Srimad-Bhagavatam 5.5.2
by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Vrndavana, October 24, 1976

Pradyumna: “Translation: One can attain the path of liberation from material bondage only by rendering service to highly advanced spiritual personalities. These personalities are impersonalists and devotees. Whether one wants to merge into the Lord’s existence or wants to associate with the Personality of Godhead, one should render service to the mahatmas. For those who are not interested in such activities, who associate with people fond of women and sex, the path to hell is wide open. The mahatmas are equipoised. They do not see any difference between one living entity and another. They are very peaceful and are fully engaged in devotional service. They are devoid of anger, and they work for the benefit of everyone. They do not behave in any abominable way. Such people are known as mahatmas.”

Prabhupada:

mahat-sevam dvaram ahur vimuktes tamo-dvaram yositam sangi-sangam mahantas te sama-cittah prasanta vimanyavah suhrdah sadhavo ye

So in the previous verse it was recommended, tapo: “Don’t live the life of cats and dogs.” This is the advice. But be tapasvi. Tapasya. Human life is meant for tapasya, and tapasya means beginning tapasa brahmacaryena [SB 6.1.13]. This is tapasya. Tapasya begins with brahmacarya, celibacy. No sex life. That is tapasya.

tapasa brahmacaryena samena damena va tyagena sattva-saucyabhyam yamena niyamena va [SB 6.1.13]

The whole yogic process means how to become free from sexual desire. Indriya samyama. Yogam indriya samyama. The yoga practice… Formerly, everyone was practicing this yoga, astanga-yoga, dhyana dharana asana pranayama, just to become very stout and strong in the matter of sense gratification. Sense gratification is not at all good without any restriction. That is tapasya—tapasa brahmacaryena [SB 6.1.13] And the first-class tapasya is to cease from sex life, either man or woman. Then tapasya begins.

So the real purpose is tapo divyam yena suddhyed sattva, to purify our existence. Therefore tapasya we have explained already. Now how this tapasya can be practiced? Tapasya can be practiced in the association of mahat, mahat-seva. Mahat-sevam dvaram ahur vimuktes. People do not know what is vimukti. They do not know it. The first instruction of Bhagavad-gita is suggesting that “You are not this body. You are within this body.” And vimukti means not to accept any more this material body. That is vimukti. And Bhagavata says, mukti definition: mukti hitvanyatha rupam sva-rupena avasthitih. That is mukti. Mukti means when you are situated in your original position. That is mukti. My original position is that I am Brahman, I am spirit soul. I’m not Parabrahman. That is another maya. I am Brahman, every one of us. But I am working not as Brahman, but I am working as this body. My responsibility…, I am thinking “I’m Indian,” so I’m working for nationalism, for Indian welfare and so on, so on. You are working for America or another is working for England. So this is all bodily conception. So body, I’m not body. So therefore mukti means when I shall give up this bodily conception of life, that is mukti. And so long I shall be absorbed or captivated or conditioned by the bodily concept of life, there is no question of mukti. Mukti hitvanyatha rupam. Anyatha rupam means I’m acting at the present moment on the bodily conception of life.

So Krsna in the very beginning of Bhagavad-gita suggesting mukti. So, “Arjuna, you are lamenting for things which no pandita, no learned man, laments.” Gatasun agatasums ca nanusocanti panditah. “You are talking very high high words, ideas, that ‘If my brothers are killed, my sister-in-laws will be widows and their character will be polluted, the varna-sankara…’ These are all bodily conception of life. You come to the spiritual platform.” And what is that spirit? That is dehi. Dehi means “one who has got this body, ” not “this body.” This is the first instruction. Dehino ’smin yatha dehe [Bg. 2.13] So deha and dehi. Dehi, in Sanskrit it is said if you possess something, then there is grammatical “in” pratyaya. Deha, dehin. Guna, gunin. So when you possess something, then this in pratyaya is used. So I’m not deha, I’m dehin. Therefore this word is used, dehi. Dehi means “the possessor of the body.” So asmin dehe, there is the proprietor. And everywhere… And in another place, Bhagavad-gita, ksetra ksetrajnah. Ksetra means “this body,” and ksetrajnah, one who knows that “It is my body.” That is ksetra-jnah. Ksetra…, just like ordinarily, ksetra means land. A cultivator knows, “This is my land,” not that “I am land.” A driver knows that “I am the driver. I am not the car. The car is different from me.” So this knowledge is imparted immediately. Then as soon as you understand that you are not this deha but you are dehi, then naturally your inquiry will be, then “I am working on the platform of deha, then what is my work?” That is called brahma-jijnasa. This is called athato brahma jijnasa.

So this spiritual culture means first of all one must know. Sanatana Gosvami first of all inquired this question. He was a minister, and he’s asking Caitanya Mahaprabhu that “These rascal friends,” gramya-vyavahare. Gramya-vyavahare. In our village life or anywhere we make some friendships. Sometimes we call another man chacha, old uncle, or brother, like that. So this is called gramya-vyavahare. Actually, neither one is my chacha, neither he’s brother, but we address like that. So therefore Sanatana Gosvami said, gramya-vyavahare kahe pandita. So “They say that I am pandita, I am learned.” And because he was brahmana, so brahmanas are addressed in India as pandita. So gramya-vyavahare kahaye pandita, satya kari mani. “But I am so foolish that I also accept that I am pandita.” “Why not? You are pandita. You are educated.” “No. Because,” apanara hitahita kichui na jani, “I do not know what is my actual position, what is the goal of my life. So I’m not a pandita. I’m murkha, mudha.” That is the presentation of Sanatana Gosvami.

So one should approach the spiritual master understanding that he’s a mudha. Not that “I know better than my spiritual master. I can challenge.” Tad viddhi pranipatena [Bg. 4.34]. So if we want to know ourself, as Krsna… Everywhere. This is the whole idea of cultivation, spiritual cultivation. First of all, I must know what I am, whether I am this body. Krsna said, “No, you are not body. You are within this body. You are enwrapped in this body. You are packed up within this body. First of all, know this.” That is Krsna’s first instruction. Dehino ’smin yatha dehe kaumaram yauvanam jara tatha dehantara praptir [Bg. 2.13] Very simple thing—that we are changing body. This is first instruction of Krsna. So as with the association of Krsna, by instruction of Krsna, I can understand my position… As Sanatana Goswami, by the association of Caitanya Mahaprabhu, he could understand his position, similarly, we should approach such person wherefrom we can understand our position. Therefore it is recommended, mahat-sevam. You do not approach Krsna or His representative to order him or to make him your servant: “Sir, give me this, give me that.” “Yes, you can take it, you can…” Flattering. So that is not the position. Mahat-sevam dvaram ahur. If you want to know First of all, you know what you are. Then the question is vimukti. The same thing, same proposal. In the Vedic instruction there is no difference. Everywhere we’ll find the same thing. That is standard knowledge. Not that I am saying something, you are saying something. That is not Vedic knowledge. That is speculation. Vedic knowledge means wherever you take, it is the same thing. There is no difference. Either you read Bhagavad-gita or Srimad-Bhagavatam or the Catur-Veda or Upanisad or Vedanta, you’ll find the same conclusion. That is Vedic knowledge. They are instructed, they are arranged in such a way that according to the position of the person one can understand. This is the Vedic scheme. The Puranas and the Mahabharata, they are meant for the less intelligent class of men who cannot understand directly the Vedic instruction. But gradually by reading historical fact and instances, they can understand. Trayi na sruti-gocara. Stri-sudra-dvija-bandhunam trayi na sruti-gocara. Vyasadeva worked very hard to awaken the human society to the Vedic knowledge. And what is that Vedic knowledge? To understand Krsna. Vedais ca sarvair aham eva vedyam [Bg. 15.15]. That is Vedic knowledge. Otherwise you are a big Vedanti, big student of Upanisad, and so on, so on, but you do not know Krsna, what He is— it is useless. Srama eva hi kevalam. That is simply wasting time.

So we have to approach. So mahat-seva. This is seva. Do not approach the mahatma for challenging. That is not… Then you will be cheated. If you want to be… Just like one great, learned scholar, so-called scholar, he came to Vrndavana and he saw Rupa Gosvami. So Rupa Gosvami, he said, “Sir, I have come to you.” “Now, what is the purpose?” “Now, I have traveled all over India, and I had a sastra caca (?) and I have become victorious. They have accepted me. So I have come to you to discuss on Vedic knowledge.” So then Rupa Gosvami inquired from him, “Actually what do you want?” “I want also that you acknowledge me that I’m a great scholar. That I want.” “All right. I acknowledge you are a great scholar.” “No, then you give me in writing.” So Rupa Gosvami gave him in writing, “I met this man; he’s a great scholar and I am defeated.” He gave in writing. Of course Jiva Gosvami took that paper very tactfully and defeated him. So this is not the method of meeting Rupa Gosvami. One should go very humbly, mahat-sevam. Rupa Gosvami is mahat. You should not go there to challenge. Then you’ll be cheated. You must go to Rupa Gosvami and his representative with a humble… Tad viddhi pranipatena [Bg. 4.34]. When you want to learn, you must approach that person pranipatena. Prakrsta rupena seva. Tad viddhi pranipatena pariprasnena sevaya.

That is also stated in… The same thing is recommended here, that mahat-sevam. If you want the purpose of life and if you want to execute tapasya, if you want all these things, then you should approach a mahatma, not duratma. Mahatmanas tu mam partha daivim prakrtim asritah [Bg. 9.13]. That is mahatma. Mahatma is not made by stamping that “You are a mahatma,” “You are a harijana.” It is not like that. Mahatma is different person. Mahatma means whose atma is very broad—broader atma, not crippled. All are duratma. Everyone is thinking, “I am this Indian,” “I am American,” “I am this,” “I am that.” But what mahatma thinking? He’s thinking, “I am servant of Krsna. I am not servant of these petty things. I am servant of Krsna, Parabrahman.” Gopi-bhartur pada-kamalayor dasa-dasanudasa. That is mahat. “I am a servant of Krsna’s servant, servant, servants, hundred times servant.” The lower my position is servant, then I am great mahatma. Ordinarily they think mahatma, that “I am on the top, on the topmost platform.” That is not mahatma. This is our Caitanya philosophy. Mahatma is he…,

trnad api sunicena taror api sahisnuna amanina manadena kirtaniyah sada…

He’s mahatma. This is mahatma. So you have to approach such mahatma. That is recommendation in the Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu: adau gurvasrayam sadhu marganugamanam sad-dharma prcchat. These are things wanted. So if you actually want to execute tapasya, then you must approach a person who has already executed tapasya, tapo divyam. Then you’ll get the things. Mahat-sevam. And there you have to render your service. In humbleness, service, sevaya. You can question mahatma not by challenging but surrounded by pranipat and seva. Otherwise, you have no right to question. Just like this man went to Rupa Gosvami. He has no right to waste time. So actually this discussion, instructions, are to be executed amongst the guru and the disciples, where there is submission. Otherwise there is no need of. Nowadays we hold some meeting. Some ordinary people they come to hear. But that kind of discussion Caitanya Mahaprabhu never did. Never did. Because these outsiders, they are not submissive. They come to see the fun. They do not come to learn something. Therefore Caitanya Mahaprabhu never made any big meeting. In big meeting He was present, but kirtana, sankirtana. He was meeting in big meeting daily in the evening for four hours in Jagannatha temple, but the whole period of time was engaged in chanting Hare Krsna. But when there was a person like Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya or Prakasananda Sarasvati or Ramananda Raya, like such exalted person, He used to discuss. Otherwise, He was not discussing. There was no need of discussing, because they do not approach with that humbleness. They think… Just like Krsna and Arjuna. So long Arjuna was thinking that “Krsna is my friend. I shall reply Him equally,” then Krsna was very gravely speaking. But when Arjuna understood that “This kind of talking there will be no benefit,” then he became His disciple: sisyas te ’ham sadhi mam prapannam. “There is no more discussion. Now I accept You as my guru.”

Guru means whatever instruction he’ll give, we have to accept without any argument. Vedic knowledge is like that. You cannot interpret. As it is, you have to accept. Similarly guru’s word also you have to accept. No argument. That is Vedic knowledge. That is the Vedic system. This example we have given many times. Just like this cow dung. Cow dung is the stool of an animal. So the stool of an animal is most impure thing. As soon as you touch. Even your own stool. You may be very learned scholar or devotee, but that does not meant you can touch your own stool and remain purified. No. Immediately you have to take bath. Even his own, what to speak of others’. But in the Vedic instruction we see that the cow dung, it is the stool of an animal also, lower animal than the man, and it is pure, it is said. So you have to accept pure. No argument that “Such stool is impure, even my spiritual master’s stool is also impure. How is that that animal cow dung is pure?” But because it is in the Vedas it is said pure, you have to accept. Similarly the conchshell, it is the bone of an animal. The bone, if you touch any dead body’s bone, you’ll have to take, immediately purify. But that, this bone is placed in the Deity room. We are daily blowing the conchshell—because the Vedic instruction. So there is no argument. If you accept Vedic instruction, you have to accept it as it is.

Therefore we are protesting to all these rascals who are making interpretation of Bhagavad-gita, “You rascals, you cannot do anything. You have to accept Krsna’s word. That is Vedic knowledge. And if, you rascal, if you interpret, then you are lost and everything is lost.” Yogo nastah parantapa. As Krsna says,

evam parampara-praptam imam rajarsayo viduh sa kaleneha (mahata) yogo nastah parantapa [Bg. 4.2]

As soon as you give up this parampara system, immediately the whole thing is lost, sa kalaneha… Otherwise what was the use of Krsna speaking again to Arjuna? Because Bhagavad-gita was there current, but Krsna said because the parampara system is lost, every rascal is interpreting. This is the system always. As soon as some time goes away, so many rascals come and they interpret Bhagavad-gita in their own rascaldom way. That is lost. Sa kaleneha yogo nastah parantapa. Therefore I am advising you again. You take it. So if we take Bhagavad-gita in that way—or any sastra—through the parampara channel, then it is all right. Just like this example. This is Vedic instruction, Vedic order: “Yes, cow dung is pure.” We have to take it. This is parampara. “Yes, conchshell is pure. Although it is bone, never mind. It is pure.” The order.

So spiritual master’s order, because we do not know, therefore we have to approach mahatma who can give me right instruction. So mahat-seva. So if you go to spiritual master… Mahatma and duratma. Two words are there opposite: brahmana and a krpana. Brahmana mean one who has understood the Lord, the Supreme Brahman, Krsna, Parambrahman. He is brahmana. And means one who is bhakta, he is brahmana. A bhakta is brahmana, and a brahmana is not a bhakta, not necessarily. Because if he does not know… A brahmana may know what is Brahman, but he may not know what is Krsna. So a brahmana has to become a Vaisnava Then he is perfect. Brahmana-Vaisnava. Brahmana-pandita. Otherwise, if he remains simply a brahmana, then he cannot become guru. That is the instruction.

Sat-karma-nipunoh viprah. Vipra means brahmana. And he knows everything, karma-kandiya. Sat-karma. Pathan pathan yajan yajan dana pratigraha. Everything. Mantra-tantra-visarada. He is very expert in karma-kandiya activities, sat-karma-nipunoh viprah. And mantra-tantra-visarana: and he knows how to chant very correctly the Vedic hymns, mantra-antra, and the tantra sastra—everything complete. But if he’s not a Vaisnava, sat-karma-nipunoh viprah mantra-tantra-visarana avaisnava gurur na sa syat. If he’s not a Vaisnava, he cannot take the position of a spiritual master. No. One should not go there. He’s not mahatma. He’s still duratma, because he does not know Krsna. His knowledge is not complete. His knowledge will be complete, as Krsna says, bahunam janmanam ante [Bg. 7.19] If he continues to be very learned brahmana for many, many births, then if he comes to his senses, bahunam janmanam ante jnanavan mam prapadyante, then he becomes Vaisnava, when he surrenders to Krsna. Because by his cultivation of knowledge he can understand vasudevah sarvam iti [Bg. 7.19]. Then he is Vaisnava. To such mahatma we have to approach. Then our life is successful.

Thank you very much. (end)