SB 2-01-01 NY 1969-04-10 The Krishna-Approaching Body
ANNOUNCER: The following is a class on the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, 2nd canto,
1st chapter, text number 1,
given by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda,
recorded on the 10th of April, 1969, in New York, New York.
PRABHUPĀDA: Feeling all right?
DEVOTEES: Jaya!
Hare Kṛṣṇa.
Mantra?
PRADYUMNA: Oṁ namo bhaga…
Not this. First of all Īśo… Yeah.
Īśopaniṣad.
oṁ pūrṇam adaḥ pūrṇam idaṁ
pūrṇāt pūrṇam udacyate
pūrṇasya pūrṇam ādāya
pūrṇam evāvaśiṣyate
īśāvāsyam idam sarvaṁ
yat kiñca jagatyāṁ jagat
tena tyaktena bhuñjīthā
mā gṛdhaḥ kasya svid dhanam
kurvann eveha karmāṇi
jijīviṣec chataṁ samāḥ
evaṁ tvayi nānyatheto 'sti
na karma lipyate nare
That’s all. That’s all.
Hare Kṛṣṇa.
Now oṁ namo bhagavate, chant.
oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya
Yes?
śrī-śuka uvāca
varīyān eṣa te praśnaḥ
kṛto loka-hitaṁ nṛpa
ātmavit-sammataḥ puṁsāṁ
śrotavyādiṣu yaḥ paraḥ
śrotavyādīni rājendra
nṛṇāṁ santi sahasraśaḥ
apaśyatām ātma-tattvaṁ
gṛheṣu gṛha-medhinām
nidrayā hriyate naktaṁ
vyavāyena ca vā vayaḥ
divā cārthehayā rājan
kuṭumba-bharaṇena vā
dehāpatya-kulādri… dehāpatya-kalatrādiṣv
ātma-sainyeṣv asatsv api
teṣāṁ pramatto nidhanaṁ
paśyann api na paśyati
paśyann api na paśyati [splice]
So Gargamuni, you can read where you left yesterday.
GARGAMUNI: “Similarly, in the Second Canto,
the post-creation cosmic manifestation is described.
The different planetary systems are described in the Second Canto
as different parts of the universal body of the Lord.
For this reason, the Second Canto can be called “The Cosmic Manifestation.”
There are ten chapters in the Second Canto,
and in these ten chapters the purpose of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam
and the different symptoms of this purpose are narrated.
In the first chapter the glories of chanting are described
and the process of meditation on the universal form
of the Lord by the neophyte devotees is hinted.
In the first verse Śukadeva Gosvāmī replies to the questions of Mahārāja Parīkṣit,
who asked him about one’s duty at the point of his death.
Mahārāja Parīkṣit was glad to receive Śukadeva Gosvāmī
and he was proud of being a descendant of Arjuna,
the intimate friend of Kṛṣṇa.
Personally, he was very humble and meek,
but he expressed his gladness that Lord Kṛṣṇa was very kind to the sons of Pāṇḍu,
or his grandfathers, especially his own grandfather Arjuna.
And because Lord Kṛṣṇa is always pleased with His family,
therefore at the verge of Mahārāja Parīkṣit’s death,
Śukadeva Gosvāmī was sent to help him in the process of self-realization.
Mahārāja Parīkṣit…”
This is confirming the statement of Caitanya-caritāmṛta,
that guru-kṛṣṇa-kṛpāya pāya bhakti- latā-bīja. [Cc. Madhya 19.151]
Two things required, Guru and Kṛṣṇa,
to advance in the spiritual realization or Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
So here it is, Kṛṣṇa is pleased in the family of the Pāṇḍavas.
So Parīkṣit Mahārāja was going to die.
Parīkṣit Mahārāja was grandson of Arjuna, and he was also a devotee.
So therefore by the mercy of Kṛṣṇa,
a bona fide spiritual master is sent to Parīkṣit Mahārāja.
Guru-Kṛṣṇa.
When one is sincere, then Kṛṣṇa is sitting within everyone.
As soon as He sees that “Here is a sincere soul.
He’s seeking after Me,” so He manifests Himself out externally as spiritual master.
The spiritual master is therefore representative of Kṛṣṇa.
Guru-kṛṣṇa-kṛpāya pāya bhakti- latā-bīja [Cc. Madhya 19.151].
Two things.
Without being representative of Kṛṣṇa, nobody can become spiritual master.
Kṛṣṇa-śakti vinā nahe tāra pravartana [Cc. Antya 7.11].
Without being empowered by Kṛṣṇa, nobody can preach,
nobody can become a spiritual master.
So here Śukadeva Gosvāmī sent by Kṛṣṇa on the verge of his death.
Guru-kṛṣṇa-kṛpāya pāya bhakti- latā… [Cc. Madhya 19.151].
Ei rūpe brahmāṇḍa bhramite kona bhāgyavān jīva [Cc. Madhya 19.151].
This opportunity is obtained by a very fortunate person.
Because the living entities are wandering within this universe, packed up,
from one planet to another, from one species life to another species of life.
In this way, he is wandering.
He is not fixed up.
Today I am American or Indian, tomorrow or next birth,
I do not know what is going to happen to me.
But this… this body for good will be finished.
I’ll never get this body.
I’ll get another body.
Maybe a demigod’s body or a tree’s body or a plant’s body or animal’s body—
I must get another body.
So the living entity is wandering in this way,
vāsāṁsi jīrṇāni. Just like we change our dress from one dress to another,
similarly we are changing different positions by the influence of māyā.
Māyā is forcing me.
Prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni guṇaiḥ karmāṇi [Bg. 3.27].
As soon as I am desiring something, immediately my body is formed.
Immediately a particular type of body begins to form,
and as soon as I am mature to change, my next body I get according to my desire.
Therefore we should always desire Kṛṣṇa.
Then from this life, the Kṛṣṇa-approaching body or the spiritual body will be formed.
The more you become sincere servant of Kṛṣṇa,
the more your body becomes Kṛṣṇa-ized, electrified.
Therefore advanced Kṛṣṇa conscious person
is considered to have a spiritual body.
The same example, as I have given several times: just like iron rod.
You put into the fire, it becomes warmer, warmer.
The more it is connected with fire, it becomes warm, warm, warm.
And at last it becomes red hot, so that at that time,
if that iron is touched to any other thing, it burns.
It does not act as iron; it acts as fire.
Similarly, by this Kṛṣṇa consciousness,
continuous chanting, you will make your body spiritualized.
At that time, wherever you go, wherever you touch, he’ll be spiritualized.
Similarly, the iron… Without being spiritualized, without being red hot,
if you touch, it will not act.
So every one of us, those who have come to this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement,
expected to preach in the future
and to become a spiritual master also in the future.
But first of all you must spiritualize yourself.
Otherwise it is useless.
So Kṛṣṇa-śakti vinā nahe [Cc. Antya 7.11].
Without… Just like without being red hot, you cannot burn any other thing.
Similarly, without being fully spiritualized, you cannot make others spiritualized.
Therefore we have to follow the paramparā system.
The disciplic succession, as we get the knowledge,
as we get the power, as we get the instruction, so we have to follow.
That will help me to spiritualize myself.
And when you are spiritualized… You’ll have to wait for that time.
Then, wherever you will preach, the result will be there.
So by the grace of Lord Kṛṣṇa, Śukadeva Gosvāmī has reached Parīkṣit Mahārāja.
Therefore at the verge of Mahārāja Parīkṣit’s death,
Śukadeva Gosvāmī was sent to help him in the process of self-realization.
Without spiritual master’s help, nobody can become self-realized.
Our Vaiṣṇava philosophy does not allow
that you shall become self- realized by your own endeavor.
Just like other schools, they think, Buddha school, that by meditation…
I do not know whether in Buddha school the spiritual master is accepted. [splice]
Guru-kṛṣṇa-kṛpāya pāya bhakti- latā-bīja [Cc. Madhya 19.151].
Then, [reading] “Mahārāja Parīkṣit was a devotee of Lord Kṛṣṇa from his childhood,
so he had natural affection for Kṛṣṇa,
and Śukadeva Gosvāmī could understand his devotion to Lord Kṛṣṇa.
Therefore he welcomed the question about his duty because the king hinted
that worship of Lord Kṛṣṇa is the ultimate function of every living entity.
Śukadeva Gosvāmī welcomed this suggestion and said,
`Because you have raised the question about Kṛṣṇa,
your question is most glorious.’” The next śloka is “varīyān eṣa te praśnaḥ.”
[SB 2.1.1] Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī welcomed the praśna,
the question about Kṛṣṇa… [splice] …next day.
Subtitles by Gaurāṅga Sundara Dāsa, Causelessmercy.com