Srimad-Bhagavatam 3.25.14
by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Bombay, November 14, 1974

Prabhupada:

tam imam te pravaksyami yam avocam puranaghe rsinam srotu-kamanam yogam sarvanga-naipunam

So Kapiladeva, previous verse, He said that yoga adhyatmikah pumsam mato nihsreyasaya me. The supreme yoga system is adhyatmikah, or pertaining to the soul. Just like in your country a… (loud sound of fireworks, firecrackers, etc., going on in background) Nowadays… The hatha-yoga is very popular. Sometimes the fat ladies go there to reduce their fat, and… (laughter) Some bodily… Here also they practice yoga to keep the digestive system regular. So people like this kind of yoga, gymnastics. But real yoga is adhyatmika. Adhyatmika means to awaken the soul to his proper position. That is real yoga. So that is not a manufactured, novel concoction. That is Purana. As the soul is purana, sasvatah puranah, similarly his business is also sasvatah puranah. That business is to reconnect his lost relationship with Krsna.

So Kapiladeva says that “The same yoga system which I previously spoke to the great rsis, who were very eager to hear…” Rsinam srotu-kamanam. This (is) one of the qualifications for spiritual advancement. One must be eager to hear. Because the spiritual life begins by hearing.

atah sri-krsna-namadi na bhaved grahyam indriyaih sevonmukhe hi jihvadau svayam eva sphuraty adah [BRS. 1.2.234]

This is the statement of sastra, that with our these blunt material senses it is not possible to appreciate or to understand sri-krsna-namadi, Krsna, His name, His form, His quality, His pastimes, His paraphernalia, His abode, so many things. Krsna is not alone, but Krsna begins from the name. Then there is form. Generally, for the beginners, neophytes, these two things are essential: to hear the name, to hear the qualities, and see the form of the Lord, to offer worship. That is the instruction of Krsna personally. Man-mana bhava mad-bhakto mad-yaji mam namaskuru [Bg. 18.65]

So here Bhagavan Krsna is present. Even a child comes and offers his respect, it is taken into account, that “Here is a devotee.” He does not know anything. Simply by seeing the chanting and dancing—you’ll see practically—even a small child, he dances, he claps, he enjoys. He takes part. So the temple means to give chance to everyone, even to the child, to advance one step to Krsna consciousness. One step. Svalpam apy asya dharmasya trayate mahato bhayat. Even little is accepted and is done, it becomes into account. Just like if you deposit even two annas in the bank, it is kept on your account. It will increase with interest. Similarly, devotional service even done very little, it is not lost. In the sastra it is said that even it is lost… Not lost. Suppose some reason a man comes and joins this Krsna consciousness movement, and in the middle he falls down, he does not make further progress because he falls down. But whatever he has done, that is permanent credit. That will never be lost. Even he stops, then from that point, again he will begin as soon as there will be chance. But whatever he has done, that is a permanent credit. That is the instruction of sastra.

Therefore it is said in the Bhagavad-gita, sucinam srimatam gehe yoga-bhrasto ’bhijayate. Yoga-bhrastah. Bhrasta means he was executing devotional service, but some way or other, being allured by maya or some other causes, even if he falls down, so that credit is there. Therefore he has to begin next life… He is given chance next life. What is that? Sucinam srimatam gehe. He takes birth in two families. What is that? Sucinam. Sucinam means brahmana, suci. Suci means brahmana: always clean and pure. Therefore they are called suci. And muci. Muci means cobbler, just the end. That is the lowest, and this is the highest, suci and muci. There is a Bengali poetry: suci haya muci haya yadi krsna tyaje, muci haya suci haya yadi krsna bhaje. If somebody takes to Krsna consciousness, even born in the family of cobbler, muci, he becomes suci. He becomes more than a brahmana. And muci haya suci haya. If one is born in the family of a brahmana, but he… (sounds of fireworks) …but if he gives up Krsna consciousness, then he becomes a muci.

So a devotee, whoever he may be, everyone, for everyone, the path of devotion is open. Mam hi partha vyapasritya ye ’pi syuh papa-yonayah [Bg. 9.32]. Krsna says personally. It doesn’t matter, papa-yoni, low-grade family, papa-yonayah, if he takes shelter of Krsna. Striyo vaisyas tatha sudras te ’pi yanti param gatim. And Sukadeva Gosvami says, kirata-hunandhra-pulinda-pulkasa abhira-sumbha yavanah khasadayah ye ’nye ca papa, ye anye ca papa yad-apasrayasrayah sudhyanti. Krsna consciousness is so nice. It is all- embracing. There are many… Tyaktva sva-dharmam caranambujam hareh, patet tato yadi, bhajann apakvo ’tha. Tyaktva sva-dharmam. Sva-dharmam means everyone has got his occupational duty, sva-dharmam. Generally, we consider brahmana, ksatriya, vaisya, sudra. They have got their sva-dharma. Brahmana has got his duties, ksatriya has got his duty. Catur-varnyam maya-srstam guna-karma-vibhagasah [Bg. 4.13]. So sva-dharma means… Suppose one gives up his occupational duty and takes to Krsna consciousness, tyaktva sva-dharmam caranambujam hareh, and takes to the shelter of Krsna, but bhajann apakvah, could not mature his devotional service, bhajann apakvo ’tha patet tato yadi, and he falls down… This is Narada’s statement. So he says, “What is the loss even if he falls down? By sentiment he comes to Krsna consciousness, and even if he falls down, still, where is the loss? And contrary to this, a man who is performing very perfectly his sva-dharma, but has no Krsna consciousness, then what is the gain?” There is no gain.

So that yoga system, adhyatmika, is being explained by Kapiladeva, that you’ll never fall down. Permanent, fixed-up position. Once begun, it will continue. Even if you fall down, then you are given chance again. What is that? Sucinam srimatam gehe yoga-bhrasto ’bhijayate. Very nice family, brahmana family. Brahmana family means Vaisnava family. Brahmana-vaisnava, brahmana-pandita. Brahmana means he must be learned and he must be a Vaisnava. Om tad visnoh paramam padam sada pasyanti surayah. Visnu. Therefore in every brahmana house there is visnu-puja, Visnu- salagrama. Still. From descent, I mean to say, generation, it is coming down. Brahmana, ksatriya, vaisya, they are supposed to worship Lord Visnu. Not only brahmana, ksatriya, vaisya, sudra… Sudra also. Varnasramacaravata purusena parah puman visnur aradhyate. This is statement of Visnu Purana. Varnasrama, the execution of duty in the institution of varna and asrama, four varnas and four asramas, what is the meaning? The meaning is visnur aradhyate, Visnu becomes very pleased. That is varnasrama-dharma. If you execute as a pakka brahmana, that means Visnu will be pleased. If you execute your duties as a perfect ksatriya, then Visnu will be pleased. If you execute your duty as a perfect vaisya, then Visnu will be pleased. And if you execute your duties as a perfect sudra, Visnu will be pleased. The purpose is to please Visnu. Therefore na te viduh… The purpose they do not know. They have forgotten. Not now. This is the nature of this material world: na te viduh svartha-gatim hi…, to please Visnu. Visnu means Krsna. Krsna means Visnu. Visnu is expansion of Krsna. So Krsna has millions of forms, as Visnu, Narayana and other also. Advaitam acyutam anadim ananta-rupam [Bs. 5.33]. Ananta-rupam. Adyam purana-purusam nava-yauvanam ca. So visnur aradhyate pantha nanyat tat-tosa-karanam. There is no other alternative to please Him. Therefore varnasrama-dharma is very important. That is the beginning of perfect human civilization.

But we have lost everything. Therefore Caitanya Mahaprabhu… He’s also Visnu, Krsna Himself. Just to give relief to these rotten or forgotten conditioned souls of this age, Kali-yuga, He has given this one mantra, which is called maha-mantra. What is that?

harer nama harer nama harer namaiva kevalam kalau nasty eva nasty eva nasty eva gatir anyatha [Adi 17.21]

It is no longer possible to revive the perfect system, varnasrama. Although we are trying to revive, it is not possible. It is very difficult. People are so fallen. Mandah sumanda-matayo manda-bhagya hy upadrutah [SB 1.1.10] They are so disturbed, manda-bhagyah, unfortunate, and upadrutah, always disturbed. Especially anavrsti, durbhiksa and kara-pidita. The people of the Kali-yuga will be very much, I mean to say, harassed by these three things. There will be no rainfall, and… There will be no rainfall, and there, food scarcity and taxation by government, income tax. Income tax is to plunder. If you have got some money, this is the means. So this is all stated in the Srimad-Bhagavatam. People will be so much harassed that acchinna-dara-dravina gacchanti giri-kananam. They’ll be disgusted so much, they will give up their family all of a sudden… Dara-dravinah. Dara means wife, children and bank balance, everything, “Let them go to…” Recently we have seen one big industrialist, he has committed suicide. So people will do that. They’ll be so much harassed. This is Kali-yuga.

So in this position of harassment, how the peaceful varnasrama can be revived? It is very difficult. It is almost impossible. Therefore this system should be taken. What is this system? Sankirtanair yajnair yajanti hi su-medhasah. Those who have got brain, they will worship Visnu. Yajna means to satisfy Visnu. Yajnaih sankirtana-prayaih. Visnur aradhyate pantha nanyat tat-tosa… The whole aim is to satisfy Visnu. Therefore Visnu comes Himself, Krsna. Visnu comes Himself as Caitanya Mahaprabhu and teaches. There is no difference between Visnu’s teachings… Other bogus teachers, they can teach something else, but Visnu’s teachings… Just like Krsna. Whatever Krsna… Of course, Krsna incarnation was after Kapila’s incarnation. Before that, there were other Visnu incarnations. So here it is said, tam imam te pravaksyami yam avocam pura anaghe. Pura, “Formerly. I am not manufacturing.” Nowadays it has become a fashion to manufacture a new system of religion. It is not that. It is not new. Old, pura. Krsna also says that

imam vivasvate yogam proktavan aham avyayam vivasvan manave praha manur iksvakave ’bravit [Bg. 4.1]

evam parampara-praptam imam rajarsayo viduh [Bg. 4.2]

“And I am speaking that very yoga system again to you.” So this is real incarnation. They’ll not say anything which is, which was not spoken before. The same thing. Yogo nastah parantapa. “That yoga has been lost. Therefore, My dear Arjuna, I am repeating the same yoga system unto you.” “Why to me? Why not to others?” Bhakto ’si: “Because you are My dear friend.” Priyo ’si: “You are My dear friend.” Because, without being bhakta, nobody will understand Bhagavad-gita. It is not possible. Bhagavad-gita means to understand Krsna. So although everything is explained there, but it is on the bhakti line, not in any other line. Therefore Krsna says at the end, bhaktya mam abhijanati [Bg. 18.55] If anyone wants to understand Krsna and wants relationship with Krsna, then one must take to this process of bhakti-yoga. That is sankhya-yoga. That will be explained by Kapiladeva. Bhakti-yoga means sankhya-yoga.

So here it is said, tam imam te pravaksyami yam avocam pura anaghe. And He is addressing mother, anaghe. Anaghe means “one who has no sinful reaction in life.” That is called anagha. Agha means papa, sin; an, an means without. Therefore nobody can understand Krsna consciousness unless he is free from all sinful life.

yesam tv anta-gatam papam jananam punya-karmanam te dvandva-moha-nirmukta bhajante mam drdha-vratah [Bg. 7.28]

One can stick to Krsna consciousness when one is completely free from all sinful reaction of life. So you may say that “It will take some time. If I have to get free from sinful reaction, then I’ll have to take some time.” Krsna says, “No, no time. Immediately.”

sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja aham tvam sarva-papebhyo moksayisyami ma sucah [Bg. 18.66]

“I will immediately do that. You just do this business. Surrender unto Me, and I take guarantee.” Then your life begins. Sarva-papa-vinirmuktam, sarvopadhi-vinirmuktam [Cc. Madhya 19.170]

Upadhi means papa. Upadhi… If we get different bodies, that is due to our sinful actions. If I am given the chance to execute as a human being, this human form of body… Bahunam janmanam ante [Bg. 7.19]. We have got this body after many, many evolutionary process. So this is a chance given to we. Hari hari biphale. Narottama dasa Thakura is singing, hari hari biphale janama gonainu: “My dear Lord, Krsna, I have wasted my time for nothing, uselessly.” Why? Manusya-janama paiya, radha-krsna na bhajiya, janiya suniya visa khainu: “Because I got this opportunity, the human form of life… It was meant for understanding Krsna.” Or add Krsna with Radharani. That is perfect Krsna. Krsna alone is Vasudeva, and Radha-Krsna is perfect, with all potencies. Parasya saktir vividhaiva sruyate. The Absolute Truth with potencies. Srimati Radharani is the source of all potencies. Radha krsna-pranaya-vikrtir hladini saktih. The Radharani is the manifestation of Krsna’s pleasure potency. Krsna, when He wants to enjoy, He does not enjoy anything material. He expands His energy, potency. That is Radharani. Hladini saktir asmad ekatmanav api bhuvi pura deha-bhedam gatau tau. So these are the… So if we want… That is the… Human life is meant for that. As Narottama dasa Thakura says, manusya-janama paiya radha-krsna na bhajiya janiya suniya visa khainu: “My dear Lord, I have simply wasted my time, although I got the opportunity of this human form of life.” Why you have wasted? “Now, I have done everything without worshiping Radha-Krsna.” That’s all.

So what is this…? Now… Janiya suniya visa khainu. It is just like taking poison knowingly. Somebody takes poison unknowingly and somebody takes poison to commit suicide, knowingly. So it is something like that. If we do not understand Krsna in this life, then we are taking poison knowingly. Therefore Krsna says, yada yada hi… Because they are taking poison… They got the chance of eternal life, but they are taking poison. Visaya-visanale, diba-nisi hiya jvale. This material life is just like blazing fire of poison. Visaya-visanale. Visaya means material. Ahara-nidra-bhaya-maithuna. Eating, sleeping and sex life and defense—these are the material activities. So we are engaged with these things. So visaya-visanale, diba-nisi hiya jvale. And if we become engaged with these four things, visaya, it is like poison. Then our heart will be always burning. Gastric ulcer. So it has to be cured. How it can be cured? Now, golokera prema-dhana, hari-nama-sankirtana, rati na janmilo kene tay: “My dear Lord, You have given the medicine, hari-nama-sankirtana, the chanting of Hare Krsna mantra, but I have no attraction for this.” So this is the realization of the Vaisnava. Brajendra-nandana jei, saci-suta hailo sei: “Vrajendra-nandana, Krsna, He has now come as Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Saci-suta, the son of mother Saci.” Balarama hailo nitai: “And Balarama has become Nitai.” So what is their business now? Now, papi tapi jata chilo, hari-name uddharilo: “All kinds of varieties of sinful men, simply by chanting Hare Krsna mantra, they are delivered.” Tara saksi jagai madhai. What is the evidence? Evidence is Jagai-Madhai.

So at the present moment, not only one Jagai-Madhai, but thousands of Jagai-Madhais, by the grace of Caitanya Mahaprabhu, are being delivered. It is so active medicine, this Hare Krsna maha-mantra. Therefore the perfect yoga system… Svalpam apy asya dharmasya trayate mahato bhayat. So He’ll speak that. Tam imam te pravaksyami. So it is not newly manufactured. We don’t concoct anything. That is not our business. Our business is very simple. Our business is very simple because we take the words of Krsna as it is. That’s all. Krsna says, satatam kirtayanto mam yatantas ca drdha-vratah [Bg. 9.14]. So we are simply… We don’t want to be very learned. We simply want blessings of you all, that let us become so much learned that we can follow the instruction of Krsna. That’s all. We don’t want anything more. We don’t want. Therefore we’re sticking to Krsna consciousness movement on the basis of Bhagavad-gita. And a little farther advanced, by reading Srimad-Bhagavatam. These are krsna-katha. And as I have told you, the Caitanya Mahaprabhu says that “Every one of you, especially Indians…” Indians? They are imitating this material civilization. Horrible. Therefore Caitanya Mahaprabhu has given us open way:

bharata-bhumite haila manusya-janma yara janma sarthaka kari’ kara para-upakara [Cc. Adi 9.41]

This is Indian’s business, para-upakara. The whole world is in darkness without Krsna consciousness. Every Indian should first of all make his life successful by understanding Krsna consciousness, Bhagavad-gita, and preach it all over the world. That is the Indian business.

Thank you very much. (end)