devotional service. And coming here and participating in maṅgala-ārati, the various āratis, seeing the Deities every day. I asked Śrīla Prabhupāda how he would be more pleased with me. And he was saying because I was busy from 6 am in the morning till 12 midnight, in the different services in the temple, especially the construction services. He said that you at least attend the guru-pūjā. So doing guru-pūjā for Śrīla Prabhupāda is so important. I am reminded how in the West Wing of the TOVP, the MOVP, here we want to show how in the Vedas they have presented the whole universe scientifically. But now they are spending millions and millions of dollars to send a telescope. This telescope will go into the space, and it will observe the entire universe. So they were saying that this telescope will map out the entire universe in a more expansive way. But they are not able to see Satyaloka and other higher planets. And they cannot see beyond this universe. But we, through the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam are able to get a description of this universe, the unlimited universes, the different lokas like Śivaloka, Hari-dhāma, Goloka-dhāma. [Audio break] First is Maheśa dhāma, then Devī dhāma, Hari-dhāma and then Goloka-dhāma.

So, I am reminded how a person had done regression where he could see his previous life. He was a bug in his previous life. Normally, one does not go from an insect to human life. There are so many births in between. Like aquatics, then plants, then insects, reptiles, birds, animals and then humans. How did he go from an insect to a human? So, they regressed the person, and they found the secret! Aha! He was a flying insect. And there was some statue in a temple. They were offering fruits and the insect [audio break]