Srimad-Bhagavatam 7.5.22-30 Prabhupada: Prahlada Maharaja is one of the mahajanas, great authorities of this line, devotional line. (aside:) You can take your seats. To understand God and to understand our relationship with God, it is not to be done by mental speculation. It is not possible. God is not so cheap thing that one can understand by mental speculation. In the present age people are very much fond of mental speculation. In the sastra it is said, tarko apratisthah: “Simply by arguing you cannot come to the right conclusion.” You may be very good arguer, but another arguer may defeat you by his argument. So in this way, simply by dry arguments it is not possible to come to the conclusion. Tarko ’pratistha srutayo vibhinnah. Scripture. There are different scriptures. If you simply… Scripture means Vedic, Vedas. There are four Vedas and many other also, corollaries. So by studying at home these books, that is also not possible to understand. And nasau munir yasya matam na bhinnam. And if you follow philosophers, so one philosopher is differing from another philosopher. Just like our Syamasundara has brought one book, Ideas of Philosophers, different philosophers talking differently. So how you can take the conclusion? Even Aristotle, he is talking so many things nonsense. So mental speculators, philosophers. In this way you cannot. Dharmasya tattvam nihitam guhayam: “Actually, the purport of religion and God is very confidential.” Therefore, to understand it, one has to follow the great authorities, mahajano yena gatah sa panthah. Mahajana. So that mahajana, great authorities, are also mentioned, who are mahajanas. Authorities. So, svayambhur naradah sambhuh kumarah kapilo manuh prahlado janako bhismo balir vaiyasakir vayam [SB 6.3.20] Everything is there in the sastra. If you simply refer to sastras for the right source of knowledge, then you get. In the Bhagavad-gita also it is said, yah sastra-vidhim utsrjya. If you do things without reference to the sastras, then Lord Krsna says, na siddhim sa avapnoti: “You will never get perfection.” Na sukham: “Neither happiness.” This Prahlada Maharaja, although he was a five-years-old boy, he became an authority in the devotional line. So his father was atheist. He wanted that his son should be politician. He should be taught how to cheat others, how to get money. But this boy was devotee. The difficulty was a devotee is not accustomed to all these tricks of materialistic way of life. They are not interested in such things. Purposefully, they avoid all these things. Because devotional life means coming to the original position. Original position is that we are part and parcel of God; therefore our original position is godly. Not exactly like God, but godly. Just like gold and a particle of gold is also gold. A drop of ocean water contains the same chemical composition. Similarly, qualitatively we are as good as God in our original position. Now we are covered by this material body, but as soon as we take to the devotional service, that is our original position. Then very quickly we develop our good qualities, original godly qualities. Yasyasti bhaktir bhagavaty akincana sarvair gunair tatra samasate surah. So devotees are generally very good, godly qualities. Just like Arjuna. Arjuna, he was insulted by his brothers, his wife was insulted, his kingdom was usurped, taken away, that…, forced to go to the forest for twelve years. So many troubles they had to undergo due to the political intrigues by the cousin-brothers. Still, while he was in front of fighting, he thought, “What is the use of fighting and killing my cousin-brothers? Better let them enjoy. I retire. Krsna, I cannot fight,” he said. Why? Because he was a devotee. He was prepared to forego his claim. It is not that he was a coward. He was a great warrior, fighter. He could fight immediately. But because he was devotee, he was avoiding, trying to avoid fight, “No.” This is godly quality. So in order to induce him to fight, Krsna had to speak to him the whole Bhagavad-gita. When he understood that “Although I do not wish to fight, Krsna desires,” then he took: “All right. Then I change my decision because Krsna’s desire is my first duty.” That is devotee’s duty. If Krsna says, God says to devotee, that “You jump on the fire,” he will do immediately. That is devotee: without any argument. So there is no consideration. Just like commander in the military active field. The commander says, “You jump in this fire,” he jumps. He knows that “I’ll surely die.” Similarly, a devotee, fully surrendered devotee, means he is prepared to do anything for God. That is pure devotee. So Prahlada Maharaja was a devotee and he was a child. So his father thought that “He is taking good education in politics, in diplomacy.” So one day he asked the boy, “My dear boy, will you kindly say what nice things you have learned from your teachers?” Prahradanucyatam tata svadhitam kincid uttamam: “My dear son Prahlada, will you kindly explain what you have learned very good thing from your teacher?” Svadhitam kincid uttamam: “Very selected best things what you have learned,” ucyatam, “please explain.” Kalena etavata ayusman yad asiksad guror bhavan: “You have taken lessons from your teachers.” Hiranyakasipu appointed some special teachers for teaching Prahlada Maharaja. “So tell me what you have learned.” And Prahlada Maharaja says, sravanam kirtanam visnoh smaranam pada-sevanam arcanam vandanam dasyam sakhyam atma-nivedanam [SB 7.5.23] iti pumsarpita visnau bhaktis cen nava-laksana kriyeta bhagavaty addha tan manye ’dhitam uttamam He wanted to know from the son what best knowledge he has received. He said, “This is the best knowledge.” Tan manye adhitam uttamam: “I think he has learned very nice thing. His education is first class.” Who? Now, “Who is always engaged in sravanam kirtanam visnu, who is always engaged in chanting and hearing about the glories of Lord Visnu.” This chanting and hearing which we perform—not chanting of any demigod. Visnu, only of Visnu. The chanting and hearing is not recommended for… Suppose if you chant and hear of the queen. That is not recommended. What to speak of queen, even of Lord Brahma, Lord Siva. yas tu narayanam devam brahma-rudradi-daivataih samatvena vikseta sa pasandi bhaved dhruvam “Anyone who thinks that the Supreme Personality of Godhead Narayana is as good as the demigods, he’s a rascal, he’s a fool.” Sa pasandi bhaved dhruvam. And the Bhagavad-gita also it is said, kamais tais tair hrta-jnanah yajante anya-devatah: [Bg. 7.20] “Those who are worshiping other demigods, they are hrta-jnanah. Their knowledge is lost.” That requires a very big explanation. So one thing is that you should never place or put the demigods on equal footing with the Supreme Personality of Godhead. That is a great offense. So here it is said, sravanam kirtanam visnoh [SB 7.5.23] “To hear and chant about the glories of Lord Visnu, the Supreme Personality of Godhead.” Smaranam pada sevanam. Nine different types of devotional service. So sravanam, hearing. If you simply hear, that is also devotional service. Just like you are all coming. If you simply hear Srimad-Bhagavatam, Bhagavad-gita, where there is description of the glories of the Lord, that is also devotional service. You don’t require any education to read books or Vedic literature. Simply if you hear, sravanam. Just like Pariksit Maharaja. Pariksit Maharaja, at the end of his life, he simply heard from Sukadeva Gosvami Srimad-Bhagavatam seven days, and he became liberated. That is sravanam. Either you execute all the nine different types of devotional service— sravanam kirtanam (visnoh) smaranam pada-sevanam arcanam vandanam dasyam sakhyam atma-nivedanam [SB 7.5.23] There are nine different process. They are one, but it appears like different. Just like you are hearing, I am speaking, but both of them are the same, because while you are hearing, I am also hearing. So they are absolute. But still, as it is convenient, you can accept any one of them and you advance in devotional service. So he said, sravanam kirtanam visnu smaranam. If you have no time to hear, to go to the temple or to hear the speeches of the acaryas, at home you can simply remember the Lord. This Radha-Krsna murti, if you simply remember, meditate, that will also do. Smaranam pada-sevanam. Pada-sevanam means to serve, giving service, rendering service to the lotus feet of the Lord, just like devotees do. They bring flowers, tulasi, and offer to the lotus feet of the Lord. The worshiping of the Lord begins from the leg, from the lotus feet, not directly to the head. That is the way. So pada-sevanam. Then arcanam. Arcanam means the offering aratrika, offering bhoga, cleansing the Deity room and dressing the Lord, changing the flowers. These are called arcanam. Vandanam. If you cannot do this, then offer prayers. Just like in Christian church they offers prayers. That is also bhakti, devotional service. The Muslims, they offer prayers. Any way. Sravanam kirtanam visnoh smaranam pada-sevanam, arcanam vandanam. Vandanam means offering prayer. Dasyam. Dasyam means to work as menial servant of the Lord. Dasyam. Sakhyam, to make friendship with the Lord, just like Arjuna did. He treated Krsna as his friend, and by making friendship with Krsna he became liberated. Sakhyam. And atma-nivedanam. Atma-nivedanam means giving everything to the Lord, even his body, wealth, and everything, just like Bali Maharaja did. So, sravanam kirtanam visnoh smaranam pada-sevanam arcanam vandanam dasyam sakhyam atma-nivedanam [SB 7.5.23] (aside:) Don’t make that sound. Iti pumsarpita visnau bhaktis cet nava-laksana. Iti. Again he says, “All these services, when rendered to Lord Visnu,” the bhaktis cet nava-laksana, “nine different types of devotional service,” kriyeta bhagavaty addha, “those who are engaged in such services,” tan manye adhitam uttamam, “I think they are the most advanced learned. That is the end of education.” Tan manye adhitam uttamam. So anyone who is engaged in devotional service, it should be understood that they are free, they are now liberated from all sinful resultant action of life. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gita. Mam cavyabhicarini-bhakti-yogena yah sevate. Anyone who is unflinchingly, without any deviation, engaged in this kind of devotional service, sravanam kirtanam, mam ca ’vyabhicarini, without any motive, without any purpose, simply to serve the Supreme Lord, with this purpose only… Anyabhilasita-sunyam [BRS 1.1.11], without any purpose of material profit, simply “It is my duty to serve Lord,” on this stage it is said in the Bhagavad-gita that, mam cavyabhicarini bhakti-yogena yah sevate sa gunan samatityaitan brahma-bhuyaya kalpate [Bg. 14.26] “Such persons immediately becomes liberated from the bondage of three modes of material nature.” Sa gunan samatityaitan. Great philosophers, great yogis, they are undergoing severe type of austerities. Why? Just to get out of the clutches of these three modes of material nature, the three modes of material nature: goodness, passion, and ignorance. Everyone is being conducted under the influence of these different types of material nature. Even in this material world, goodness, that is also bondage, and what to speak of passion and ignorance. So Krsna says anyone who is engaged in devotional service, immediately, sa samatityaitan gunan. Etan gunan means these three qualities of material nature, brahma-bhuyaya kalpate. That is real stage of aham brahmasmi. Sankaracarya taught his philosophy, to develop your consciousness to the platform of Brahman understanding. When one understands himself that “I am not this body, I do not belong to this material world. I am spirit soul,” that is Brahman understanding. Brahma-bhutah prasannatma [Bg. 18.54] At that time he becomes very jolly. So there are many different process of austerity to come to this platform of Brahman understanding, but if one is engaged in this devotional service, sravanam kirtanam visnu, he is to be understood as already on the Brahman platform. Therefore Prahlada Maharaja says, “I think such person has studied completely. His knowledge is perfect.” Tan manye adhitam uttamam. nisamyaitat suta-vaco hiranyakasipus tada guru-putram uvacedam rusa-prasphuritadharah When he heard, the atheist father, “Oh, this boy is speaking nonsense,” you see, he became very much angry. Rusa. Rusa means became too much angry. Rusa-prasphuritadharah. His lips were throbbing. He was so angry. Immediately called the teachers, “Come on!” Guru-putram uvacedam rusa, brahma-bandho kim etat te vipaksam srayatasata. “I gave my child, my boy, to be educated by you. What sort of education you have given him? He is talking nonsense, devotional service. I wanted to make him politician, diplomat, tricky, and you have taught him sravanam kirtanam visnoh [SB 7.5.23]?” You see? That is still going on. That is still going on. When I wanted to start this movement in India, I approached many friends, “Sir, you have got four boys. Give me one boy. I want to make him devotee.” They refused. “Oh,” he will say, “Swamiji, what will be the benefit by becoming devotee? After all, he has to earn his livelihood.” (laughter) Nobody agreed. Nobody agreed. Everyone wants that his son should be hard working, just like hogs and dogs, and satisfy senses. That’s all. Everyone wants. That is civilization. Nobody wants that his son should be a devotee. They will not tolerate that. If somebody’s son comes to us to become devotee, I have experienced, the father and mother immediately come: “Oh, Swamiji, what you are doing?” But his son becomes hippie—he will tolerate. That he will tolerate. But he becomes devotee—“Oh, we can’t tolerate. How can we…?” You see? This is the nature. This is the nature. If one son is going astray by drinking, “Oh, young men, they can do that.” But he becomes a devotee, he immediately becomes warned, “Oh, what danger is…!” (laughter) “He is going to be a devotee.” This is the nature of demons. If the father, mother, are demons, how you can expect nice child? You see? That is the defect of the modern civilization. Therefore the whole world is unhappy. There is need of devotees, need of real brahmanas. That is wanted. Therefore this Krsna consciousness movement… Even a certain little percentage of people becomes Krsna conscious, the whole face of the world will change. It is so nice. So Hiranyakasipu did not like that his son was becoming a devotee. So he chastised the teachers because he was king, emperor, very powerful. He conquered all the universal planets, he was so powerful. So the teachers became very much frightened. So when they were asked, “What nonsense you have taught my boy, spoiled? He has become a devotee,” so they said, na mat pranitam na para-pranitam suto vadaty esa tavendra-satro naisargikiyam matir asya rajan niyaccha manyum kad adah sma ma nah So the teacher said, “Sir, we have not taught this. I do not know how your son has learned all this devotional service. By nature he is so like that.” Prahlada was doing that. Because the teachers were very much cautious that “This Prahlada has got tendency to become a devotee,” so they were very careful. But Prahlada Maharaja, what he did do, as soon as there is tiffin hours, all the teachers gone, he would immediately call all the class friends and stand up on the bench and speak on bhagavad-bhakti. Perhaps you have seen that picture. That teaching is there. If there is time we shall…, how he was teaching his class friend to become devotee. Just like our boys going on the street try to teach all others how to learn devotional service. This is our business. Prahlada Maharaja is our acarya, former acarya. So following his footsteps, we have to do that. Everyone did that, preaching. Preaching is required. People are in ignorance. They do not know what is God, what is his relationship with God. Therefore preaching is necessary. So Prahlada Maharaja was doing that. Therefore the teacher said that naisargikiyam matir asya rajan niyaccha manyum: “Don’t be unnecessarily angry upon us. We did not teach him. By nature he is like that.” So this is also another feature, that why one becomes devotee, why the other does not become? That means in his former life he was a devotee. It could not be finished in one life, but in this life automatically he is trying to become devotee. Therefore devotional service is so nice that even if you cannot finish the whole course in one life, next life you are guaranteed to get a very nice birth so that you can develop further. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gita. Sucinam srimatam gehe yoga-bhrastoh sanjayate. When Arjuna inquired from Krsna that “A yogi, he cannot finish his duty or yogic process in one life. Then what happens? He becomes neither this way or that way.” Krsna said, “No. Whatever he has finished, that is his permanent asset. Next life he begins from that point and he gets the opportunity of take birth—sucinam srimatam gehe. He is given birth in very nice family, either in very nice brahmana family or very rich family.” In these two places one gets the opportunity to increase his Krsna consciousness very easily. If he gets his birth in a nice brahmana family, automatically he is trained in that way. And if he gets his birth in a rich family, he has no economic demand. He hasn’t got to earn. He can save the time for developing Krsna consciousness. So those who are born in rich family, they should know that “By the grace of Krsna, by the grace of Lord, we are born with silver spoon, but we should utilize this opportunity.” Not only rich man; every human being should be conscious to utilize this human form of life to understand God. That is the highest perfection of life. Otherwise it is animal life. The animal life means the animals are also eating, sleeping, mating and defending. So if we are simply engaged in four principles of bodily demand and do not inquire about the Brahman—athato brahma jijnasa, that is the Vedanta-sutra—then we are no better than animals. So Prahlada Maharaja was… Before his birth he was taught by Narada Muni. Therefore naturally he was in devotional service. So he was executing, the boy. Devotional service… If one is devotee, he cannot sit down silently. He wants to preach God’s glories to others, even at the risk of life, like Lord Jesus Christ did it. Even at the risk of life, he preached God consciousness. That is the duty of a devotee. Lord Nityananda did it, Haridasa Thakura did it. There are many instances; a devotee risked even life for preaching glories of God. So Prahlada Maharaja also did that. He knew that “My father is nothing but a ferocious animal, Hiranyakasipu.” Even big, big demigods would be threatened by his red eyes. He was so powerful. Still, he was executing devotional service at the risk of life. And he was put to so many dangerous condition of life. Still, he did not give up. Then, if we try to understand Prahlada Maharaja’s character… Now, at the present moment the teacher said that, naisargikiyam matir asya rajan. “My dear king, your boy, this tendency of God consciousness, Krsna consciousness, is by nature. We never taught him. Please don’t be angry with us unnecessarily.” Niyaccha manyum. “Please give up your anger.” Niyaccha manyum kad adah sma ma nah. “Don’t degrade us in that way.” So he was king. He could understand that the boy is… By nature he is doing that. Then he inquired, “Prahlada, wherefrom you have learned this art of God consciousness, service? Wherefrom you have got this Krsna consciousness?” Then Prahlada Maharaja, explaining to his father, prahlada uvaca matir na krsne parato svato va mitho ’bhipadyeta grha-vratanam Grha-vratanam: “those who have taken it as vow to be happy in this material world.” Therefore they are called grha-vrata. Grhastha… There are two words in Sanskrit language. One is grha-stha, and one is grha-vrata or grha-medhi. Grhastha means grhastha-asrama. As soon as… Those who are conversant with Vedic language, they know. Asrama means something in connection with God. That is called asrama. So grhastha-asrama means one may live with family, children, wife, children, friends—that’s all right. Live. Whatever life is suitable for you, you accept. But you change Krsna consciousness. Cultivate Krsna consciousness. That is asrama. Therefore it is called brahmacari-asrama, grhastha-asrama, vanaprastha-asrama, sannyasa-asrama. This is varnasrama, four varnas and four asramas. We are wrongly called Hindus. This is a wrong designation given by the Muhammadans. We don’t find this word in any Vedic literature, “Hindu.” It is a foreign word. Real word is varnasrama. Varnasramacaravata purusena para puman. That is Vedic civilization, four varnas and four asramas. Four varnas means brahmana, ksatriya, vaisya, sudra, and four asrama means brahmacari, grhastha, vanaprastha, and sannyasa. One who follow this system of civilization, they are called varnasrami. So the “Hindus” is a foreign name given to these Indians by the neighborhood Muhammadans. Actually, Hindu is not to be found. So when we call ourselves Hindus, that is misconception of Indian civilization. Real concept of Indian civilization, Vedic civilization, is varnasrama dharma. In the Visnu Purana it is said, varnasramacaravata purusena para puman visnur aradhyate pumsam nanyat tat-tosa-karanam So here it is said, grha-vratanam. Grha-vrata means those who have taken this family life or material life as all in all. That’s all. Vrata. Vrata means vow. “I shall improve my family condition, I shall improve my social condition. I shall improve the international condition or political condition.” All these things, they are called grha-vratanam. They have no idea that beyond this life there is another life. Therefore they are stuck up with this idea. They are called grha-vrata. Generally, at the present moment, everyone is grha-vrata. That’s all. They simply want “How to improve my economic condition.” That’s all. Individually, socially, family wise, internationally or nationally, that is their aim. They are called grha-vrata. So Prahlada Maharaja said, because he knew that his father is number one grha-vrata, atheist number one, and materialist number one, so when he inquired, “How you developed Krsna consciousness?” he said immediately, flatly, to his father, “My dear father, don’t worry. You will never will have Krsna consciousness. (laughter) Because you are so much attached to this materialistic way of life, be sure you will never increase your devotion to Krsna. Be sure. Don’t be agitated.” Yes. Matir na krsne parato svato va mitho ’bhipadyeta grha-vratanam. “Those who have taken this vow, for them there is no possibility of increasing or culturing Krsna consciousness. There is no possibility.” These boys who have come to me, and they have become so nice devotee, because they are not grha-vrata. They have no interest with this material world. That is their first-class qualification. Therefore they have come to Krsna consciousness. If anyone wants to make his economic position developed by Krsna consciousness, don’t do that. There is no possibility. Of course, Krsna is very kind. If anyone wants… Just like Dhruva Maharaja wanted to develop his economic condition. Krsna gave him. Krsna gives. He is very kind. But that is not the purpose of developing Krsna consciousness. Krsna consciousness should be pure, simply to serve the Lord. anyabhilasita-sunyam jnana-karmady-anavrtam anukulyena krsnanu-silanam bhaktir uttama [BRS 1.1.11] So Prahlada Maharaja first of all said, “My dear father, anyone whose vow is to live in this material world very comfortably, although there is no possibility of comfort…” This is called maya. But they are trying to be comfortable. They are trying to be comfortable. Punah punas carvita-carvananam [SB 7.5.30] They have seen that Roman Empire was lost, Greek Empire was lost, Mogul Empire was lost; still, they tried for British Empire, and it has failed. They are called punah punas carvita-carvananam [SB 7.5.30]. The things which have been thrown away after chewing, again chewing the same thing, that is called grha-vratanam. You cannot make any permanent settlement within this material world. That is not possible. The nature is made so, whatever you do, for the time being you relish that “I have done something, I am now very comfortably situated,” and so on, so on, but time will come, you will be kicked off from your position. You will be again thrown into the wilderness. Therefore they do not know. That will be explained also. They do not know what is the aim of life. Na te viduh svartha-gatim hi visnum [SB 7.5.31]. They do not know. They are foolish. Andha yathandhair. Their foolish leaders also misleading them. So this will be explained by Prahlada Maharaja. It is very nice instruction. You please come tomorrow, I shall speak also tomorrow. Thank you very much. (devotees offer obeisances) Syamasundara: …question relating to tonight’s lecture, pertaining to this philosophy of Prahlada Maharaja, please ask. You are free to ask any questions. German boy: Srila Prabhupada, in the beginning, that sravanam is hearing… I was discussing this with somebody and they said that reading of books silently is no good. Is this true? Does one have to recite aloud while one is reading? Do you have to read Bhagavad-gita… Prabhupada: Reading is also smaranam. That sravanam, kirtanam, smaranam. It is clear? Sravanam means hearing, kirtanam means chanting, and smaranam. When you read, you remember God’s activities, Krsna’s activities, His devotee’s activities. Therefore it is smaranam. This is also one of the prescribed methods. But if anyone cannot read even… Suppose if he is not educated, illiterate. Does it mean that he will not get Krsna consciousness? He will get, simply by hearing. The process is so perfect and nice, there is no need of education even. Illiterate person, simply if he gives aural reception submissively, he will get the benefit. Therefore it is universal. It is good for everyone—educated, noneducated, learned, fool, rich, poor, everyone. Man, woman, child, adult—everyone can take part and take benefit out of it. It is so nice. English boy: Prabhupada, if someone is hearing the holy name in the street, if the sankirtana party is chanting, and they are atheists, what benefit is it for them? Prabhupada: There is. In time, in due course of time, he will no longer remain atheist. He’ll become theist. The hearing effect is so nice that gradually he becomes theist. As our students… Not that everyone was Prahlada Maharaja. Still, by simply hearing they have come to Krsna consciousness movement. Is it not? Yes. Simply by… (laughter) We are giving chance to hear. Our street sankirtana is meant for that. If somebody hears a little attentively, he will get the chance to come to Krsna consciousness. Syamasundara: Any other question? English boy: Prahlada Maharaja’s father, he said that he would never come to Krsna consciousness. Prabhupada: “Never” means so long he remains a grha-vrata, because his only plan was—he was a powerful king—to conquer all over the world and become happy with money and women. That’s all. That is grha-vrata. Anyone who wants to be happy with money and women, that is called grha-vrata. So he flatly said to his father, matir na krsne parato svato va mitho ’bhipadyeta grha-vratanam. But by good association, by Krsna conscious association, one becomes free from this vow, grha-vrata. They becomes detached. That is the progress of devotional service. Bhaktih paresanubhavo viraktir anyatra syat [SB 11.2.42]. …materialistic way of life. Therefore people are afraid to send their boys to us. “Oh, he’ll be disinterested. He’ll not do business. He’ll not become a demon.” That’s it. They do not like. All right. (end)
by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
London, September 8, 1971