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putran—the sons; ca—and; sisyan—the disciples; ca—and; nrpah—the king; guruh—the spiritual master; va—or; mat-loka-kamah—desiring to go to My abode; mat-anugraha-arthah—thinking that to achieve My mercy is the aim of life; ittham—in this manner; vimanyuh—free from anger; anusisyat—should instruct; a-tat-jnan—bereft of spiritual knowledge; na—not; yojayet—should engage; karmasu—in fruitive activities; karma-mudhan—simply engaged in pious or impious activities; kam—what; yojayan—engaging; manu-jah—a man; artham—benefit; labheta—can achieve; nipatayan—causing to fall; nasta-drsam—one who is already bereft of his transcendental sight; hi—indeed; garte—in the hole.

If one is serious about going back home, back to Godhead, he must consider the mercy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead the summum bonum and chief aim of life. If he is a father instructing his sons, a spiritual master instructing his disciples, or a king instructing his citizens, he must instruct them as I have advised. Without being angry, he should continue giving instructions, even if his disciple, son or citizen is sometimes unable to follow his order. Ignorant people who engage in pious and impious activities should be engaged in devotional service by all means. They should always avoid fruitive activity. If one puts into the bondage of karmic activity his disciple, son or citizen who is bereft of transcendental vision, how will one profit? It is like leading a blind man to a dark well and causing him to fall in.

It is stated in Bhagavad-gita (3.26):

na buddhi-bhedam janayed
ajnanam karma-sanginam
josayet sarva-karmani
vidvan yuktah samacaran

“Let not the wise disrupt the minds of the ignorant who are attached to fruitive action. They should be encouraged not to refrain from work, but to work in the spirit of devotion.”

SB5.5.16

TEXT 16

lokah svayam sreyasi nasta-drstir

yo ’rthan samiheta nikama-kamah

anyonya-vairah sukha-lesa-hetor

ananta-duhkham ca na veda mudhah

lokah—people; svayam—personally; sreyasi—of the path of auspiciousness; nasta-drstih—who have lost sight; yah—who; arthan—things meant for sense gratification; samiheta—desire; nikama-kamah—having too many lusty desires for sense enjoyment; anyonya-vairah—being envious of one another; sukha-lesa-hetoh—simply for temporary material happiness; ananta-duhkham—unlimited sufferings; ca—also; na—do not; veda—know; mudhah—foolish.

Due to ignorance, the materialistic person does not know anything about his real self-interest, the auspicious path in life. He is simply bound to material enjoyment by lusty desires, and all his plans are made for this purpose. For temporary sense gratification, such a person creates a society of envy, and due to this mentality, he plunges into the ocean of suffering. Such a foolish person does not even know about this.

The word nasta-drstih, meaning “one who has no eyes to see the future,” is very significant in this verse. Life goes on from one body to another, and the activities performed in this life are enjoyed or suffered in the next life, if not later in this life. One who is unintelligent, who has no eyes to see the future, simply creates enmity and fights with others for sense gratification. As a result, one suffers in the next life, but due to being like a blind man, he continues to act in such a way that he suffers unlimitedly. Such a person is a mudha, one who simply wastes his time and does not understand the Lord’s devotional service. As stated in Bhagavad-gita (7.25):

naham prakasah sarvasya
yogamaya-samavrtah
mudho ’yam nabhijanati
loko mam ajam avyayam

“I am never manifest to the foolish and unintelligent. For them I am covered by My eternal creative potency [yogamaya]; and so the deluded world knows Me not, who am unborn and infallible.”

In the Katha Upanisad it is also said: avidyayam antare vartamanah svayam dhirah panditam manyamanah. Although ignorant, people still go to other blind men for leadership. As a result. both are subjected to miserable conditions. The blind lead the blind into the ditch.

SB5.5.17

TEXT 17

kas tam svayam tad-abhijno vipascid

avidyayam antare vartamanam

drstva punas tam saghrnah kubuddhim

prayojayed utpathagam yathandham

kah—who is that person; tam—him; svayam—personally; tat-abhijnah—knowing spiritual knowledge; vipascit—a learned scholar; avidyayam antare—in ignorance; vartamanam—existing; drstva—seeing; punah—again; tam—him; sa-ghrnah—very merciful; ku-buddhim—who is addicted to the path of samsara; prayojayet—would engage; utpatha-gam—who is proceeding on the wrong path; yatha—like; andham—a blind man.

If someone is ignorant and addicted to the path of samsara, how can one who is actually learned, merciful and advanced in spiritual knowledge engage him in fruitive activity and thus further entangle him in material existence? If a blind man is walking down the wrong path, how can a gentleman allow him to continue on his way to danger? How can he approve this method? No wise or kind man can allow this.

SB5.5.18

TEXT 18

gurur na sa syat sva-jano na sa syat

pita na sa syaj janani na sa syat

daivam na tat syan na patis ca sa syan

na mocayed yah samupeta-mrtyum

SYNONYMS

guruh—a spiritual master; na—not; sah—he; syat—should become; sva-janah—a relative; na—not; sah—such a person; syat—should become; pita—a father; na—not; sah—he; syat—should become; janani—a mother; na—not; sa—she; syat—should become; daivam—the worshipable deity; na—not; tat—that; syat—should become; na—not; patih—a husband; ca—also; sah—he; syat—should become; na—not; mocayet—can deliver; yah—who; samupeta-mrtyum—one who is on the path of repeated birth and death.

TRANSLATION

“One who cannot deliver his dependents from the path of repeated birth and death should never become a spiritual master, a father, a husband, a mother or a worshipable demigod.

PURPORT

There are many spiritual masters, but Rsabhadeva advises that one should not become a spiritual master if he is unable to save his disciple from the path of birth and death. Unless one is a pure devotee of Krsna, he cannot save himself from the path of repeated birth and death. Tyaktva deham punar janma naiti mam eti so’rjuna [Bg. 4.9]. One can stop birth and death only by returning home, back to Godhead. However, who can go back to Godhead unless he understands the Supreme Lord in truth? Janma karma ca me divyam evam yo vetti tattvatah [Bg. 4.9].

We have many instances in history illustrating Rsabhadeva’s instructions. Sukracarya was rejected by Bali Maharaja due to his inability to save Bali Maharaja from the path of repeated birth and death. Sukracarya was not a pure devotee, he was more or less inclined to fruitive activity, and he objected when Bali Maharaja promised to give everything to Lord Visnu. Actually one is supposed to give everything to the Lord because everything belongs to the Lord. Consequently, the Supreme Lord advises in Bhagavad-gita (9.27):

yat karosi yad asnasi
yaj juhosi dadasi yat
yat tapasyasi kaunteya
tat kurusva mad-arpanam

“O son of Kunti, all that you do, all that you eat, all that you offer and give away, as well as all austerities that you may perform, should be done as an offering unto Me.” This is bhakti. Unless one is devoted, he cannot give everything to the Supreme Lord. Unless one can do so, he cannot become a spiritual master, husband, father or mother. Similarly, the wives of the brahmanas who were performing sacrifices gave up their relatives just to satisfy Krsna. This is an example of a wife rejecting a husband who cannot deliver her from the impending dangers of birth and death. Similarly, Prahlada Maharaja rejected his father, and Bharata Maharaja rejected his mother (janani na sa syat). The word daivam indicates a demigod or one who accepts worship from a dependent. Ordinarily, the spiritual master, husband, father, mother or superior relative accepts worship from an inferior relative, but here Rsabhadeva forbids this. First the father, spiritual master or husband must be able to release the dependent from repeated birth and death. If he cannot do this, he plunges himself into the ocean of reproachment for his unlawful activities. Everyone should be very responsible and take charge of his dependents just as a spiritual master takes charge of his disciple or a father takes charge of his son. All these responsibilities cannot be discharged honestly unless one can save the dependent from repeated birth and death.

SB5.5.19

TEXT 19

idam sariram mama durvibhavyam

sattvam hi me hrdayam yatra dharmah

prsthe krto me yad adharma arad

ato hi mam rsabham prahur aryah

idam—this; sariram—transcendental body, sac-cid-ananda-vigraha; mama—My; durvibhavyam—inconceivable; sattvam—with no tinge of the material modes of nature; hi—indeed; me—My; hrdayam—heart; yatra—wherein; dharmah—the real platform of religion, bhakti-yoga; prsthe—on the back; krtah—made; me—by Me; yat—because; adharmah—irreligion; arat—far away; atah—therefore; hi—indeed; mam—Me; rsabham—the best of the living beings; prahuh—call; aryah—those who are advanced in spiritual life, or the respectable superiors.

tasmad bhavanto hrdayena jatah

My transcendental body [sac-cid-ananda-vigraha [Bs. 5.1]] looks exactly like a human form, but it is not a material human body. It is inconceivable. I am not forced by nature to accept a particular type of body; I take on a body by My own sweet will. My heart is also spiritual, and I always think of the welfare of My devotees. Therefore within My heart can be found the process of devotional service, which is meant for the devotees. Far from My heart have I abandoned irreligion [adharma] and nondevotional activities. They do not appeal to Me. Due to all these transcendental qualities, people generally pray to Me as Rsabhadeva, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the best of all living entities.

PURPORT

In this verse the words idam sariram mama durvibhavyam are very significant. Generally we experience two energies—material energy and spiritual energy. We have some experience of the material energy (earth. water, air, fire, ether, mind, intelligence and ego) because in the material world everyone’s body is composed of these elements. Within the material body is the spirit soul, but we cannot see it with the material eyes. When we see a body full of spiritual energy, it is very difficult for us to understand how the spiritual energy can have a body. It is said that Lord Rsabhadeva’s body is completely spiritual; therefore for a materialistic person, it is very difficult to understand. For a materialistic person, the completely spiritual body is inconceivable. We have to accept the version of the Vedas when our experimental perception cannot understand a subject. As stated in Brahma-samhita: isvarah paramah krsnah sac-cid-ananda-vigrahah [Bs. 5.1]. The Supreme Lord has a body with form, but that body is not composed of material elements. It is made of spiritual bliss, eternity and living force. By the inconceivable energy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the Lord can appear before us in His original spiritual body, but because we have no experience of the spiritual body, we are sometimes bewildered and see the form of the Lord as material. The Mayavadi philosophers are completely unable to conceive of a spiritual body. They say that the spirit is always impersonal, and whenever they see something personal, they take it for granted that it is material. In Bhagavad-gita (9.11) it is said:

avajananti mam mudha
manusim tanum asritam
param bhavam ajananto
mama bhuta-mahesvaram

“Fools deride Me when I descend in the human form. They do not know My transcendental nature and My supreme dominion over all that be.”

Unintelligent people think that the Supreme Lord accepts a body composed of the material energy. We can easily understand the material body, but we cannot understand the spiritual body. Therefore Rsabhadeva says: idam sariram mama durvibhavyam. In the spiritual world, everyone has a spiritual body. There is no conception of material existence there. In the spiritual world there is only service and the receiving of service. There is only sevya, seva, and sevaka—the person served, the process of service and the servant. These three items are completely spiritual, and therefore the spiritual world is called absolute. There is no tinge of material contamination there. Being completely transcendental to the material conception, Lord Rsabhadeva states that His heart is composed of dharma. Dharma is explained in Bhagavad-gita (18.66): sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja. In the spiritual world, every living entity is surrendered to the Supreme Lord and is completely on the spiritual platform. Although there are servitors, the served and service, all are spiritual and variegated. At the present moment, due to our material conception. everything is durvibhavya, inconceivable. Being the Supreme, the Lord is called Rsabha, the best. In terms of the Vedic language, nityo nityanam. We are also spiritual. but we are subordinate. Krsna, the Supreme Lord, is the foremost living entity. The word rsabha means “the chief,” or “the supreme,” and indicates the Supreme Being, or God Himself.

SB5.5.20

TEXT 20

sarve mahiyamsam amum sanabham

aklista-buddhya bharatam bhajadhvam

susrusanam tad bharanam prajanam

tasmat—therefore (because I am the Supreme); bhavantah—you; hrdayena—from My heart; jatah—born; sarve—all; mahiyamsam—the best; amum—that; sa-nabham—brother; aklista-buddhya—with your intelligence, without material contamination; bharatam—Bharata; bhajadhvam—just try to serve; susrusanam—service; tat—that; bharanam prajanam—ruling over the citizens.

My dear boys, you are all born of My heart, which is the seat of all spiritual qualities. Therefore you should not be like materialistic and envious men. You should accept your eldest brother, Bharata, who is exalted in devotional service. If you engage yourselves in Bharata’s service, your service to him will include My service, and you will rule the citizens automatically.

bhutesu virudbhya uduttama ye

In this verse the word hrdaya indicates the heart, which is also called urah, the chest. The heart is situated within the chest, and although instrumentally the son is born with the aid of the genitals, he is actually born from within the heart. According to the heart’s situation. the semen takes the form of a body. Therefore according to the Vedic system, when one begets a child his heart should be purified through the ritualistic ceremony known as garbhadhana. Rsabhadeva’s heart was always uncontaminated and spiritual. Consequently all the sons born from the heart of Rsabhadeva were spiritually inclined. Nonetheless. Rsabhadeva suggested that His eldest son was superior, and He advised the others to serve him. All the brothers of Bharata Maharaja were advised by Rsabhadeva to adhere to Bharata’s service. The question may be asked why one should be attached to family members, for in the beginning it was advised that one should not be attached to home and family. However, it is also advised, mahiyasam pada-rajo-’bhiseka—one has to serve the mahiyan, one who is very spiritually advanced. Mahat-sevam dvaram ahur vimukteh: [SB 5.5.2] by serving the mahat, the exalted devotee, one’s path for liberation is open. The family of Rsabhadeva should not be compared to an ordinary materialistic family. Bharata Maharaja, Rsabhadeva’s eldest son, was specifically very exalted. For this reason the other sons were advised to serve him for his pleasure. That was to be their duty.

The Supreme Lord was advising Bharata Maharaja to be the chief ruler of the planet. This is the real plan of the Supreme Lord. In the Battle of Kuruksetra, we find that Lord Krsna wanted Maharaja Yudhisthira to be the supreme emperor of this planet. He never wanted Duryodhana to take the post. As stated in the previous verse, Lord Rsabhadeva’s heart is hrdayam yatra dharmah. The characteristic dharma is also explained in Bhagavad-gita: surrender unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead. To protect dharma (paritranaya sadhunam), the Lord always wants the ruler of the earth to be a devotee. Then everything goes on nicely for the benefit of everyone. As soon as a demon rules the earth, everything becomes chaotic. At the present moment, the world is inclined toward the democratic process, but the people in general are all contaminated by the modes of passion and ignorance. Consequently they cannot select the right person to head the government. The president is selected by the votes of ignorant sudras; therefore another sudra is elected, and immediately the entire government becomes polluted. If people strictly followed the principles of Bhagavad-gita, they would elect a person who is the Lord’s devotee. Then automatically there would be good government. Rsabhadeva therefore recommended Bharata Maharaja as the emperor of this planet. Serving a devotee means serving the Supreme Lord, for a devotee always represents the Lord. When a devotee is in charge, the government is always congenial and beneficial for everyone.

SB5.5.21-22

TEXTS 21–22

sarisrpas tesu sabodha-nisthah

tato manusyah pramathas tato ’pi

gandharva-siddha vibudhanuga ye

devasurebhyo maghavat-pradhana

daksadayo brahma-sutas tu tesam

bhavah parah so ’tha virinca-viryah

sa mat-paro ’ham dvija-deva-devah

bhutesu—among things generated (with and without symptoms of life); virudbhyah—than the plants; uduttamah—far superior; ye—those who; sarisrpah—moving entities like worms and snakes; tesu—of them; sa-bodha-nisthah—those who have developed intelligence; tatah—than them; manusyah—the human beings; pramathah—the ghostly spirits; tatah api—better than them; gandharva—the inhabitants of Gandharvaloka (appointed singers in the planets of the demigods); siddhah—the inhabitants of Siddhaloka, who have all mystic powers; vibudha-anugah—the Kinnaras; ye—those who; deva—the demigods; asurebhyah—than the asuras; maghavat-pradhanah—headed by Indra; daksa-adayah—beginning with Daksa; brahma-sutah—the direct sons of Brahma; tu—then; tesam—of them; bhavah—Lord Siva; parah—the best; sah—he (Lord Siva); atha—moreover; virinca-viryah—producing from Lord Brahma; sah—he (Brahma); mat-parah—My devotee; aham—I; dvija-deva-devah—a worshiper of the brahmanas, or the Lord of the brahmanas.

Of the two energies manifest [spirit and dull matter], beings possessing living force [vegetables, grass, trees and plants] are superior to dull matter [stone, earth, etc.]. Superior to nonmoving plants and vegetables are worms and snakes, which can move. Superior to worms and snakes are animals that have developed intelligence. Superior to animals are human beings, and superior to human beings are ghosts because they have no material bodies. Superior to ghosts are the Gandharvas, and superior to them are the Siddhas. Superior to the Siddhas are the Kinnaras, and superior to them are the asuras. Superior to the asuras are the demigods, and of the demigods, Indra, the King of heaven, is supreme. Superior to Indra are the direct sons of Lord Brahma, sons like King Daksa, and supreme among Brahma’s sons is Lord Siva. Since Lord Siva is the son of Lord Brahma, Brahma is considered superior, but Brahma is also subordinate to Me, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Because I am inclined to the brahmanas, the brahmanas are best of all.

In this verse the brahmanas are given a position superior to that of the Supreme Lord. The idea is that the government should be conducted under the guidance of the brahmanas. Although Rsabhadeva recommended His eldest son, Bharata, as emperor of the earth, he still had to follow the instructions of the brahmanas in order to govern the world perfectly. The Lord is worshiped as brahmanya-deva. The Lord is very fond of devotees, or brahmanas. This does not refer to so-called caste brahmanas, but to qualified brahmanas. A brahmana should be qualified with the eight qualities mentioned in text 24, such as sama, dama, satya and titiksa. The brahmanas should always be worshiped. and under their guidance the ruler should discharge his duty and rule the citizens. Unfortunately, in this age of Kali, the executive is not selected by very intelligent people, nor is he guided by qualified brahmanas. Consequently, chaos results. The mass of people should be educated in Krsna consciousness so that according to the democratic process they can select a first-class devotee like Bharata Maharaja to head the government. If the head of the state is headed by qualified brahmanas, everything is completely perfect.

In this verse, the evolutionary process is indirectly mentioned. The modern theory that life evolves from matter is to some extent supported in this verse because it is stated, bhutesu virudbhyah. That is, the living entities evolve from vegetables, grass, plants and trees, which are superior to dull matter. In other words, matter also has the potency to manifest living entities in the form of vegetables. In this sense, life comes out of matter, but matter also comes out of life. As Krsna says in Bhagavad-gita (10.8), aham sarvasya prabhavo mattah sarvam pravartate: “I am the source of all spiritual and material worlds. Everything emanates from Me.”

There are two energies—material and spiritual—and both originally come from Krsna. Krsna is the supreme living being. Although it may be said that in the material world a living force is generated from matter, it must be admitted that originally matter is generated from the supreme living being. Nityo nityanam cetanas cetananam. The conclusion is that everything, both material and spiritual, is generated from the Supreme Being. From the evolutionary point of view, perfection is reached when the living entity attains the platform of a brahmana. A brahmana is a worshiper of the Supreme Brahman, and the Supreme Brahman worships the brahmana. In other words, the devotee is subordinate to the Supreme Lord, and the Lord is inclined to see to the satisfaction of His devotee. A brahmana is called dvija-deva, and the Lord is called dvija-deva-deva. He is the Lord of brahmanas.

The evolutionary process is also explained in Caitanya-caritamrta (Madhya, Chapter Nineteen), wherein it is said that there are two types of living entities—moving and nonmoving. Among moving entities. there are birds, beasts. aquatics, human beings and so on. Of these. the human beings are supposed to be the best, but they are few. Of these small numbers of human beings, there are many low-class human beings like mlecchas, Pulindas, bauddhas and sabaras. The human being elevated enough to accept the Vedic principles is superior. Among those who accept the Vedic principles generally known as varnasrama (presently known as the Hindu system), few actually follow these principles. Of those who actually follow the Vedic principles, most perform fruitive activity or pious activity for elevation to a high position. Manusyanam sahasresu kascid yatati siddhaye: [Bg. 7.3] out of many attached to fruitive activity, one may be a jnani—that is, one philosophically inclined and superior to the karmis. Yatatam api siddhanam kascin mam vetti tattvatah: [Bg. 7.3] out of many jnanis, one may be liberated from material bondage, and out of many millions of liberated jnanis, one may become a devotee of Krsna.

SB5.5.23

TEXT 23

na brahmanais tulaye bhutam anyat

pasyami viprah kim atah param tu

yasmin nrbhih prahutam sraddhayaham

asnami kamam na tathagni-hotre

na—not; brahmanaih—with the brahmanas; tulaye—I count as equal; bhutam—entity; anyat—other; pasyami—I can see; viprah—O assembled brahmanas; kim—anything; atah—to the brahmanas; param—superior; tu—certainly; yasmin—through whom; nrbhih—by people; prahutam—food offered after ritualistic ceremonies are properly performed; sraddhaya—with faith and love; aham—I; asnami—eat; kamam—with full satisfaction; na—not; tatha—in that way; agni-hotre—in the fire sacrifice.

O respectful brahmanas, as far as I am concerned, no one is equal or superior to the brahmanas in this world. I do not find anyone comparable to them. When people know My motive after performing rituals according to the Vedic principles, they offer food to Me with faith and love through the mouth of a brahmana. When food is thus offered unto Me, I eat it with full satisfaction. Indeed, I derive more pleasure from food offered in that way than from the food offered in the sacrificial fire.