0 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:14,676 SB 7-05-23 VRN 1976-03-31 Hear from a Real Devotee 1 00:00:14,677 --> 00:00:19,456 ANNOUNCER: The following is a class on the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, 7th canto, 2 00:00:19,457 --> 00:00:22,436 5th chapter, text number 23, 3 00:00:22,437 --> 00:00:28,716 given by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda, 4 00:00:28,717 --> 00:00:45,846 recorded on the 31st of March, 1976, in Vṛndāvana, India. 5 00:00:45,847 --> 00:00:50,506 PRABHUPĀDA: Śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ smaraṇaṁ pāda-sevanam 6 00:00:50,507 --> 00:00:54,656 arcanaṁ vandanaṁ dāsyaṁ sakhyam ātma-nivedanam [SB 7.5.23]. 7 00:00:54,657 --> 00:00:58,996 Iti puṁsārpitā viṣṇau bhaktiś cen nava-lakṣaṇā 8 00:00:58,997 --> 00:01:05,726 kriyeta bhagavaty [addhā] tan manye ’dhītam uttamam [SB 7.5.24]. 9 00:01:05,727 --> 00:01:13,607 So the nine different processes of devotional service. 10 00:01:13,608 --> 00:01:18,177 So Prahlāda Mahārāja was asked by his father 11 00:01:18,178 --> 00:01:23,327 to say something from whatever he had learned. 12 00:01:23,328 --> 00:01:28,797 He considered that what he had learned from his spiritual master 13 00:01:28,798 --> 00:01:36,467 was the best of all teaching, whereas what he had learned from the… 14 00:01:36,468 --> 00:01:44,637 learned about diplomacy from his material teachers, Sanda and Amarka, was useless. 15 00:01:44,638 --> 00:01:49,687 So the education at the present moment 16 00:01:49,688 --> 00:01:57,747 throughout the whole world is Sanda-Amarka education. 17 00:01:57,748 --> 00:02:03,897 For a devotee such kind of education has no value. 18 00:02:03,898 --> 00:02:07,737 Āhāra-[nidrā]-bhaya-maithunaṁ ca [Hitopadeśa]. 19 00:02:07,738 --> 00:02:13,257 Everyone is being educated how to live comfortably 20 00:02:13,258 --> 00:02:16,587 with reference to the comforts of the body. 21 00:02:16,588 --> 00:02:18,777 This is not education. 22 00:02:18,778 --> 00:02:26,867 Real education is to understand oneself, self-realization, 23 00:02:26,868 --> 00:02:34,297 and with that purpose one should make progress in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, 24 00:02:34,298 --> 00:02:37,907 that beginning with śravaṇam. 25 00:02:37,908 --> 00:02:47,757 As we are hearing, without śravaṇa there is no beginning of spiritual education. 26 00:02:47,758 --> 00:02:51,668 Satāṁ prasaṅgād mama vīrya-saṁvidaḥ [?]. 27 00:02:51,669 --> 00:03:06,018 That śravaṇa, hearing also, should be accepted from devotee, from real devotee. 28 00:03:06,019 --> 00:03:13,128 Śrī Svarūpa Dāmodara Gosvāmī recommended that a brāhmaṇa… 29 00:03:13,129 --> 00:03:17,298 He wrote something about Caitanya Mahāprabhu, 30 00:03:17,299 --> 00:03:21,648 and there were so many discrepancies. 31 00:03:21,649 --> 00:03:28,438 So Svarūpa Dāmodara Gosvāmī was not at all satisfied with such writings. 32 00:03:28,439 --> 00:03:32,848 He chastised the brāhmaṇa that “You cannot write.” 33 00:03:32,849 --> 00:03:46,788 So unless one is self-realized, there is practically no use writing about Kṛṣṇa. 34 00:03:46,789 --> 00:03:52,538 This transcendental writing does not depend on material education. 35 00:03:52,539 --> 00:03:59,508 It depends on the spiritual realization. 36 00:03:59,509 --> 00:04:09,418 You’ll find, therefore, in the comments of Bhāgavatam by different ācāryas, 37 00:04:09,419 --> 00:04:16,478 even there are some discrepancies, they are accepted as asat-patha. 38 00:04:16,479 --> 00:04:20,268 It should remain as it is. 39 00:04:20,269 --> 00:04:26,388 So Sanātana Gosvāmī therefore said, 40 00:04:26,389 --> 00:04:29,618 avaiṣṇava-mukhodgīrṇaṁ pūtaṁ hari-kathāmṛtaṁ, 41 00:04:29,619 --> 00:04:37,708 śravaṇaṁ naiva kartavyam [Padma Purāṇa] “One who is not Vaiṣṇava, 42 00:04:37,709 --> 00:04:44,079 from him one should not hear hari-kathāmṛtaṁ. 43 00:04:44,080 --> 00:04:51,289 Hari-kathā… Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is hari-kathā, and it is amṛta, nectāriṇe. 44 00:04:51,290 --> 00:04:58,159 But if it is recited or explained by some avaiṣṇava, one should not hear. 45 00:04:58,160 --> 00:05:01,099 It is forbidden. 46 00:05:01,100 --> 00:05:05,789 The example is given, Sarpocchiṣṭaṁ payo yathā [?]. 47 00:05:05,790 --> 00:05:15,619 So professional reciters or one who speaks and writes 48 00:05:15,620 --> 00:05:24,119 for living means it is strictly prohibited. Na vyākhyām upayuñjītaḥ [SB. 7.13.8]. 49 00:05:24,120 --> 00:05:30,569 One should not make Bhāgavata recitation as a means of livelihood. 50 00:05:30,570 --> 00:05:35,679 That is, the process is not accepted. 51 00:05:35,680 --> 00:05:37,649 So Śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ [SB 7.5.23]. 52 00:05:37,650 --> 00:05:45,359 You should hear from Vaiṣṇava, at least one who is trying to become Vaiṣṇava, 53 00:05:45,360 --> 00:05:47,149 not professional man. 54 00:05:47,150 --> 00:05:51,419 Bhaktiḥ pareśānubhavo viraktir anyatra syāt [SB 11.2.42]. 55 00:05:51,420 --> 00:05:56,369 So the test of advancement in Kṛṣṇa consciousness 56 00:05:56,370 --> 00:06:04,479 is that one should be detestful, lose attachment to the material things. 57 00:06:04,480 --> 00:06:14,009 Therefore Prahlāda Mahārāja did not like the material education from Sanda a… 58 00:06:14,010 --> 00:06:22,799 He very plainly said to his father that “What I have heard from my spiritual master, 59 00:06:22,800 --> 00:06:29,069 Nārada Muni…” Spiritual master means Nārada Muni or his representative. 60 00:06:29,070 --> 00:06:35,860 Therefore we should follow the Nārada-pañcarātra instructions. 61 00:06:35,861 --> 00:06:40,370 Sarvopādhi-vinirmuktaṁ tat-paratvena nirmalam [Cc. Madhya 19.170]. 62 00:06:40,371 --> 00:06:50,350 According to Nārada-pañcarātra, one should be free from all designation. 63 00:06:50,351 --> 00:06:55,580 Just like you boys from America and Europe: 64 00:06:55,581 --> 00:06:58,370 You have forgotten your designation. 65 00:06:58,371 --> 00:07:04,080 Therefore you are advanced, and people are very much praising 66 00:07:04,081 --> 00:07:09,770 that “How these Europeans, Americans have become nice devotee.” 67 00:07:09,771 --> 00:07:16,230 They do not know that they are no longer Americans or Europeans. 68 00:07:16,231 --> 00:07:19,210 They are devotees, Kṛṣṇa’s servant. 69 00:07:19,211 --> 00:07:22,080 This is Sarvopādhi-vinirmuktam [Cc. Madhya 19.170]. 70 00:07:22,081 --> 00:07:27,250 So long we shall think that “I am American,” “I am Indian,” 71 00:07:27,251 --> 00:07:33,020 “I am African,” there is no possibility of advancement in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. 72 00:07:33,021 --> 00:07:37,950 This teaching we have got from the greatest authority, 73 00:07:37,951 --> 00:07:40,700 Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. 74 00:07:40,701 --> 00:07:45,390 He said that “I am not a brāhmaṇa; I am not a kṣatriya; 75 00:07:45,391 --> 00:07:48,570 I am not a vaiśya; I am not a śūdra. 76 00:07:48,571 --> 00:07:54,181 Neither I am a brahmacārī or gṛhastha, vānaprastha, sannyāsa. 77 00:07:54,182 --> 00:07:59,891 I am simply servant of the servant of the servant of Kṛṣṇa.” 78 00:07:59,892 --> 00:08:04,441 Gopī-bhartur pada-kamalayor dāsa- dāsa-dāsānudāsaḥ [Cc. Madhya 13.80]. 79 00:08:04,442 --> 00:08:13,711 So the more we advance in the matter of becoming designationless, 80 00:08:13,712 --> 00:08:17,611 no designation… Sarvopādhi- vinirmuktam [Cc. Madhya 19.170]. 81 00:08:17,612 --> 00:08:25,781 So long we have got upādhis, designations, there are many desires, material desires. 82 00:08:25,782 --> 00:08:32,091 But we have to become zero about these material desires. 83 00:08:32,092 --> 00:08:37,901 Karma, jñāna, yoga, they are all material desires. 84 00:08:37,902 --> 00:08:42,131 Bhukti-mukti-siddhi-kāmī-sakali ‘aśānta’ [Cc. Madhya 19.149]. 85 00:08:42,132 --> 00:08:44,301 Because they are in the material world. 86 00:08:44,302 --> 00:08:47,911 The karmīs, they are in the material world. 87 00:08:47,912 --> 00:08:54,321 The jñānīs, they are simply trying to get out of the material world, 88 00:08:54,322 --> 00:08:58,041 but their attempt will be failure 89 00:08:58,042 --> 00:09:03,921 because they do not catch up the real spiritual work. 90 00:09:03,922 --> 00:09:08,971 Real spiritual work is Kṛṣṇa. 91 00:09:08,972 --> 00:09:18,311 And yogis, they are after demonstrating magic and get cheap popularity. 92 00:09:18,312 --> 00:09:23,642 So they are also in the material world—karmīs, jñānīs, and yogis. 93 00:09:23,643 --> 00:09:27,332 Only pure devotees, they are in the spiritual world. 94 00:09:27,333 --> 00:09:29,652 Sarvopādhi-vinirmuktam [Cc. Madhya 19.170]. 95 00:09:29,653 --> 00:09:32,122 That is confirmed by Kṛṣṇa: 96 00:09:32,123 --> 00:09:37,912 Māṁ ca ’vyabhicāriṇi bhakti- yogena yaḥ sevate sa guṇān 97 00:09:37,913 --> 00:09:41,582 samatītyaitān brahma-bhūyāya kalpate [Bg. 14.26]. 98 00:09:41,583 --> 00:09:46,952 So as soon as you engage yourself 99 00:09:46,953 --> 00:09:51,482 in pure devotional service without any material desire, 100 00:09:51,483 --> 00:09:56,842 without any material designation, immediately you are liberated. 101 00:09:56,843 --> 00:09:59,182 Svarūpena avasthiti [?]. 102 00:09:59,183 --> 00:10:05,672 That is real situation of our constitutional position. 103 00:10:05,673 --> 00:10:14,162 So long we are not engaged in Kṛṣṇa’s service, that is our opposite number of life, 104 00:10:14,163 --> 00:10:16,472 not real life. 105 00:10:16,473 --> 00:10:23,492 Real life is when you are fully engaged in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, always engaged. 106 00:10:23,493 --> 00:10:24,822 That is life. 107 00:10:24,823 --> 00:10:26,692 Śravaṇaṁ kīrtanam. 108 00:10:26,693 --> 00:10:35,356 So to be fixed up in that spiritual life we should always engage ourself, 109 00:10:35,357 --> 00:10:39,983 śravaṇaṁ kīrtanam. Śravaṇaṁ kīrtanam of whom? 110 00:10:39,984 --> 00:10:44,093 Viṣṇu. Of Kṛṣṇa or Viṣṇu. 111 00:10:44,094 --> 00:10:48,983 Even not of any other demigods, what to speak of ordinary beings. 112 00:10:48,984 --> 00:10:54,253 We are engaged in śravaṇaṁ kīrtana from the morning. 113 00:10:54,254 --> 00:11:01,023 We take a newspaper and we read what the politician says, 114 00:11:01,024 --> 00:11:04,473 what so many nonsense things. 115 00:11:04,474 --> 00:11:05,903 We waste our time. 116 00:11:05,904 --> 00:11:08,273 Śrama eva hi kevalam [SB 1.2.8]. 117 00:11:08,274 --> 00:11:16,913 We should increase our taste for hearing and chanting about Viṣṇu, Kṛṣṇa. 118 00:11:16,914 --> 00:11:25,623 That engagement you have fully in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam and Bhagavad-gītā. 119 00:11:25,624 --> 00:11:31,933 So stick to these two books or Caitanya-caritāmṛta. 120 00:11:31,934 --> 00:11:36,443 Caitanya-caritāmṛta is still far advanced. 121 00:11:36,444 --> 00:11:41,813 So anyway, we should always engage ourself twenty-four hours. 122 00:11:41,814 --> 00:11:44,074 Kīrtanīyaḥ sadā hariḥ [Cc. adi 17.31]. 123 00:11:44,075 --> 00:11:46,144 Here it said, śravaṇaṁ kīrtanam, 124 00:11:46,145 --> 00:11:50,174 but Caitanya Mahāprabhu says, kīrtanīyaḥ sadā hariḥ.” 125 00:11:50,175 --> 00:11:52,264 Sadā means twenty-four hours. 126 00:11:52,265 --> 00:12:00,254 We shall mold our life in such a way that… If somebody says, “How it is possible? 127 00:12:00,255 --> 00:12:01,984 We have got other business. 128 00:12:01,985 --> 00:12:06,314 How it is possible to simply engage in śravaṇaṁ kīr…?” 129 00:12:06,315 --> 00:12:08,214 Therefore smaraṇam. 130 00:12:08,215 --> 00:12:12,684 Whatever you are hearing, you should remember it. 131 00:12:12,685 --> 00:12:14,904 That is very easy. 132 00:12:14,905 --> 00:12:21,194 Śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ smaraṇaṁ pāda-sevanam [SB 7.5.23]. 133 00:12:21,195 --> 00:12:25,044 And always engage in serving. 134 00:12:25,045 --> 00:12:26,354 Just like, 135 00:12:26,355 --> 00:12:29,314 Śrī-vigrahārādhana-nitya-nānā- 136 00:12:29,315 --> 00:12:32,964 śṛṅgāra-tan-mandira-mār janādau [Śrī Śrī Gurv-aṣṭaka]. 137 00:12:32,965 --> 00:12:37,374 If you have no engagement, simply cleanse this temple. 138 00:12:37,375 --> 00:12:39,285 Tan-mandira-mārjana [Śrī Śrī Gurv-aṣṭaka]. 139 00:12:39,286 --> 00:12:42,255 That is also service. 140 00:12:42,256 --> 00:12:43,985 That is also service. 141 00:12:43,986 --> 00:12:47,005 Pāda-sevanam arcanaṁ vandanam [SB 7.5.23]. 142 00:12:47,006 --> 00:12:53,475 Then actually worshiping, decorating, vandanam, offering prayer, 143 00:12:53,476 --> 00:12:56,285 dāsyam, sakhyam. 144 00:12:56,286 --> 00:13:00,895 In this way remain always engaged in Kṛṣṇa’s service. 145 00:13:00,896 --> 00:13:05,685 Then you are to be considered the most learned. 146 00:13:05,686 --> 00:13:09,135 That is the recommendation of Prahlāda Mahārāja. 147 00:13:09,136 --> 00:13:11,545 Tan manye adhītam uttamam [?]. 148 00:13:11,546 --> 00:13:21,795 “In my mind, in my decision, persons who are engaged in Kṛṣṇa consciousness fully, 149 00:13:21,796 --> 00:13:27,195 they are to be understood as the first-class advanced in education.” 150 00:13:27,196 --> 00:13:35,235 And this material education… Of course, we are going to open the gurukula. 151 00:13:35,236 --> 00:13:41,125 Our aim is not how to make the students a big grammarian. 152 00:13:41,126 --> 00:13:42,105 No. 153 00:13:42,106 --> 00:13:43,495 That is not our purpose. 154 00:13:43,496 --> 00:13:46,735 How to make him fully Kṛṣṇa conscious. 155 00:13:46,736 --> 00:13:49,515 That is the aim of the gurukula. 156 00:13:49,516 --> 00:13:53,685 In the gurukula description there is nothing, 157 00:13:53,686 --> 00:14:00,196 such thing as how to make the student a big grammarian or… 158 00:14:00,197 --> 00:14:05,516 Generally they take Sanskrit education, first grammar, 159 00:14:05,517 --> 00:14:19,013 and it is recommended that one should read at least for twelve years grammar. 160 00:14:19,014 --> 00:14:19,015 Subtitles by 80.1.251.112, Causelessmercy.com