Lecture in Hindi

Devotee:
[kirtana] Evening, January 21st, Jaipur.Prabhupāda:

sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmo
yato bhaktir adhokṣaje
ahaituky apratihatā
yayātmā suprasīdati

Everyone wishes for themselves to remain filled with happiness. So, the means to attain that spiritual happiness is devotional service, sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmo. In this material world the human beings are trying in so many ways to make themselves joyful but the scriptures are giving injunction: anyone wishes to become a joyful soul then he should practice paro dharma. Sridhar Swami says that yato dharmat krsne srvanadar adi laksana titi bhavati sa paro dharmah. By performing Kṛṣṇa kirtana:

śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ
smaraṇaṁ pāda-sevanam
arcanaṁ vandanaṁ dāsyaṁ
sakhyam ātma-nivedanam
[SB. 7.5.23]

His nine fold process of devotional service, śrvanādi it begins by hearing and devotional service means the means by which one can attain the Supreme Personality of Godhead. That is bhakti, bhaktyā mām abhijānāti, the only way to understand the Supreme Lord and it is known as paro dharma the topmost religion. So, Sridhar Swami explains what is para dharma? Yato dharmāt, by execution of which religious activity kṛṣṇe śravṇādar ādi lakṣana sthiti bhavati [?] sa paro dharmah eva atyantika śreyah.

There are two things one is śreya and another one is preya. Just like the little children they are fickle all they want to do is play around all day long, and if they are let to, they shall be very happy. This is preya. And śreya is when the parents of the kids ask them to not waste the whole day playing around but to go to the teacher for education [and educate themselves]. This is śreya. Śreya means that which results in happiness, that is śreya and the path of devotional service is the ultimate śreya.

So, Śrīdhara Swami says that eva aikāntika śreya, aitāntika śreya which is the real auspicious thing and earlier also Suta Goswami has explained to the saintly persons that the questions related to Kṛṣṇa that you have asked, they are bhavadbhir loka-maṅgalam. Just by hearing these questions people’s lives become auspicious. And further he will says śṛṇvatāṁ sva-kathāḥ kṛṣṇaḥ puṇya-śravaṇa-kīrtanaḥ [SB. 1.2.17]. Those who simply engage in hearing and chanting about the Supreme Lord he attain advancement regardless of whether he understands it or not. This chanting of the Hare Kṛṣṇa maha mantra that is going on. It makes everyone’s life auspicious, gives piety to everyone. That is why it has been said loka mangalam. And śreya, the credit or spiritual credit received upon hearing the pastimes and discussions about Kṛṣṇa are the topmost śreya. Which for now will give no apparent credit but ultimately the practitioner will attain the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Because by executing in only pious activity all the sins become destroyed and then one is inspired within his heart to serve the lotus feet of the Supreme Lord. This is when the devotional service starts in its proper form.

Yeṣāṁ tv anta-gataṁ pāpaṁ, those who are sinful they cannot engage in devotional service. The Lord Himself says yeṣāṁ tv anta-gataṁ pāpaṁ janānāṁ puṇya-karmaṇām. Now to speak of pious activity, those who wish to attain piety are required to engage in a lot of procedures according to the karma kaṇdiya concept. They have to perform many, many yajñas and many other things which are very difficult to be executed in this Kaliyuga.

Nowadays, it is very difficult to find a proper yājñic brāhmana and it is also very difficult to gather proper ingredients for such a yājñic sacrifice. Yes, that was tretāyāṁ yajato makhaiḥ it was possible to execute such elaborate sacrifices at Lord Rāmachandra’s times but now it is not possible. Now, the yajña recommended yajña is sankirtana yajña. This is what we are trying to execute here for the past seven-eight days in the Govindaji temple. This kirtan that is going on is itself yajña… yajñaiḥ saṅkīrtana-prāyair yajanti hi su-medhasaḥ [SB. 11.5.32] .

So, those who have a good brain, medha means those who have good brain substance. Those who don’t have a good brain will not be able to perform devotional service. Those who have bad brain substance they start worshipping other demigods, worshiping, not serving. There is a difference between worshiping and serving. Worshiping means you invite someone, offer him respects, feed him and then request him, “my dear sir, please help me get such and such a job. Please help me get this certificate.” This is called worship. When one invites just anyone to get their plan fulfilled. And service or bhajana means without any selfish motivation. Anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyaṁ, all kinds of selfish motives are rejected. That is the platform of devotional service.

That is why Suta Goswami says ahaituky apratihatā, there should be no hetu or no selfish motive. There should be no selfish reason behind execution of devotional service. Every living being has an eternal relationship with the Supreme Personality of Godhead nityo nityānāṁ cetanaś cetanānām. [Kaṭha Upaniṣad 2.2.13] which is why Sridhar Swami says yato dharmat krsne sravanadar adi laksana. Śravanādara one should hear with adara or respect, adar adi and the symptom of devotional service is love, and love takes the practitioner to loving devotional service. First there is vaidhi bhakti with rules and regulations then it evolves to loving devotional service. So, it begins with śravaṇadar ādi which means the beginning of devotional service is by hearing śravaṇa. In the scriptures it has been said ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmādi na bhaved grāhyam indriyaiḥ [Cc. Madhya 17.136]. Our senses in their present condition cannot help us hear the name of the Lord properly.

Here comes the concept of offences against the holy name. At the stage of pure chanting of the holy name one attains love for Godhead, in the clearing stage of the chanting of the holy names one attains liberation and when one chants offensively then he attains worldly comforts. Due to this concept Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu gave a lot of stress on the hearing aspect. All other limbs of devotional service are very difficult to bring in practice in this Kaliyuga. Therefore, in the conversation between Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and Sri Rāmānanda Rāya, Ramananda quoted a verse spoken by Lord Brahma in the Śrimad Bhāgavatam: sthāne sthitāḥ śruti-gatāṁ tanu-vāṅ-manobhir [SB. 2.9.18], everyone should stay where they are and srutigatam take to hearing about the Supreme Lord. To hear about the Lord with one’s ears is called śravaṇa. Jñāne prayāsam udapāsya namanta eva jīvanti san-mukharitāṁ bhavadīya-vārtām [SB. 10.14.3] , these [there] are the teachings of Lord Brahma. Quoting these Sriman Ramanand Raya told Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, “my dear sir, I have heard from the Bhāgavata that unlike these jñānis, mental speculators one should quit trying to understand the Supreme Lord by cultivation of knowledge.” Jñāne prayāsa udapasya such an endeavor should be given up. That is useless panthās tu koṭi-śata-vatsara-saṁpragamyo [Bs. 5.34], it is not possible to understand the Supreme Lord by one’s own intellectual endeavor. If one tries to achieve that for many many millions of years even then one will remain where he is.

So, the Supreme Lord also says bahūnāṁ janmanām ante [Bg. 7.19] after many many years when one’s intelligence intelligent is perfected then one realizes that to surrender oneself at the lotus feet of the Supreme Lord is the best course of action. Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu accepted this and said, “āge kaha āra.” Related to this hearing and chanting Sridhar Swami is saying the same thing, yato dharma krsne sravanara adi laksana sthiti bhavati sa paro dharma katham vruta ahaituki heti phalabhisandhanam tad rahita apratihata vighnaih anaivibhutah.

[break]

So, hearing, one should hear, it is not possible to understand the Supreme Lord by one’s own intelligence. Satāṁ prasaṅgān mama vīrya-saṁvido bhavanti hṛt-karṇa-rasāyanāḥ [SB. 3.25.25], even the Lord says that in sat sanga ine the association of the saintly people one should [should one] hear about the topics of Him. Not to hear from just a professional. Just like one pays a person to speak, one should also pay for a person to read us the Bhagavata. One should hear from the lotus mouth of an experienced devotee of the Lord. Satāṁ prasaṅgān mama vīrya-saṁvidah, and by proper hearing in this way one achieves the goal of life. Therefore, Sridhar Swami says śravanādarādi lakṣaṇāh, one should listen to discussion about the Supreme Lord with proper respect.

[break] Pañcaśordhvaṁ vanaṁ vrajet, after becoming older than fifty years of age one should take up the vānaprastha order of like them proceed towards sannyāsa but it is very difficult to follow in this Kaliyuga. Therefore, Chaitanya Mahaprabhu says one doesn’t need to give up his external position but should hear from the lotus mouth of the devotees of the Supreme Lord. Upon hearing again and again we will become free from disease of lust which is troubling our hearts. Ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanam [Cc. Antya 20.12], the chanting of the glories of the Supreme Lord, just like we are doing with mṛdanga and kartāls, not just this but this discussion is also kirtan. This discussion from the Śrīmad Bhāgavatam is also kirtana. It is not like that not discussion but only chanting is kirtan.

Wherever there is chanting of [oh] the holy names, and satāṁ prasaṅgāt, that pure devotee who is free from all worldly desires anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyaṁ, not those who wish to recite the Bhāgvatam just to maintain their household. That is not required because hearing from such a person will not solve any problem. It will take too long because this kind of recitation is against the principle. Our Sanatana Goswami has also said avaiṣṇava-mukhodgīrṇaṁ pūtaṁ hari-kathāmṛtam śravaṇaṁ naiva kartavyaṁ [SB. 6.16.33], these people who have completely broken all vaiṣṇava etiquette, one should not hear the chanting of the holy name from such professional people. This has been prohibited. The reason is that it will not bear any result. The example has been given sarpocchiṣṭa-payo yathā, just like milk, it is a wonderful thing but if it is tasted by a snake then immediately upon consumption there [three] will be death. Such is the verdict of the scriptures.

It is not recommended to hear the Bhāgavata from anywhere and any person. That is alright, just like sandalwood regardless of the way you paste it, it will give off fragrance but if you follow the recommended procedure the fragrance will come much sooner. That is why those who are in the practicing stage of devotional service he should follow this. Just like it has been recommended in the scriptures the same way Chaitanya Mahaprabhu has taught which was again repeated by Sanatan Goswami and he taught others, evaṁ paramparā-prāptam [Bg. 4.2]. In this way when one executes devotional service the purpose will be achieved.

That is why the Lord Himself advises, satāṁ prasaṅgāt, satāṁ, anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyaṁ, those who don’t have any other desire except to serve the Supreme Personality of Godhead, nothing else. Anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyaṁ jñāna-karmādy-anāvṛtam [Cc. Madhya 19.167] and the pursuance of knowledge to achieve impersonal liberation, this also has to be given up. Impersonalists think that ok, lets engage in devotional service for now and later we will merge into the Supreme Lord. This is called sāyujya mukti, it has been described in the scriptures but those who are pure vaiṣṇavas they don’t wish for sāyujya mukti, impersonal liberation. What to speak of sāyujya they don’t want any kind of liberation. Because they don’t desire liberation, they wish only for the love for Godhead.

Therefore, Chaitanya Mahaprabhu has taught na dhanaṁ na janaṁ na sundarīṁ kavitāṁ vā jagad-īśa kāmaye [Cc. Antya 20.29, Śikṣāṣṭaka 4]. O my Lord Jagadīśa, I don’t wish for any riches, nor followers nor to become a big leader. Na dhanaṁ na janaṁ na sundarīṁ, neither do I want a beautiful wife or children. Ṣaḍaiśvarya śri, everyone wants to be famous and opulent but Chaitanya Mahaprabhu says that no, he doesn’t desire any such thing. And janmani janmanīśvare he doesn’t even want the birth and death to stop because upon getting liberated there is no rebirth. So, Chaitanya Mahaprabhu says janmani janmani life after life I wish to remain engaged in rendering causeless devotional service at your lotus feet.

na dhanaṁ na janaṁ na sundarīṁ
kavitāṁ vā jagad-īśa kāmaye
mama janmani janmanīśvare
bhavatād bhaktir ahaitukī tvayi
[Cc. Antya 20.29, Śikṣāṣṭaka 4]

This is same as what Suta Goswami is elaborating. In disciplic succession whatever Suta Goswami said Chaitanya Mahaprabhu is repeating. Ahaituki apratihat, Suta Goswami says sa vai pumsam paro dharmo yato bhaktir adhoksaje ahaituki apratihata, there should be no ulterior motive. There should be no materialistic motive to perform devotional service, that this is why I am worshiping the Supreme Lord.

The Lord is my master and I am his eternal servant and it is proper for me to remain eternally engaged in His service. This itself is liberation. One will not have to look for liberation separately. Just like Bilvamangal Thakur says: bhaktis tvayi sthiratarā bhagavan yadi syād. O Lord if I achieve steady devotional service unto your lotus feet. Fixed up not impermanent then muktiḥ svayaṁ mukulitāñjali sevate ’smān [Padma Purāṇa]. Then liberation or mukti will keep on waiting to serve me with folded hands, “My dear sir, what can I do for you?” And why would one desire liberation which is already waiting to serve them? Not just impersonal liberation but all kinds of liberation wait to serve the devotees. They don’t have any need to separately endeavor for them.

The way Śrī Nārada muni, he goes about the entire universe singing and chanting the glories of the Lord, even to hell he goes. But the difference is just like a king makes a visit to the jail. To see how the prisoners are doing. But it would be foolishness to think that he is in jail for he is the king. Similarly, the devotees who preach devotional service may even go to the hellish regions for their purpose but they will still remain in Vaikuntha. They will not be suffering in hell. So this is the concept, wherever the devotees go they stay in Vaikuntha always because the Supreme Lord has said Himself: tatra tiṣṭhāmi nārada yatra gāyanti mad-bhaktāḥ: now when the Lord himself is residing there then even if His devotees to go hellish planets they remain in Vaikuntha. When the Lord says: tatra tiṣṭhāmi nārada, so does the Lord reside in hell?

Īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe ’rjuna tiṣṭhati [Bg. 18.61], so, the Lord resides within the heart of a hog also. Now, God resides in the heart of a hog but if the hog is a stool-eater does that mean the Lord is also residing in such a hellish condition? No. The Supreme Lord and His devotee both always reside in Vaikuntha. Therefore, what is the need for them to desire liberation? For they are always in Vaikuntha. Such is the verdict of the scriptures.

So, Śrīdhar Swami therefore says that yato dharmat krsne sravanadar adi laksanat tripti bhavati sa para dharman. Those who constantly chant the names and glories of the Lord they reside in Vaikuntha and are practitioners of paro dharma.

Similarly, Prahlāda Maharaja also says that My dear Lord I am not afraid of duratyaya vaitarani, naivodvije para duratyaya-vaitaraṇyās [SB. 7.9.43] Why? Everyone is afraid of it why not you? Tvad-vīrya-gāyana-mahāmṛta-magna-cittaḥ [SB. 7.9.43] because I have made my nature so that I keep on glorifying your activities all the time, for I have heard and developed taste for your glorious pastimes tvad-vīrya-gāyana-mahāmṛta-magna-cittaḥ.

So, what is the cause of your lamentation? Śoce tato vimukha-cetasa indriyārtha-māyā-sukhāya bharam udvahato vimūḍhān. All these foolish people who are constantly after illusory happiness never mind only for ten, twenty, twenty-five years, keep on working hard like an animal. Thinking of nothing but ways to get money and enjoy. But that enjoyment is nothing but illusory and to achieve that bharam udvahan one has to work very, very hard, installing huge factories. Therefore, for such people I lament.

There is no other concern of the devotee of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Just like Prahlāda Maharaja is concerned, how to engage these foolish people in devotional service. It is not recommended that one should practice devotional service only for his benefit. Paro dukha dukhi one should be concerned about the unhappiness of others, and being so concerned one should try to awaken all of them towards devotional service. Otherwise, [they] it will be impossible for them to attain happiness. The Lord Himself says so in the Bhagavad-gītā:

bhoktāraṁ yajña-tapasāṁ
sarva-loka-maheśvaram
suhṛdaṁ sarva-bhūtānāṁ
jñātvā māṁ śāntim ṛcchati
[Bg. 5.29]

The same thing is being repeated here by Suta Goswami yat kṛtaḥ kṛṣṇa-sampraśno yenātmā [supra] sīdati, if one wishes to maintain spiritual joyfulness then one should constantly remain absorbed in Kṛṣṇa katha. And Kṛṣṇa katha the glories of Kṛṣṇa are being given to us by him in the Bhagavad-gītā. For an ordinary person this is the entry level scripture towards the spiritual world. The first book to guide us towards the spiritual reality. In the Bhagavad-gītā Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead is explaining what is God. How to proceed towards Godhead has been clearly elaborated in the Gītā. So, this is the process. One should understand this process from the Bhagavad-gītā just how the Lord explains it, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja [Bg. 18.66]. When one becomes surrendered unto the Supreme Lord then his life becomes successful.

It is described further in a Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta by Kṛṣṇadas Kaviraja Goswami, he says: ādau śraddhā to pursue the path of devotional service one should first of all have faith. Just like you all are sitting here, you are hearing the glories to the Supreme Lord with faith and if you continue with such faithful hearing you will attain more and more perfection in devotional service. So, the real thing is śraddhā, faith. Tato sādhu-saṅgo, tato bhajana kriyā tato ’nartha-nivṛttiḥ syāt tato niṣṭhā ruci, so this is the order.

So, one should hear and this way and by doing so ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanam [Cc. Antya 20.12], one will have the mirror of his heart completely cleansed. Then, bhava-mahā-dāvāgni-nirvāpaṇam, everyone is burning in the wheel of this creation. Narottama Das therefore, says, viṣayā viṣānale, divā-niśi hiyā jvale. Those who are karmis the fruitive workers they are burning in the fire of materialistic life, divā-niśi hiyā jvale. All of their hearts are burning in the fire of materialism, taribāre nā koinu upāya and they don’t even wish to get relief from such a situation.

Now, what is the solution to this? Golokera prema-dhana, hari-nāma-saṅkīrtana, rati nā janmila kene tāya, that we have no taste for, this holy name of the Lord who is the same as Him and has appeared from the spiritual world Vṛṇdāvana, we are not at all interested in it. Rati nā janmilo kene tāy and Kṛṣṇadasa Kaviraja Goswami, is advising to improve the same śraddhā, faith: ‘śraddhā’-śabde-viśvāsa kahe sudṛḍha niścaya, śraddhā means firm determination bhajante mam drdha vrtah. Those who are firmly determined śraddhā’-śabde-viśvāsa kahe sudṛḍha niścaya. This is faith that just by surrendering unto the lotus feet of the Supreme Lord and engaging in devotional service we will achieve all perfection there is no need to do anything else.

Ārādhito yadi haris tapasā tataḥ kim, if one has worshiped the Supreme Lord then what is the need for further austerity. Devotional service unto the Supreme Lord is itself is the result of all austerities. Sridhara Swami also explains yatha kṛṣṇa visaya samprasnah krtah sarva sastra artha sadhyar pranasyapi krsne paryavasan paryavasanat eva: that which is the essence of all scriptures, all including the Vedas and Vedanta, that is devotional service unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa. Yes, so, the real purpose is to surrender unto the lotus feet of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyaḥ [Bg. 15.15] if after reading all the scriptures if we come to the conclusion vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti sa mahātmā su-durlabhaḥ [Bg. 7.19], of all the ailments the devotional service unto God is the ultimate remedy. The one who thinks in this way:

bahūnāṁ janmanām ante
jñānavān māṁ prapadyate
vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti
sa mahātmā su-durlabhaḥ
[Bg. 7.19]

If one becomes surrendered unto the lotus feet of the Supreme Personality of Godhead Vasudeva this his life becomes successful and that is the ultimate credit. We had discussed about śreya and preya, śreya nihśreyasāya, the ultimate goal of life is to attain devotional service unto the Supreme Lord becoming surrendering unto Him and engaging in His service. Then what is liberation muktiḥ svayaṁ mukulitāñjali sevate ’smān. Māṁ ca yo ’vyabhicāreṇa bhakti-yogena sevate [Bg. 14.26], those who are engaged with devotion constantly in the service of the Lord, sa guṇān samatītyaitān brahma-bhūyāya kalpate, they are very, very advanced and need not separately endeavor for liberation. He has attained the fifth goal of life, beyond liberation which is the love for Godhead. So, yes, so one attains devotional service after liberation:

brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā
na śocati na kāṅkṣati
samaḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu
mad-bhaktiṁ labhate parām
[Bg. 18.57]

So, after liberation comes devotional service and at this stage it is the topmost devotional service. Thank you very much. Hare Krishna. This was our subject for today.

Thank you very much. [end]