ERROR: Your browser does not support scripts.

vyaktam—clear; atma-vatam—of the transcendentalists; atma—the goal of life; bhagavan—the Supreme Personality of Godhead; atma-bhavanah—always wishing to elevate the living entities; svanam—whose own devotees; anugrahaya—just to show mercy; imam—this way; siddha-rupi—perfectly self-realized; carati—travels; ajah—Narayana.

The Supreme Personality of Godhead is always anxious to elevate the living entities, who are His parts and parcels, and for their special benefit, the Lord travels all over the world in the form of self-realized persons like you.

There are different kinds of transcendentalists, namely the jnanis, or impersonalists, the mystic yogis and, of course, all the devotees of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The Kumaras, however, were both yogis and jnanis and finally bhaktas later on. In the beginning they were impersonalists, but later they developed devotional activities; therefore they are the best of the transcendentalists. The devotees are representatives of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and to elevate the conditioned souls to their original consciousness, they travel all over the universes to enlighten the conditioned souls about Krsna consciousness. The best devotees are atmavat, or those who have fully realized the Supreme Soul. The Supreme Personality of Godhead, as Paramatma, is sitting within everyone’s heart, trying to elevate everyone to the platform of Krsna consciousness. Therefore He is called atma-bhavana. The Supreme Personality of Godhead is always trying to give the individual soul the intelligence to understand about Himself. He is always with the individual as a friend sitting by the side of a friend, and He gives facilities to all living entities according to their desires.

The word atmavatam is significant in this verse. There are three different kinds of devotees, namely kanistha-adhikari, madhyama-adhikari and uttama-adhikari: the neophyte, the preacher and the maha-bhagavata, or the highly advanced devotee. The highly advanced devotee is one who knows the conclusion of the Vedas in full knowledge; thus he becomes a devotee. Indeed, not only is he convinced himself, but he can convince others on the strength of Vedic evidence. The advanced devotee can also see all other living entities as part and parcel of the Supreme Lord, without discrimination. The madhyama-adhikari (preacher) is also well versed in the sastras and can convince others also, but he discriminates between the favorable and the unfavorable. In other words, the madhyama-adhikari does not care for the demoniac living entities, and the neophyte kanistha-adhikari does not know much about sastra but has full faith in the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The Kumaras, however, were maha-bhagavatas because after scrutinizingly studying the Absolute Truth, they became devotees. In other words, they were in full knowledge of the Vedic conclusion. In the Bhagavad-gita it is confirmed by the Lord that there are many devotees, but a devotee who is fully conversant in the Vedic conclusion is very dear to Him. Everyone is trying to elevate himself to the highest position according to his mentality. The karmis, who have a bodily concept of life, try to enjoy sense gratification to the utmost. The jnanis’ idea of the highest position is merging into the effulgence of the Lord. But a devotee’s highest position is in preaching all over the world the glories of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Therefore the devotees are actually the representatives of the Supreme Lord, and as such they travel all over the world directly as Narayana because they carry Narayana within their hearts and preach His glories. The representative of Narayana is as good as Narayana, but he is not to conclude, like the Mayavadis, that he has become Narayana. Generally, a sannyasi is addressed as Narayana by the Mayavadis. Their idea is that simply by taking sannyasa one becomes equal to Narayana or becomes Narayana Himself. The Vaisnava conclusion is different, as stated by Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura:

saksad-dharitvena samasta-sastrair
uktas tatha bhavyata eva sadbhih
kinto prabhor yah priya eva tasya
vande guroh sri-caranaravindam **

According to the Vaisnava philosophy, a devotee is as good as Narayana not by becoming Narayana but by becoming the most confidential servant of Narayana. Such great personalities act as spiritual masters for the benefit of the people in general, and as such, a spiritual master who is preaching the glories of Narayana should be accepted as Narayana and be given all respects due Him.

SB4.22.17

TEXT 17

maitreya uvaca

prthos tat suktam akarnya

saram susthu mitam madhu

smayamana iva pritya

kumarah pratyuvaca ha

maitreyah uvaca—the great sage Maitreya continued to speak; prthoh—of King Prthu; tat—that; suktam—Vedic conclusion; akarnya—hearing; saram—very substantial; susthu—appropriate; mitam—minimized; madhu—sweet to hear; smayamanah—smiling; iva—like; pritya—out of great satisfaction; kumarah—celibate; pratyuvaca—replied; ha—thus.

The great sage Maitreya continued: Thus Sanat-kumara, the best of the celibates, after hearing the speech of Prthu Maharaja, which was meaningful, appropriate, full of precise words and very sweet to hear, smiled with full satisfaction and began to speak as follows.

Prthu Maharaja’s talks before the Kumaras were very laudable because of so many qualifications. A speech should be composed of selected words, very sweet to hear and appropriate to the situation. Such speech is called meaningful. All these good qualifications are present in Prthu Maharaja’s speech because he is a perfect devotee. It is said, yasyasti bhaktir bhagavaty akincana sarvair gunais tatra samasate surah: “For one who has unflinching devotional faith in the Supreme Personality of Godhead and is engaged in His service, all good qualities become manifest in his person.” (Bhag. 5.18.12) Thus the Kumaras were very much pleased, and Sanat-kumara began to speak as follows.

SB4.22.18

TEXT 18

sanat-kumara uvaca

sadhu prstam maharaja

sarva-bhuta-hitatmana

bhavata vidusa capi

sadhunam matir idrsi

sanat-kumarah uvaca—Sanat-kumara said; sadhu—saintly; prstam—question; maharaja—my dear King; sarva-bhuta—all living entities; hita-atmana—by one who desires good for all; bhavata—by you; vidusa—well learned; ca—and; api—although; sadhunam—of the saintly persons; matih—intelligence; idrsi—like this.

Sanat-kumara said: My dear King Prthu, I am very nicely questioned by you. Such questions are beneficial for all living entities, especially because they are raised by you, who are always thinking of the good of others. Although you know everything, you ask such questions because that is the behavior of saintly persons. Such intelligence is befitting your position.

Maharaja Prthu was well conversant in transcendental science, yet he presented himself before the Kumaras as one ignorant of it. The idea is that even if a person is very exalted and knows everything, before his superior he should present questions. For instance, although Arjuna knew all the transcendental science, he questioned Krsna as if he did not know. Similarly, Prthu Maharaja knew everything, but he presented himself before the Kumaras as if he did not know anything. The idea is that questions by exalted persons put before the Supreme Personality of Godhead or His devotees are meant for the benefit of the general people. Therefore sometimes great personalities put themselves in that position and inquire from a higher authority because they are always thinking of the benefit of others.

SB4.22.19

TEXT 19

sangamah khalu sadhunam

ubhayesam ca sammatah

yat-sambhasana-samprasnah

sarvesam vitanoti sam

sangamah—association; khalu—certainly; sadhunam—of devotees; ubhayesam—for both; ca—also; sammatah—conclusive; yat—which; sambhasana—discussion; samprasnah—question and answer; sarvesam—of all; vitanoti—expands; sam—real happiness.

When there is a congregation of devotees, their discussions, questions and answers become conclusive to both the speaker and the audience. Thus such a meeting is beneficial for everyone’s real happiness.

Hearing discussions among the devotees is the only means to receive the powerful message of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. For instance, Bhagavad-gita has been well known all over the world for a very long time, especially in the Western world, but because the subject matter was not discussed by devotees, there was no effect. Not a single person in the West became Krsna conscious before the Krsna consciousness movement was founded. But when the same Bhagavad-gita was presented as it is through the disciplic succession, the effect of spiritual realization was immediately manifested.

Sanat-kumara, one of the Kumaras, informed Prthu Maharaja that his meeting with the Kumaras benefited not only Maharaja Prthu but the Kumaras as well. When Narada Muni questioned Lord Brahma about the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Brahma thanked Narada Muni for giving him a chance to speak about the Supreme Lord. Therefore questions put by a saintly person to another saintly person about the Supreme Personality of Godhead or about the ultimate goal of life surcharge everything spiritually. Whoever takes advantage of such discussions is benefited both in this life and in the next.

The word ubhayesam can be described in many ways. Generally there are two classes of men, the materialist and the transcendentalist. By hearing discussions between devotees, both the materialist and transcendentalist are benefited. The materialist is benefited by association with devotees because his life then becomes regulated so that his chance of becoming a devotee or making the present life successful for understanding the real position of the living entity is increased. When one takes advantage of this opportunity, he is assured of a human form of life in the next birth, or he may be liberated completely and go back home, back to Godhead. The conclusion is that if one participates in a discussion of devotees, he is both materially and spiritually benefited. The speaker and the audience are both benefited, and the karmis and jnanis are benefited. The discussion of spiritual matters amongst devotees is beneficial for everyone, without exception. Consequently the Kumaras admitted that not only was the King benefited by such a meeting, but the Kumaras were as well.

SB4.22.20

TEXT 20

asty eva rajan bhavato madhudvisah

padaravindasya gunanuvadane

ratir durapa vidhunoti naisthiki

kamam kasayam malam antar-atmanah

asti—there is; eva—certainly; rajan—O King; bhavatah—your; madhu-dvisah—of the Lord; pada-aravindasya—of the lotus feet; guna-anuvadane—in glorifying; ratih—attachment; durapa—very difficult; vidhunoti—washes; naisthiki—unflinching; kamam—lusty; kasayam—the embellishment of lusty desire; malam—dirty; antah-atmanah—from the core of the heart.

Sanat-kumara continued: My dear King, you already have an inclination to glorify the lotus feet of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Such attachment is very difficult to achieve, but when one has attained such unflinching faith in the Lord, it automatically cleanses lusty desires from the core of the heart.

satam prasangan mama virya-samvido
bhavanti hrt-karna-rasayanah kathah
taj-josanad asv apavarga-vartmani
sraddha ratir bhaktir anukramisyati

(Bhag. 3.25.25)

By association with devotees, dirty things within the heart of a materialistic man are gradually washed away by the grace of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. As silver becomes shiny by being polished, the heart of a materialistic person is cleansed of lusty desires by the good association of devotees. Actually the living being has no connection with this material enjoyment nor with lusty desires. He is simply imagining or dreaming while asleep. But by the association of pure devotees, he is awakened, and immediately the spirit soul is situated in his own glory by understanding his constitutional position as the eternal servant of the Lord. Prthu Maharaja was already a self-realized soul; therefore he had a natural inclination to glorify the activities of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and the Kumaras assured him that there was no chance of his falling victim to the illusory energy of the Supreme Lord. In other words, the process of hearing and chanting about the glories of the Lord is the only means to clarify the heart of material contamination. By the process of karma, jnana and yoga, no one will succeed in driving away contamination from the heart, but once a person takes to the shelter of the lotus feet of the Lord by devotional service, automatically all dirty things in the heart are removed without difficulty.

SB4.22.21

TEXT 21

sastresv iyan eva suniscito nrnam

ksemasya sadhryag-vimrsesu hetuh

asanga atma-vyatirikta atmani

drdha ratir brahmani nirgune ca ya

sastresu—in the scriptures; iyan eva—this is only; su-niscitah—positively concluded; nrnam—of human society; ksemasya—of the ultimate welfare; sadhryak—perfectly; vimrsesu—by full consideration; hetuh—cause; asangah—detachment; atma-vyatirikte—the bodily concept of life; atmani—unto the Supreme Soul; drdha—strong; ratih—attachment; brahmani—transcendence; nirgune—in the Supreme, who is beyond the material modes; ca—and; ya—which.

It has been conclusively decided in the scriptures, after due consideration, that the ultimate goal for the welfare of human society is detachment from the bodily concept of life and increased and steadfast attachment for the Supreme Lord, who is transcendental, beyond the modes of material nature.

sa sraddhaya bhagavad-dharma-caryaya

Everyone in human society is engaged for the ultimate benefit of life, but persons who are in the bodily conception cannot achieve the ultimate goal, nor can they understand what it is. The ultimate goal of life is described in Bhagavad-gita (2.59). param drstva nivartate. When one finds out the supreme goal of life, he naturally becomes detached from the bodily concept. Here in this verse the indication is that one has to steadfastly increase attachment for the Transcendence (brahmani). As confirmed in the Vedanta-sutra (1.1.1), athato brahma jijnasa: without inquiry about the Supreme, or the Transcendence, one cannot give up attachment for this material world. By the evolutionary process in because in all those species of life, the bodily conception is very prominent. Athato brahma jijnasa means that in order to get out of the bodily conception, one has to increase attachment to or inquiry about Brahman. Then he can be situated in the transcendental devotional service—sravanam kirtanam visnoh [SB 7.5.23]. To increase attachment for Brahman means to engage in devotional service. Those who are attached to the impersonal form of Brahman cannot remain attached for very long. Impersonalists, after rejecting this world as mithya, or false (jagan mithya), come down again to this jagan mithya, although they take sannyasa to increase their attachment for Brahman. Similarly, many yogis who are attached to the localized aspect of Brahman as Paramatma—great sages like Visvamitra—also fall down as victims of women. Therefore increased attachment for the Supreme Personality of Godhead is advised in all sastras. That is the only way of detachment from material existence and is explained in Bhagavad-gita (2.59) as param drstva nivartate. One can cease material activities when he actually has the taste for devotional service. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu also recommended love of Godhead as the ultimate goal of life (prema pum-artho mahan). Without increasing love of Godhead, one cannot achieve the perfectional stage of the transcendental position.

SB4.22.22

TEXT 22

jijnasayadhyatmika-yoga-nisthaya

yogesvaropasanaya ca nityam

punya-sravah-kathaya punyaya ca

sa—that devotional service; sraddhaya—with faith and conviction; bhagavat-dharma—devotional service; caryaya—by discussion; jijnasaya—by inquiry; adhyatmika—spiritual; yoga-nisthaya—by conviction in spiritual understanding; yoga-isvara—the Supreme Personality of Godhead; upasanaya—by worship of Him; ca—and; nityam—regularly; punya-sravah—by hearing which; kathaya—by discussion; punyaya—by pious; ca—also.

Attachment for the Supreme can be increased by practicing devotional service, inquiring about the Supreme Personality of Godhead, applying bhakti-yoga in life, worshiping the Yogesvara, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and by hearing and chanting about the glories of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. These actions are pious in themselves.

The word yogesvara is applicable to both the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krsna, and His devotees also. In Bhagavad-gita this word occurs in two places. In the Eighteenth Chapter (18.78), Krsna is described as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Hari, who is the master of all mystic power (yatra yogesvarah krsnah). Yogesvara is also described at the end of the Sixth Chapter (6.47): sa me yuktatamo matah. This yuktatama indicates the topmost of all yogis—the devotees, who can also be called yogesvara. In this verse, yogesvara-upasana means to render service to a pure devotee. Thus Narottama dasa Thakura says, chadiya vaisnava-seva nistara payeche keba: without serving a pure devotee, one cannot advance in spiritual life. Prahlada Maharaja also has said:

naisam matis tavad urukramanghrim
sprsaty anarthapagamo yad-arthah
mahiyasam pada-rajo-’bhisekam
niskincananam na vrnita yavat

(Bhag. 7.5.32)

One should take shelter of a pure devotee, who has nothing to do with this material world but is simply engaged in devotional service. By serving him only, one can transcend the qualitative material condition. In this verse it is recommended (yogesvara-upasanaya) that one serve the lotus feet of the topmost yogi, or the devotee. To serve the topmost devotee means to hear from him about the glories of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. To hear the glories of the Supreme Personality of Godhead from the mouth of a pure devotee is to acquire a pious life. In Bhagavad-gita (7.28) it is also said that without being pious one cannot engage in devotional service.

yesam tv anta-gatam papam
jananam punya-karmanam
te dvandva-moha-nirmukta
bhajanti mam drdha-vratah

To become fixed in devotional service one has to become completely cleansed from the contamination of the material modes of nature. For work in devotional service the first item is adau gurv-asrayam: one should accept a bona fide spiritual master, and from the bona fide spiritual master inquire about one’s transcendental occupational duties (sad-dharma-prccha) and follow in the footsteps of great saintly persons, devotees (sadhu-marga-anugamanam). These are the instructions given in Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu by Rupa Gosvami.

The conclusion is that to increase attachment for the Supreme Personality of Godhead one has to accept a bona fide spiritual master and learn from him the methods of devotional service and hear from him about the transcendental message and glorification of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. In this way one has to increase his conviction about devotional service. Then it will be very easy to increase attachment for the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

SB4.22.23

TEXT 23

arthendriyarama-sagosthy-atrsnaya

tat-sammatanam aparigrahena ca

vivikta-rucya paritosa atmani

vina harer guna-piyusa-panat

artha—riches; indriya—senses; arama—gratification; sa-gosthi—with their companion; atrsnaya—by reluctance; tat—that; sammatanam—since approved by them; aparigrahena—by nonacceptance; ca—also; vivikta-rucya—disgusted taste; paritose—happiness; atmani—self; vina—without; hareh—of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; guna—qualities; piyusa—nectar; panat—drinking.

One has to make progress in spiritual life by not associating with persons who are simply interested in sense gratification and making money. Not only such persons, but one who associates with such persons should be avoided. One should mold his life in such a way that he cannot live in peace without drinking the nectar of the glorification of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Hari. One can be thus elevated by being disgusted with the taste for sense enjoyment.

In the material world everyone is interested in money and sense gratification. The only objective is to earn as much money as possible and utilize it for satisfaction of the senses. Srila Sukadeva Gosvami thus described the activities of the materialistic persons:

nidraya hriyate naktam
vyavayena ca va vayah
diva carthehaya rajan
kutumba-bharanena va

(Bhag. 2.1.3)

This is a typical example of materialistic persons. At night they waste their time by sleeping more than six hours or by wasting time in sex indulgence. This is their occupation at night, and in the morning they go to their office or business place just to earn money. As soon as there is some money, they become busy in purchasing things for their children and others. Such persons are never interested in understanding the values of life—what is God, what is the individual soul, what is its relationship with God, etc. Things are degraded to such an extent that those who are supposed to be religious are also at the present moment interested only in sense gratification. The number of materialistic persons in this age of Kali has increased more than in any other age; therefore persons who are interested in going back home, back to Godhead, should not only engage in the service of realized souls but should give up the company of materialistic persons, whose only aim is to earn money and employ it in sense gratification. They should also not accept the objectives of materialistic persons, namely money and sense gratification. Therefore it is stated: bhaktih paresanubhavo viraktir anyatra ca (Bhag. 11.2.42). To advance in devotional service one should be uninterested in the materialistic way of life. That which is the subject matter of satisfaction for the devotees is of no interest to the nondevotees.

Simple negation, or giving up the company of materialistic persons, will not do. We must have engagements. Sometimes it is found that a person interested in spiritual advancement gives up the company of material society and goes to a secluded place as recommended for the yogis especially, but that will also not help a person in spiritual advancement, for in many instances such yogis also fall down. As far as jnanis are concerned, generally they fall down without taking shelter of the lotus feet of the Lord. The impersonalists or the voidists can simply avoid the positive material association; they cannot remain fixed in transcendence without being engaged in devotional service. The beginning of devotional service is to hear about the glories of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. That is recommended in this verse: vina harer guna-piyusa-panat. One must drink the nectar of the glories of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and this means that one must be always engaged in hearing and chanting the glories of the Lord. It is the prime method for advancing in spiritual life. Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu also recommends this in the Caitanya-caritamrta. If one wants to make advancement in spiritual life, by great fortune he may meet a bona fide spiritual master and from him learn about Krsna. By serving both the spiritual master and Krsna he gets the seed of devotional service (bhakti-lata-bija), and if he sows the seed within his heart and waters it by hearing and chanting, it grows into a luxuriant bhakti-lata, or bhakti creeper. The creeper is so strong that it penetrates the covering of the universe and reaches the spiritual world and continues to grow on and on until it reaches and takes shelter of the lotus feet of Krsna, just as an ordinary creeper also grows on and on until it takes a solid shelter on a roof; then it very steadily grows and produces the required fruit. The real cause of the growing of such fruit, which is here called the nectar of hearing the glories of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is to water the creeper of devotional service by hearing and chanting. The purport is that one cannot live outside the society of devotees; one must live in the association of devotees, where there is constant chanting and hearing of the glories of the Lord. The Krsna consciousness movement is started for this purpose, so that hundreds of ISKCON centers may give people a chance to hear and chant, to accept the spiritual master and to disassociate themselves from persons who are materially interested, for in this way one can make solid advancement in going back home, back to Godhead.

SB4.22.24

TEXT 24

ahimsaya paramahamsya-caryaya

smrtya mukundacaritagrya-sidhuna

yamair akamair niyamais capy anindaya

nirihaya dvandva-titiksaya ca

ahimsaya—by nonviolence; paramahamsya-caryaya—by following in the footsteps of great acaryas; smrtya—by remembering; mukunda—the Supreme Personality of Godhead; acarita-agrya—simply preaching His activities; sidhuna—by the nectar; yamaih—by following regulative principles; akamaih—without material desires; niyamaih—by strictly following the rules and regulations; ca—also; api—certainly; anindaya—without blaspheming; nirihaya—living simply, plain living; dvandva—duality; titiksaya—by tolerance; ca—and.

A candidate for spiritual advancement must be nonviolent, must follow in the footsteps of great acaryas, must always remember the nectar of the pastimes of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, must follow the regulative principles without material desire and, while following the regulative principles, should not blaspheme others. A devotee should lead a very simple life and not be disturbed by the duality of opposing elements. He should learn to tolerate them.