Srimad-Bhagavatam 7.9.37 Pusta Krsna: “My dear Lord, when You appeared as Hayagriva with a head like that of a horse to kill the two demons named Madhu and Kaitabha, who were full of the modes of passion and ignorance, after killing the demons You delivered the Vedic knowledge to Lord Brahma. Therefore all the great saintly persons accept Your forms as transcendental, untinged by material qualities.” Prabhupada: tasmai bhavan haya-siras tanuvam hi bibhrad veda-druhav atibalau madhu-kaitabhakhyau hatvanayac chruti-ganams ca rajas tamas ca sattvam tava priyatamam tanum amananti So spiritual kingdom is beyond this material world made of three modes of material nature, sattva-rajas-tamah. So when incarnation of the Supreme Lord comes… Yada yada hi dharmasya glanir bhavati [Bg. 4.7] Krsna has given us. We are fallen down from the spiritual kingdom to this material world on account of desiring to fulfill our material senses. But Krsna is so kind that He has given us the Vedic literatures. Anadi bahir mukha jiva krsna bhuli gela. This is the statement in the Caitanya-caritamrta. Ataeva krsna veda purana karila. Because we have forgotten Krsna anadi… Anadi means before the beginning of this creation. The beginning of this creation is called adi, beginning, but our forgetfulness of Krsna is anadi. Anadi. Anadi bahir mukha. We are working in this life, in this material world, struggling for existence to get happiness. That is the aim of life. But because we have forgotten Krsna, we do not know the source of happiness. Anandamayo ’bhyasat. The anandamaya-vigraha, sac-cid-ananda-vigraha [Bs. 5.1], we have forgotten Krsna. Still, we are searching after ananda, blissfulness. This is our struggle for existence. Manah-sasthanindriyani prakrti-sthani karsati [Bg. 15.7]. We are in this prakrti, in this material nature, prakrti-sthani, and, being dictated by the mind, making plans to become happy, but that is not possible. Manah-sasthanindriyani prakrti-sthani. This is… Due to our forgetfulness, we are struggling for existence to get happiness, but because we do not know what is the source of happiness, it is called struggle for existence. This is going on. So this is going on not only in this life, before this life also, anadi, anadi. So once we get the chance to understand what is the problem of life, and this human life is given a chance. By evolution, by nature’s way, 8,400,000 species of life we are coming through. Then the nature has given one chance, this human form of life. Now it is for understanding what is our position. Athato brahma jijnasa. But if we do not take care of this questioning… Ke ami kene amaya jare tapa-traya. Sanatana Gosvami placed this inquiry before Caitanya Mahaprabhu. To approach guru means to inquire about himself, “What I am?” That is intelligence. Sanatana Gosvami was the minister. He was very opulent. Tyaktva turnam asesa-mandala-pati-srenim sada tucchavat. But when he came to his senses after meeting Caitanya Mahaprabhu, he wanted to know, “What I am?” This is real inquiry. He could be very satisfied to get answer himself that “I am minister. I have got so big salary. I get so much respect.” No, he was not satisfied. He went to guru, Caitanya Mahaprabhu. The Vedic injunction is, tad-vijnanartham sa gurum eva abhigacchet [MU 1.2.12]. Everyone is conscious of the struggle for existence, but they are not serious enough that “Why this struggle for existence?” That “Why?” required. That is human life. The dog is suffering. He is hungry, he’s going to a place for some food, and instead of food, he’s getting a stroke by the stick. He barks very… He’s disappointed that “I wanted food, but I got the stick.” (laughter) “I wanted bread; I got stone.” This is going on. This is going on. And therefore, in the human society also, they are also struggling and making plans for economic development so that instead of stone, they can get bread. But the struggle is going on. There is no settlement. That is not possible. That is not possible. Either you go to this country or that country, you accept this “ism” or that “ism,” unless you come to Krsna, there is no possibility of peace. That is stated, very simple words, in the Bhagavad-gita, that how to stop this struggle for existence. bhoktaram yajna-tapasam sarva-loka-mahesvaram suhrdam sarva-bhutanam jnatva mam santim rcchati [Bg. 5.29] So this is going on. As soon as there is creation… Brahma was created and he was given the Vedic knowledge. Tene brahma hrda adi-kavaye. We get it. Brahma was born. He was to establish the kingdom of God or, as Brahma was born, the other living entities also were in the body of Garbhodakasayi Visnu. They were also to take birth later on. And before their birth, Brahma was instructed Vedic knowledge. Vedic knowledge means these bewildered living entities struggling for existence may get Vedic knowledge so that they can revive their old, original Krsna consciousness. This is the purpose of Vedic knowledge. In the Bhagavad-gita it is said, vedais ca sarvair aham eva vedyam [Bg. 15.15] The Vedic… What is Vedic knowledge? Vedic knowledge means to revive our Krsna consciousness. That is Vedic knowledge. If you revive your Krsna consciousness, that is the perfection of Vedic knowledge. But if you read only Vedas and perform formalities, ritualistic ceremonies, but you do not awaken your Krsna consciousness, that is useless waste of time. That is stated in the Srimad-Bhagavatam, dharmah svanusthitah pumsam visvaksena-kathasu yah notpadayed ratim yadi srama eva hi kevalam [SB 1.2.8] You may be a very religious person—never mind you are Hindu, Muslim or Christian or anyone—or according to your religious principles, ritualistic ceremonies, you execute very nicely. Svanusthitah pumsam. But after doing all these things, if you do not become God consciousness, God conscious, or you do not understand what is God, then the Bhagavata says that it is simply waste of time. Srama eva hi kevalam. So human life is meant for understanding the Supreme, our connection with the Supreme Being. That is real human life. Therefore the Vedas are there. So as soon as Brahma was born… Because he is in charge of this universe… There are innumerable universes and innumerable Brahmas also. Yasya prabha prabhavato jagad-anda koti [Bs. 5.40]. Yasyaika-nisvasita-kalam athavalambya jivanti loma-vilaja jagad-anda-nathah [Bs. 5.48] So Brahma is jagad-anda-natha. He’s the chief person within this material world, in this universe. So he is in charge; therefore he was given the Vedic knowledge. And he got the Vedic knowledge, but at the same time, two demons known as Madhu-Kaitabha, they wanted to snatch away, take away the Vedic mantras from Brahma. This is the attempt from the very beginning. The devotees following the disciplic succession of Brahma… Just like we are. We belong to the Brahma-sampradaya. Several times I have explained. So our original guru is Brahma, Svayambhu. Therefore he is one of the great personality, svayambhur naradah sambhuh kapilah kaumaro manuh [SB 6.3.20]. These are twelve mahajanas, men of authority. So Brahma is man of authority, the demigod, the supreme demigod, the best of the demigods. So these Madhu-Kaitabha, Madhu-kaitabha, they took away. Rajas-tamah. Why? They were full of rajas-tamas, and Brahma is sattva-guna. So sattva-guna and rajas-tamah. This material world, there is three qualities, so there is always struggle. If you want to remain in the sattva-guna, then the rajas-tamo guna, they will give you trouble. Rajas-tamo-bhavah. Tato rajas-tamo-bhavah kama-lobhadayas ca ye. So we are trying to introduce this sattva-guna, and above sattva-guna, suddha-sattva. This sattva-guna… Just like sometimes we experience that one person is elevated to the brahminical principle, sannyasi principle, but all of a sudden he falls down, he becomes a demon. We have got experience. He becomes demon. Very high… So this material world is so contaminated that even you are on the sattva-guna, there is chance of being contaminated by the rajas-tamo guna. The struggle is there. Therefore we have to become very, very careful. Or Krsna will help. If you want to remain in sattva-guna, in purity, then Krsna will help. Just like here, as soon as Brahma was disturbed by the demons full of rajo-guna and tamo-guna, immediately the Lord came in Hayagriva-murti incarnation. That is… Krsna is also very much anxious to give us… Kaunteya pratijanihi na me bhaktah pranasyati. If you remain a pure devotee, always surrendered to Krsna, you should know it very well that Krsna will give you protection in any calamity. Don’t be worried. Simply we must have the faith. That is surrender. Surrender means avasya raksibe krsna, visvasa palana. You must be faithful that “I am engaged in Krsna’s service. I may go to hell or heaven. It doesn’t matter. I am going to serve Him. It is sure that Krsna will give me protection.” So there should be no hesitation. If somebody is ordered, “Go to hell and preach Krsna consciousness,” he should remain faithful to Krsna, and Krsna will give all protection. This is the principle. Krsna’s business is yada yada hi dharmasya glanir bhavati, tadatmanam srjami [Bg. 4.7], paritranaya sadhunam vinasaya ca… [Bg. 4.8]. The sadhu… Sadhu means Krsna-bhakta, sadhu, not this dress. If you are always keeping Krsna within yourself, then you are sadhu. And you are yogi also. yoginam api sarvesam mad-gata antaratmana sraddhavan bhajate yo mam sa me yuktatamo ma… [Bg. 6.47] These things are there always. Man-mana bhava mad-bhakto mad-yaji mam namaskuru [Bg. 18.65] So those who are always keeping Krsna within the heart, they are sadhu. So paritranaya sadhunam. They are sad… They are sadhus. Sadhu means who are always engaged in Krsna’s service, always thinking of Krsna. So here, as Brahma was protected from the great demons Madhu- Kaitabha, Prahlada Maharaja was protected from the great demon Hiranyakasipu. There are many, many instances. So the demons are always there. They are always ready to disturb devotees. That is going on. But a devotee’s business is to revive the Krsna consciousness of the conditioned soul. That is devotee’s business. As Krsna comes personally to give them some help, similarly, Krsna’s servants also, they take Krsna’s business and try to help these fallen conditioned souls to revive their original Krsna consciousness. So here is the example, that Brahma was given the Vedic knowledge. Tene brahma hrda adi-kavaye. Brahma is adi-kavi. He’s the first learned man within this universe. We do not follow this nonsense Darwin’s theory. Our beginning of this creation is from the most learned man, Brahma, not from the monkey. (laughter) We do not follow this rascal philosophy. We do not follow. So our beginning is Lord Brahma, a devotee of Krsna, empowered to spread Krsna consciousness, Vedic knowledge. Why Vedas there? Anadi bahirmukha jiva krsna bhuli gela, ataeva krsna veda-purana karila. So Veda-Purana is required. Why the Vedas are there for us? To revive our Krsna consciousness. And the gist of the Vedas, the sastra, is Bhagavad-gita, sarva-sastra vinijya (?). So if we read Bhagavad-gita carefully, spoken by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and follow it according to the direction of the Brahma and his disciplic succession, then Krsna will give you all protection from the demons. There is no doubt. That is Krsna’s business. He said, yada yada hi dharmasya glanir bhavati bharata [Bg. 4.7]. Dharmasya glanih means discrepancy in the matter of understanding Vedas. That is dharmasya glanih. We have read in the Sixth Chapter, veda-vihitam dharma: “Dharma means which is enjoined, which is ordered by the Vedas.” Sruti. Caitanya… Our Rupa Gosvami said, sruti-smrti-puranadi-pancaratriki-vidhim vina aikantiki harer bhaktir utpatayaiva kal… [BRS 1.2.101] So we must follow sruti-smrti-puranadi-sastra-vidhi. Krsna condemns such persons, rascals, who do not accept this sastra-vidhi and manufacture something. This rascal has spoiled the whole world. No. Sastra-vidhi, the Vedic knowledge. Anadi bahirmukha jiva krsna bhuli gela, ataeva krsna veda-purana karila. So we have to take protection of the Vedic knowledge, and that is summarized, and Srimad-Bhagavatam is the ripened fruit of Vedic knowledge. Nigama-kalpa-taror galitam phalam idam [SB 1.1.3]. Kalpa-taru, the tree… You get a tree. You protect tree. So this Vedic knowledge is called kalpa-taru. Kalpa-taru means whatever you want, you can get from the tree. Here we have got experience, you can get mango from the mango tree, but a kalpa-taru, you can get mango, apple, pineapple, anything. That is called kalpa-taru. So from the Vedas you can get all kinds of knowledge—material, spiritual, anything. Therefore it is called kalpa-taru. And the kalpa-taru… A taru means tree, and the tree… We nourish tree to get a nice fruit. So this Bhagavatam is the fruit of the Vedic tree, kalpa-taru, and it is ripened also, not unripened. Unripened fruit you cannot eat, but ripened, ripened in the tree, mango, is very palatable. So it is nigama-kalpa-taror galitam phalam idam [SB 1.1.3] So if we read Srimad-Bhagavatam and Bhagavad-gita, these two literatures, then we get all Vedic knowledge, and then we can revive our Krsna consciousness. And to do this business there is no difficulty. Krsna will give you all protection, provided you remain, I mean to say, adhere to the lotus feet of Krsna. Mam eva ye prapadyante mayam etam taranti te [Bg. 7.14]. The maya will not touch you. You’ll be happy. Thank you very much. (end)
by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Mayapur, March 15, 1976