Srimad-Bhagavatam 6.1.15
by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Los Angeles, June 27, 1975

Santosa: “The rare person who has completely adopted unalloyed devotional service can uproot all the weeds of sinful activities simply by discharging that service, and there is no possibility that the weeds will grow again. His devotional service is just like the sun, which can immediately dissipate fog simply by its rays.”

Prabhupada:

kecit kevalaya bhaktya vasudeva-parayanah agham dhunvanti kartsnyena niharam iva bhaskarah [SB 6.1.15]

So we have been discussing for the last few days how to become free from the reaction of our sinful life. That is real problem. But people, they have no knowledge what is life, what is sinful life, what is pious life, why we are put into this condition that “We have to do this; we haven’t got to do that.” This is real philosophy of life. The asuras, as we were discussing in this morning walk, they do not know it. Asuras… Pravrttim ca nivrttim ca na vidur asurah janah. We are living… In the ordinary life also, we live a little carefully so that we may not fall sick. For that purpose there is very vigilance in the immigration department that in Australia we had some nice mangoes brought from Bombay, and they did not allow to take it. They thought this mango is more dangerous than the dry meat. They will allow importation of dry meat, three hundred years old, (laughter) put into the refrigerator, and that is imported. That is not infectious. But mango, very nice mango, fresh mango—we started in Bombay at night, and we came in the morning, it has become poisonous. So we are so much precautious that not any germs, infectious disease, may enter. That is there. But what is that infection which has caused me to accept this material body again and again? That they do not know. That they do not know. They do not believe in the next life, and therefore asurah janah. This is, the symptom or characteristic of the asurah janah. You should be precautious. That is natural. We become precautious, that “We should not do this so that I may not fall sick.” But we do not know what is our real sickness. That we do not know.

That is being presented by Krsna in the Bhagavad-gita, that “This is your sickness, real sickness.” What is that? Janma-mrtyu-jara-vyadhi-duhkha-dosanudarsanam. You are trying to be unaffected by all kinds of sickness, but your real sickness is this material disease: you take birth, you die, you become old, and you suffer from diseases. This is your real sickness. But who is caring for this? Where is the scientist who are investigating how to stop death, how to stop birth. They are, of course, investigating how to stop birth, but still, birth is going on. This sort of stopping births, by killing the body, is not stopping because the body is not the person. The real person is within the body, within the body. Dehino ’smin yatha dehe [Bg. 2.13] We have explained. That they do not know. They are taking… No. By killing the body or by protecting the body, that is not the solution. The solution is that the living entity has infected itself with the material disease. It has to be cured. That is the whole purpose of Vedic civilization, how to cure your material disease.

So this cure of material disease have been described—we are discussing—first by atonement. So Pariksit Maharaja did not like it very much because he saw, the atonement is like bathing of the elephant. By atonement we may be free from the infection, but again we do it. Karmana. Then again… That is called karma-kanda, fruitive activities. Because the bija, the seed of my sinful desires, that is not cured. For the time being… Just like go to the doctor. You are suffering from a severe disease, and he gives some medicine, takes his fees. That is my atonement, prayascitta. But it is no guarantee that I will not fall disease again. So this atonement like that. Many patients, they are suffering from some chronic disease, some venereal disease. They go to the doctor and they give injection, very costly medicine and so much suffering, but as soon as he cure, again he does the same thing so that he is attacked with venereal disease. So this is not very effective way of becoming… Then it was suggested that people, because they are in darkness, asuras, they do not know how to become immune from all diseases, therefore prayascittam vimarsanam. He suggested, Sukadeva. Vimarsanam: he must be sober, that “I am suffering from some disease, and I am heavily paying the penalty to the doctor, and still, I am doing the same thing?” So therefore Sukadeva Gosvami suggested, prayascittam vimarsanam. Vimarsanam means to become sober and think that “Why I cannot check my desire to do sinful activities?” Then he suggested, to come to that understanding he requires good brain. Ordinary brain, they cannot understand that “Why I am forced to act sinfully although after doing that I suffer? I have committed theft. I am suffer…, I go to jail. Again I come out.” So therefore it is called vimarsanam.

So for vimarsanam—means to become sober—you require practicing the tapasya. That is also, we have discussed.

tapasa brahmacaryena samena ca damena ca tyagena satya-sauchym yamena niyamena va [SB 6.1.13]

A series of practice. Then the brain will be clear. So this process also—not very safe. The example has been given that ksipanty agham mahad api venu-gulmam ivanalah. It is something like burning, setting fire into the dry grass. And superficially it appears that all the grasses are now burned into ashes; there is no possibility of coming out. No. Therefore this very word is there, iva analah. Although superficially, outside, it appears that everything is burned, but the root remains there. The root remains there, and as soon as there will be facility or there will be rainy season, the same grasses and twigs and other things will come out again, new growth. That is… Even after so much tapasya… There are many instances. Just like Visvamitra Muni. Visvamitra Muni was a king. He wanted to become a brahmana, and he practiced mystic yoga for many years. Still, he became a victim of a woman, Menaka. He was meditating, closing eyes, and Indra sent this woman, Menaka. And simply by hearing the sound of the bangles, ching, ching, ching, “Oh, there is woman. Yes, very nice,” (laughter) all mystic yoga finished. Then he begot one daughter. That…, her name is Sakuntala, the famous beautiful daughter. So that history is there.

So the root of our material enjoyment cannot be taken away, cannot be uprooted by… The first process is called karma, and the second process is called jnana, and the next, it is suggested, bhakti. So he is suggesting that kecit. People are more inclined to take to the… Those who are absolutely in the rotten condition of life, not for then, but those who are little above the rotten condition… Animals. Rotten condition of, means like animals, cats and dogs. Above them, human life, they take to pious activities or meditation or mystic yoga process, just to purify. So these processes are not sufficient. Therefore Sukadeva Gosvami is suggesting next, kecit. That kecit word is very significant. Kecit means somebody, somebody. Who are the somebody? Kecit kevalaya bhaktya [SB 6.1.15], pure devotional service. And how they become? Vasudeva-parayanah. They become Krsna conscious. Krsna conscious person or vasudeva-parayanah, the same thing. Vasudeva means Krsna, that “Simply I shall worship Krsna,” kevalaya, “nothing else.” This firm conviction and steadiness will save you without any doubt, this conviction. Vasudeva-parayanah. Then what is that vasudeva-parayanah? That is also not very easy thing. Krsna, Vasudeva, says, bahunam janmanam ante jnanavan mam prapadyate [Bg. 7.19]. Vasudeva-parayanah and jnanavan mam…, the same thing. When one is fully in awareness what is what, then That awareness also comes—bahunam janmanam ante, after many many thousands of births, bahunam janmanam ante, jnan…, when he is actually jnanavan, that “What I am, what is my duty,” that is actually jnanavan mam prapadyate. So vasudevah sarvam iti sa mahatma sudurlabhah [Bg. 7.19] After many, many births, when he comes to this, understand that “Vasudeva, Krsna, is everything. So let me. Krsna also asking me to surrender. Let me do it immediately,” that is called vasudeva-parayanah.

In another place, Bhagavata, it is said that,

vasudeve bhagavati bhakti-yogah prayojitah janayaty asu vairagyam jnanam ca yad ahaitukam [SB 1.2.7]

Those who have become vasudeva-parayanah and engages himself in the service, for them, janayaty asu vairagyam, very soon they become detestful to all this material way of life.

That is the test. How much one has advanced in Krsna consciousness, one can test himself that “How much I have become detestful, all this material way of life?” Everyone can test himself. If he has got still some inclination, then he is not fully Krsna conscious. He has to work very hard, how to become fully Krsna conscious, chant Hare Krsna. Then it is possible. So that is called vasudeva-para. Vasudeva-parayanah is not so easy. Therefore it is said, kecit. Kecit means “maybe somebody.” It is not for all. And Krsna also says in the Bhagavad-gita… Who is vasudeva-parayanah? Who knows Vasudeva, who knows Krsna. So He says, manusyanam sahasresu: [Bg. 7.3] “Out of millions of persons,” manusyanam sahasresu kascid yatati siddhaye, “somebody is trying to make his life perfect.” Everyone is being carried away by the waves of this material nature: “Eat, drink, be merry and enjoy.” But that is not siddhi. That is imperfection. If you are carried away by the waves of these material necessities, then it is not siddhi. One has to become siddha. Siddha means one who understand that “What I am and what is my duty.” That is siddha, perfect. Not… That is the beginning of perfection. So manusyanam sahasresu kascid yatati siddhate [Bg. 7.3] That siddha, perfection of life, is also not for everyone. Somebody out of millions. And Krsna said, yatatam api siddhanam: [Bg. 7.3] “Those who are siddhas, those who have attained perfection, if they are trying to understand Me, maybe one or two may understand.” Yatatam api siddhanam kascit vetti mam tattvatah [Bg. 7.3] Therefore it is said that to become vasudeva-parayanah that is very very rare. Therefore it is said kecit, “somebody out of many millions.”

So one may ask, “If it is so difficult to become Krsna conscious, so how so many people are becoming Krsna conscious? They are not genuine? They are all false? If it is said kecit?” No, they are not false. They are amongst these kecit, amongst those rare persons, those who have become Krsna conscious. How? It is due to Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Caitanya Mahaprabhu has descended to distribute Krsna. That is His mercy. So by the mercy of Caitanya Mahaprabhu, so many people are becoming vasudeva-parayanah. But otherwise, it is not possible. Therefore we first offer our obeisances to Guru- Gauranga, by whose mercy we get Krsna. This is the system. Adau gurvasrayam. Now, Caitanya Mahaprabhu is so kind. Rupa Gosvami could understand, could understand.

namo maha-vadanyaya krsna-prema-pradaya te krsnaya krsna-caitanya namne gaura-tvise namah [Madhya 19.53]

He understood, confidential devotee, Rupa Gosvami, “O my Lord, You are the same Krsna. Now You have appeared as Krsna-Caitanya, and Your business is to distribute love of Krsna, not only Krsna, but love of Krsna.”

So this is Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s mercy that you are becoming Krsna conscious. Otherwise, it is not so easy thing; very, very difficult. Kecit kevalaya bhaktya [SB 6.1.15] So stick to this principle. Chant sri-krsna-caitanya prabhu nityananda sri-advaita gadadhara srivasadi-gaura-bhakta-vrnda. By their favor, by their mercy, we can chant Hare Krsna. And as soon as we chant Hare Krsna, we are vasudeva-parayanah. There is no more fear. That is required. So you stick to this principle, do not forget. We have already given our ways and instruction. So don’t deviate from it. Then everything is perfect and your life is successful.

Thank you very much. (end)