Srimad-Bhagavatam 7.6.17-18
by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
New Vrindaban, July 1, 1976

Pradyumna: (leads chanting, etc.) “Translation: My dear friends, O sons of the demons, it is certain that no one bereft of knowledge of the Supreme Personality of Godhead has been able to liberate himself from material bondage at any time or in any country. Rather, those bereft of knowledge of the Lord are bound by the material laws. They are factually addicted to sense gratification, and their target is women. Indeed, they are actually playthings in the hands of attractive women. Victimized by such a conception of life, they become surrounded by children, grandchildren and great- grandchildren, and thus they are shackled to material bondage. Those who are very much addicted to this conception of life are called demons. Therefore, although you are sons of demons, keep aloof from such persons and take shelter of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Narayana, the origin of all demigods, because the ultimate goal for the devotees of Narayana is liberation from the bondage of material existence.”

Prabhupada: Purport also.

Pradyumna: Prahlada Maharaja has maintained the philosophical point of view that one should give up the dark well of family life and go to the forest to take shelter of the lotus feet of the Supreme Personality of Godhead (hitvatma-patam grham andha-kupam vanam gato yad dharim asrayeta [SB 7.5.5]). In this verse also, he stresses the same point. In the history of human society, no one, at any time or any place, has been liberated because of too much affection and attachment for his family. Even in those who are apparently very educated, the same family attachment is there. They cannot give up the association of their families, even in old age or invalidity, for they are attached to sense enjoyment. As we have several times discussed, yan maithunadi-grhamedhi-sukham hi tuccham: [SB 7.9.45] so-called householders are simply attracted by sexual enjoyment. Thus they keep themselves shackled in family life, and furthermore they want their children to be shackled in the same way. Playing the parts of playboys in the hands of women, they glide down to the darkest regions of material existence. Adanta-gobhir visatam tamisram punah punas carvita-carvananam [SB 7.5.30]. Because they are unable to control their senses, they continue a life of chewing the chewed and therefore descend to the darkest material regions. One should give up the association of such demons and adhere to the association of devotees. Thus one will be able to be liberated from material bondage.

Prabhupada:

yato na kascit kva ca kutracid va dinah svam atmanam alam samarthah vimocitum kama-drsam vihara-krida-mrgo yan-nigado visargah

tato vidurat parihrtya daitya daityesu sangam visayatmakesu upeta narayanam adi-devam sa mukta-sangair isito ’pavargah

So visargah and apavargah. Visargah means creation. So the important fact is that if we are attached to the material world, maybe very minute quantity, then there will be visargah. Visargah means creation. We’ll have to accept another body. Unless you are completely pure… Anyabhilasita-sunyam. Sunyam means zero.

anyabhilasita-sunyam jnana-karmady-anavrtam anukulyena krsnanu-silanam bhaktir uttama [BRS 1.1.11]

So the back to home back to Godhead, we are trying. That is our ambition. But if we have got a little propensity for material enjoyment, then… We may get very better position in the material world, in the Svargaloka, heavenly planet. The description of heavenly planet is given also in the Srimad-Bhagavatam. Very, very opulent, we cannot imagine even how they are opulent. The roads are made of pearls, diamonds, coral, the roads are made of like that. And at the same time, no sinful man is admitted there. Everyone highly elevated, pious, there is no crookedness. There is no enviousness. So many… You’ll find this description in the Eighth Canto, of Svargaloka. There are… Everything we cannot imagine even. But that is also within this material world. Within this material world. Yanti deva-vrata devan [Bg. 9.25] We can go there if we want to go. Just like they are trying, the modern so-called scientist, to go to the moon planet, Mars. According to sastra, these planets are bedecked with such descriptive facilities. They are also within the heavenly planets. But these rascals are going, and they find nobody there, and they take some dust and come back. This is their success. They do not know that they cannot enter even there. They are not meant for ordinary persons. At least those who are sinless, very straightforward, not envious. So anyway, even if we go, a-brahma-bhuvanal lokah punar avartino ’rjuna… [Bg. 8.16]. It is stated in the Bhagavad-gita, this is Svargaloka. And above that… Bhur, bhuvah, svah. You have got the Gayatri, om bhur bhuvah svah tat savitur varenyam bhargo devasya. There are other higher planets also: Svargaloka, Janaloka, Tapoloka, Maharloka, Satyaloka, Brahmaloka. There are fourteen status of different planetary systems. Catur-dasa-bhuvana. And the topmost is the Brahmaloka. So even if you go there, there is no relief. A-brahma-bhuvanal lokah punar avartino ’rjuna [Bg. 8.16]. You have to come back again.

Therefore Prahlada Maharaja is very serious that visargah, stop this visargah. Go back, directly to Krsna. Don’t go even in this, any planetary system within this material world. We have got description of this planetary system, but there is also fight between the demons and the daityas. There is also not peace. There is struggle for existence. Sometimes one party is gaining above another party, and sometimes one’s kingdom is attacked by another party, the demons attacking demigod’s cities. They are attacking. The struggle for existence you’ll find everywhere. A-brahma-bhuvanal lokah. Therefore a devotee is not interested anywhere within this material world, however very opulent it may be. There may be roads and instead of the stone—diamonds, coral. That does not attract. They are not interested. They are interested to go to Vrndavana and become a grass there. This is devotee. Just like Uddhava, as soon as he entered Vrndavana, he immediately fell down on the road thinking that “On this street Krsna has walked, His friends have walked, there are footprints.” So this is the ambition of a devotee. They are not interested for diamond roads or pearl roads. No.

So Prahlada Maharaja says that “If you, my dear daitya friends…” He was talking with his friends. They were born of daitya families. Daitya family means, daityesu sangam visayatmakesu. Daitya means those who are materially attached, simply for sense gratification. They, that is the distinction between the daityas and devas. The devas, they are also in sense gratification, but they are devotees at the same time. Not pure devotees. Their devotion is for material opulence. They want something, return. Krsna is also prepared. Krsna takes sides of them. So if you want to enjoy material world, that also you can get by becoming Krsna conscious, Krsna is so pleased, so kind. Therefore sastra recommends:

akamah sarva-kamo va moksa-kama udara-dhih tivrena bhakti-yogena yajeta purusam param [Bhag. 2.3.10]

Even if you have got desire to enjoy within this material world, still you take to Krsna consciousness. Krsna will satisfy you. He’ll give you. There is no need of doing something else for your material enjoyment. If you want… Because we can not give up material enjoyment. We have been habituated since time immemorial, many life after many life, simply for sense gratification. It is not very easy to give up the idea. Therefore sastra says even if you have got idea of sense gratification, still you take to Krsna consciousness. Don’t try it otherwise. Just like the devatas. They have got facilities for all sense gratification. Sense gratification means udara-upastha-jihva, jihva, this tongue and the belly and the genitals. This is the prime sense gratificatory sources. Very palatable dishes, fill up the belly as much as possible, and then enjoy sex. This is material. In the spiritual world these things are absent. In the material world these things are very prominent.

So Prahlada Maharaja warns his friends that if we become attached to this sense gratification, then vimocitum kama-drsam vihara-krida-mrgo yan-nigado visargah. Nigado, nigado means the root, the root cause of accepting the material body. These things are sense gratification. Tato vidurat, from distant place. Tato vidurat parihrtya daitya. “My dear friends, although you are born of daitya family, I am also born”—his father is also daitya. Daityesu sangam visayatmakesu: “give up their…” Asat-sanga-tyaga ei vaisnava acara. The same thing. Caitanya Mahaprabhu also said. Who is a Vaisnava? Vaisnava, He immediately explained, that Vaisnava, what is the duty of Vaisnava? Some devotee asked Caitanya Mahaprabhu, “Sir, what is the duty of a Vaisnava?” So He immediately replied in two lines, asat-sanga-tyaga ei vaisnava acara: “To give up the company of materialistic persons.” Then the next question may be “Who is materialistic?” Asat eka ’stri-sangi: “One who is attached to woman, he is asat.” And krsna-bhakta ara, “And one who is not a devotee of Krsna.”

So we have to give up. So there is therefore regulative principle. At least, no illicit sex. Get yourself married, live like a gentleman, take responsibility, then gradually you’ll be able to give up this sex desire. Unless we give up this sex desire, completely unagitated, there is no possibility of stopping this repetition of material birth— birth, death, old age and disease. That is not possible. Therefore Prahlada Maharaja advises daityesu sangam visayatmakesu: “Don’t associate with…” Asat-sanga, the same thing, as Caitanya Mahaprabhu… Asat-sanga-tyaga ei vaisnava acara. This is Vaisnava’s business. Don’t take any opportunity of asat, those who are materially attached. It is very difficult association. Then it is possible upeta narayanam adi-devam sa mukta-sangair isito ’pavargah. Therefore association is very, sajjati siddhasaye (indistinct). Those who are engaged in Krsna consciousness, devotional service, make your association with them.

We are therefore making different centers to give everyone the opportunity to have the association of devotee. As far as possible, we are giving shelter, we are giving prasadam, we are giving instruction, we are giving opportunity to worship Krsna. Why? Because people may take advantage of the association, Narayana, narayanam adi-devam, they can associate with Narayana. Narayana and anything executed in the devotional service of Narayana— Narayana, Krsna, Visnu, the same category… Narayana paro ’vyaktyat. Narayana means who is, whose situation is transcendental, Narayana. So as soon as you come in contact with Narayana, Laksmi is there, goddess of fortune is there. We are not worshiping the daridra-narayana manufacture. No. As they have manufactured the word. No. We have nothing to do with the so- called… It is rubbish. Narayana cannot be daridra. Daridra means poor. This is all rubbish things. They manufacture such words, atheist class of men, but we hate to see them even. Narayana is always opulent. Sad-aisvarya-purno bhagavan always. How Narayana can be daridra, poor? That is not possible.

So narayanam adi-devam sa mukta-sangair isito ’pavargah. Apavarga means release from these material sufferings. We have several times explained. Pavarga, pavarga means material suffering. Pa means parisrama, always working hard, day and night. And pha, phena, foam coming out of my mouth. Pa, pha, ba, still baffled. Bha is fearfulness. Pa, pha, ba, bha and ma, mrtyu, at last, death. This is called pavargah. And apavargah means just to counteract this pavargah. So in one life if we try to associate with the devotees and engage in Narayana’s service sincerely… Maybe a little difficult. There is no difficulty. Where is the difficulty? We can see practically. To chant Hare Krsna maha-mantra and take prasadam, is there any difficulty? There is no difficulty. It is so pleasing. Therefore Bhagavad-gita explains susukham kartum avyayam. Susukham, very easy and pleasing to execute. And susukham kartum and avyayam. And whatever you do, that is permanent. So don’t wait for another life, “I have done so much permanent, now again.” No. Finish this business immediately in this life. Do not wait for susukham kartum avyayam. Krsna consciousness means fully become detached with this material enjoyment, simply become engaged in Krsna’s service. Your life will be successful.

Thank you very much. (end)