Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.3.29 Pradyumna: (leads chanting, etc.) janma guhyam bhagavato ya etat prayato narah sayam pratar grnan bhaktya duhkha-gramad vimucyate Translation: “Whoever carefully recites the mysterious appearances of the Lord with devotion in the morning and in the evening gets relief from all miseries of life.” Prabhupada: This is called phala-sruti,(?) result. This chapter was describing different incarnations of God, and it is concluded that krsnas tu bhagavan svayam. There were many incarnations, and incarnations are coming incessantly just like there are waves in the ocean or in the river. You cannot sit down and count how many waves are flowing. As it is not possible, similarly, you cannot also count how many incarnations are there, how they are coming out. But the most important of them are described. And the conclusion is made that Krsna is the origin, as it is confirmed in the Bhagavad-gita. Aham sarvasya prabhavah. “I am the origin of everything, even the incarnations.” Aham sarvasya prabhavo mattah sarvam pravartate [Bg. 10.8]. Everyone, all incarnations, all demigods, all living entities, all energies. The Vedanta-sutra also confirms, janmady asya yatah [Bhag. 1.1.1]. The Absolute Truth is that which is the original source of everything. So sometimes we mistake that Krsna is also incarnation. No. He is not incarnation. He is the source of incarnation. Therefore in the last verse it has been clearly, ete camsa-kalah pumsah krsnas tu bhagavan svayam [Bhag. 1.3.28]. Krsnas tu bhagavan svayam. They are from Krsna, not Krsna is from them. Sometimes they argue that Krsna is the incarnation of Visnu, but that is not the fact. Visnu is incarnation of Krsna. Now, there is no use arguing, because there is no difference between incarnation and the source of incarnation. The example is given: just like diparcir eva hi dasantaram abhyupetya dipayate [Bs. 5.46]. Just like you have got one thousand candles here. So first you light on one candle, then the second, the third, the fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh—you go on increasing. So each candle is equal to another candle. So far candlepower light is concerned, there is no difference. The first candle and the second candle, although second candle is lit up from the first candle, but the power of light is the same, either in the first candle or in the second candle. Similarly, do not think that because Krsna is the original candle and the next candle is Balarama, or Rama, that does not mean Balarama, or Rama, is less powerful than Krsna. They are equally powerful. Diparcir eva hi dasantaram abhyupetya dipayate vivrta-hetu-samana-dharma [Bs. 5.46]. There is no difference. So don’t consider that incarnation means less important. No. But because Krsna is the original source, therefore Bhagavata is pointing out that “These incarnation, all these incarnation, they are expansion of the original Personality of Godhead, Krsna, or expansion of the expansion,” kalah. Amsa and kala. Amsa means direct expansion, and kala means expansion of the expansion. Just like Krsna’s direct expansion is Balarama. Then, from Balarama, there is further expansion: Sankarsana, Aniruddha, Pradyumna, like that. Then Maha-Visnu, another expansion. Then from Maha-Visnu to Garbhodakasayi Visnu. Then Garbhodakasayi Visnu to Ksirodakasayi Visnu. From Ksirodakasayi Visnu, Paramatma, Isvara. Isvarah sarva-bhutanam hrd-dese ’rjuna tisthati [Bg. 18.61]. The all- pervading. So all of them are expansion and equally powerful. But still, for understanding, for pure knowledge, we should under stand that Krsna is the origin. Aham sarvasya prabhavah. This is the… So anyone who will recite these incarnations of God, Krsna, regularly, in the morning and evening, that is the phala-sruti…(?) Janma guhyam bhagavatah. Bhagavatah. He is the original source of everything, and He is taking birth. Therefore it is called guhyam. It is very mysterious. Just like Kunti, when offered prayer to Krsna, she said that “You are inside and You are outside. You are all-pervading. You are present everywhere. Still, people cannot see You.” This is the mystery. God is everywhere, but we cannot see. How it is? That is explained by Kunti. Just like somebody’s father is playing on the stage dressed in a different way like a king or something. But the son cannot recognize him, although the father is playing just before him. The father is playing in his front, but he cannot understand. He’s seeing some king is playing. Similarly, God is everywhere. God is everywhere. Simply you require to purify your eyes to see God. Otherwise God is everywhere. It is not that God has to be searched out some long, long… He’s in… Of course, His real abode is long, long distant, but still, He is within your heart. Isvarah sarva-bhutanam hrd-dese ’rjuna tisthati [Bg. 18.61]. So to purify the eyes we require… That is meditation, how to search out. He is within my heart. Anywhere you sit down, you can see God, provided you have got the eyes to see. Premanjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena santah sadaiva hrdayesu vilokayanti [Bs. 5.38]. Those who are saintly persons, they are twenty-four hours seeing God. They have nothing, no other business than to see God. But they have got eyes to see. That is the difference. Ordinary persons, they have no eyes. Therefore they cannot see God. But those who have developed consciousness, Krsna consciousness, purified eyes, they can see always, twenty-four hours. They don’t see anything else except God. Because God is everything. Whatever we see, if we have two eyes to see, then we can see God in every second, every moment. How? Oh, that you can practice. In the Bhagavad-gita it is said raso ’ham apsu kaunteya: “I am the taste of water.” Now, you are drinking water hundreds times. So as soon as you taste water, how nice it is, you can immediately see God, Krsna, “Oh, here is Krsna. Here is Krsna.” So how do you say that “Can you show me Krsna?” You can see. Here is the process. You adopt it. You taste water, and when you enjoy the taste, that taste is Krsna. Krsna says, “I am this taste.” Then where is the difficulty to see Krsna? There is no difficulty. The people say, “Can you show me God?” God is everywhere, in every moment, in every step. You do not like to see Him. That is the difficulty. Raso ’ham apsu kaunteya prabhasmi sasi-suryayoh. “I am the sunshine and moonshine.” Who has not seen sunshine? Everyone has seen. From the very morning, we see sunshine, and at night also, when there is darkness, there is no sun, we see moonshine. So sunshine, moonshine—Krsna says, prabhasmi sasi-suryayoh. So as soon as I see the sunshine and moonshine, I see God. What is the difficulty? Sabdah khe. When there is some sound, rumbling sound in the sky, khe… Khe means sky. Krsna says, “I am the sound.” So as soon as you hear even the sound of airplane, that is also God. Punyo gandhah prthivyam ca. When you smell a nice flower, that smell is Krsna. So you can remember immediately Krsna. So to remember Krsna, there are so many opportunities. But we don’t want to remember Krsna. That is the difficulty. Therefore it is said that janma guhyam bhagavatah. Janma, God’s appearance. God is appearing every moment everywhere. Here is just in front, Radha- Krsna. Personally He is present. But others will see a stone, because he has not purified his eyes. And Caitanya Mahaprabhu, as soon as He sees, He fells down immediately, unconscious: “Oh, here is my Lord.” So you have to purify to see God. God is present everywhere. You haven’t to ask anybody, “Can you show me God? Have you seen God?” These questions sometimes made. And where is the difficulty to see God? You don’t like to see God. That is the difficulty. Otherwise there is no difficulty. So janma guhyam bhagavatah. And Bhagavad-gita also Bhagavan says that janma karma me divyam yo janati tattvatah. One has to learn. One has to learn the science, how to see God. That is bhakti-yoga. One who is not in bhakti-yoga, he cannot see God, even God is present before him. Naham prakasah sarvasya yogamaya-samavrtah [Bg. 7.25]. “I am not exposed to everyone. The yoga-maya curtain is there.” So first of all, before asking anybody, “Can you show me God?” you must be qualified to see God. That is required. That qualification is taught in Krsna consciousness movement, how to see God, how to understand God. Otherwise it is mysterious. Dharmasya tattvam nihitam guhayam mahajano yena gatah sa panthah. So seeing God is very mysterious, but it is very easy also, very easy, provided we know the method how to see God. So that is bhakti-yoga. And therefore Krsna recommends in the Bhagavad-gita, bhaktya mam abhijanati yavan yas casmi tattvatah: [Bg. 18.55] “Only through devotional service one can understand Me as I am.” Otherwise he will commit mistake. There are different processes undoubtedly: jnana, yoga, karma, bhakti. But if you want to see God, then you have to accept this bhakti-yoga, no other yoga. Neither jnana-yoga, nor karma-yoga, nor hatha-yoga. You cannot see. You can see. Kleso ’dhikataras tesam avyaktasakta-cetasam [Bg. 12.5]. Those who are impersonalists… All of them are impersonalists. For them, it is very difficult, troublesome, to see God. They may try their process, but it will take long, long time to see God. But if one takes to bhakti-yoga, immediately… Bhaktya mam abhijanati yavan yas casmi tattvatah [Bg. 18.55]. So one may argue that “These bhaktas are not always very learned scholars. Mostly, they are mediocre. And there are so many big, big scholars. They cannot see God easily and only the bhaktas can do?” Yes. That is the process. Krsna says, bhaktya mam abhijanati yavan yas casmi tattvatah. In bhakti, one can immediately… Because real process is to surrender to God. That is the real process. But these jnanis, yogis, and karmis, they are not prepared to surrender to God. The karmis will say, “Let us act nicely,” I mean to say, “virtuously. We are karmis. So God must give us the result.” This is called karma-mimamsa. They say that… Just like the so-called scientists say that “God has created this universe. The laws are there. So we have to study the laws. What we shall do with the God?” Is it not? “God has created these… The physical laws are there. So let us study these physical laws. What is the use of studying God?” That is their view. The karma-mimamsa also, that, they say that “After all, if we act virtuously, then we shall get good result. So what is the use of worshiping God? Let us work virtuously.” This is their view. Karmi. And jnani. Jnani also, they say. Jnani, the scientists, they are jnani, that “What is the use of worshiping God? Let us study the laws of God.” So jnani, karmi… And yogi, they are also of the same view. So karmi, jnani, yogi, and the last is bhakta. So bhakta can see God very quickly because Krsna recommends, bhaktya mam abhijanati yavan yas casmi tattvatah [Bg. 18.55]. Tattvatah, in truth, one can understand what is God by following the process of bhakti-yoga. And so far the jnanis, yogis are concerned, they will come to that point of bhakti-yoga after many, many births. That is also stated in the Bhagavad-gita: bahunam janmanam ante [Bg. 7.19]. At the end of millions of births, jnani, jnanavan, those who are searching through knowledge… So what is the value of our knowledge? Teeny knowledge. Imperfect senses. We are gathering imperfect knowledge. But we don’t neglect knowledge. We give credit to the philosophers, scientists, because… But we advise them that “Your research work should be for God, not for any temporary physical or chemical compound. No.” It is advised by Narada Muni, kavibhir nirupitah. idam hi pumsas tapasah srutasya va svistasya suktasya ca buddhi-dattayoh avicyuto ’rthah kavibhir nirupito yad-uttamasloka-gunanuvarnanam [SB 1.5.22] If you are a jnani, a philosopher, speculating what is the truth, so the truth is, ultimate truth is Krsna. So if from the very beginning you try to search out by your philosophical knowledge or if you try to prove the supremacy of Krsna by your philosophical speculation, that is perfection. That is your perfection. Otherwise it is simply laboring, waste of time. Srama eva hi kevalam. If you cannot go forward up to Krsna by your philosophical and scientific research, then all the labor you have taken, that is almost simply waste of time. The limit of knowledge, the limit of scientific research, will be confirmed when you have surrendered to God. bahunam janmanam ante jnanavan mam prapadyate vasudevah sarvam iti sa mahatma sudurlabhah [Bg. 7.19] That mahatma who knows Krsna is the supreme cause… Govindam adi-purusam tam aham bhajami. So our conclusion is that, that He is the Supreme, Govinda. So we bow down. Yes. Govindam adi-purusam tam aham bhajami **. We give all respects to others, but so far our surrendering process is concerned, that is to Krsna. Govindam adi-purusam tam aham bhajami **. Under the direction of Lord Brahma. So therefore here it is said that janma guhyam bhagavato ya etat prayato narah. Just like we are here, in this Krsna consciousness movement. We don’t claim that we have become perfect. That is not our… We cannot become perfect. Or at least, we have not become perfect. But prayatah, we are trying to be perfect. Prayatah. Prayatah means endeavoring, endeavoring for understanding God. So therefore here it is said, janma guhyam bhagavato ya etat prayato narah. Any person who endeavors for understanding Krsna through the relative sastras and devotional service, then what is the result? When? Sayam pratah. Two times at least, in the evening and in the morning. So if we sleep in the morning, snoring, then how we can understand? It is recommended here, sayam pratah. Tri-sandhya. Tri-sandhya means three times. We initiate… We… They promise that three times they will chant gayatri-mantra, but I do not know what they are doing. So these are the recommendation in the sastra. If we don’t follow, then we must fall down. There is no doubt about it. But if we follow the regulative principles, as they are enjoined in the sastra… Sadhu-guru-sastra. Sastra will say the same thing as guru advises. Sadhu-guru. A saintly person also will say the same thing. Just like here, Suta Gosvami, he is saintly person. He is advising, sayam pratah, “Morning and evening you should try to understand the science of God.” Bhagavad-gita, Srimad-Bhagavatam, topics, chanting. So these are the process. Sayam pratar grnan bhaktya. Now, this is the most important work, bhaktya. Because without bhakti… The real process is bhakti. Bhaktya mam abhijanati [Bg. 18.55], Bhagavad-gita says. Here also, it is said that “Don’t read just like a academic scholar.” No. That will not benefit you. It will benefit you, but it will take long, long time. Because without bhakti, God cannot be captured. Without bhakti, God cannot be captured. Everywhere you will find that. Krsna says in the Bhagavad-gita, yo me bhaktya prayacchati. Patram puspam phalam toyam yo me bhaktya prayacchati. Patram, a little flower, little leaf. Suppose I am very poor man. I cannot arrange for puri and rasagulla for Krsna. Then what my offering will be? No, there is no opportunity for offering Krsna? No. Krsna says, “You can offer Me a little flower, a little leaf, a little water.” That’s all. Who cannot secure it. Any part of the world, anywhere a person can offer to Krsna, “Sir, I have no means. I have secured these things.” Now, Krsna says, “Yes, that’s all right.” Patram puspam phalam toyam yo me bhaktya prayacchati. “This bhakta, one who offers Me in devotion and love.” That is the main ingredient. And a nondevotee cannot offer anything Krsna. Krsna is not poor. Krsna has not come here, He is very hungry, He has come here to eat your puri and rasagulla. No. (laughter) (laughs) Don’t think like that. But Krsna is so kind that He has come before you to accept whatever you can offer with devotion. That is the point. Yo me bhaktya prayacchati, tad aham asnami. “I eat.” Krsna says. Krsna is a liar? He’s God, He says that “I eat.” You cannot say that Krsna does not eat. Krsna says “I eat.” Who are you to say that Krsna does not eat? Sometimes this atheist class, the rascal class, they say that “You are offering food. Why? Krsna is not eating. It is there.” No. Krsna eats. But His eating is not like your eating. That is the difference. Purnam, purnasya purnam adaya purnam evavasis… He will eat everything and it will keep everything. If I give, I am given a plate, I eat everything, then remains nothing. But when Krsna eats, He eats everything and remains everything. Therefore it is prasadam. Therefore it is prasadam. So we do not know how to know Krsna’s activities. Therefore Bhagavad-gita says, janma karma me divyam. These are all transcendental subject. Here also, it is said, janma guhyam bhagavatah. Very confidential. These mysteries, confidence, are open to the confidential devotees. Bhaktya mam abhijanati [Bg. 18.55] One who is devotee, He understands everything. Others cannot understand. Others, they will think, “Oh, they are worshiping an idol, and unnecessarily spending money for preparing prasadam.” They will see like that. But a devotee knows how Krsna is eating, how Krsna’s prasadam is being prepared. Everything He knows because He is bhakta. Therefore one should try to become a devotee. Then everything will be disclosed to him. Svayam eva sphuraty adah. Sevonmukhe hi jihvadau svayam eva sphuraty adah. God will be revealed, and he will see everywhere God. Without any cessation twenty-four hours, he will see God. So as it is prescribed in the authorized sastras and directed by spiritual master, if you follow the principles, it is not very difficult to see God, to understand God. It is very easy. Thank you very much. (end)
by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Los Angeles, October 4, 1972