720505 - Lecture SB 02.09.16 - Tokyo

Lectures by Date, 1972

His Divine Grace
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

720505SB-TOKYO - May 05, 1972 - 35:35 Minutes

Devotees: (taking turns in leading chanting, Prabhupāda correcting pronunciation) (Prabhupāda and devotees repeat)

bhṛtya-prasādābhimukhaṁ dṛg-āsavaṁ

prasanna-hāsāruṇa-locanānanam

kirīṭinaṁ kuṇḍalinaṁ catur-bhujaṁ

pītāṁśukaṁ vakṣasi lakṣitaṁ śriyā

(SB 2.9.16)

Prabhupāda: (showing how to pronounce)

bhṛtya-prasādābhimukhaṁ dṛg-āsavaṁ

prasanna-hāsāruṇa-locanānanam

kirīṭinaṁ kuṇḍalinaṁ catur-bhujaṁ

pītāṁśukaṁ vakṣasi lakṣitaṁ śriyā

(SB 2.9.16)

Prabhupāda: Next. Hmm.

(devotees continue to chant, Prabhupāda correcting)

Pradyumna:

bhṛtya—the servitor; prasāda—affection; abhimukham—favorably facing; dṛk—the very sight; āsavam—an intoxication; prasanna—very much pleased; hāsa—smile; aruṇa—reddish; locana—eyes; ānanam—face; kirīṭinam—with helmet; kuṇḍalinam—with earrings; catuḥ-bhujam—with four hands; pīta—yellow; aṁśukam—dress; vakṣasi—on the chest; lakṣitam—marked with; śriyā—with the goddess of fortune.

Translation: "The Personality of Godhead, seen leaning favorably towards His loving servitors, His very sight intoxicating and attractive, appeared to be very much satisfied. He had a smiling face decorated with an enchanting reddish hue. He was dressed in yellow robes and wore earrings and a helmet on His head. He had four hands, and His chest was marked with the lines of the goddess of fortune."

Prabhupāda: So full description of God. So four hands . . . we read in the previous verses that the devotees also were of four hands. So there is no change in the bodily feature.

Purport?

Pradyumna: Purport: "In the Padma Purāṇa, Uttara-khaṇḍa, there is a full description of the yoga-pīṭha, or the particular place where the Lord is in audience to His eternal devotees. In that yoga-pīṭha, the personifications of religiousness, knowledge, opulence and renunciation are all seated at the lotus feet of the Lord. The four Vedas, namely Rg, Sāma . . ."

Prabhupāda: (aside) . . . (indistinct) . . . gone bad.

Devotee: It's gone bad, doesn't work.

Pradyumna: "The four Vedas, namely Rg, Sāma, Yajur and Atharva, are present there personally to advise the Lord. The sixteen energies headed by Caṇḍa are all present there. Caṇḍa and Kumuda are the two first doorkeepers, and at the middle door there are the doorkeepers named Bhadra and Subhadra, and at the last door there are Jaya and Vijaya. There are other doorkeepers also, named Kumuda, Kumudākṣa, Puṇḍarīka, Vāmana, Śaṅkukarṇa, Sarvanetra, Sumukha, etc. The palace is well decorated and protected by the above-mentioned doorkeepers."

Prabhupāda: So everything in detail you'll find, the kingdom of God, the nature of that atmosphere, the devotees, the inhabitants. Everything is there clearly.

(pause) So the festival today is . . . (indistinct)

Devotee: Śrīla Prabhupāda?

Prabhupāda: The festival?

Sudāmā: I don't think it will take place, because it is supposed to be held in a large park.

Śyāmasundara: It is very wet. Shall we go to Hawaii today?

Prabhupāda: Yes, why not? (laughter)

Devotee: Maybe we'll find a big umbrella.

Prabhupāda: So . . . (pause) You read this verse, number nine?

Sudāmā: Number nine.

Prabhupāda: It is not working?

Śyāmasundara: The speaker works, but the reel is not moving. I think that belt is making noises or is cut loose or is broken. It often happens with these belts. In Hawaii we can get another one.

Prabhupāda: Hmm. (leads chanting of verse)

tasmai sva-lokaṁ bhagavān sabhājitaḥ

sandarśayām āsa paraṁ na yat-param

vyapeta-saṅkleśa-vimoha-sādhvasaṁ

sva-dṛṣṭavadbhir puruṣair abhiṣṭutam

(SB 2.9.9)

So discuss this. Tasmai sva-lokaṁ bhagavān sabhājitaḥ sandarśayām āsa. Sandarśayām āsa, "manifested." This is called revelation. When . . . ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmādi na bhaved grāhyam indriyaiḥ (CC Madhya 17.136). God, Kṛṣṇa, His name, nāmādi . . . first God realization begins from the name. Therefore we are chanting the name. And by chanting the name, when our heart will be cleansed . . . because we are now in unclean heart. So ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanam, paraṁ vijayate śrī-kṛṣṇa-saṅkīrtanam (CC Antya 20.12). By chanting the holy name, when our heart should be cleansed, then everything will be revealed.

You cannot understand what is God, what is His name, what is His form, what is His quality. Quality . . . in the Upaniṣads the qualities are described as nirguṇa. Nirguṇa means not this material quality. But He has got spiritual quality. Nirguṇaṁ guṇa-bhoktṛ ca, in the Bhagavad-gītā: "He is devoid of all material qualities," but guṇa-bhoktṛ, "but He has qualities." Just like here it is described that He is so satisfied with the devotees, bhakta-vatsala. He's very much inclined to favor the devotee. This is guṇa.

Here, the masters are trying to take more service from the servant. That's all. Their aim is that "I will pay him less; I will take service from him more." This is material. But in the spiritual world, simply becoming servant . . . of course, he hasn't got to do anything because God is complete, what He will have to do there? He doesn't require anyone's service. If He is complete, He is not depending on my service. He is complete. Still, there are so many millions of servants there. They are eager to serve.

So simply by that attitude . . . these things are described, that there is not a single dust in the Vaikuṇṭha world. Everything is clean, but still, they are trying to sweep, make it clean. This is service attitude. Actually, as Kṛṣṇa has nothing to do—He is complete—similarly, His servants there, they also have nothing to do. Everything is nice. There is no question of sweeping or cleansing or cooking. These things are not required there. But still, they are ready to serve. And Kṛṣṇa, or Nārāyaṇa, is very favorably looking upon them. Abhimukham. Dṛg . . . what is that? Dṛk?

Pradyumna: Dṛg-āsavam.

Prabhupāda: Dṛg-āsavam. Dṛg-āsavam. Āsavam means intoxication. Intoxication. Just like one, when one is intoxicate, his eyes are . . . this thing, in . . . Bengali it is called dumabhi. Not a staring, but very mildly smiling. Dṛg-āsavam. Bhṛtya-prasādābhimukhaṁ dṛg-āsavam. Abhimukham: "Glancing over the devotees very mildly, softly." Prasanna-hāsa: smiling so nicely that immediately you can understand that the master is pleased. Prasanna-hāsa.

So there is no question of displeasure. That is Vaikuṇṭha. There is no discrepancy of the service. Just opposite. Here there is just different thing: the master is not satisfied, and the servant is also not satisfied. Servant, you go on paying him more and more, he'll . . . "Oh, it is insufficient. Give me more. I will strike. I will not come. I will not work." This is the position of this material world. Everyone is giving service.

And apart from master and servant, even in family the man is giving service throughout his whole life, up to the old age. And ask anybody, any member of the family, "You are satisfied?" "No." Just see. Frustration. Gandhi, he gave service to the country to the best capacity, and people appreciated. He was called Mahātmā, so on, so on. But he was killed. He was killed. So here, you go on rendering service to your society, country, family or anyone, you cannot satisfy them. It is not possible. They'll never. Because the place is like that, insufficiency.

So this service . . . here in this material world, service means neither master or servant. Service means to the senses. That's all. We are servant of our senses. We give service to the master . . . not to the master. I give service to the money—he pays me—not to the master. I have no love for the master. Here anyone goes to the office or goes to service, he does not . . . he has no business to give service to a certain man, but because he will pay, that means he gives to the . . . service to the money. And why he gives service to the money? Because it is required for my sense gratification. Therefore ultimately I give service to my senses. The so-called service to the society, friendship, love, country, nation—all bogus. I do service to my senses, sense gratification. That's all.

Therefore, here service means service to my sensuous kāma, lust. Kāmādīnām, kāma. First of all I am lusty; therefore anyone who is not . . . who does not require money, he does not go to give service. So because I am lusty—I require some money to fulfill my lusty desires—I go to serve. So therefore kāmādīnāṁ kati na katidhā (CC Madhya 22.16). And I give service to a man. If he proposes that "I will give you $5,000. You go and kill that man," oh, I will do immediately. I will go, because I want money. As it happened. Even the president is killed. Why the president is killed? You can hire anyone and kill anyone, especially in Western countries. So I want money, so even something which I should not have done, if it is ordered, "You do this. I will give you this money," I will do, because I want money. Without money I cannot satisfy my senses.

So this is our position. Kāmādīnāṁ kati na katidhā. And even . . . just like this man who killed President Kennedy, he was also killed. So although he accepted to kill President, which he should not have done, but still, the man who paid him or engaged him, he was not satisfied. He also killed him. This is the position. Even if you do something abominable, still, the man for whom you are doing, he will not be satisfied. He can kill you. This is going on. This is the sense of service here in this world. Try to understand.

Practically it is all bogus. But I give service because I am lusty, I am hungry, I want to satisfy my senses. Therefore I pose myself: "Oh, I will give you service. I will become prime minister, and I will give you so much service." He will canvass. But as soon as he goes to the post of prime minister, he will do nothing. You cannot see, if you want to see him. While taking votes he will come to your door, "Please give me vote." And when he is in the prime minister post, if you want to see him, "Oh, the prime minister is preoccupied. You cannot see him." So on the whole, simply sense gratification in the name of service.

Here, in the Vaikuṇṭha, the service is not like that. There is nothing to do, and still, the servants are ready, always ready. They are simply waiting for the order. So master is self-sufficient. He hasn't got to order anybody. This is the . . . (indistinct) . . . and here, just the opposite. Kāmādīnāṁ kati na katidhā pālitā durnideśāḥ (CC Madhya 22.16). So we are serving most abominably. Sometimes we do things which I should not have done. But still, because I want money, because I want to gratify my senses, I give service. Even very sinful service I give. But still, neither I am satisfied, neither the master is satisfied. This is the position. Everyone is trying to give, the politicians or any. Just I have given the example: Gandhi throughout the whole life gave service, but there were some persons who were not satisfied. It is not possible.

Therefore the sensible man should consider that, "What is the use of this service?" Just like this Vivekananda Society, their daridra-nārāyaṇa-sevā. The daridras are lying on the street, but they collect money in the name of serving the poor, and they live very comfortably—big, big belly. You see? All the sannyāsīs are eating and sleeping and doing everything, all nonsense. But they are collecting money.

They have no other source. We don't say that we are collecting money for daridra-nārāyaṇa-sevā. No. We collect money directly for serving Kṛṣṇa. We give directly, that "We have got our Kṛṣṇa. We have to serve. We have to do this. Kindly give us some contribution, and you take this book." We never say that we are going to serve the daridra-nārāyaṇa. Our Nārāyaṇa is not daridra. Daridra means poor.

Here our Nārāyaṇa is described. Our Nārāyaṇa is not . . . here it is . . . He is . . . tatrākhila-sātvatāṁ patiṁ śriyaḥ patiṁ yajña-patiṁ jagat-patim (SB 2.9.15). He is not daridra. How He can be poor? He is jagat-patiṁ. He is the master, He's the Lord. He is the proprietor of all universes, jagat-patiṁ. Śriyaḥ patiṁ. He is the husband of the goddess of fortune. So how He can be poor? Just see how they concoct word, daridra-nārāyaṇa. Simply bogus.

Here it is stated that God is śriyaḥ patim. Śriyaḥ. Śriyaḥ means all opulences—all the riches, all fame, all strength. He is the master of . . . śriyaḥ patim. Yajña-patim. Bhoktāraṁ yajña-tapasāṁ sarva-loka-maheśvar . . . (BG 5.29). Yajña-patim. Yajña means who accepts only sacrifices. Yajña-patim. And jagat-patim. This is the description of the Lord. How He can be poor? But they describe as daridra-nārāyaṇa. Wherefrom this word was concocted?

So this is going on. Very, what is called, awkward position in this material world. In the name of service, so many nonsense things are going on. In the name of worshiping God, so many nonsense things are going on. Therefore, the conclusion should be kāmādīnāṁ kati na katidhā pālitā durnideśās teṣāṁ karuṇā mayi jātā. In the material world you can go on serving throughout the whole life; you will never be satisfied. Na trapā. Neither they will say: "Oh, you have given sufficient service. Now we don't require. Stop." No. "Go on. Go on. Go on. Go on." Na trapā nopaśāntiḥ.

Therefore a sane man should conclude, "Why shall I be engaged in this nonsense service? Why not to give service to Kṛṣṇa?" This should be the conclusion. "Why I shall be engaged in this nonsense service when, without giving any service," bhṛtya-prasādābhimukhaṁ dṛg-āsavam (SB 2.9.16), "the Lord is always prepared to bless His servant." He doesn't take any service. There is no need of service. Still, pleased—prasanna-hāsa. Prasanna, pleased. He doesn't require any service. But He . . . why not accept this master? Why you are . . .?

(break) . . . bhṛtya, servant. Bhṛtya-prasāda. (break) Prasanna-hāsa. He is always pleased. Prasanna-hāsāruṇa, aruṇa-locanānanam. This is God. He doesn't require any service. Still, if you, somehow or other, if you approach there with this service attitude only . . . because you cannot approach God in challenging mood. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says: "Surrender first of all." Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). This is bhakti. If you surrender, then, Kṛṣṇa says, ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi. We suffer on account of our sinful activities. So here everything is sinful. Anything you do in this material world, that is sin.

Even your so-called service to the society, country, they are also sinful. Caitanya-caritāmṛta says that dvaite bhadrābhadra sakali samāna. This material world is so polluted . . . everything is polluted here. So here we have divided that "This is nice," and "This is bad." This is simply mental concoction. There is nothing good here; everything is bad. That should be the conclusion. But we have divided: "This is very good, and this is very bad." Everything is very bad. There is no question of good, because there is no connection of God.

So here is the picture of God, bhṛtya-prasādābhimukhaṁ dṛg-āsavam (SB 2.9.16). Bhṛtya-prasāda. He is always ready to bless the servants, just like a father. Here you have got some little example, father and mother. Without any service from the child, he is always ready to bless. Always ready. He does not take any offense. Simply father, mother is ready. That is the natural . . . but nowadays father and mother is also killing, killing in the womb. Just see. Killing in the womb.

A child has taken shelter in the womb of a mother, and mother is going to the doctor: how to kill it. Just see. This is the position of the world. And here the supreme father, prasanna-hāsāruṇa-locanānanam, always ready . . . so why not take this master? Why not accept this father? Why you are after all this nonsense? That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Take the right thing. Don't be misled by the nonsense and rascals.

So, any question?

Bhānu: It says His chest was marked with the lines of the goddess of fortune. That's . . .

Prabhupāda: Yes. There are some marks on the chest, śrīvatsa. That is the distinction between God and the living entity. (break) (end)