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