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