661230 - Lecture CC Madhya 20.360 - New York

Lectures by Date, 1966

His Divine Grace
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

661230CC.NY - December 30, 1966

Prabhupāda:

ei śloke ‘paraṁ-śabde ‘kṛṣṇa’-nirūpaṇa

satyaṁ’ śabde kahe tāṅra svarūpa-lakṣaṇa

(CC Madhya 20.360)

Now, we have been discussing this janmādy asya verse from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, and this śloka, this verse, ascertains two features of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa: constantly, eternally manifested features and temporary features. The sum and substance of this verse is that there are two features of the Supreme Personality of Godhead according to the nature, superior nature and inferior nature.

So in the last line of this verse, it is clearly stated that dhāmnā svena sadā nirasta-kuhakaṁ satyaṁ paraṁ dhīmahi (SB 1.1.1).

Our aim should be to offer our obeisances unto the Supreme Lord along with His eternal abode. So the impersonalist, they take it for granted that everything is God, so we can approach the Supreme Truth by any way. That is not accepted by Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam here. Here it is stated clearly, paraṁ satyaṁ dhīmahi. The eternal part of the Supreme Lord, that should be accepted, that should be worshiped, not the temporary manifestation.

Take for example, the same example, just like in this apartment we are not so much interested with this toilet part of this room. We keep it closed. Although the toilet part of this room is also part and parcel of this room, but we have nothing to do with the toilet part. You have to take advantage of the other part, so that we can sit and we can talk. Similarly, the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam indicates that dhāmnā svena nirasta-kuhakaṁ: we offer our obeisances, satyaṁ paraṁ, the Supreme, where there is no these illusory, temporary things. Dhāmnā svena satyaṁ paraṁ dhīmahi.

There are many interesting stories in this connection. Of course, I do not wish to take much of your time, because our morning time is very short, but we should be interested into the spiritual part of the Supreme. Just like in this body also, the spiritual part is the soul and this material part is of this gross body. But unfortunately, in the modern civilizations they are taking more care for this material part of this body. They have no information of the spiritual part of the body.

But actually, one should take more care to the spiritual part of the body. Material part of the body secondary. We can maintain our body for spiritual realization. We should not be too much attracted with the bodily necessities of life, sacrificing our spiritual needs. Satyaṁ paraṁ dhīmahi.

That is the defect of modern civilization. They have no information, they don’t care for the spiritual part. Whenever you call some gentleman, if you begin to talk about spiritual necessities of our life, oh, they will at once think that "Swāmījī is talking some nonsense. Let us go away." And if you talk of politics and just everything, yasyātma-buddhiḥ kuṇape tri-dhātuke (SB 10.84.13).

Regarding in relationship with this body we have many things, we have manufactured so many things, bodily necessities. So the Bhāgavata says: paśyann api na paśyati. Teṣāṁ pramatto nidhanaṁ paśyann api na paśyati (SB 2.1.4).

Pramatta, the mad, crazy human being, although they are seeing that everything is being vanquished, it is all annihilated, vanished, paśyann api, still they do not see. Why? Pramatta, crazy. The Bhāgavata has given designation to these people who are materially interested, pramatya.

Teṣāṁ pramatto paśyann api, nidhanaṁ paśyann api na paśyati. I see that my father has died, my father’s father has died, his father has died and I am going to die, and similarly, my son will die, my grandson will die, and therefore no more will come back again. Once this body is vanished, there is no chance of coming back; it is vanished forever, simply just like a bubble in the ocean. Still, we are interested with these bodily activities. Therefore, they have been described as pramatta. Pramatta. Pra means specifically; matta means mad. Specifically mad.

So paśyann api, we have seen that everything is going to be vanquished. In the past we have seen so many empires, so many Napoleons, so many Subhas Bhose, Gandhi, came and gone. And what is the use of becoming a Subhas Bose, Gandhi, or Napoleon, or Hitler or great politician? Nothing. Let us this life be engaged in spiritual realization, so that we can make a complete solution of the problems of life.

But this path is not accepted by the general mass of people. So we should not be discouraged. Because anything best, the customer for that best thing, you will find a very small number. But that is not discouragement. But we should not, therefore, give up the best part. Manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu kaścid yatati siddhaye (BG 7.3).

In the Bhagavad-gītā you have read that out of many, many thousands of people they are interested in the self-realization process. But that does not mean because we have no many followers, that does not mean that it is . . . the subject matter is not changed. The subject matter is here affirmed in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam and by Lord Caitanya, that this is the highest truth of life. Satyam param dhimahi. We should be interested in that way. Ei śloke ‘paraṁ’-śabde ‘kṛṣṇa’-nirūpaṇa. And that Absolute Truth is Kṛṣṇa.

So Lord Caitanya said that Absolute Truth is Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa-nirūpaṇa. Kṛṣṇa is . . . in this verse, Kṛṣṇa is being pointed, indicated. In the beginning of this verse—that is not here, but those who have seen Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam—namo bhagavate vāsudevāya (SB 1.1.1).

This vāsudevāya means Kṛṣṇa. And Jīva Gosvāmī has written voluminous notes on this specific verse, and he has also mentioned that this satyaṁ, this Absolute Truth which is indicated here in this śloka, is Kṛṣṇa. Because in the later chapters the Bhāgavata affirms, kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam (SB 1.3.28). He is the Supreme Personality, ultimate, the last word in the Absolute Truth. Therefore, Lord Caitanya also confirms this. Ei śloke ‘paraṁ-śabde ‘kṛṣṇa’-nirūpaṇa, ‘satyaṁ’ śabde kahe tāṅra svarūpa-lakṣaṇa (CC Madhya 20.360).

Now, Kṛṣṇa, what He is, that is described in these two words, satyaṁ paraṁ. Satyaṁ paraṁ, the highest truth. And His svarūpa is that just . . .

(break) . . . Be represent when He comes here . . . (break) (end)