0 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:02,254 SB 1-03-11 LA 1972-09-17 How a Devotee Approaches Krishna 1 00:00:02,255 --> 00:00:06,751 ANNOUNCER: Next is a class on the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, 1st canto, 2 00:00:06,752 --> 00:00:09,382 3rd chapter, text number 11, 3 00:00:09,383 --> 00:00:15,278 given by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda, 4 00:00:15,279 --> 00:00:21,474 recorded on September 17th, 1972, in Los Angeles. 5 00:00:21,475 --> 00:00:23,016 PRADYUMNA: Translation: 6 00:00:23,017 --> 00:00:27,918 “The sixth incarnation of the puruṣa was the son of the sage Atri. 7 00:00:27,919 --> 00:00:32,443 He was born in the womb of Anasūyā, who prayed for an incarnation. 8 00:00:32,444 --> 00:00:37,592 He spoke on the subject of transcendence to Alarka, Prahlāda and others, 9 00:00:37,593 --> 00:00:39,985 (Yadu, Haihaya, etc.)” 10 00:00:39,986 --> 00:00:42,142 PRABHUPĀDA: Purport? 11 00:00:42,143 --> 00:00:45,350 “The Lord incarnated Himself as Dattātreya, 12 00:00:45,351 --> 00:00:48,506 the son of Ṛṣi Atri and Anasūyā. 13 00:00:48,507 --> 00:00:54,119 The history of the birth of Dattātreya as an incarnation of the Lord is mentioned 14 00:00:54,120 --> 00:00:59,035 in the Brahmāṇḍa Purāṇa in connection with the story of the devoted wife. 15 00:00:59,036 --> 00:01:03,616 It is said there that Anasūyā, the wife of Ṛṣi Atri, 16 00:01:03,617 --> 00:01:09,653 prayed before the lords Brahmā, Viṣṇu and Śiva as follows: ‘My lords, 17 00:01:09,654 --> 00:01:14,888 if you are pleased with me and if you desire me to ask from you some sort of blessings, 18 00:01:14,889 --> 00:01:19,077 then I pray that you combine together to become my son.’ 19 00:01:19,078 --> 00:01:21,211 This was accepted by the lords, 20 00:01:21,212 --> 00:01:26,019 and as Dattātreya the Lord expounded the philosophy of the spirit soul 21 00:01:26,020 --> 00:01:28,626 and especially instructed Alarka, 22 00:01:28,627 --> 00:01:33,990 Prahlāda, Yadu, Haihaya, etc.” 23 00:01:33,991 --> 00:01:48,126 So here we see that you can have God as your son. 24 00:01:48,127 --> 00:01:51,040 There are so many instances. 25 00:01:51,041 --> 00:02:02,861 Just like Devakī got Kṛṣṇa as his [her] son; mother Yaśodā got God as his [her] son; 26 00:02:02,862 --> 00:02:13,204 Śacī-mātā, [s]he also got Caitanya Mahāprabhu as son. 27 00:02:13,205 --> 00:02:25,549 So this is better philosophy than to accept God as father. 28 00:02:25,550 --> 00:02:33,117 That is especially in the Vaiṣṇava philosophy. 29 00:02:33,118 --> 00:02:43,166 Others, the impersonalist, voidists, they have no conception of God. 30 00:02:43,167 --> 00:02:52,600 Voidists—“Ultimately everything is zero,” and the impersonalists, “God has no form.” 31 00:02:52,601 --> 00:02:58,454 Both are the same thing, in a different language. 32 00:02:58,455 --> 00:03:06,898 The voidists, they say, “Ultimately there is nothing but zero,” 33 00:03:06,899 --> 00:03:16,564 and the impersonalists statement that “Maybe something, but it is not person, 34 00:03:16,565 --> 00:03:20,559 it is imperson.” 35 00:03:20,560 --> 00:03:28,864 Therefore in the Padma Purāṇa this Buddhist theory, voidism, 36 00:03:28,865 --> 00:03:44,586 and the Śaṅkara’s theory, impersonalism, they are taken as one and the same. 37 00:03:44,587 --> 00:03:47,591 Pracchannaṁ bauddham ucyate [Padma Purāṇa]. 38 00:03:47,592 --> 00:03:53,423 pracchannaṁ bauddham The Buddhists, 39 00:03:53,424 --> 00:04:02,332 they decline to accept the authority of Vedas, and the Māyāvādīs, 40 00:04:02,333 --> 00:04:09,460 the impersonalists, they wanted to accept the authority of Vedas, 41 00:04:09,461 --> 00:04:15,035 but under the garb of Buddhism. 42 00:04:15,036 --> 00:04:21,071 Therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu has given His remark, 43 00:04:21,072 --> 00:04:25,569 Veda nā māniyā bauddha haya ta’ nāstika [Cc. Madhya 6.168]. 44 00:04:25,570 --> 00:04:30,079 According to Vedic line of thought, 45 00:04:30,080 --> 00:04:39,604 anyone who does not accept the authority of Vedas, he is called atheist. 46 00:04:39,605 --> 00:04:47,590 Just like the Muhammadans, they also call kafir. 47 00:04:47,591 --> 00:04:55,296 One who does not accept the authority of Koran, they call kafir. 48 00:04:55,297 --> 00:05:01,159 And the Christians also, they call “heathens.” 49 00:05:01,160 --> 00:05:04,582 So there are different terms. 50 00:05:04,583 --> 00:05:08,816 So according to our Vedic line of thought, 51 00:05:08,817 --> 00:05:16,970 anyone who does not accept the Vedic way of life, he is called atheist. 52 00:05:16,971 --> 00:05:27,770 Therefore Buddhist, according to Vedantists, Buddhist are called atheist. 53 00:05:27,771 --> 00:05:37,113 Actually Buddha philosophy does not accept God, neither soul. 54 00:05:37,114 --> 00:05:43,202 They simply philosophize on the material elements, 55 00:05:43,203 --> 00:05:49,908 and they want to finish the material exis…, dismantle the material elements. 56 00:05:49,909 --> 00:05:52,615 Nirvāṇa. 57 00:05:52,616 --> 00:05:58,210 So Caitanya Mahāprabhu has remarked that the Buddhists are honest. 58 00:05:58,211 --> 00:06:03,456 They frankly say that “We don’t accept your Vedas. 59 00:06:03,457 --> 00:06:06,799 But the Shankarites, they are cheaters, 60 00:06:06,800 --> 00:06:15,747 because they are accepting Vedas, but on the basis of Buddha philosophy. 61 00:06:15,748 --> 00:06:20,550 That is cheating. 62 00:06:20,551 --> 00:06:26,937 So there are many conception of God. 63 00:06:26,938 --> 00:06:33,928 But here is a conception of God: to accept God as son. 64 00:06:33,929 --> 00:06:44,154 That is only in Vaiṣṇava philosophy, because we are eternal servants of God. 65 00:06:44,155 --> 00:06:45,811 That is our philosophy. 66 00:06:45,812 --> 00:06:49,888 Jīvera svarūpa haya nitya-kṛṣṇa- dāsa [Cc. Madhya 20.108-109]. 67 00:06:49,889 --> 00:06:59,168 The living entity, his real constitutional position is to serve God. 68 00:06:59,169 --> 00:07:02,509 We have several times explained this fact, 69 00:07:02,510 --> 00:07:11,971 that the part and parcel of God must be engaged in the service of the Lord. 70 00:07:11,972 --> 00:07:16,245 Just like this finger is part and parcel of my body. 71 00:07:16,246 --> 00:07:19,381 Its duty is to serve the body. 72 00:07:19,382 --> 00:07:22,814 It has no other duty. 73 00:07:22,815 --> 00:07:30,316 The finger cannot go elsewhere and serve something else; it must serve my body. 74 00:07:30,317 --> 00:07:33,790 Therefore, it is part and parcel. 75 00:07:33,791 --> 00:07:42,127 Similarly, if I am part and parcel of God, then my only duty is to serve God. 76 00:07:42,128 --> 00:07:45,838 This is Vaiṣṇava philosophy. 77 00:07:45,839 --> 00:07:53,610 So therefore, in Vaiṣṇava philosophy, 78 00:07:53,611 --> 00:08:00,446 everything in relationship with God is service. 79 00:08:00,447 --> 00:08:04,384 You have seen the picture in our Nectar of Devotion. 80 00:08:04,385 --> 00:08:08,338 Kṛṣṇa’s friends… Kṛṣṇa is resting. 81 00:08:08,339 --> 00:08:10,405 They are all engaged in service. 82 00:08:10,406 --> 00:08:13,747 Somebody is fanning, somebody is massaging. 83 00:08:13,748 --> 00:08:19,490 Although they are friends, there is equality, 84 00:08:19,491 --> 00:08:22,125 none of them think that Kṛṣṇa is greater than them. 85 00:08:22,126 --> 00:08:24,566 No. 86 00:08:24,567 --> 00:08:31,744 They think, “Kṛṣṇa is our friend, very nice friend, very beautiful friend, 87 00:08:31,745 --> 00:08:36,063 and very powerful friend.” 88 00:08:36,064 --> 00:08:43,205 Every day they go to the forest, and they see one demon is killed by Kṛṣṇa. 89 00:08:43,206 --> 00:08:46,476 So they become very much devoted. 90 00:08:46,477 --> 00:08:54,694 Their love for Kṛṣṇa increased by seeing Kṛṣṇa’s activities, beauty, opulence. 91 00:08:54,695 --> 00:08:58,664 Similarly, the gopīs. 92 00:08:58,665 --> 00:09:01,259 Say they did not think Kṛṣṇa is God. 93 00:09:01,260 --> 00:09:02,444 They did not know. 94 00:09:02,445 --> 00:09:05,655 Even Mother Yaśodā, Nanda Mahārāja, 95 00:09:05,656 --> 00:09:09,336 all the inhabitants of Vṛndāvana, they did not know, 96 00:09:09,337 --> 00:09:14,449 neither they did care to know whether Kṛṣṇa is God or not. 97 00:09:14,450 --> 00:09:21,820 They simply loved Kṛṣṇa, without any identification. 98 00:09:21,821 --> 00:09:25,301 We are worshiping God, Kṛṣṇa, 99 00:09:25,302 --> 00:09:30,662 because we are impressed with so many things, that Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Lord, 100 00:09:30,663 --> 00:09:32,458 He is the Absolute Truth. 101 00:09:32,459 --> 00:09:34,995 And therefore we are little inclined. 102 00:09:34,996 --> 00:09:39,414 “All right, let us serve Kṛṣṇa if He is God.” 103 00:09:39,415 --> 00:09:40,180 You see? 104 00:09:40,181 --> 00:09:47,974 There is some condition: “If Kṛṣṇa is God, so if I do not love, if I do not worship, 105 00:09:47,975 --> 00:09:50,232 there may be something wrong.” 106 00:09:50,233 --> 00:09:53,764 So that is business. 107 00:09:53,765 --> 00:09:59,028 But amongst the gopīs and the cowherds boy and the Vṛndāvana inhabitants, 108 00:09:59,029 --> 00:10:00,946 there is no business. 109 00:10:00,947 --> 00:10:02,835 “We love Kṛṣṇa unconditionally. 110 00:10:02,836 --> 00:10:04,116 That’s all. 111 00:10:04,117 --> 00:10:08,312 We do not know anything except Kṛṣṇa.” 112 00:10:08,313 --> 00:10:12,111 This is Vṛndāvana atmosphere. 113 00:10:12,112 --> 00:10:18,589 So mother Yaśodā, Nanda and other elderly gopīs, 114 00:10:18,590 --> 00:10:24,127 they used to treat Kṛṣṇa as son, as beloved son, 115 00:10:24,128 --> 00:10:30,033 because if we accept God as father or mother… 116 00:10:30,034 --> 00:10:33,294 There is conception of mother also. 117 00:10:33,295 --> 00:10:42,490 The śāktas… There are many devotees of Durgā, Kālī. 118 00:10:42,491 --> 00:10:46,190 They also accept the mother. 119 00:10:46,191 --> 00:10:49,750 The Christians accept as father. 120 00:10:49,751 --> 00:10:54,411 The conception of father and mother, that is good, 121 00:10:54,412 --> 00:11:00,102 but there is little service… Because children, 122 00:11:00,103 --> 00:11:03,486 they take service from the mother and father. 123 00:11:03,487 --> 00:11:08,519 They give, render very little service to the father and mother. 124 00:11:08,520 --> 00:11:11,068 Every children, every man, 125 00:11:11,069 --> 00:11:16,748 every woman has taken so much services from the father and mother. 126 00:11:16,749 --> 00:11:18,305 Everyone knows that. 127 00:11:18,306 --> 00:11:21,004 Just like those who are mothers here, 128 00:11:21,005 --> 00:11:24,121 how much service they are giving to the little children, 129 00:11:24,122 --> 00:11:32,951 how much careful they are that their child may not be in some difficulty, 130 00:11:32,952 --> 00:11:35,396 always anxious. 131 00:11:35,397 --> 00:11:42,768 Similarly, this philosophy, to accept God as son, 132 00:11:42,769 --> 00:11:53,518 means opportunity for rendering more service than to accept God as father. 133 00:11:53,519 --> 00:11:55,932 God is neither father nor… He is father. 134 00:11:55,933 --> 00:12:00,910 Actually He is father, because He is the origin of everything. 135 00:12:00,911 --> 00:12:07,611 janmādy asya yataḥ [SB. 1.1.1] Kṛṣṇa also says, Ahaṁ bīja-pradaḥ pitā [Bg. 14.4]. 136 00:12:07,612 --> 00:12:10,300 Pitā means father. 137 00:12:10,301 --> 00:12:12,878 So actually, God’s position is father. 138 00:12:12,879 --> 00:12:15,421 He is father of everything. 139 00:12:15,422 --> 00:12:22,610 No… All living entities, all material energy. 140 00:12:22,611 --> 00:12:32,409 As if you discover something, it is called “the father of this scientific discovery.” 141 00:12:32,410 --> 00:12:39,456 So He has discovered everything, material and spiritual both. 142 00:12:39,457 --> 00:12:43,794 Therefore He is original father of everyone. 143 00:12:43,795 --> 00:12:51,755 Not only of the living entities, but also stones, woods, earth, 144 00:12:51,756 --> 00:12:53,159 water, fire, everything. 145 00:12:53,160 --> 00:12:54,668 He has created. 146 00:12:54,669 --> 00:13:00,979 Bhūmir āpo ’nalo vāyuḥ khaṁ mano buddhir eva…, prakṛtir me aṣṭadhā, 147 00:13:00,980 --> 00:13:02,809 bhinnā prakṛtir me aṣṭadhā [Bg. 7.4]. 148 00:13:02,810 --> 00:13:04,554 In the Bhagavad-gītā. 149 00:13:04,555 --> 00:13:06,211 So He has created everything. 150 00:13:06,212 --> 00:13:09,271 He is actually the father. 151 00:13:09,272 --> 00:13:19,784 But out of love, the devotees, they accept the father as son, to give more service. 152 00:13:19,785 --> 00:13:23,785 Father is obliged to give service to the son. 153 00:13:23,786 --> 00:13:31,467 He has given birth; therefore he has obligation to maintain the son, 154 00:13:31,468 --> 00:13:33,488 to give service. 155 00:13:33,489 --> 00:13:42,464 So here, if you accept God as son, then you cannot avoid the obligation of service. 156 00:13:42,465 --> 00:13:48,186 In other way you can avoid. 157 00:13:48,187 --> 00:13:51,087 This is compulsory. 158 00:13:51,088 --> 00:14:02,668 Therefore sometimes devotees, they pray… Here it is said… prayed for. 159 00:14:02,669 --> 00:14:08,440 “The sixth incarnation of the puruṣa was the son of the sage Atri. 160 00:14:08,441 --> 00:14:16,491 He was born in the womb of Anasūyā, who prayed for an incarnation.” 161 00:14:16,492 --> 00:14:23,805 She requested that “You all three, you become my son.” [splice] 162 00:14:23,806 --> 00:14:37,011 Thank you very much. [end] 163 00:14:37,012 --> 00:14:37,013 Subtitles by 80.1.251.112, Causelessmercy.com