0 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:16,099 Cc M 20-360 NY 1966-12-30 What Is the Use of Becoming --etc 1 00:00:16,100 --> 00:00:19,639 ANNOUNCER: The following is a class on the Caitanya-caritāmṛta, 2 00:00:19,640 --> 00:00:24,989 given by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedata Swami Prabhupāda, 3 00:00:24,990 --> 00:00:44,882 recorded on the 30th of December, 1966 in New York, New York. 4 00:00:44,883 --> 00:00:48,947 PRABHUPĀDA: …ei śloke ‘paraṁ-śabde ‘kṛṣṇa’-nirūpaṇa 5 00:00:48,948 --> 00:00:54,213 ‘satyaṁśabde kahe tāṅra svarūpa-lakṣaṇa [Cc. Madhya 20.360] 6 00:00:54,214 --> 00:01:03,429 So we have been discussing this janmādy asya verse from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, 7 00:01:03,430 --> 00:01:06,609 and this śloka, this verse, 8 00:01:06,610 --> 00:01:14,429 ascertains two features of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa: 9 00:01:14,430 --> 00:01:22,789 constantly, eternally manifested features, and temporary features. 10 00:01:22,790 --> 00:01:26,291 The sum and substance of this verse is 11 00:01:26,292 --> 00:01:31,895 that there are two features of the Supreme Personality of Godhead 12 00:01:31,896 --> 00:01:35,559 according to the nature: 13 00:01:35,560 --> 00:01:39,169 superior nature and inferior nature. 14 00:01:39,170 --> 00:01:44,959 So in the last line of this verse, it is clearly stated that, 15 00:01:44,960 --> 00:01:50,969 dhāmnā svena sadā nirasta-kuhakaṁ satyaṁ paraṁ dhīmahi [SB 1.1.1] 16 00:01:50,970 --> 00:01:59,398 Our aim should be to offer our obeisances unto the Supreme Lord 17 00:01:59,399 --> 00:02:03,569 along with His eternal abode. 18 00:02:03,570 --> 00:02:14,069 So the impersonalists, they take it for granted that everything is God, 19 00:02:14,070 --> 00:02:23,569 so we can approach the Supreme Truth by any way. 20 00:02:23,570 --> 00:02:27,369 That is not accepted by Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam here. 21 00:02:27,370 --> 00:02:29,391 Here it is stated clearly, 22 00:02:29,392 --> 00:02:31,209 paraṁ satyaṁ dhīmahi [SB 1.1.1] 23 00:02:31,210 --> 00:02:37,589 The eternal part of the Supreme Lord, that should be accepted, 24 00:02:37,590 --> 00:02:43,599 that should be worshiped; not the temporary manifestation. 25 00:02:43,600 --> 00:02:46,619 Take for example, the same example, 26 00:02:46,620 --> 00:02:49,542 just like in this apartment 27 00:02:49,543 --> 00:02:54,939 we are not so much interested with this toilet part of this room. 28 00:02:54,940 --> 00:02:57,089 We keep it closed. 29 00:02:57,090 --> 00:03:01,549 Although the toilet part of this room is also part and parcel of this room, 30 00:03:01,550 --> 00:03:04,769 but we have nothing to do with the toilet part. 31 00:03:04,770 --> 00:03:11,559 You have to take advantage of the other part so that we can sit and we can talk. 32 00:03:11,560 --> 00:03:20,389 Similarly, the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam indicates that dhāmnā svena nirasta-kuhakaṁ: 33 00:03:20,390 --> 00:03:23,322 we offer our obeisances, 34 00:03:23,323 --> 00:03:33,449 satyaṁ paraṁ, the Supreme, where there is no these illusory, temporary things. 35 00:03:33,450 --> 00:03:38,239 dhāmnā svena … satyaṁ paraṁ dhīmahi [SB 1.1.1] 36 00:03:38,240 --> 00:03:43,339 There are many interesting stories in this connection. 37 00:03:43,340 --> 00:03:48,589 Of course, I do not wish to take much of your time, 38 00:03:48,590 --> 00:03:51,649 because our morning time is very short; 39 00:03:51,650 --> 00:03:57,009 but we should be interested into the spiritual part of the Supreme. 40 00:03:57,010 --> 00:03:59,969 Just like in this body also, 41 00:03:59,970 --> 00:04:07,419 the spiritual part is the soul and this material part is this gross body. 42 00:04:07,420 --> 00:04:10,845 But unfortunately, in the modern civilizations 43 00:04:10,846 --> 00:04:17,810 they are taking more care for this material part of this body. 44 00:04:17,811 --> 00:04:21,920 They have no information of the spiritual part of the body. 45 00:04:21,921 --> 00:04:27,400 But actually one should take more care to the spiritual part of the body. 46 00:04:27,401 --> 00:04:31,150 Material part of the body, secondary. 47 00:04:31,151 --> 00:04:36,600 We can maintain our body for spiritual realization. 48 00:04:36,601 --> 00:04:43,730 We should not be too much attracted with the bodily necessities of life, 49 00:04:43,731 --> 00:04:47,540 sacrificing our spiritual needs. 50 00:04:47,541 --> 00:04:49,860 satyaṁ paraṁ dhīmahi [SB 1.1.1] 51 00:04:49,861 --> 00:04:54,520 That is the defect of modern civilization. 52 00:04:54,521 --> 00:04:56,330 They have no information. 53 00:04:56,331 --> 00:04:59,470 They don’t care for the spiritual part. 54 00:04:59,471 --> 00:05:01,980 Whenever you call some gentleman, 55 00:05:01,981 --> 00:05:07,370 if you begin to talk about spiritual necessities of our life, 56 00:05:07,371 --> 00:05:11,640 they will at once think that “Swamījī is talking some nonsense. 57 00:05:11,641 --> 00:05:12,950 Let us go away.” 58 00:05:12,951 --> 00:05:18,775 And if you talk of politics and just everything… 59 00:05:18,776 --> 00:05:22,590 yasyātma-buddhiḥ kuṇape tri-dhātuke [SB 10.84.13] 60 00:05:22,591 --> 00:05:25,860 Regarding in relationship with this body, we have many things— 61 00:05:25,861 --> 00:05:31,440 we have manufactured so many things, bodily necessities. 62 00:05:31,441 --> 00:05:32,504 So the Bhāgavata says, 63 00:05:32,505 --> 00:05:34,878 paśyann api na paśyati 64 00:05:34,879 --> 00:05:41,000 teṣāṁ pramatto nidhanaṁ paśyann api na paśyati [SB 2.1.4] 65 00:05:41,001 --> 00:05:43,940 Pramatta, the mad, 66 00:05:43,941 --> 00:05:51,560 crazy human being, although they are seeing that everything is being vanquished, 67 00:05:51,561 --> 00:05:55,890 it is all annihilated, vanished. 68 00:05:55,891 --> 00:05:58,540 Paśyann api: still they do not see. 69 00:05:58,541 --> 00:05:59,320 Why? 70 00:05:59,321 --> 00:06:01,920 Pramatta, crazy. 71 00:06:01,921 --> 00:06:10,670 The Bhāgavata has given designation to these people who are materially interested: 72 00:06:10,671 --> 00:06:11,270 pramatta. 73 00:06:11,271 --> 00:06:14,808 teṣāṁ pramatya… paśyann api… 74 00:06:14,809 --> 00:06:17,920 …nidhanaṁ paśyann api na paśyati [SB 2.1.4] 75 00:06:17,921 --> 00:06:22,840 I see that my father has died, my father’s father has died, 76 00:06:22,841 --> 00:06:27,430 his father has died, and I am going to die; 77 00:06:27,431 --> 00:06:31,850 and similarly my son will die, my grandson will die, 78 00:06:31,851 --> 00:06:36,560 and therefore no more will come back again. 79 00:06:36,561 --> 00:06:40,570 Once this body is vanished, there is no chance of coming back; 80 00:06:40,571 --> 00:06:44,980 it is vanished forever, simply just like a bubble in the ocean. 81 00:06:44,981 --> 00:06:49,710 Still we are interested with these bodily activities. 82 00:06:49,711 --> 00:06:54,050 Therefore, they have been described as pramatta. 83 00:06:54,051 --> 00:06:54,670 Pramatta. 84 00:06:54,671 --> 00:06:59,630 Pra means “specifically”; matta means “mad.” 85 00:06:59,631 --> 00:07:01,640 “Specifically mad.” 86 00:07:01,641 --> 00:07:06,270 Paśyann api: we have seen that everything is going to be vanquished. 87 00:07:06,271 --> 00:07:09,790 In the past we have seen so many empires, so many Napoleans, 88 00:07:09,791 --> 00:07:13,480 so many Subash Bose, Gandhi, came and gone. 89 00:07:13,481 --> 00:07:16,750 And what is the use of becoming a Subash Bose, 90 00:07:16,751 --> 00:07:21,770 Gandhi or Napolean or Hitler or great politician? 91 00:07:21,771 --> 00:07:25,920 Let us this life be engaged in spiritual realization, 92 00:07:25,921 --> 00:07:30,710 so that we can make a complete solution of the problems of life. 93 00:07:30,711 --> 00:07:37,580 But this path is not accepted by the general mass of people. 94 00:07:37,581 --> 00:07:39,900 So we should not be discouraged. 95 00:07:39,901 --> 00:07:45,180 Because anything best, the customer for that best thing, 96 00:07:45,181 --> 00:07:48,301 you will find a very small number. 97 00:07:48,302 --> 00:07:50,381 But that is not discouragement. 98 00:07:50,382 --> 00:07:55,761 But we should not, therefore, give up the best part. 99 00:07:55,762 --> 00:07:59,641 manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu kaścid yatati siddhaye [Bg. 7.3] 100 00:07:59,642 --> 00:08:03,331 In the Bhagavad-gītā you have read that out of many, 101 00:08:03,332 --> 00:08:09,901 many thousands of people they are interested in the self-realization process. 102 00:08:09,902 --> 00:08:14,691 But that does not mean because we have no many followers, 103 00:08:14,692 --> 00:08:16,956 that does not mean that it is… 104 00:08:16,957 --> 00:08:19,791 the subject matter is not changed. 105 00:08:19,792 --> 00:08:26,621 The subject matter is here affirmed in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam and by Lord Caitanya, 106 00:08:26,622 --> 00:08:30,151 that this is the highest truth of life. 107 00:08:30,152 --> 00:08:31,841 satyam param dhimahi [SB 1.1.1] 108 00:08:31,842 --> 00:08:35,112 We should be interested in that 109 00:08:35,113 --> 00:08:38,321 ei śloke ‘paraṁ-śabde ‘kṛṣṇa’-nirūpaṇa [Cc. Madhya 20.360] 110 00:08:38,322 --> 00:08:41,931 And that Absolute Truth is Kṛṣṇa. 111 00:08:41,932 --> 00:08:47,971 Now Lord Caitanya said that Absolute Truth is Kṛṣṇa: kṛṣṇa-nirūpaṇa. 112 00:08:47,972 --> 00:08:51,881 In this verse, Kṛṣṇa is being pointed, indicated. 113 00:08:51,882 --> 00:08:54,891 In the beginning of this verse—that is not here, 114 00:08:54,892 --> 00:08:57,721 but those who have seen Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam: 115 00:08:57,722 --> 00:09:00,251 namo bhagavate vāsudevāya [SB 1.1.1] 116 00:09:00,252 --> 00:09:03,251 This vāsudevāya means Kṛṣṇa. 117 00:09:03,252 --> 00:09:11,891 And Jīva Gosvāmī has written voluminous notes on this specific verse, 118 00:09:11,892 --> 00:09:17,331 and he has also mentioned that this satyaṁ, this Absolute Truth, 119 00:09:17,332 --> 00:09:22,261 which is indicated here in this śloka, is Kṛṣṇa. 120 00:09:22,262 --> 00:09:27,411 Because in the later chapters the Bhāgavata affirms: 121 00:09:27,412 --> 00:09:29,781 kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam [SB 1.3.28] 122 00:09:29,782 --> 00:09:36,011 He is the Supreme Personality, ultimate, the last word in the Absolute Truth. 123 00:09:36,012 --> 00:09:40,411 Therefore Lord Caitanya also confirms this: 124 00:09:40,412 --> 00:09:47,432 ei śloke ‘paraṁ-śabde ‘kṛṣṇa’-nirūpaṇa ‘satyaṁśabde kahe tāṅra svarūpa-lakṣaṇa [Cc. Madhya 20.360] 125 00:09:47,433 --> 00:09:49,681 Now Kṛṣṇa, 126 00:09:49,682 --> 00:09:56,171 what He is, that is described in these two words, satyaṁ paraṁ. 127 00:09:56,172 --> 00:10:04,815 Satyaṁ paraṁ: the highest truth. 128 00:10:04,816 --> 00:10:04,817 Subtitles by Pratyatoṣa Dāsa, Causelessmercy.com