0
00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:01,201
SB 6-01-09 HON 1976-05-10 I Don't Wish to Die --Can You Help Me
1
00:00:01,202 --> 00:00:04,173
ANNOUNCER: Next is a class
on the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam,
2
00:00:04,174 --> 00:00:07,444
6th canto, 1st chapter,
text number 9,
3
00:00:07,445 --> 00:00:13,151
given by His Divine Grace
A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda,
4
00:00:13,152 --> 00:00:20,899
recorded on May 10th,
1976, in Honolulu, Hawaii.
5
00:00:20,900 --> 00:00:26,619
PRABHUPĀDA: The king,
Parīkṣit Mahārāja said.
6
00:00:26,620 --> 00:00:40,329
Parīkṣit Mahārāja is the disciple and
Śukadeva Gosvāmī is the spiritual master.
7
00:00:40,330 --> 00:00:48,119
So the spiritual master is speaking
and the disciple is hearing,
8
00:00:48,120 --> 00:00:54,769
but in the meantime
making some question.
9
00:00:54,770 --> 00:00:57,829
That is the way of understanding.
10
00:00:57,830 --> 00:01:03,311
Tad viddhi praṇipātena
paripraśnena sevayā
11
00:01:03,312 --> 00:01:10,569
upadekṣyanti tad jñānam
jñāninas tattva darśinaḥ
[Bg. 4.34]
12
00:01:10,570 --> 00:01:15,749
The injunction is that tad viddhi,
13
00:01:15,750 --> 00:01:27,689
if you want to understand transcendental
subject matter, not material, spiritual…
14
00:01:27,690 --> 00:01:35,199
Spiritual is completely unknown to us
because we do not know what is spiritual.
15
00:01:35,200 --> 00:01:37,399
We are identifying with this body.
16
00:01:37,400 --> 00:01:41,069
You do not know even
that “I am spirit soul.”
17
00:01:41,070 --> 00:01:45,239
So where is the possibility
of spiritual understanding?
18
00:01:45,240 --> 00:01:48,699
One cannot see
himself, what he is.
19
00:01:48,700 --> 00:01:53,219
He is thinking, “I am this
body,” exactly like the dog.
20
00:01:53,220 --> 00:01:55,789
The dog is thinking, “I am dog.”
21
00:01:55,790 --> 00:02:02,679
So if I think, “I am American,” “I am
Indian,” where is the difference?
22
00:02:02,680 --> 00:02:04,109
There is no difference.
23
00:02:04,110 --> 00:02:07,856
yasyātma-buddhiḥ kuṇape tri-dhātuke
[SB 10.84.13]
24
00:02:07,857 --> 00:02:12,329
If one thinks that “I am this
body,” then he’s no better than,
25
00:02:12,330 --> 00:02:14,148
sa eva go-kharaḥ
[SB 10.84.13]
26
00:02:14,149 --> 00:02:20,299
The animals, they also think
like that, “I am this body.”
27
00:02:20,300 --> 00:02:30,132
So when one understands that,
“I am not this body, I’m extra…”
28
00:02:30,133 --> 00:02:36,959
That can be understood very
easily if we analyze ourselves.
29
00:02:36,960 --> 00:02:43,329
I have several times said, beginning
from your breathing, you analyze.
30
00:02:43,330 --> 00:02:44,929
Take breathing.
31
00:02:44,930 --> 00:02:50,739
They say breathing is the life.
32
00:02:50,740 --> 00:02:56,169
As soon as the breathing
is stopped, no more life.
33
00:02:56,170 --> 00:02:59,219
So does it mean that
breathing is life?
34
00:02:59,220 --> 00:03:00,159
No.
35
00:03:00,160 --> 00:03:01,049
Analyze.
36
00:03:01,050 --> 00:03:01,949
What is this breathing?
37
00:03:01,950 --> 00:03:04,459
It is air.
38
00:03:04,460 --> 00:03:10,972
So you can get so much air
and put it into a machine,
39
00:03:10,973 --> 00:03:19,099
just like, what is called, bellow,
and pump it through the nose.
40
00:03:19,100 --> 00:03:20,889
Is it possible to get life?
41
00:03:20,890 --> 00:03:22,359
No.
42
00:03:22,360 --> 00:03:26,649
In this way, item by item,
you analyze this body.
43
00:03:26,650 --> 00:03:31,259
Now you are advanced
in laboratory analyzing.
44
00:03:31,260 --> 00:03:37,579
Take this breathing, take this blood,
take this skin, take this bone.
45
00:03:37,580 --> 00:03:40,809
So many things are
there, ingredients.
46
00:03:40,810 --> 00:03:42,769
Analyze each one of them.
47
00:03:42,770 --> 00:03:45,889
Will you find life?
48
00:03:45,890 --> 00:03:49,549
Therefore common sense,
that this is not life…
49
00:03:49,550 --> 00:03:55,569
Life is beyond this,
beyond this material.
50
00:03:55,570 --> 00:04:03,249
So so-called rascals, they think that
this is body, this is life, combination.
51
00:04:03,250 --> 00:04:05,519
There are many theories.
52
00:04:05,520 --> 00:04:09,423
One of the theories is the
combination of this matter,
53
00:04:09,424 --> 00:04:17,740
these bones, this blood, this skin,
the veins, the stool, the urine,
54
00:04:17,741 --> 00:04:23,219
there are so many things—that
combination makes the life.
55
00:04:23,220 --> 00:04:27,219
And why don’t you put… All
these things are available.
56
00:04:27,220 --> 00:04:30,969
Why don’t you put
together and bring life?
57
00:04:30,970 --> 00:04:32,399
“That we shall do in future.”
58
00:04:32,400 --> 00:04:33,499
Just see.
59
00:04:33,500 --> 00:04:36,519
What is this proposal?
60
00:04:36,520 --> 00:04:45,549
Therefore we are so fools and rascals that
we do not know what is spirit, life, spirit.
61
00:04:45,550 --> 00:04:51,629
Still, we are passing as big scientist
and philosopher, all rascals.
62
00:04:51,630 --> 00:04:56,849
Anyone who is thinking, “I
am this body,” he’s a rascal.
63
00:04:56,850 --> 00:04:58,569
He’s an animal.
64
00:04:58,570 --> 00:05:00,329
sa eva go-kharaḥ
[SB 10.84.13]
65
00:05:00,330 --> 00:05:07,366
yasyātma-buddhiḥ kuṇape tri-dhātuke
sva-dhīḥ kalatrādiṣu bhauma-ijya-dhīḥ
[SB 10.84.13]
66
00:05:07,367 --> 00:05:11,170
This is Bhāgavata,
practical analysis.
67
00:05:11,171 --> 00:05:20,630
So here the Bhāgavata-kathā,
that is transcendental knowledge.
68
00:05:20,631 --> 00:05:28,950
So Parīkṣit Mahārāja has approached
the right person, Śukadeva Gosvāmī.
69
00:05:28,951 --> 00:05:29,970
Why?
70
00:05:29,971 --> 00:05:35,960
Because he is the disciple
and son of Vyāsadeva.
71
00:05:35,961 --> 00:05:37,880
So this is paramparā.
72
00:05:37,881 --> 00:05:43,140
One should learn from the right
person, that is perfect knowledge.
73
00:05:43,141 --> 00:05:47,371
We are sticking to Kṛṣṇa
consciousness movement,
74
00:05:47,372 --> 00:05:50,962
because to receive
perfect knowledge.
75
00:05:50,963 --> 00:05:55,549
If we change, if we
become so rascal that
76
00:05:55,550 --> 00:06:01,512
“What has spoken in the Vedic
literature, there is beyond, something,”
77
00:06:01,513 --> 00:06:03,030
then we are rascal.
78
00:06:03,031 --> 00:06:04,780
There is no beyond.
79
00:06:04,781 --> 00:06:07,300
This is perfect knowledge.
80
00:06:07,301 --> 00:06:14,240
So how to take
perfect knowledge?
81
00:06:14,241 --> 00:06:16,600
Tad viddhi.
82
00:06:16,601 --> 00:06:19,420
First of all you try to learn.
83
00:06:19,421 --> 00:06:20,390
Tad viddhi.
84
00:06:20,391 --> 00:06:21,290
How to learn?
85
00:06:21,291 --> 00:06:22,230
Where to learn?
86
00:06:22,231 --> 00:06:27,290
Praṇipātena, fully surrendered.
87
00:06:27,291 --> 00:06:34,812
If you find somebody that
he is somebody important,
88
00:06:34,813 --> 00:06:41,800
where you can surrender fully, from
him… Tad viddhi praṇipāta… This is.
89
00:06:41,801 --> 00:06:50,620
Our process of Vedic knowledge is how
to surrender, not that I hear and I reject it.
90
00:06:50,621 --> 00:06:53,230
That is not the way.
91
00:06:53,231 --> 00:06:55,920
That is another rascaldom.
92
00:06:55,921 --> 00:07:01,050
First of all find out the person
where you can surrender.
93
00:07:01,051 --> 00:07:05,549
Surrender means you first
of all be convinced that
94
00:07:05,550 --> 00:07:11,300
“Here is a person who can
give me actual knowledge.”
95
00:07:11,301 --> 00:07:18,576
Therefore before selecting guru
one has to convince himself that,
96
00:07:18,577 --> 00:07:23,274
“The person whom I am
going to accept as guru,
97
00:07:23,275 --> 00:07:30,201
whether he actually can
give me the knowledge?”
98
00:07:30,202 --> 00:07:31,850
That is wanted.
99
00:07:31,851 --> 00:07:36,610
Therefore before making
guru, the system is,
100
00:07:36,611 --> 00:07:41,281
for one year the
prospective disciple
101
00:07:41,282 --> 00:07:44,759
should hear from the
person and then decide.
102
00:07:44,760 --> 00:07:49,467
And similarly, the
guru also see a person
103
00:07:49,468 --> 00:07:53,730
who is actually submissive or not.
104
00:07:53,731 --> 00:08:03,970
That is Vaiṣṇava injunction, hari-bhakti-
vilāsa, not that to make a guru as a fashion.
105
00:08:03,971 --> 00:08:04,860
No.
106
00:08:04,861 --> 00:08:09,060
Not do.
107
00:08:09,061 --> 00:08:12,360
Don’t keep a guru,
order-supplying guru.
108
00:08:12,361 --> 00:08:14,200
No.
109
00:08:14,201 --> 00:08:17,261
Just like if somebody keeps a dog,
110
00:08:17,262 --> 00:08:23,240
and the master orders him,
“Do this,” and he does, fashion.
111
00:08:23,241 --> 00:08:24,180
No.
112
00:08:24,181 --> 00:08:25,370
It is not fashion.
113
00:08:25,371 --> 00:08:32,420
You must approach a guru
who…, where you can surrender.
114
00:08:32,421 --> 00:08:34,920
Otherwise don’t make guru.
115
00:08:34,921 --> 00:08:38,910
And the guru also should not
accept such rascal as guru.
116
00:08:38,911 --> 00:08:41,530
First of all the thing is surrender.
117
00:08:41,531 --> 00:08:44,340
tad viddhi praṇipātena
[Bg. 4.34]
118
00:08:44,341 --> 00:08:49,680
The first necessity is
that you surrender.
119
00:08:49,681 --> 00:08:53,420
So here you have seen,
Parīkṣit Mahārāja,
120
00:08:53,421 --> 00:09:00,900
although the emperor of the world, he
is taking lesson from Śukadeva Gosvāmī.
121
00:09:00,901 --> 00:09:03,846
Śukadeva Gosvāmī is
seated on the throne,
122
00:09:03,847 --> 00:09:09,750
and he is seated on the
ground, submissive.
123
00:09:09,751 --> 00:09:14,019
So does it mean that “I
shall become submissive,
124
00:09:14,020 --> 00:09:18,760
and whatever my guru will
say, I will have to accept?”
125
00:09:18,761 --> 00:09:21,000
No.
126
00:09:21,001 --> 00:09:23,200
Paripraśnena.
127
00:09:23,201 --> 00:09:24,520
Tad viddhi.
128
00:09:24,521 --> 00:09:26,540
Here is the paripraśna.
129
00:09:26,541 --> 00:09:28,540
Śrī-rāja uvāca.
130
00:09:28,541 --> 00:09:29,730
Ask him.
131
00:09:29,731 --> 00:09:32,010
That is intelligent.
132
00:09:32,011 --> 00:09:33,720
Intelligently serve.
133
00:09:33,721 --> 00:09:38,320
First of all we must… It is not
that he is checking the guru,
134
00:09:38,321 --> 00:09:40,240
“How my guru is learned?”
135
00:09:40,241 --> 00:09:41,090
No.
136
00:09:41,091 --> 00:09:43,600
The submission is there.
137
00:09:43,601 --> 00:09:49,900
But when the guru says something,
he may not understand.
138
00:09:49,901 --> 00:09:52,630
That concession is
given, paripraśna.
139
00:09:52,631 --> 00:09:56,100
You inquire.
140
00:09:56,101 --> 00:10:01,929
So Śukadeva Gosvāmī said that,
141
00:10:01,930 --> 00:10:08,555
“You have to atone for your sinful
activities before your death;
142
00:10:08,556 --> 00:10:12,830
otherwise you will
suffer in the next life.”
143
00:10:12,831 --> 00:10:15,850
Rājovāca.
144
00:10:15,851 --> 00:10:26,210
Rājovāca, rāja, the king, he was little
doubtful about this atonement.
145
00:10:26,211 --> 00:10:27,020
Atonement.
146
00:10:27,021 --> 00:10:29,350
So his inquiry…
147
00:10:29,351 --> 00:10:38,462
dṛṣṭa-śrutābhyāṁ yat pāpaṁ
jānann apy ātmano ’hitam
148
00:10:38,463 --> 00:10:44,310
karoti bhūyo vivaśaḥ
prāyaścittam atho katham
[SB 6.1.9]
149
00:10:44,311 --> 00:10:50,110
“Sir, you have spoken about atonement,
but they are doing atonement.
150
00:10:50,111 --> 00:10:57,890
Every moment they are suffering, but still,
again he is committing the sinful activities.
151
00:10:57,891 --> 00:11:01,760
So what is the use
of this atonement?”
152
00:11:01,761 --> 00:11:11,188
Just like in the Christian church
they go to confess every weekly,
153
00:11:11,189 --> 00:11:12,659
“Sir, I have done it.”
154
00:11:12,660 --> 00:11:15,150
“All right, give some fine.”
155
00:11:15,151 --> 00:11:19,790
And again, next week, again,
the same thing going on.
156
00:11:19,791 --> 00:11:22,290
So this is very intelligent question.
157
00:11:22,291 --> 00:11:26,890
The atonement is
there in every religion.
158
00:11:26,891 --> 00:11:32,360
In the Vedic process
there is atonement,
159
00:11:32,361 --> 00:11:36,112
but what is the use
of this atonement,
160
00:11:36,113 --> 00:11:42,081
if he does not cease committing
the same sinful activity?
161
00:11:42,082 --> 00:11:50,090
Just like practically we see a thief.
162
00:11:50,091 --> 00:11:54,500
So he knows that “I
am committing theft.
163
00:11:54,501 --> 00:11:57,110
I shall be punished
if I am arrested.”
164
00:11:57,111 --> 00:12:03,680
He knows it; otherwise why he
goes silently at night and break?
165
00:12:03,681 --> 00:12:10,040
He knows it well that “If I am
arrested I will be punished.”
166
00:12:10,041 --> 00:12:11,750
So śrutābhyām.
167
00:12:11,751 --> 00:12:16,890
Śruta means… Just like
we are hearing the śāstra,
168
00:12:16,891 --> 00:12:26,680
so he has heard it from the lawbooks that
if one commits theft he’ll be punished.
169
00:12:26,681 --> 00:12:31,780
And he has seen also that a
person who has committed theft,
170
00:12:31,781 --> 00:12:38,910
he is arrested by the police, so he
was being taken to the prison house.
171
00:12:38,911 --> 00:12:44,130
So here our knowledge is
acquired from two sources,
172
00:12:44,131 --> 00:12:50,080
by direct perception
and by hearing.
173
00:12:50,081 --> 00:12:53,820
Just like we are hearing
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.
174
00:12:53,821 --> 00:12:56,720
This is knowledge also.
175
00:12:56,721 --> 00:13:05,300
And when you see there are three kinds
of receiving knowledge… One is śruti.
176
00:13:05,301 --> 00:13:08,420
Śruti means hearing.
177
00:13:08,421 --> 00:13:15,959
So our Vedic process is that
we hear the Vedic information,
178
00:13:15,960 --> 00:13:19,330
and we become perfect, śruti.
179
00:13:19,331 --> 00:13:25,754
And somebody challenges that,
“Why shall I believe in the Vedas?
180
00:13:25,755 --> 00:13:28,710
I must see.”
181
00:13:28,711 --> 00:13:32,990
But everything is
not possible to see.
182
00:13:32,991 --> 00:13:42,750
For example somebody, the mother
said to the son, “Here is your father.”
183
00:13:42,751 --> 00:13:47,640
So you have to believe your mother;
otherwise how you can see your father?
184
00:13:47,641 --> 00:13:49,720
It is not possible.
185
00:13:49,721 --> 00:13:53,781
If you want to see
to take the proof,
186
00:13:53,782 --> 00:13:58,610
“Whether this gentleman is my
father,” that is not possible.
187
00:13:58,611 --> 00:14:04,940
Because he became your father
before your birth, how you can see?
188
00:14:04,941 --> 00:14:06,660
This is the way.
189
00:14:06,661 --> 00:14:09,190
You have to accept authority.
190
00:14:09,191 --> 00:14:17,430
So things which are beyond our
perception, we have to accept authority.
191
00:14:17,431 --> 00:14:26,640
Therefore the Vedic process is, if the
world perfect order is there in the Vedas…
192
00:14:26,641 --> 00:14:31,380
Not if; anything which is in
the Vedas, that is perfect.
193
00:14:31,381 --> 00:14:33,580
We have to accept.
194
00:14:33,581 --> 00:14:34,930
Accept.
195
00:14:34,931 --> 00:14:38,110
This is the way, Vedic, śruti.
196
00:14:38,111 --> 00:14:41,040
So dṛṣṭa-śrutābhyām.
197
00:14:41,041 --> 00:14:46,051
Śruta means hearing, knowledge…
[indistinct] the same thing…
198
00:14:46,052 --> 00:14:53,070
The person, the thief, he
has seen and he has heard.
199
00:14:53,071 --> 00:14:56,540
dṛṣṭa-śrutābhyām yat pāpam
[SB 6.1.9]
200
00:14:56,541 --> 00:14:59,566
He knows what is sinful activities.
201
00:14:59,567 --> 00:15:02,472
Jānann apy; He knows this is…
202
00:15:02,473 --> 00:15:05,970
jānann apy ātmano ’hitam
[SB 6.1.9]
203
00:15:05,971 --> 00:15:12,570
“This kind of activity is
injurious to my person.”
204
00:15:12,571 --> 00:15:18,670
karoti bhūyo vivaśaḥ [SB 6.1.9]:
“Again he commits the same thing.”
205
00:15:18,671 --> 00:15:20,220
He knows.
206
00:15:20,221 --> 00:15:26,750
karoti vivaśaḥ prāyaścittam atho katham
[SB 6.1.9]: “Then what is the value of that?
207
00:15:26,751 --> 00:15:36,160
If he cannot stop his sinful activity, then
what is the meaning of this prāyaścittam?”
208
00:15:36,161 --> 00:15:41,790
So a professional thief, he has
gone to the prison several times.
209
00:15:41,791 --> 00:15:44,110
He has been punished.
210
00:15:44,111 --> 00:15:48,420
Still, he commits the same
thing, again goes to the jail.
211
00:15:48,421 --> 00:15:56,002
A patient, he has suffered from the
disease on account of certain bad habits,
212
00:15:56,003 --> 00:15:57,925
and he has gone to the doctor.
213
00:15:57,926 --> 00:16:02,262
He has paid much money and
suffered injection, operation,
214
00:16:02,263 --> 00:16:05,200
and still he is doing that.
215
00:16:05,201 --> 00:16:11,310
Therefore Parīkṣit Mahārāja said,
“What is the value of this prāyaścitta?”
216
00:16:11,311 --> 00:16:14,690
Prāyaścitta, kind of punishment.
217
00:16:14,691 --> 00:16:18,720
So this is very important
question. [splice]
218
00:16:18,721 --> 00:16:25,620
This is very intelligent question,
and Parīkṣit Mahārāja will reply…
219
00:16:25,621 --> 00:16:27,560
Śukadeva Gosvāmī will reply.
220
00:16:27,561 --> 00:16:30,080
But this is student.
221
00:16:30,081 --> 00:16:34,480
Just see how intelligent
question is put.
222
00:16:34,481 --> 00:16:42,180
The Śukadeva Gosvāmī said that for
any sinful action one has to atone.
223
00:16:42,181 --> 00:16:47,811
So immediately catches the
word, this is intelligent disciple,
224
00:16:47,812 --> 00:16:51,151
that “What is the value
of this atonement?
225
00:16:51,152 --> 00:16:57,380
If he cannot correct himself
to commit the sinful activity,
226
00:16:57,381 --> 00:17:00,371
then what is the
value of atonement?”
227
00:17:00,372 --> 00:17:01,700
This is very nice question.
228
00:17:01,701 --> 00:17:03,280
We shall discuss tomorrow.
229
00:17:03,281 --> 00:17:09,645
Thank you very much.
230
00:17:09,646 --> 00:17:09,647
Subtitles by Gopī Kāntā Dāsa, Causelessmercy.com
Sponsored by Jitarati Dāsa & Pratyatoṣa Dāsa