Srimad-Bhagavatam 7.9.9 Dayananda: “Prahlada Maharaja continued to offer his prayers as follows: I consider that a person who is possessed of all riches, born in an aristocratic family, by bodily luster and by beauty, by austerity, by education, by expert activities, by effulgence, by influence, by bodily strength, historical activities, intelligence and mystic yoga power, by all these qualifications, nobody can worship the Supreme Personality of Godhead, but simply by devotional service as it was done by Gajendra. Thus the Lord was satisfied upon him.” Prabhupada: manye dhanabhijana-rupa-tapah-srutaujas-tejah-prabhava-bala-paurusa-buddhi-yogah naradhanaya hi bhavanti parasya pumso bhaktya tutosa bhagavan gaja-yutha-paya So bhagavad-bhakti is not dependent on any material possession. Material possession, the description is fully given here. If one is very rich, dhana, he cannot think that “I can become a devotee of the Lord,” because Hiranyakasipu possessed the riches of the whole universe, but he could not become a devotee. So this is misconception, that “Because I am very rich, I am very beautiful, I am very intelligent, I am a great scholar, I am very prestigious person,” and so on so on… There are so many things. But Prahlada Maharaja says, “No, nothing of these items can help you to be promoted to the transcendental platform of devotional service. Nothing, only bhakti.” And Krsna also says in the Bhagavad-gita, bhaktya mam abhijanati [Bg. 18.55] He never said that by karma, by jnana, by yoga. Nothing. There are four things for elevation: karma, jnana, yoga and, lastly, bhakti. Bhakti is the ultimate goal. Karma you cannot become perfect if it is not mixed up with bhakti. That is called karma-yoga. Jnana itself is useless unless it is added with bhakti. That is called jnana-yoga. Similarly, hatha-yoga… Every yoga… Everything is yoga: karma-yoga, jnana-yoga, dhyana-yoga, hatha-yoga. But yoga means connection, link-up with the Supreme. Then it is karma-yoga, dhyana-yoga, jnana-yoga. When this yoga becomes completely pure, then, without karma, without jnana, without mystic power, that is called pure yoga. So that pure yoga means love of Godhead: “Krsna is my Lord; I am Krsna’s servant,” this much understanding, that “I am eternal servant of Krsna, so my life is for Krsna. Therefore all my activities should be simply directed for the benefit of Krsna.” This is called pure yoga. And therefore Krsna says that, yoginam api sarvesam mad-gata antaratmana sraddhavan bhajate yo mam sa me yuktatamo matah [Bg. 6.47] There are many types of yogis, but the yogi who is always thinking of Krsna—hare krsna, hare krsna, krsna krsna, hare hare… Devotees: …hare rama, hare rama, rama rama, hare hare. Prabhupada: Yes. So they are first-class yogis. Even they are… Just like Prahlada Maharaja. He was first-class yogi because he was always thinking of Krsna, Narayana, and he was not afraid of his father’s punishment, chastisement. So Prahlada Maharaja analyzes that “These things cannot help you.” If you think that “I am very rich man. I can purchase God…” Generally they think so, that by riches one can purchase God. Then dhana abhijana. Abhijana means aristocratic family, big connection with big, big men. That is called abhijana. Just like Rupa Gosvami. Rupa Gosvami was minister. So he was connected with very big, big family. Tyaktva turnam asesa-mandala-pati-srenim. This Rupa Gosvami gave up this aristocratic position. Because he was minister, his connection with big, big zamindars, big, big businessmen, big, big Nawabs, he could not mix with ordinary men. But he gave up everything. The same example, as Prahlada Maharaja says, abhijana—“These are useless.” So Rupa Gosvami gave example, tyaktva turnam asesa-mandala-pati-srenim sada tucchavat. Tucchavat: “Eh… It has no value, insignificant.” Gave up. The same line… This is called disciplic succession. Many millions of years, the Prahlada Maharaja said that abhijana: “By these things you cannot achieve the platform of devotional service.” And many, many millions of years after, so Rupa Gosvami, Sanatana Gosvami also showed the same example. Tyaktva turnam asesa-mandala-pati-srenim sada tucchavat. This is called parampara system. Not that “Millions of years ago Prahlada Maharaja, what he did, that is now gone. Now something new should be introduced.” No, it cannot be changed even millions of years after. This is called parampara system. Krsna said, “Millions of years ago I spoke this Bhagavad-gita yoga process to sun-god.” Imam vivasvate yogam proktavan aham. The same aham, Krsna, He spoke millions and trillions of years ago to sun-god. So nothing new. Krsna consciousness is not a new, manufactured method. No. It is the oldest. So Prahlada Maharaja also, the same, same thing, abhijana, rupa. Rupa means personal beauty. “I am very beautiful that Krsna will be attracted.” Krsna has many, many thousands of beautiful wives and friends. In Vrndavana He had many, many beautiful girl friends, the gopis. And in Dvaraka He had many, many beautiful queens, 16,108, counting—Laksmis. They are all goddess of fortune. That is Krsna. Laksmi-sahasra-sata-sambhrama sevyamanam govindam adi-purusam tam aham bhajami [Bs. 5.29] Krsna, He’s not after beauty, but beauty is after Him. That is Krsna. Not Krsna is after beauty. The materialistic person, they think that Krsna was so much fond of beautiful woman. No, no. That is not the fact. The beautiful women were after Krsna. That is Krsna. Krsna is so beautiful… Kandarpa-koti-kamaniya-visesa-sobham [Bs. 5.30]. Kandarpa. Kandarpa means Cupid. We have heard the name of Cupid, very beautiful, attractive. But He is kandarpa-koti-kamaniya visesa-sobham govindam adi-purusam tam aham bhajami [Bs. 5.30]. Krsna does not want any beauty for His satisfaction. He’s self-satisfied. But devotees, beautiful devotees, rich devotees, aristocratic devotees, perfect devotees, they are after… That is… He’s self-satisfied. He doesn’t require. These… Just like when these foolish people read Srimad-Bhagavatam and it is said that Krsna had sixteen thousand wives, queens, so they think that an ordinary man, one who keeps more than one wife, he is considered to be very lusty. No, no. That is not the fact. Krsna… These sixteen thousand wives, how they became wives? You know the story, that many beautiful, sixteen thousand beautiful, I mean to say, king’s daughters were kidnapped by the asura. What is the name of that asura? Bhaumasura, no? Yes. So they prayed to Krsna that “We are suffering, kidnapped by this rascal. Please save us.” So Krsna came to rescue them, and the Bhaumasura was killed and all the girls were made free. But after freedom they were still standing there. So Krsna asked them, “Now you can go home to your father.” They said that “We are kidnapped, and we cannot be married.” In India still that rule is there. If one girl, young girl, goes out of home for one day or two days, nobody will marry him (her). Nobody will marry him (her). He’s (She’s) considered to be spoiled. This is still the Indian system. So they were kidnapped for so many days or so many years, so they appealed to Krsna that “We’ll not be accepted either by our father, neither anybody will agree to marry.” Then Krsna understood that “Their position is very precarious. Although they are released, they cannot go anywhere.” Then Krsna… He’s so kind, bhakta-vatsala. He inquired, “What you want?” That… They said that “You accept me. Otherwise we have no other means to stay.” Krsna immediately: “Yes, come on.” This is Krsna. And not that His sixteen thousand wives was concentrated in one camp. He immediately constructed sixteen thousand palaces. Because He has accepted as wife, he (she) must be maintained as His wife, as His queen, not that “Because they have no other means, they have come to My shelter. I can keep them any way.” No. Most respectfully as queen, as Krsna’s queen. And again He thought that “The sixteen thousand wives… So if I remain alone, one figure, then My wives cannot meet Me. Everyone has to wait for sixteen thousand days to see the husband. No.” He expanded Himself into sixteen thousand Krsna. This is Krsna. The rascals, they accuse Krsna as woman- hunter. It is not like you. You cannot maintain even one wife, but He maintained sixteen thousand wives in sixteen thousand palaces and in sixteen thousand expansion of form. Everyone was pleased. This is Krsna. We have to understand what is Krsna. Don’t try to imitate Krsna. First of all try to understand Krsna. So then again, tapa. Yajna-dana-tapah-kriya na tyajyam karyam eva tat. In the human society this is very essential, that one must perform yajna. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gita, dana. Just like a brahmacari, he must perform yajna. Then grhastha, he must give in charity. And who will give charity? Now they cannot maintain even family. And where is the question of charity? The grhastha must give in charity. Yajna, dana and tapah. And those who are vanaprastha and sannyasi, they should practice tapasya, austerities. Yajna-dana-tapah-kriya na tyajyam karyam eva tat. Because you have taken sannyasa, you cannot give up these things, yajna-dana-tapah. It must continue. You cannot say, “We have given up everything. We have given up these things also.” No. Krsna therefore said, yajna-dana-tapah-kriya pavanani manisinam. Even if you think that you have become very great saintly person, still, you cannot give up this yajna-dana-tapah-kriya. So, tapah. And sruta. Sruta means education. Education means Vedic education, not this electrical education. No, that is not education. Nowadays they have taken education, technology as education. That is not education. If I become an expert electrician, that is not education. Education, panditva, the Canakya Pandita, even in the lower stage of life, ordinary life, he said who is educated, pandita. He said, matrvat para-daresu para-dravyesu lostravat atmavat sarva-bhutesu yah pasyati sa panditah This is education. Where is that education? Matrvat para-daresu? All women mother. Where is that education? There is no education. Therefore in this age practically everyone is a mudha, not educated. He does not know how to look upon woman. Woman should be looked as mother. Still in India, a unknown woman should be addressed, “Mother.” They have introduced now in the northern India, bahinji (?). No, this was not the etiquette. “Mataji.” This is Indian culture, not bahinji (?). This has been introduced now. No. Matra svasra duhitra va. Woman’s connection with man is as mother, as sister or as daughter. No other relationship. This is Indian culture. matrvat para-daresu para-dravyesu lostravat atmavat sarva-bhutesu yah pasyati sa panditah This is culture. This is called srauta. And tejah, ojasa. Ojasa means strength. Just like ksatriya, they are tejah. A ksatriya cannot tolerate that a man is being tortured before him. No, he’ll take immediately. Why man? Even animal. Even animal. Just like Pariksit Maharaja. He saw that one cow was being attempted to be killed. Immediately he took his sword. And in the modern civilization, even in a city like New York, if a man is killed before one man, nobody will take care. Nobody will take care. Is it not? “Let him be killed. I am going in my own way.” So this is not civilization. There is no brahmana. There is no ksatriya. There is no vaisya. Simply all sudras. Kalau sudra-sambhavah. So you cannot be happy under the government of the sudras. That is not possible. Must be tejah. Government must be very, very powerful. Even, say, not more than hundred years ago, the Kashmir king was so powerful that there was no stealing in the state, on the whole state. There was no stealing. There was no thief. That is government. In the, at night I have to become concerned that thief may come, a burglar may come, so… That is not the government. One should lie down very freely: “The government is there.” That is called tejah, ksatriya. Tejah, then prabhava, influence, and bala, bodily strength. Paurusa. Paurusa means one who has achieved many wonderful things. They are called paurusa. So nowadays there are many persons who are very… They have done so-called achievement. Just like this atom bomb. It is also atom bomb, but what for, this purpose? The purpose is to kill. That is not prabhava. Prabhava means to do good to others, influence. Prabhava, paurusa and buddhi, intelligence. So buddhi means not how to cheat you. That is not buddhi. Buddhi means to know what is your problem of life and endeavor for solving this problem. This is called buddhi. Therefore bhakti-yoga is known as buddhi-yoga. Buddhi-yoga. In the Bhagavad-gita you’ll find this word, buddhi-yoga. What is that buddhi-yoga? Buddhi-yoga means yena mam upayanti te, dadami buddhi-yogam tam. That is buddhi-yoga. Intelligence means to know how to go back to home, back to Godhead. That is intelligence, not that intelligence how to cheat you, how to get some money, hook and crook. That is not intelligence. That intelligence I see I was… Hari-sauri, I was explaining that, that even ant, a small ant, as soon as there is a drop of sugar juice, immediately, within a second, hundreds of ants will come: “Here is a drop of sugar juice.” This is nature’s study. This kind of buddhi-yoga or buddhi, intelligence, how to eat, how to sleep, how to have sex and how to defend, even in the ant there, this buddhi-yoga is there. That is not buddhi-yoga. To endeavor too much for the ahara-nidra-bhaya-maithunam ca, that is not considered buddhi. That buddhi, intelligence, is there even in the ant, a small ant. The real buddhi-yoga is how to be engaged in devotional service of the Lord. That is buddhi-yoga. How to become first-class devotee of Krsna. That is called buddhi-yoga. Buddhi-yogam dadami tam yena mam upayanti te. That is buddhi-yoga. How to go back to home, back to Godhead, that is buddhi. So this ordinary buddhi will not… Everyone has got intelligence. Even the ant has got intelligence. We study sometime: the sparrow, he has got intelligence. But the perfect intelligence is there when one is in bhakti-yoga, in searching of… athato brahma jijnasa. When one is searching after the Absolute Truth, that is buddhi-yoga. Buddhi-yoga. Here is also yoga. Na aradhanaya. This ordinary material buddhi, material wealth, material beauty, these things are not competent to worship the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Na aradhanaya. Naradhanaya bhavanti: “These are useless.” So don’t be disappointed that “Because I am poor, I cannot become devotee.” Everyone can become devotee, a-bala-vrddha-vanitah, even the children. Just see how the children, they are dancing, they are chanting, they are offering obeisances. That is bhakti-yoga. Apratihata. “Because they are children, they cannot become a devotee”—it is not that, the fact. Everyone can become devotee, provided he is properly guided. That is required. sa vai pumsam paro dharmo yato bhaktir adhoksaje ahaituky apratihata yena atma samprasidati [SB 1.2.6] So gaja-yutha-paya. Here it is. Even the elephant, he also become a great devotee. Even a monkey, Hanumanji, he became a great devotee. He’s not even human being. So therefore bhakti is apratihata. It cannot be checked in any condition. In any condition you become bhakta simply if you learn from the authorities how to do it. That greatest authority is Krsna. He says, “I’ll give you intelligence.” Buddhi-yogam dadami tam. “I’ll give you.” How? Tesam satata-yuktanam bhajatam priti-purvakam [Bg. 10.10] If one is working under the direction of the spiritual master with love and faith, then Krsna, from within, as caitya-guru, the guru within the heart, He’ll help you, and he’ll send you bona fide guru to help you externally. So both ways, you’ll be helped, and you’ll become Prahlada Maharaja. Thank you very much. Hare Krsna. (end)
by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Mayapur, February 16, 1976