Srimad-Bhagavatam 6.3.18-19 Prabhupada: bhutani visnoh sura-pujitani durdarsa-lingani mahadbhutani raksanti tad-bhaktimatah parebhyo mattas ca martyan atha sarvatas ca So the devotees are protected by the Visnuduta always, constantly. They are invisibly wandering all over the universe. We may see or not see because we cannot see spiritual body with these material eyes. So even we do not see, the Visnuduta is always protecting the devotees from the enemies. As I have explained yesterday, devotees will have enemies. Krsna had enemies. This world is such, envious. Ordinarily, they are envious. The whole world is full of enviousness. Even the greatest personalities like Indra, he is also envious. If somebody is undergoing great austerities, thus Indra becomes envious. Just like Visvamitra. Visvamitra was meditating by the yoga process. Immediately Indra became disturbed: “Oh, this man is practicing so much severe austerities. He may capture my post some day. So this man must be curbed down immediately.” Just like in political party, everyone is thinking, “Oh, this man is becoming greater than me. So he should be curbed down; he should be checked. Otherwise, some day he may occupy my ministership.” This is the position of the world. Everyone is envious. So the devotees have enemies. But the Visnuduta protects, as Krsna says, that kaunteya pratijanihi na me bhaktah pranasyati, “My dear Arjuna, you can declare on My behalf that a devotee will never be… A pure devotee…” Always remember— a pure devotee. Devotee means a pure devotee. Contaminated devotee is different. Dvidha(?)-bhakta and suddha-bhakta. Those who are contaminated with material desires, with fruitive activities and mental speculation, they are contaminated devotees. They are not pure devotees. Pure devotees means anyabhilasita-sunyam [BRS 1.1.11], no material desires, no action and fruitive activities, no mental speculation. So he is pure devotee. So that pure devotee in transcendental position is always protected by the Lord. And His Visnuduta is wandering everywhere. Just like Ajamila. As soon as he was arrested by the Yamadutas, immediately they approached. So as there are different police department, military police department, civil police department, similarly, there is transcendental police department. Don’t be afraid. Yes, here it is stated. So simply we have to be sincere devotee, and all protection will be given by Krsna. So raksanti bhakti, tad-bhaktimatah parebhyo mattas ca. Now, Yamaraja says mattas ca. Not only from the enemies, but mattah means “my men,” the Yamadutas. Because they were surprised. The Yamadutas were surprised: “How is that? Some four-handed, very good-looking persons came and checked our duty.” So therefore Yamaraja said that “The devotees are protected from the Yamadutas by the men of Yamaraja.” Mattas ca, martyan atha sarvatas ca. Therefore a devotee has nothing to fear. He is protected from the attack of enemies, from the attack of Yamadutas. How is that? There are many hundreds and thousands of instances—Prahlada Maharaja, Haridasa Thakura… But don’t think that a devotee will not have enemies. A devotee may have anything. Oh, he may be attacked by enemies. He may be attacked with severe type of diseases and so many things. But he will be protected. That is the difference between a devotee and a nondevotee. A nondevotee is neglected. That is stated by Prahlada Maharaja, that people may discover so many antibiotics or antiseptics for giving protection, or “anti-” measures, but unless he is given protection by Krsna, all those “anti-” devices will not protect, help him. That is certain. Therefore we should take protection only of Krsna. Otherwise our all protective measures will fail. Ravana…, when Ravana was attacked by Ramacandra… He was a great devotee of Lord Siva, so he began to pray. Because life and death question, he was praying to Lord Siva, “Please save me. I have served you so much.” Ravana was so great devotee of Lord Siva that he sometimes cut his head and offered to Lord Siva. So… And Siva was thinking very deeply what to do. And Parvati was requesting that “Your, such a great devotee, he is in danger, and he is asking your help, and you are sitting idly? You are doing nothing? How is that?” Lord Siva replied that “It is not possible to protect him. It is not possible for me.” So as a woman, sympathetic, she came out and that “If you cannot protect, then I shall go and protect Ravana.” But she also could not protect. Therefore there is a… It is a verse, mare krsna rakhe ke: “If Krsna desires to kill somebody, nobody can protect.” And rakhe krsna mare ke: “And if Krsna protects somebody, nobody can kill.” This is the process. Mattas ca martyan atha sarvatas ca. Dharmam tu saksad bhagavat-pranitam [SB 6.3.19]. Now, the Yamadutas may be in doubt, that “You are Dharmaraja. You are the protector of all religious principles. You are entrusted. So how your business can be interfered by the Visnudutas?” So Yamaraja is explaining what is real dharma. This is very important. Dharmam tu saksad bhagavat-pranitam [SB 6.3.19]. (aside:) You can take sleep over here(?). Don’t be inattentive. Better sleep. Dharmam tu saksad bhagavat-pranitam na vai vidur rsayo napi devah [SB 6.3.19]. Dharma means… This is authority. Yamaraja is authority. What is dharma? What is religion? Now, he says—he is authority—“Dharma means what is enacted by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. That is dharma.” Dharmam tu saksad bhagavat-pranitam na vai vidur rsayah: [SB 6.3.19] “The essence of dharma is not known even to the great sages.” Na vai vidur rsayo napi devah: “Not by the demigods.” Now, the authority, Dharmaraja, says that dharma cannot be manufactured by anybody, even great sages or demigods. But nowadays everyone is manufacturing a dharma, and the so-called rascals, they are supporting that “As many opinions there are, all of them are good.” Yata mata tata patha. That is the preaching of the Ramakrishna Mission, that “Anyone can manufacture his own. It is personal.” Is it not? And I have seen in your country also this, the same opinion he gave, that “Everyone has got his personal religion.” And there is the hippies also. They are against any organized religion. These things are going on. But here, we see, dharma means… Of course, it is a fact that you cannot make an organized religion by your concoction. So actually those who are religious, they have no difference, opinion, because religion means enacted by God. God is one. So not that God makes one kind of religion for one kind of person and another kind of religion for another person. Real dharma is, as the Supreme Personality of Godhead says, that “Don’t manufacture your own religion. Simply surrender unto Me, the one God.” That is dharma. Dharmam tu saksad bhagavat-pranitam [SB 6.3.19]. Whatever the Supreme Personality says, “This is dharma,” that is dharma. The same example, as I have given: law means which is enacted by the king or the government. You cannot manufacture laws by your whims. That is not possible. No, what to speak of you, here it is said, “Even great sages like Vyasadeva, Narada, they cannot also manufacture religion. And what to speak of the ordinary devas?” The Brahma… Brahma is the topmost of all the demigods. He cannot also manufacture religion. Nobody can. Here it is stated. dharmam tu saksad bhagavat-pranitam na vai vidur rsayo napi devah na siddha-mukhya asura manusyah kuto nu vidyadhara-caranadayah [SB 6.3.19] So when such great personalities… Na siddha-mukhyah. Siddha-mukhyah means the… There is a Siddhaloka. They are all yogis. They have got all the eight kinds of yogic perfection, Siddhaloka. Therefore they are called siddhas. They have got all the siddhis— bhukti, mukti, siddhi. Siddhi means perfection. So far as material world is concerned, a siddha can have anything he desires. Therefore Krsna is called Yogesvara. By yogic power one can have anything he desires. But that is not possible in this material world, but people try to achieve as far as possible these yogic powers. They are called eight kinds of siddhis, perfection. So there is a planet which is called Siddhaloka. So here it is meant, siddha-mukhyah. Mukhya means the chief of the siddhas. They also cannot manufacture religion. Although they have got all the perfections of material existence, still, they cannot. Now, in this world, just like in Christian religion also… Because in… What is that king? John? He did not like that one man cannot marry more than once. He started the Protestant religion. Is it not? Devotee (1): King Henry, he did it. Prabhupada: That means because… Or whatever it may be, he thought “Because I am king, I can start a religion.” So that is not possible. Dharmam tu saksad bhagavat-pranitam na vai vidur rsayo napi devah, na siddha-mukhya asura manusyah [SB 6.3.19] (aside:) If somebody dozes, it gives me too much pain. And I asked you to go and sleep. It disturbs me, too much disturbs me. I tell you frankly. When I speak or when I speak if somebody dozes, better not to sit. Sleep twenty-four hours, but don’t make show like that: “I am sitting here and dozing.” This is very much disturbing to me. Better frankly sleep. Why this should be? I do not know. What is the reason? You don’t have full sleep? And if you don’t have sleep, then extend. You make it eight o’clock. But sleep sufficiently. If six hours’, seven hours’ sleep is not sufficient, sleep thirteen hours, fourteen hours. But don’t make dozing like this. So Yamaraja says, “My dear boys, that…” (reads commentary:) Tam eva dharmam ity aha etavani na ca pramanam vaktavyam drstatyady aha nama-sarana iti yenaiva kevalayam sakrd ity aditena.(?) So Yamaraja says that “Nobody can manufacture, even the great sages or demigods, or the chief of the siddhas, who have attained all kinds of perfections, and what to speak of others?” This is very important verse, that any manufactured religion, that is not religion. That is not… The principle of religion is our relationship with God. In any religion where is no such conception, that is not religion. This is bhagavata-dharma, direct relationship with Krsna or the Supreme Personality. This Krsna consciousness is specially teaching this, I mean to say, fact, direct relationship with Krsna. Na siddha-mukhya asurah, asura manusyah. Asurah means they are also very powerful, but almost atheists. Just like in the modern world there are many powerful men and materially advanced, many powerful men. But because they are godless—they have no sense of God—they are called asuras. The example is Ravana, Hiranyakasipu. And manusyah, manusyah, ordinary men. So everyone is described here, that nobody can. You cannot say, “If the asuras cannot, then the demigods can, or the human society can, or the siddhas can.” No. Everybody is denied, that “Nobody can manufacture the principles of religion.” Kuto nu vidyadhara-caranadayah. There is a planet which is inhabited by the Vidyadharas and Caranas. They are very expert in singing. Vidyadhara-caranadayah. Then he says… Then who knows the secret of religion? He describes: svayambhur naradah sambhuh kumarah kapilo manuh [SB 6.3.20]. Just like there are entrusted bodies in every department, in every state, similarly, Krsna, or the Supreme Personality of Godhead, He has got also several very faithful or confidential, confidential authorities who can speak about religion. Therefore parampara system is so necessary, disciplic succession. Krsna has got direct confidential servants. They know what is religion. Therefore it is said, mahajano yena gatah sa panthah. If we are puzzled about the principles of religion, then we must follow the mahajanas. Mahajana. These mahajanas are described here. Who is mahajana? Svayambhu. Svayambhu means Brahma. Svayambhu. He is called Svayambhu. Svayambhu means “one who is born by himself.” Of course, he is not born by himself, but he is not ordinarily born. Just like a child is born by the sex intercourse of the father and the mother, Brahma is not born like that. There was no sex intercourse to beget Brahma. Therefore he is called Svayambhu. Svayambhu. Automatically he has come out. He has come out from the father without the help of the mother. Therefore he is called Svayambhu. You know that there was a lotus flower from the navel of Garbhodakasayi Visnu, and within that lotus flower, Brahma appeared. Therefore he is called Svayambhu. Svayambhur naradah sambhuh [SB 6.3.20]. Svayambhu and next, Narada. Narada is mahajana. Svayambhu is mahajana. Sambhu, Lord Siva, is mahajana. Kumara, the four Kumaras, Sanaka, Sanatana, they are also mahajanas. And these four, they have got their disciplic succession: from Brahma, the Brahma-sampradaya; from Sambhu, Visnusvami- sampradaya; from Laksmi, Sri-sampradaya; and from Kumara, this Nimbarka-sampradaya. Sampradaya-vihina ye mantras te nisphala matah. Unless one who comes through the sampradaya, their principles are not authorized. And Krsna also says, evam parampara-praptam imam rajarsayo viduh [Bg. 4.2]. Parampara, sampradaya. Krsna also says. So this is very important. Unless one comes to the disciplic succession, anything he prescribes, that is null and void. It is not to be accepted. Svayambhur naradah sambhuh kumarah kapilo manuh prahladah [SB 6.3.20]. Prahlada, Maharaja Prahlada, he is also. So how they have become mahajana, that is also described. Mahajana means one who can sacrifice everything for the sake of the Supreme Lord. Prahlada Maharaja, he personally saw that the father is killed before him. But from material point of view, this is the most abominable, I mean to say, incident, that a son is seeing that his father is being killed before him without any protest. Similarly, Bali Maharaja, he gave up the connection of his spiritual master. To give up the connection with spiritual master, that is also most abominable. So these people became mahajanas because as soon as they saw that “My father or my spiritual master is against the Supreme Personality of Godhead, such person immediately should be given up.” Jiva Gosvami says… In Indian, according to Indian custom, there is a family spiritual master, family priest, family spiritual master. So Jiva Gosvami says that for advancement of spiritual life, one should give up the family spiritual master if he is not competent and accept actually a bona fide spiritual master. Because people are under impression that… Impression… It is a fact that one cannot give up the connection of the spiritual master. That is a great sin. But Jiva Gosvami says that if your family spiritual master does not help you in your matter of making progress in spiritual life, then you should give up his connection and accept a bona fide spiritual master. That is their direction. Gurur apy avaliptasya karyakaryam ajanatah, parityago vidhiyate: “If a spiritual master is not competent to help the disciple to make progress nicely, or if he goes against…” Just like spiritual master of Bali Maharaja, he tried to advise his disciple Bali Maharaja not to give to Visnu. Visnu, as Vamanadeva, came to ask some alms from the Bali Maharaja, “Give Me some alms. I want three feet of land.” And Sukracarya prohibited: “He is Visnu. He is asking you three feet of land, but He will take everything from you.” So in this way, he was against this charity. And when Bali Maharaja understood that “For his personal interest, he is going against Visnu,” he immediately gave up his connection. Similarly, the gopis also, they flaunted the social law. At midnight they left their husbands and home and came to Krsna. There are so many instances. For Krsna’s sake they sacrificed everything. They became, I mean to say, social outcaste. They transgressed the laws of the Vedas. But because they did it for Krsna, they have been accepted as mahajanas, as authorities. So prahlado janako bhismo balir vaiyasakir vayam. These are twelve mahajanas. Just remember. The first one is Lord Brahma, the second is Narada, the third is Lord Siva, and the fourth, the Kumaras, and the five, Kapila, and then Manu, Vaivasvata Manu. Imam vivasvate yogam proktavan aham avyayam, vivasvan manave praha [Bg. 4.1]. This Manu, he is also mahajana. This, this time is going on, Vaivasvata Manu. Vivasvan manave praha. Manu is also mahajana, Prahlada Maharaja, and Janaka, Janaka Maharaja, the father of mother Sita, he is also mahajana. And Bhisma. Bhisma, the grandfather Bhisma, he is also mahajana. Therefore Bhisma’s instruction in the Bhagavata should be taken seriously. And on his deathbed, he instructed Maharaja Yudhisthira, and Krsna also heard. So these are mahajanas. Bhismo balih, Bali Maharaja. Vaiyasaki, Sukadeva Gosvami, the son of Vyasadeva, he is mahajana. And vayam. Vayam means Yamaraja himself. He says, “We are also.” Then he says, guhyam visuddham durbodham yam jnatva amrtam asnute. Dvadasaite vijanimo dharmam bhagavatam bhatah: “My dear boys, these twelve men…” Dvadasa. Two and ten, dvadasa. Dvadasaite vijanimah: “We know what are the principles of dharma. We know, we twelve personalities, authorities.” Dharmam bhagavatam. Dharmam means bhagavata-dharma, the relationship with God and the living entity. That is dharma. Bhagavatam bhatah, guhyam visuddham: “This is very confidential and without any material contamination,” durbodham, “and very difficult to understand, the principles of religion, very difficult.” They are reading Bhagavad-gita so many years together, but when the question comes that “Surrender unto Me,” they cannot understand. Durbodham: “It is very difficult to understand.” Durbodham yam jnatva: “But fortunately, if anyone understands, jnatva…” Jnatva means “If one understands,” amrtam asnute, “he can drink the nectarine.” If actually one understands the religious principle, he becomes, I mean to say, free from all material contamination. Amrtam asnute: “He is a fit candidate to drink the nectar of devotion.” Amrtam asnute. Etavan eva loke ’smin pumsam dharmah parah smrtah. Now, what is the best principle of executing dharma, religion? So he says, etavan eva loke ’smin: “Especially in this material world,” pumsam dharmah parah smrtah, “this is the first- class religious principle.” What is that? Bhakti-yogo bhagavati: “Of rendering devotional service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead.” That is first-class religion. Bhakti-yogo bhagavati tan-nama-grahanadibhih. Tan-nama. And how it begins? “Simply by chanting His holy name.” These are the authoritative statements of Yamaraja. Tam eva dharmam etavan iti. This is dharma. So our movement, the chanting of the holy name of Krsna, that is authorized. Here it is stated, tan-nama-grahanadibhih. And you have seen that our…, in Back to Godhead, Hayagriva has also quoted many passages from Bible, the chanting, Hare Krsna mantra chanting. So this chanting of the holy name of Krsna, or God, is authorized. And actually the effect is being felt, because we are advised to execute this kind of religious principles according to the law, offenseless, and avoiding these four regulative principles. Simply by chanting Hare Krsna mantra and observing these rules and regulations, one is sure to go to home, go to back to Godhead. There is no doubt about it. namoccarana-mahatmyam hareh pasyata putrakah ajamilo ’pi yenaiva mrtyu-pasad amucyata Then he says the assistants, “My dear boys, just see how much powerful is the chanting of the holy name of God is that this Ajamila, he did not directly mean to chant the holy name of Krsna, Narayana, but indirectly, because he chanted the name of Narayana, although this Narayana was not the original Narayana, his son, but it is so effective that he also became delivered.” Namoccarana-mahatmyam hareh pasyata putrakah, ajamilo ’pi yenaiva mrtyu-pasat: “He was saved from the imminent danger of death and being carried away by the Yamadutas.” I think we have covered. Na tatra pramanam vaktavyam:(?) “How powerful is the holy name of Krsna, or God, there is no need of evidences. Just see practically how it is being done.” And Sridhara Svami says that na tatra pramanam vaktavyam drstah syad ity aha namoccaraneti yenaiva kevalena sakrd uccaritena.(?) Once he uttered, simply, “Narayana…” That’s a fact. Once uttered, the holy name of God, without any offense, without any motive, immediately makes one free from this material world. Any question? Devotee (1): Does one have to be a pure devotee to be a…? The twelve authorities, are they all pure devotees? Prabhupada: Why do you ask this question? You have no sense. Without pure devotee, how they became authority? You are ask the question, “Is Mr. Rockefeller a rich man?” Your question is like that. He is known a very rich man, and he has foundation. If you ask, “Is he a rich man?” is that very intelligent question? Unless pure devotee, how they are authorized? Devotee (1): What I was wondering about was the four Kumaras were… And I wanted to ask about Lord Kapila. Prabhupada: Kapilo manuh. Devotee (1): They weren’t pure devotees right from…, they weren’t devotees right from the first. The Nectar of Devotion says that the four Kumaras were first situated in the… Prabhupada: Right from the… What do you mean by “right from the first”? What do you mean by that? Just like Rupa Gosvami. Rupa Gosvami was a minister of Muhammadan government. So what is his position? He was minister, he was working under government service, and he was rejected by the brahmana community. Then how he became gosvami? Devotee (1): From the beginning of their… Prabhupada: Beginning… Bhaktivinoda Thakura was a magistrate. What do you mean by “beginning”? As soon as he is situated in his own original position, then he is pure devotee. That’s all. It doesn’t matter what he has done in the past. It is called nagna-mati. Nagna-mati.(?) One’s mother was naked in her childhood. So one is asking, “Mother, why you are putting on those saris? You were naked. You can remain naked.” This kind of argument is no argument. Whatever one may be in his past, that’s all right. As soon as he is situated in pure devotee, devotional state, that’s all. One hasn’t got to inquire, “from the beginning” or “from the end.” There is no need of such inquiry. As soon as he is situated in his original position, hitva anyatha-rupam svarupena vyavasthitih, gives up nondevotional activities, but is situated in devotional service, immediately he is all right, pure devotee. Doesn’t matter whether he was in the beginning. Because even a person, ordinary person, ordinarily, he is not contaminated. He lives aloof from this material existence. But for some times, even if he is influenced, that doesn’t matter. As soon as he comes to his real position, he is a pure devotee. There is no question of tracing his past history. There is no question. You be situated in pure devotional service; you are pure devotee. That’s all. There is no question of inquiring what he was in the past. That doesn’t matter. Is it clear? Yes. Just like Ajamila. In the past history he, simply sinful, Jagai-Madhai, simply sinful, but as soon as they come to the position of pure devotional life, he is pure. That’s all. Yes. Yamuna: (indistinct) Prabhupada: Kumara-sampradaya, yes. Kumara-sampradaya. That is called Nimbarka-sampradaya. Nimbarka. N-i-m-b-a-r-k-a. Nimbarka-sampradaya. Yamuna: And Janaka, isn’t he…? Prabhupada: Janaka. Janaka Maharaja. Yes. King Janaka. He’s the father of Sita, Janaka Maharaja. He was a great king, but he had no attachment. Even great sages used to go to learn from him about spiritual affairs. He was so…, such a great personality, although he was a king and grhastha. All of them were grhasthas. Lord Svayambhu, Brahma, he is also grhastha. Narada is brahmacari. Sambhu, he is also grhastha; he has his wife. Svayambhur naradah sambhuh kapilah [SB 6.3.20], he is also grhastha. Kumarah, they are brahmacaris. And Manu, he is also grhastha, Prahlada Maharaja, grhastha; Janaka, grhastha; Bhisma, brahmacari; and Yamaraja, a grhastha. So the number of grhasthas are greater than the brahmacaris, but they are mahajanas. It doesn’t matter whether he is a grhastha or brahmacari. Just like we are practically following. We are giving equal rights to everyone. Either grhastha or brahmacari or sannyasi, the main center is Krsna. One who is advanced in Krsna consciousness is all right. It doesn’t matter what he is. That is Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s recommendation. kiba vipra, kiba nyasi, sudra kene naya yei krsna-tattva-vetta, sei ‘guru’ haya [Cc. Madhya 8.128] Anyone who is conversant, well conversant in the science of Krsna, he is guru. He is mahajana. He is following actually the mahajanas. Revatinandana: In the Bhagavatam and also in the Teachings of Lord Caitanya you talk about the omkara and tat tvam asi vibration. Now, the impersonalists improperly emphasize tat tvam asi over the original omkara. I was wondering what are the significance of these two vibrations and what is their relationship to Krsna? What is tat tvam asi? Prabhupada: Omkara is Krsna also. Krsna is everything. Why not omkara? So tat tvam asi means “You are the same.” Tat tvam asi. That means you are spirit soul. So what is the objection? And for every Vedic mantra, the omkara is there. Pranama. Every Vedic mantra. Just like we also chant om tad visnoh paramam. Om bhur bhuvah svah tat savitur varenyam. So every Vedic mantra is preceded by the omkara. So who is going to mop these two rooms? The ladies (indistinct). It is the ladies’ business. Ladies’ business. First after this, cleansing (indistinct). Then get some flowers, change dress. This is the procedure. And then offer breakfast. In this way. (end)
by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Gorakhpur, February 12, 1971