Srimad-Bhagavatam 7.9.26
by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Mayapur, March 4, 1976

Pusta Krsna: Translation: “O my Lord, O Supreme, what is my position because I am born in a family which is full of the hellish material qualities of passion and ignorance? And what to speak of Your causeless mercy, which was never offered even to Lord Brahma and Lord Siva and the goddess of fortune, Laksmi, because You never put Your lotus hand upon their heads, but You have done so on my head.”

Prabhupada:

kvaham rajah-prabhava isa tamo ’dhike ’smin jatah suretara-kule kva tavanukampa na brahmano na tu bhavasya na vai ramaya yan me ’rpitah sirasi padma-karah prasadah

This is the position. Prahlada Maharaja, humbly submitting, because he is Vaisnava, that “What is my position? My position is that I am born of rajas-tamo-guna.” This birth takes place according to quality we acquire. Just like I was rebuking that toilet. This is so nasty, tamo-guna, and if I have no response to such tamo-guna place, that means I am also of that quality. Just like fire and fire, there is no reaction, but in fire and water there is reaction. Between fire and fire there is no reaction, but fire and water there is reaction. Similarly, sattva-guna-sattva-guna, there is no reaction. Tamo-guna-tamo-guna there is no reaction. It is… In English it is called incompatible. When different qualities, there is reaction, chemical reaction, acid and alkaline. Acid and acid, you mix; there is no reaction. But acid and alkaline, if you mix, there will be effervescence immediately. So karanam guna-sango asya sad-asad-janma-yonisu. If one is developing tamo-guna, then, if he becomes, he becomes a pig next life, there is no reaction. He’ll be very glad that “I am pig,” “I am dog.” There is no reaction. But if one is sattva-guna, then he cannot tolerate. Immediately obnoxious: “Oh, such a nasty condition.” So I am very sorry there was no reaction in such nasty toilet room. And you are getting sacred thread, the quality of brahmana, sattva-guna. It is very regrettable. Nobody reacted.

So this is the position, that unless we…

tada rajas-tamo-bhavah kama-lobhadayas ca ye ceta etair anaviddham sthitam sattve prasidati [SB 1.2.19]

We have to curb down these rago-guna, tamo-guna; otherwise there is no improvement. If a person in Krsna consciousness is found, no reaction in rajo-guna, tamo-guna, then he’s a dull stone. It is not improving. It is simply showbottle. So showbottle will not act help, Tada rajas-tamo-bhavah. This prescription is there. If one develops Krsna consciousness, then it is to be understood that he has surpassed sattva-guna, the brahminical qualification. Why we offer sacred thread to a person who is coming from very, very low family? Because it is to be understood by chanting Hare Krsna mantra, by following the regulative principle, he has already come to the platform of sattva-guna. But if it is a false thing, there is no need of second initiation. There must be. One must come. This, our process, is “Don’t do this. Do this: Chant Hare Krsna mantra sixteen rounds, and don’t do this—no illicit sex, no meat-eating.” That means he’s becoming purified. He’s becoming purified from the rotten condition of rajo-guna and tamo-guna. But if he does not, then there should be no second initiation. This should be the rule.

So, so Prahlada Maharaja is claiming. He’s not neither in rajo-guna, tamo-guna, sattva-guna. He’s Vaisnava; he’s transcendental. Sa gunan samatityaitan brahma-bhuyaya kalpate [Bg. 14.26] He’s on the brahma-bhutah stage, on the spiritual platform. Otherwise how Krsna touching? Krsna is param-pavitrah. Param brahma param dhama pavitram paramam bhavan [Bg. 10.12]. He cannot touch a rajas-tamas-bhava. No. That is not possible. When Lord Nrsimhadeva touched his head, either by His touching he’s already purified, or because he’s purified, therefore Lord touched his head. This is the conclusion. So he is purified, but as a Vaisnava, he is placing himself in the platform of rajas-tamo-bhavah. The whole world, at least in this age, Kali-yuga, these two qualities, mostly tamo-guna, and little rajo-guna, that’s all, but no sattva-guna. No sattva-guna. Therefore people cannot understand what is Krsna consciousness. They cannot understand. Rajas-tamo-bhavah, ceta etair anaviddha. Therefore we have to purify ourself. The prescription is there, very simple thing, to become purified, srnvatam sva-kathah krsnah punya-sravana-kirtanah [Bhag. 1.2.17]. If we simply recite all these mantras… The Srimad-Bhagavatam and Bhagavad-gita, all these slokas, they’re all mantras, just like as good as Hare Krsna mantra. There is no difference. So if we hear… That is the prescription given by Caitanya Mahaprabhu, and we are trying to introduce this. Our so many centers, we are inviting people in so many ways so that they can hear. This class is meant for that. It is not that everyone will understand each word, but simply if he hears, it will be beneficial, the mantra. Simply if one hears Hare Krsna mantra chanting, he’ll be purified. If he hears this mantra, a verse from Bhagavad-gita, a verse from Srimad-Bhagavatam, attentively, even he does not understand the meaning, the purport, still, he’ll get benefit. That is the way. So we must hear.

So Prahlada Maharaja is saying, rajah-prabhava: “My dear Lord, Isa, my, this body, I have got this body from father and mother. They belong to the low-grade family.” Suretara. Sura itara. Sura means high-class family, demigods, brahmana. That is called sura. And itara means low grade. So suretara-kule: “Because I am born… because everything is being done very perfectly by the laws of material nature. Prakrteh kriyamanani gunaih karmani sarvasah [Bg. 3.27]. Prakrti, nature, is working. If you develop a kind of quality… There are three qualities: sattva-guna, rajo-guna, tamo-guna. So if you develop sattva-guna, then your body gradually will be sattva-guna-ized. Sattva-guna, the goodness… The body will be purified and become good. Good, bad, and via media, three kinds. So that is the process. Krsna consciousness movement means everything is being gradually developed into goodness. And at last, to surpass goodness… Here in this material world the goodness may be contaminated with the other qualities, but in the spiritual world it is so good… It is called suddha-sattva. There is no contamination, there is no tinge of rajo-guna and tamo-guna. That is spiritual quality. So Krsna consciousness can be possible in perfectness when we are above the quality of goodness. Above. Sa gunan samatityaitan brahma-bhuyaya kalpate [Bg. 14.26]. One who has surpassed the three qualities and has come to the spiritual platform, then it is called cinmaya. Cit means spiritual, and maya… These word, mayat-pratyaya, these are used when it is in great extent, in large quality. That is mayat. And vikarat. Vikara means transformed. Just like gold. Pure gold, you transform into a finger ring—this is also gold. This is called vikararthe. Gold has become now a ring. And another meaning is that suppose it is made of iron or other base metal, but it is covered with gold, large quantity. That is called adhikarthe because a quantity of gold is there. That is not all gold, but there is gold, covered. So in two meanings, the mayat-pratyaya is there. So similarly, cinmaya. Cinmaya means if you cultivate spiritual knowledge in large quantity, then your body is no more material. It is spiritualized. Cinmaya. Therefore great saintly person’s body, after demise it is not burned; it is buried, samadhi, because it is cinmaya. So adikarthe mayat-pratyaya and vikararthe… So a Vaisnava, his body is cinmaya, is cinmaya body.

So Prahlada Maharaja says that “My body is in large quantity this rajo-guna, tamo-guna. So it is not possible for me to approach You, My Lord. Because You are suddha-sattva and I am in the material contamination, how it is possible that You shall touch my head? It is simply Your causeless mercy.” This is appreciation. “Otherwise how it is possible? You cannot touch this nasty quality of rajo-guna, tamo-guna. My body is made by my father and mother. They belong to the nasty rajo-guna, tamo-guna quality. So it is not possible that You’ll touch my body, but You have done it. You have placed Your lotus hand on my head. It is simply Your causeless mercy. Otherwise I am not fit for this. So, and I… You are so merciful that this mercy You did not offer to Lord Brahma even.” Brahma is supposed to be the supreme creature within this material world, Brahma. He’s the first created creature, and he’s called Svayambhu. He’s not born of any material father and mother but directly came through the lotus stem which is growing from the navel of Visnu. So he’s not ordinary person. He’s not ordinary person. He’s not… Therefore he’s known as Svayambhu. We are not svayambhu. We are begotten by father and grown up by mother. We are not self-sufficient. But Brahma is called Svayambhu because he is not born of any material father and mother. So “He did not get this mercy. Although Brahma’s position is so exalted, still, my Lord, he did not get this opportunity.”

Na brahmano na tu bhavasya. Bhava means Lord Siva. Lord Siva’s position is also very exalted, more than Brahma. Lord Siva is in between Lord Visnu and living entity. We are living entity. So Lord Siva is not ordinary living entity. Brahma is ordinary living entity, but very pious, exalted. But Lord Siva is more than Brahma. “So he also could not get this mercy.” Na vai ramaya. Ramaya means Laksmi, the goddess of fortune. (S)he always remains with Narayana. She is not… She’s… Her position is more than Lord Brahma or Lord Siva. She is Narayana in a different energy only. Radha-krsna-pranaya-vikrtir ahladini saktih. She is the manifestation of the pleasure potency of the Lord. The Lord has got unlimited potencies, parasya saktir vividhaiva sruyate. So one of the potency is Radharani or Laksmi or Sita. They are equal. There is no difference. Radha-krsna-pranaya-vikrtir ahladini-saktir asmat. These loving affairs between Radharani and Krsna or Narayana and Laksmi or Sita and Rama, they are both of them the same. One is potency; another is potent. That is the difference, potent and potency. So “Such Rama, the goddess of fortune, she also could not get this compassionate mercy or causeless mercy.” So he’s feeling proud that “You are so affectionate to Your devotee.” Therefore Lord’s name is bhakta-vatsala. He can offer to His bhakta any position, more than Himself. Just like mother Yasoda. She is bhakta, and Lord has given her the position for punishing Him. Mother Yasoda is threatening Krsna that “Krsna, You were very naughty. Now I shall bind You.” So Krsna, out of being afraid, was crying. So Krsna has given the position to the bhakta that “You chastise Me. I’ll accept it.” This is bhakta’s position. This is Krsna’s causeless mercy. He can do that.

So Prahlada Maharaja is appreciating that “I am worthless. I have no qualification.” That should be the position of the bhaktas always. Never we should think that “I have become a big bhakta.” No. Caitanya-caritamrta author says humbly, purisera kita haite muni se laghistha: “I am lower than the worm in the stool.” Does it mean that he is actually? No. But he’s feeling like that. An advanced devotee, they’re always so humble and meek, they always think of himself as worthless. And still, the Lord is so kind and favorable. That is His causeless mercy, that “I am not qualified, I am not worthy of this facility.” This is the humbleness. Kvaham rajah-prabhava isa tamo ’dhike ’smin. “Not only I am influenced by rajo-guna, but mostly, seventy-five percent, I am infested with tamo-guna.” Adhika. Akhika means “in larger quantity.” And there is no question of sattva-guna. Adhika ’smin jatah sure… “Otherwise why I am born in this family?” That is the test. Now they are… By force they are trying to be equal. Of course, in this age everyone is sudra. That is an… Otherwise lowborn means this differentiation of different low qualities. By nature it will give. I have several times explained that as you infect a certain type of contaminous disease, you get that, you suffer from that. So the brahmana, ksatriya, vaisya, sudra, then antaja, (?) candala, mean, so many, kirata, huna, pulinda, pulkasa, abhira, sumbha—so many, low-grade, low-grade, low-grade, low-grade, low-grade. Then why this low-grade birth? That is due to this karanam guna-sango ’sya. In the Bhagavad-gita it says. It is due to our association with low-grade qualities.

Therefore the human life should be very cautious that we may not be contaminated by low-grade qualities. There are so many rules and regulations, but it is very very difficult to follow. Therefore Caitanya Mahaprabhu has recommended, just to remain purified, “Chant Hare Krsna.” Harer nama harer nama harer nama eva kevalam, kalau nasty eva nasty eva [Adi 17.21]. You cannot… Otherwise you cannot purify. So kirtaniyah sada harih [Cc. adi 17.31]. We should always chant Hare Krsna mantra. Then we’ll gradually be spiritualized, cinmaya, spiritualized. Then our life will be successful.

Thank you very much. (end)