Room Conversation
About 10th Canto
by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
October 16, 1977, Vrndavana

Prabhupada: They are taking Hindi books like hotcakes.

Abhirama: But he’s complaining that they’re not arriving.

Prabhupada: Yes. [break] We can work little. [break] …here and sit down. [break]…is the spelling of your name, Avirama or Abhirama?

Abhirama: When you initiated me, Srila Prabhupada, you, at least in the letter, it was spelled Avhi, Avhi. But generally you call me Abhi.

Prabhupada: Avirama means without tiresomeness. And abhirama means always chanting Rama.

Abhirama: Srila Prabhupada, in the initiation letter you said that it means one who is affectionate to Rama.

Prabhupada: Hm. Always chanting.

Abhirama: I should be always chanting.

Prabhupada: Yes. It is a nasty world. The only safety is to take shelter of Rama. Harer nama harer nama… [Adi 17.21]. Kirtaniyah sada harih [Cc. adi 17.31]. When there are so many material inconveniences… Trnad api sunicena taror api sahisnuna. Very nasty world.

Yasodanandana: Amanina manadena kirtaniyah sada harih [Cc. adi 17.31].

Abhirama: That Abhirama, that is the associate of Mahaprabhu? That is different.

Prabhupada: Eh?

Abhirama: There is one associate of Mahaprabhu, Abhirama.

Prabhupada: Both may be, Abhirama or Avirama. Both carries meaning. Abhirama is better. [break]…you can give…

Abhirama: He’s going to come just where I am, Srila Prabhupada. He’s going to sit just here. [break]

Pradyumna: This is verse number 44. It says,

evam sammohayan visnum vimoham visva-mohanam svayaiva mayayajo ’pi svayam eva vimohitah [SB 10.13.44]

Prabhupada: Word meaning?

Pradyumna: Evam—thus, in this way; sammohayan…

Prabhupada: Yes. He wanted to mystify Krsna and His companions. He himself became mohitah.

Pradyumna: Bewildered?

Prabhupada: Yes. And that means Krsna’s mystic power more than him.

Pradyumna: Here it’s said, sammohayan visnum. Visnum—the all- pervading Lord Krsna. So Visnu (Sanskrit). Vimoham—He who can never come under illusion, Visnu.

Prabhupada: Vimoham, yes.

Pradyumna: (Sanskrit)

Prabhupada: He cannot be mystified.

Pradyumna: Visva-mohanam…

Prabhupada: He is mystifying the whole universe.

Pradyumna: Svayaiva mayaya—by his own mystic power.

Prabhupada: He became mystified, Brahma.

Pradyumna: Ajo ’pi.

Prabhupada: Instead of defeating Krsna, he became defeated.

Pradyumna: Svayam eva vimohitah—he himself became bewildered.

Prabhupada: Each word clear?

Pradyumna: Yes, Srila Prabhupada.

Prabhupada: Then the meaning will be clear. In this way, if we finish one verse, and that is complete. Is that not?

Pradyumna: Yes. Then I can read from these tikas?

Prabhupada: No, the word meaning finished?

Pradyumna: Word meaning finished, Srila Prabhupada.

Prabhupada: Then translation.

Pradyumna: I’ll read this anuvada.

Prabhupada: Read the Bengali.

Pradyumna: (Bengali—Brahma to kariya)

Prabhupada: So Brahma… Bhagavan… Brahma wanted to bewilder Krsna, who is bewildering the whole universe.

Pradyumna: Visva…

Prabhupada: Do you follow?

Pradyumna: Yes. (Bengali—Visnur to hailena)

Prabhupada: The… This… Mama maya duratyaya. The whole universe is under His mystic power, and Brahma wanted to mystify Him. The result is that on the contrary, Brahma himself became mystified. It is clear?

Pradyumna: Yes, Srila Prabhupada.

Prabhupada: “I wanted to kill you, but you kill me.” This is the position. (laughs) So there scientists and other philosophers, they want to overcome the mystic power of Krsna, challenging Krsna, “What is God? We can do this. We can do that.” The more they are doing this, they are more implicated and suffering. This is the position.

Pradyumna: (aside:) It’s recording all right. Yes, Srila Prabhupada. I was just seeing if it was recording all right.

Prabhupada: The instruct is we should not try to overcome Krsna.

Pradyumna: In such? We should not…

Prabhupada: Try to overcome Krsna. Sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam [Bg. 18.66] We should surrender unto Him instead of endeavoring to surpass Him.

Pradyumna: Then Visvanatha Cakravarti, (Sanskrit—tatah to iti) In previous verse it said Brahma was ciram dhyatva sa atma-bhuh. He could not understand.

Prabhupada: Yes.

Pradyumna: Tatas ca brahma moha (Sanskrit—to nipapatetaha)

Prabhupada: Instead of defeating Krsna, he became defeated. He could not understand what He was doing. Brahma is the chief person within this universe. He became so much bewildered, what to speak of so-called scientists and philosophers. We should not make such attempt. The best thing is sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam [Bg. 18.66]. We should give up all our tiny efforts to defy the arrangement of Krsna. Better whatever arrangement He is proposing, do like this. This is Bhagavad-gita. That will make us happy. Is this clear?

Pradyumna: Yes, Srila Prabhupada. Then it says, (Sanskrit). So mohayan vatsa-bala-steyena, “By stealing the vatsa and balas,” mohayitum upakramamanah… Visvanatha Cakravarti says, “Just beginning to try to make him illusioned.” (Sanskrit)

Prabhupada: I have already explained that.

Pradyumna: Yes.

Prabhupada: Instead of bewildering Krsna, he became defeated.

Pradyumna: (Sanskrit—mohitasyapi to mityarthah)

Prabhupada: Yes. This is going on. As we are trying to defeat the arrangement of Krsna, we are becoming implicated in Krsna’s maya. Daivi hy esa gunamayi mama maya duratyaya [Bg. 7.14]. It cannot be. And better… Mam eva ye prapadyante. Anyone who has reached to surrender to the instruction of Krsna, mayam etam taranti, he is liberated. He is free from Krsna’s maya. Just like government force you cannot overcome. First of all there are laws. Then there is police power. Then there is military power. One after another… What is the use of trying to overcome government power? This is, is… So…

Pradyumna: (Sanskrit—na to iti)

Prabhupada: Yes. He became defeated by his own attempt.

Pradyumna: (Sanskrit—mayyah to ca)

Prabhupada: In the next verse it is clear that Krsna can’t be defeated by any kind of mystic power.

Pradyumna: And there’s one on this same verse. Sanatana Gosvami says one thing.

Prabhupada: Vaisnava-tosani?

Pradyumna: Yes. Vaisnava-tosani. (Sanskrit—sammohayan to ityatahg)(?) Desiring to…

Prabhupada: Actually, Brahma came to bewilder Krsna, and everyone is… Actually we seen. Even little power, with scientific knowledge, they are trying to defy, “What is God?” And Brahma, who is the chief person within the universe, he will become such bewildered, and there is astonishment. And this is the position of conditioned soul.

Pradyumna: (Sanskrit—evam to sam-sabdah)(?)

Prabhupada: Sammohita means?

Pradyumna: He says, sammohana. So what is this sam? Sam-sabda tad… (Sanskrit)

Prabhupada: Samyak.

Pradyumna: Sam is there, but he cannot… samyak mohana krsna. So why is it there? (Sanskrit) According his abhipraya was there, but not actually doing.

Prabhupada: His purpose was to mystify Krsna, but he himself became mystified.

Pradyumna: And he has a note on the word visnu. Visnum iti sarva vyapa kam maya(?)(Sanskrit—to bhava)

Prabhupada: We must know, the whole material world… Brahma is one of the portion. There are… Andantara… How many universes? Yasyaika-nisvasita-kalam athavalambya jivanti loma-vilaja jagad-anda-nathah [Bs. 5.48]. Nathah, plural number. So there are innumerable universes, and this Brahma is a tiny four-headed. That was exhibited in Dvaraka when Krsna called for Brahma. So what he can do to bewilder Krsna? That is not possible. You pick up the idea.

Pradyumna: Yes, Srila Prabhupada.

Prabhupada: Then it will be nice purport.

Pradyumna: And there’s one interesting note, Viraraghavacarya. He says in the verse there is svayaiva mayaya. So he says, svayaiva mayaya iti anena sva-sariraka paramatma mayaya iti vivaksitam.(?) Paramatma, in his own body, had…

Prabhupada: Upendra can give me little honey in my mouth.

Abhirama: Srila Prabhupada? I can give you the honey?

Prabhupada: That’s… Yes. Avirama, “always working.”

Pradyumna: Srila Prabhupada, would you like to do the next verse?

Prabhupada: If you like. Otherwise, make this verse correctly. Then take up the next.

Pradyumna: Yes. Everything was very nicely explained, Srila Prabhupada, very…

Prabhupada: Pick up the words? Set up in right place. It will be nice. In this way, slow but sure. Then, even in this condition, I can help you. There is no question of hurrying. Finish one verse, husband and wife, one day. And make it everything clear. Eh?

Pradyumna: Yes, Srila Prabhupada.

Prabhupada: Viraraghavacarya, Sanatana Gosvami, Visvanatha Cakravarti. We are just trying to explain their ideas. We are teeny.

Pradyumna: I think your commentary on Srimad-Bhagavatam will go down in history as one of the most…, one of the best commentaries. It will go down.

Prabhupada: Let us try for that. (takes honey) Hm… Therefore I said “Upendra,” (laughter) because it is solidified.

Abhirama: I’ll bring liquid. Most of that honey is solidified.

Prabhupada: Why? He knows how to liquify.

Jayadvaita: You were saying that we should do one verse in one day, Srila Prabhupada? And do it thoroughly?

Prabhupada: Then I think you can do it very nicely. Yes.

Jayadvaita: Yes. Each purport will be very rich that way.

Prabhupada: Yes.

Jayadvaita: It will be very much appreciated.

Prabhupada: Or you bring one morning one, like that. There is no need of being hurry. Hm?

Jayadvaita: No.

Prabhupada: You can discuss amongst yourselves. Pick up the right word and place. Then it will be very nice.

Abhirama: Srila Prabhupada?

Prabhupada: Ba… No more want.

Abhirama: It wasn’t good?

Prabhupada: Not bad. We shall see tomorrow. Give me little water. And with some wet handkerchief…

Abhirama: Yes, Srila Prabhupada.

Prabhupada: In this way let us pull on. Fight between maya. Sit up for while and chant beads. (end)