Srimad-Bhagavatam: Canto 5: “The Creative Impetus”
by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Chapter Six
The Activities of Lord Rsabhadeva
SB5.6Summary
This chapter tells how Lord Rsabhadeva left His body. He was not attached to His body even when it was being burned up in a forest fire. When the seed of fruitive activity is burned by the fire of knowledge, the spiritual properties and mystic powers are automatically manifest, yet bhakti-yoga is not affected by these mystic powers. An ordinary yogi is captivated by mystic powers and his progress checked; therefore a perfect yogi does not welcome them. Because the mind is restless and undependable, it must remain always under control. Even the mind of the advanced yogi Saubhari created such a disturbance that he lost his yogic mystic powers. Due to a restless mind, even a very advanced yogi can fall down. The mind is so restless that it induces even a perfect yogi to be controlled by the senses. Therefore Lord Rsabhadeva, for the instruction of all yogis, showed the process of quitting the body. While traveling in South India, through the provinces of Karnata, Konka, Venka and Kutaka, Lord Rsabhadeva arrived in the neighborhood of Kutakacala. Suddenly there was a forest fire that burned the forest and Lord Rsabhadeva’s body to ashes. The pastimes of Lord Rsabhadeva as a liberated soul were known by the King of Konka, Venka and Kutaka. This King’s name was Arhat. He later became captivated by the illusory energy, and in this condition he set forth the basic principles of Jainism. Lord Rsabhadeva set forth the principles of religion that can free one from material bondage, and He put an end to all kinds of atheistic activities. On this earth, the place known as Bharata-varsa was a very pious land because the Supreme Lord appeared there when He wanted to incarnate. SB5.6.1 TEXT 1 rajovaca na nunam bhagava atmaramanam yoga-samirita-jnanavabharjita-karma-bijanam aisvaryani punah klesadani bhavitum arhanti yadrc-chayopagatani. SYNONYMS raja uvaca—King Pariksit inquired; na—not; nunam—indeed; bhagavah—O most powerful Sukadeva Gosvami; atmaramanam—of pure devotees simply engaged in devotional service; yoga-samirita—achieved by practice of yoga; jnana—by knowledge; avabharjita—burned; karma-bijanam—of those whose seeds of fruitive activities; aisvaryani—the mystic powers; punah—again; klesadani—sources of distress; bhavitum—to become; arhanti—are able; yadrcchaya—automatically; upagatani—achieved. TRANSLATION King Pariksit asked Sukadeva Gosvami: My dear Lord, for those who are completely pure in heart, knowledge is attained by the practice of bhakti-yoga, and attachment for fruitive activity is completely burned to ashes. For such people, the powers of mystic yoga automatically arise. They do not cause distress. Why, then, did Rsabhadeva neglect them? PURPORT A pure devotee is constantly engaged in the service of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Whatever is necessary for the discharge of devotional service is automatically attained, though it may appear to be the result of mystic yoga power. Sometimes a yogi displays a little yogic power by manufacturing gold. A little quantity of gold captivates foolish people, and thus the yogi gets many followers, who are willing to accept such a tiny person as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Such a yogi may also advertise himself as Bhagavan. However, a devotee does not have to exhibit such magical wonders. Without practicing the mystic yogic process, he achieves even greater opulence all over the world. Under the circumstances, Lord Rsabhadeva refused to manifest mystic yogic perfections, and Maharaja Pariksit asked why He did not accept them, since, for a devotee, they are not at all disturbing. A devotee is never distressed or satisfied by material opulence. His concern is how to please the Supreme Personality of Godhead. If, by the grace of the Supreme Lord, a devotee achieves extraordinary opulence, he utilizes the opportunity for the Lord’s service. He is not disturbed by the opulence. SB5.6.2 TEXT 2 rsir uvaca satyam uktam kintv iha va eke na manaso ’ddha visrambham anavasthanasya satha-kirata iva sangacchante. SYNONYMS rsih uvaca—Sukadeva Gosvami said; satyam—the correct thing; uktam—have said; kintu—but; iha—in this material world; va—either; eke—some; na—not; manasah—of the mind; addha—directly; visrambham—faithful; anavasthanasya—being unsteady; satha—very cunning; kiratah—a hunter; iva—like; sangacchante—become. TRANSLATION Srila Sukadeva Gosvami replied: My dear King, you have spoken correctly. However, after capturing animals, a cunning hunter does not put faith in them, for they might run away. Similarly, those who are advanced in spiritual life do not put faith in the mind. Indeed, they always remain vigilant and watch the mind’s action. PURPORT In Bhagavad-gita (18.5) Lord Krsna says: yajna-dana-tapah-karma “Acts of sacrifice, charity and penance are not to be given up but should be performed. Indeed, sacrifice, charity and penance purify even the great souls.” Even one who has renounced the world and has taken sannyasa should not renounce chanting the Hare Krsna maha-mantra. Renunciation does not mean that one has to renounce sankirtana-yajna. Similarly, one should not renounce charity or tapasya. The yoga system for control of the mind and senses must be strictly followed. Lord Rsabhadeva showed how severe types of tapasya could be performed, and He set an example for all others. SB5.6.3 TEXT 3 tatha coktam—— na kuryat karhicit sakhyam manasi hy anavasthite yad-visrambhac cirac cirnam caskanda tapa aisvaram SYNONYMS tatha—so; ca—and; uktam—it is said; na—never; kuryat—should do; karhicit—at any time or with anyone; sakhyam—friendship; manasi—in the mind; hi—certainly; anavasthite—which is very restless; yat—in which; visrambhat—from placing too much faith; cirat—for a long time; cirnam—practiced; caskanda—became disturbed; tapah—the austerity; aisvaram—of great personalities like Lord Siva and the great sage Saubhari. TRANSLATION All the learned scholars have given their opinion. The mind is by nature very restless, and one should not make friends with it. If we place full confidence in the mind, it may cheat us at any moment. Even Lord Siva became agitated upon seeing the Mohini form of Lord Krsna, and Saubhari Muni also fell down from the mature stage of yogic perfection. PURPORT The first business of one trying to advance in spiritual life is to control the mind and senses. As Sri Krsna says in Bhagavad-gita (15.7): mamaivamso jiva-loke Although the living entities are part and parcel of the Supreme Lord and are therefore in a transcendental position, they are still suffering in this material world and struggling for existence due to the mind and the senses. To get out of this false struggle for existence and become happy in the material world, one has to control the mind and senses and be detached from material conditions. One should never neglect austerities and penances; one should always perform them. Lord Rsabhadeva personally showed us how to do this. In the Srimad-Bhagavatam (9.19.17) it is specifically stated: matra svasra duhitra va A grhastha, vanaprastha, sannyasi and brahmacari should be very careful when associating with women. One is forbidden to sit down in a solitary place even with one’s mother, sister or daughter. In our Krsna consciousness movement it has been very difficult to disassociate ourselves from women in our society, especially in Western countries. We are therefore sometimes criticized, but nonetheless we are trying to give everyone a chance to chant the Hare Krsna maha-mantra and thus advance spiritually. If we stick to the principle of chanting the Hare Krsna maha-mantra offenselessly, then, by the grace of Srila Haridasa Thakura, we may be saved from the allurement of women. However, if we are not very strict in chanting the Hare Krsna maha-mantra, we may at any time fall victim to women. SB5.6.4 TEXT 4 nityam dadati kamasya cchidram tam anu ye ’rayah yoginah krta-maitrasya patyur jayeva pumscali SYNONYMS nityam—always; dadati—gives; kamasya—of lust; chidram—facility; tam—that (lust); anu—following; ye—those; arayah—enemies; yoginah—of the yogis or persons trying to advance in spiritual life; krta-maitrasya—having put faith in the mind; patyuh—of the husband; jaya iva—like the wife; pumscali—who is unchaste or easily carried away by other men. TRANSLATION An unchaste woman is very easily carried away by paramours, and it sometimes happens that her husband is violently killed by her paramours. If the yogi gives his mind a chance and does not restrain it, his mind will give facility to enemies like lust, anger and greed, and they will doubtlessly kill the yogi. PURPORT In this verse the word pumscali refers to a woman who is easily carried away by men. Such a woman is never to be trusted. Unfortunately, in the present age, women are never controlled. According to the directions of the sastras, women are never to be given freedom. When a child, a woman must be strictly controlled by her father. When she is young, she must be strictly controlled by her husband, and when she is old, she must be controlled by her elderly sons. If she is given independence and allowed to mingle unrestrictedly with men, she will be spoiled. A spoiled woman, being manipulated by paramours, might even kill her husband. This example is given here because a yogi desiring to get free from material conditions must always keep his mind under control. Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura used to say that in the morning our first business should be to beat the mind with shoes a hundred times. and, before going to bed, to beat the mind a hundred times with a broomstick. In this way one’s mind can be kept under control. An uncontrolled mind and an unchaste wife are the same. An unchaste wife can kill her husband at any time, and an uncontrolled mind, followed by lust, anger, greed, madness, envy and illusion, can certainly kill the yogi. When the yogi is controlled by the mind, he falls down into the material condition. One should be very careful of the mind, just as a husband should be careful of an unchaste wife. SB5.6.5 TEXT 5 kamo manyur mado lobhah soka-moha-bhayadayah karma-bandhas ca yan-mulah svikuryat ko nu tad budhah SYNONYMS kamah—lust; manyuh—anger; madah—pride; lobhah—greed; soka—lamentation; moha—illusion; bhaya—fear; adayah—all these together; karma-bandhah—bondage to fruitive activities; ca—and; yat-mulah—the origin of which; svikuryat—would accept; kah—who; nu—indeed; tat—that mind; budhah—if one is learned. TRANSLATION The mind is the root cause of lust, anger, pride, greed, lamentation, illusion and fear. Combined, these constitute bondage to fruitive activity. What learned man would put faith in the mind? PURPORT The mind is the original cause of material bondage. It is followed by many enemies, such as anger, pride, greed, lamentation, illusion and fear. The best way to control the mind is to engage it always in Krsna consciousness (sa vai manah krsna-padaravindayoh). Since the followers of the mind bring about material bondage, we should be very careful not to trust the mind. SB5.6.6 TEXT 6 athaivam akhila-loka-pala-lalamo ’pi vilaksanair jadavad avadhuta-vesa-bhasa-caritair avilaksita-bhagavat-prabhavo yoginam samparaya-vidhim anusiksayan sva-kalevaram jihasur atmany atmanam asamvyavahitam anarthantara-bhavenanviksamana uparatanuvrttir upararama. SYNONYMS atha—thereafter; evam—in this way; akhila-loka-pala-lalamah—the head of all kings and monarchs of the universe; api—although; vilaksanaih—various; jada-vat—as if stupid; avadhuta-vesa-bhasa-caritaih—by the dress, language and characteristics of an avadhuta; avilaksita-bhagavat-prabhavah—hiding the opulence of the Supreme Personality of Godhead (keeping Himself like an ordinary human being); yoginam—of the yogis; samparaya-vidhim—the method of giving up this material body; anusiksayan—teaching; sva-kalevaram—His own personal body, which is not at all material; jihasuh—desiring to give up like an ordinary human being; atmani—unto Vasudeva, the original person; atmanam—Himself, Lord Rsabhadeva, being an avesa-avatara of Lord Visnu; asamvyavahitam—without intervention by the illusory energy; anartha-antara-bhavena—Himself in the status of Visnu; anviksamanah—always seeing; uparata-anuvrttih—who was acting as if giving up His material body; upararama—ceased His pastimes as the King of this planet. TRANSLATION Lord Rsabhadeva was the head of all kings and emperors within this universe, but assuming the dress and language of an avadhuta, He acted as if dull and materially bound. Consequently no one could observe His divine opulence. He adopted this behavior just to teach yogis how to give up the body. Nonetheless, He maintained His original position as a plenary expansion of Lord Vasudeva, Krsna. Remaining always in that state, He gave up His pastimes as Lord Rsabhadeva within the material world. If, following in the footsteps of Lord Rsabhadeva, one can give up his subtle body, there is no chance that one will accept a material body again. PURPORT As Lord Krsna says in Bhagavad-gita (4.9): janma karma ca me divyam “One who knows the transcendental nature of My appearance and activities does not, upon leaving the body, take his birth again in this material world, but attains My eternal abode, O Arjuna.” This is possible simply by keeping oneself an eternal servant of the Supreme Lord. One must understand his constitutional position and the constitutional position of the Supreme Lord as well. Both have the same spiritual identity. Maintaining oneself as a servant of the Supreme Lord, one should avoid rebirth in this material world. If one keeps himself spiritually fit and thinks of himself as an eternal servant of the Supreme Lord, he will be successful at the time he has to give up the material body. SB5.6.7 TEXT 7 tasya ha va evam mukta-lingasya bhagavata rsabhasya yogamaya-vasanaya deha imam jagatim abhimanabhasena sankramamanah konka-venka-kutakan daksina-karnatakan desan yadrcchayopagatah kutakacalopavana asya krtasma-kavala unmada iva mukta-murdhajo ’samvita eva vicacara. SYNONYMS tasya—of Him (Lord Rsabhadeva); ha va—as it were; evam—thus; mukta-lingasya—who had no identification with the gross and subtle body; bhagavatah—of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; rsabhasya—of Lord Rsabhadeva; yoga-maya-vasanaya—by the accomplishment of yogamaya for the purpose of the Lord’s pastimes; dehah—body; imam—this; jagatim—earth; abhimana-abhasena—with the apparent conception of having a body of material elements; sankramamanah—traveling; konka-venka-kutakan—Konka, Venka and Kutaka; daksina—in South India; karnatakan—in the province of Karnata; desan—all the countries; yadrcchaya—of His own accord; upagatah—reached; kutakacala-upavane—a forest near Kutakacala; asya—within the mouth; krta-asma-kavalah—having put a mouthful of stone; unmadah iva—just like a madman; mukta-murdhajah—having scattered hair; asamvitah—naked; eva—just; vicacara—traveled. TRANSLATION Actually Lord Rsabhadeva had no material body, but due to yogamaya, He considered His body material, and therefore, because He played like an ordinary human being, He gave up the mentality of identifying with it. Following this principle, He began to wander all over the world. While traveling, He came to the province of Karnata in South India and passed through Konka, Venka and Kutaka. He had no plan to travel this way, but He arrived near Kutakacala and entered a forest there. He placed stones within His mouth and began to wander through the forest, naked and with His hair disheveled like a madman. SB5.6.8 TEXT 8 atha samira-vega-vidhuta-venu-vikarsana-jatogra-davanalas tad vanam alelihanah saha tena dadaha. SYNONYMS atha—thereafter; samira-vega—by the force of the wind; vidhuta—tossed about; venu—of bamboos; vikarsana—by the rubbing; jata—produced; ugra—fierce; dava-analah—a forest fire; tat—that; vanam—forest near Kutakacala; alelihanah—devouring all around; saha—with; tena—that body; dadaha—burned to ashes. TRANSLATION While He was wandering about, a wild forest fire began. This fire was caused by the friction of bamboos, which were being blown by the wind. In that fire, the entire forest near Kutakacala and the body of Lord Rsabhadeva were burnt to ashes. PURPORT Such a forest fire can burn the external bodies of animals, but Lord Rsabhadeva was not burned, although He apparently seemed so. Lord Rsabhadeva is the Supersoul of all living entities within the forest, and His soul is never burned by fire. As stated in Bhagavad-gita, adahyo ’yam—the soul is never burned by fire. Due to Lord Rsabhadeva’s presence, all the animals in the forest were also liberated from material encagement. SB5.6.9 TEXT 9 yasya kilanucaritam upakarnya konka-venka-kutakanam rajarhan-namopasiksya kalav adharma utkrsyamane bhavitavyena vimohitah sva-dharma-patham akuto-bhayam apahaya kupatha-pakhandam asamanjasam nija-manisaya mandah sampravartayisyate. SYNONYMS yasya—of whom (Lord Rsabhadeva); kila anucaritam—pastimes as a paramahamsa, above all regulative varnasrama principles; upakarnya—hearing; konka-venka-kutakanam—of Konka, Venka and Kutaka; raja—the King; arhat-nama—whose name was Arhat (now known as the Jain); upasiksya—imitating the activities of Lord Rsabhadeva in His paramahamsa feature; kalau—in this age of Kali; adharme utkrsyamane—because of increasing irreligious life; bhavitavyena—by that which was about to happen; vimohitah—bewildered; sva-dharma-patham—the path of religion; akutah-bhayam—which is free from all kinds of fearful danger; apahaya—giving up (such practices as cleanliness, truthfulness, control of the senses and mind, simplicity, the principles of religion, and practical application of knowledge); ku-patha-pakhandam—the wrong path of atheism; asamanjasam—improper or against the Vedic literature; nija-manisaya—by his own fertile brain; mandah—most foolish; sampravartayisyate—will introduce. TRANSLATION Sukadeva Gosvami continued speaking to Maharaja Pariksit: My dear King, the King of Konka, Venka and Kutaka whose name was Arhat, heard of the activities of Rsabhadeva and, imitating Rsabhadeva’s principles, introduced a new system of religion. Taking advantage of Kali-yuga, the age of sinful activity, King Arhat, being bewildered, gave up the Vedic principles, which are free from risk, and concocted a new system of religion opposed to the Vedas. That was the beginning of the Jain dharma. Many other so-called religions followed this atheistic system. PURPORT When Lord Sri Krsna was present on this planet, a person named Paundraka imitated the four-handed Narayana and declared himself the Supreme Personality of Godhead. He desired to compete with Krsna. Similarly, during the time of Lord Rsabhadeva, the King of Konka and Venka acted like a paramahamsa and imitated Lord Rsabhadeva. He introduced a system of religion and took advantage of the fallen condition of the people in this age of Kali. It is said in Vedic literatures that people in this age will be more inclined to accept anyone as the Supreme Lord and accept any religious system opposed to Vedic principles. The people in this age are described as mandah sumanda-matayah. Generally they have no spiritual culture, and therefore they are very fallen. Due to this, they will accept any religious system. Due to their misfortune. they forget the Vedic principles. Following non-Vedic principles in this age, they think themselves the Supreme Lord and thus spread the cult of atheism all over the world. SB5.6.10 TEXT 10 yena ha vava kalau manujapasada deva-maya-mohitah sva-vidhi-niyoga-sauca-caritra-vihina deva-helanany apavratani nija-nijecchaya grhnana asnananacamanasauca-kesolluncanadini kalinadharma-bahulenopahata-dhiyo brahma-brahmana-yajna-purusa-loka-vidusakah prayena bhavisyanti. SYNONYMS yena—by which pseudo religious system; ha vava—certainly; kalau—in this age of Kali; manuja-apasadah—the most condemned men; deva-maya-mohitah—bewildered by the external energy, or illusory energy, of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; sva-vidhi-niyoga-sauca-caritra-vihinah—without character, cleanliness, and the rules and regulations given according to one’s own duty in life; deva-helanani—negligent of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; apavratani—impious vows; nija-nija-icchaya—by their own desires; grhnanah—accepting; asnana-anacamana-asauca-kesa-ulluncana-adini—concocted religious principles such as no bathing, no washing of the mouth, being unclean and plucking out the hair; kalina—by the age of Kali; adharma-bahulena—with an abundance of irreligion; upahata-dhiyah—whose pure consciousness is destroyed; brahma-brahmana-yajna-purusa-loka-vidusakah—blasphemous toward the Vedas, the strict brahmanas, ritualistic ceremonies such as sacrifice, and toward the Supreme Personality of Godhead and the devotees; prayena—almost entirely; bhavisyanti—will become. TRANSLATION People who are lowest among men and bewildered by the illusory energy of the Supreme Lord will give up the original varnasrama-dharma and its rules and regulations. They will abandon bathing three times daily and worshiping the Lord. Abandoning cleanliness and neglecting the Supreme Lord, they will accept nonsensical principles. Not regularly bathing or washing their mouths regularly, they will always remain unclean, and they will pluck out their hair. Following a concocted religion, they will flourish. During this age of Kali, people are more inclined to irreligious systems. Consequently these people will naturally deride Vedic authority, the followers of Vedic authority, the brahmanas, the Supreme Personality of Godhead and the devotees. PURPORT Presently the hippies in the Western countries fit this description. They are irresponsible and unregulated. They do not bathe, and they deride standard Vedic knowledge. They concoct new life-styles and religions. There are many hippie groups at the present moment, but they all originated from King Arhat, who imitated the activities of Lord Rsabhadeva, who was situated on the paramahamsa stage. King Arhat did not care for the fact that although Lord Rsabhadeva acted like a madman, His stool and urine were nonetheless aromatic, so much so that they nicely scented the countryside for miles around. The followers of King Arhat went under the name Jains, and they were later followed by many others, particularly by the hippies, who are more or less offshoots of Mayavada philosophy because they think themselves the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Such people do not respect the real followers of Vedic principles, the ideal brahmanas. Nor do they have respect for the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the Supreme Brahman. Due to the influence of this age of Kali, they are apt to concoct false religious systems. SB5.6.11 TEXT 11 te ca hy arvaktanaya nija-loka-yatrayandha-paramparayasvastas tamasy andhe svayam eva prapatisyanti. SYNONYMS te—those people not following the Vedic principles; ca—and; hi—certainly; arvaktanaya—deviating from the eternal principles of Vedic religion; nija-loka-yatraya—by a practice arrived at by their own mental concoction; andha-paramparaya—by a disciplic succession of blind. ignorant people; asvastah—being encouraged; tamasi—into the darkness of ignorance; andhe—blindness; svayam eva—themselves; prapatisyanti—will fall down. TRANSLATION Low-class people, due to their gross ignorance, introduce a system of religion that deviates from the Vedic principles. Following their own mental concoctions, they automatically fall down into the darkest regions of existence. PURPORT In this connection, one may see Bhagavad-gita, Chapter Sixteen. where there is a description of the downfall of the asuras (16.16 and 16.23).
Lord Rsabhadeva neglected all the mystic powers for which the so-called yogis hanker. Because of the beauty of devotional service, devotees are not at all interested in so-called mystic power. The master of all yogic power, Lord Krsna, can exhibit all powers on behalf of His devotee. Devotional service is more valuable than yogic mystic powers. Devotees who are sometimes misled aspire for liberation and mystic powers. The Supreme Lord gives these devotees whatever they desire, but they cannot attain the most important function of devotional service. Devotional service to the Lord is guaranteed for those who do not desire liberation and mystic power.
na tyajyam karyam eva tat
yajno danam tapas caiva
pavanani manisinam
jiva-bhutah sanatanah
manah sasthanindriyani
prakrti-sthani karsati
naviviktasano bhavet
balavan indriya-gramo
vidvamsam api karsati
evam yo vetti tattvatah
tyaktva deham punar janma
naiti mam eti so ’rjuna