740929 - Lecture SB 01.08.19 - Mayapur

Lectures by Date, 1974

His Divine Grace
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

740929SB-MAYAPUR - September 29, 1974 - 34:17 Minutes

Nitāi: Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. (devotees repeat) (leads chanting of verse, etc.)

māyā-javanikācchannam

ajñādhokṣajam avyayam

na lakṣyase mūḍha-dṛśā

naṭo nāṭyadharo yathā

(SB 1.8.19)

(break)

Translation: "Being beyond the range of limited sense perception, the eternally irreproachable factor covered by the curtain of deluding energy, You are invisible to the foolish observer, exactly as an actor dressed as a player is not recognized."

Prabhupāda:

māyā-javanikācchannam

ajñādhokṣajam avyayam

na lakṣyase mūḍha-dṛśā

naṭo nāṭyadharo yathā

(SB 1.8.19)

So one side is māyā-javanikācchannam. Māyā, this illusory energy, is covering with the curtain. Just like we are seeing the Deity, but if there is a curtain, we cannot see. Similarly, there is a curtain which is illusory energy, māyā. Big, big scientists, they cannot see what is behind this material nature. They cannot understand. Because the māyā, this wonderful material energy, is acting in such a big curtain, they cannot understand that beyond this there is something else. They cannot understand. Māyā-javanikā ācchannam. Illusory energy. They are thinking this material energy working, that is everything—nothing beyond this.

The whole world is covered. This is one side. And the other side: ajñā. Māyā-javanikācchannam ajñā . . . these materialistic persons, they are ajñā, means they have no sufficient knowledge. Unless one develops the light of knowledge, sattva-guṇa . . . sattva-guṇa is the light of knowledge. Rajo-guṇa and tamo-guṇa is darkness—ignorance and passion. In this stage one cannot understand what is Kṛṣṇa, what is God. Ajñā. Rajas-tamo-bhāvāḥ (SB 1.2.19). As we have discussed in Bhagavad . . . Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, rajas-tamo-bhāvāḥ, those who are infected with the two kinds of material modes, means rajo-guṇa and tamo-guṇa, they are simply busy, kāma and lobha. They are busy only . . . those who are passionate, they are simply busy for sense gratification, and those who are in ignorance, in darkness, they have no eyes to see.

So these two classes of men . . . mostly people are infected with these two kinds of modes of material nature, rajas-tamas. The whole world. At the present moment, especially, mostly ignorance, and some of them are passionate. That passionate tendency is engaging them for so many industries and very, very strong work, ugra-karma. Ugra-karma. Ugra-karma means very strong . . .? What is, should be the English word? Ugra . . . ugra, just like chili, pungent. There are many things, they are very strong in taste. So ugra-karma, these . . . just like they are building hundred-and-fifty-stories building. People can live comfortably in a small cottage or one-storied house or little more. But no, they're increasing. Their passionate activities are increasing. Just like in your country, in New York, now there is hundred-and-four-storied building, or more than that. Some building?

Brahmānanda: Hundred and ten.

Prabhupāda: Hundred and ten.

Brahmānanda: Two of them.

Prabhupāda: Two of them. They're increasing. They are thinking by increasing the stories more and more, that is advancement of civili . . . but how long you will increase? If you make million stories, still, it is unlimited. That we can see. So many airplanes are running in the sky. What is that? Still, it is vast. So many sputniks are running in the sky. Still, it is vast. So it is simply desire that, "If I make a hundred-and-fifty-storied house, then my life is successful." So in this way, instead of not wasting valuable time of this human life, they are simply wasting time in this way. That is also explained in the Rāmāyaṇa. Just the Rāvaṇa—he wanted to make a staircase up to the heavenly planet. It is like that. Ugra-karma. Why they are doing so? Ajñā, ajñā. Foolish people.

Now, if we say that, "You are all foolish, rascal people. You are wasting your time in this way," they will think us crazy. And they think us like that, that we do not recommend these things. So it is very, very difficult to understand Kṛṣṇa in this condition, in this situation. Māyā-javanikācchannam and ajñā, foolish people. Ajñā. And the other, other side, Kṛṣṇa is adhokṣaja. Even one is advanced in knowledge . . . knowledge means, our knowledge means we manufacture words or syllables from A to Z. That's all. A-B-C-D. We compose words with these twenty-six, or how many? A to Z?

Devotee: Yes.

Prabhupāda: Yes. That is . . . and in Sanskrit, as in English it is A to Z, similarly in Sanskrit, a, ā, i, u, and the end is kṣa. So a and kṣa, that is called akṣa. Akṣa-ja. And ja means generated. So we also compose words, those who are Sanskrit scholars, they compose words from a to akṣa, just like English they compose words from A to Z.

So our mental speculation and advancement of education is limited between this a and kṣa, akṣa. Akṣa-ja. But Kṛṣṇa is adhokṣaja. Adhokṣaja means where these kinds of speculation, beginning from a to kṣa, will not act. Therefore His name is Adhokṣaja. Adhaḥ kṛta, cut down. (aside) Why they are going? They are busy in some other work? Eh? Ugra-karma. Without hearing, what he will do, nonsense? Śravaṇaṁ kīrtanam, this is our main business. Śravaṇam. If you don't hear, what you will do? You will do simply sense gratification. That's all.

So this is difficulty, that we are not very much interested in hearing. And that is the main business. Our bhakti begins: śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ (SB 7.5.23). We have to hear and we have to speak. But if we are not interested in hearing and speak, then it will be the same ṭhākura-bari, simply formula. That's all. And gradually it will be stopped. Unless there is life of śravaṇaṁ kīrtanam, these big, big building, temples, will become burden. So if we are . . . if we want to create burden for future, then we may give up this hearing and chanting and sleep very nicely. It will be burden. Galagraha. Not śrī-vigraha, but galagraha. Galagraha. Śrī-vigraha means worshipable Deity. So if we give up this śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ (SB 7.5.23), then it will be thought that, "Our Guru Mahārāja has given a burden in the neck, galagraha." This is the danger. So we must be very much alert in śravaṇaṁ kīrtanam. Otherwise, all this labor will be futile. This building will be only the nest, nest for the doves and the pigeons. That is the danger. That is being done. Nobody is interested. Such, such things . . .

Now, who is . . . who can understand Kṛṣṇa? There are so many impediments. One side, there is curtain of māyā; another side, everyone is a rascal and fool; and another side, Kṛṣṇa is beyond your sense perception. This is the position. How much one must be alert. Then one can understand. Just like the Gosvāmīs. Is Kṛṣṇa is so easy thing to be understood? But there is process. So if we do not adopt the process, then how we can understand Kṛṣṇa? These are the so many difficult things. One side, one thing is the māyā is checking. Māyā is trying to put stumbling block for your advancement of spiritual life. Māyā-javanikācchannam. And the other side, we are all fools and rascals. And the, again, Kṛṣṇa is adhokṣaja, beyond the range of sense perception. This is the position.

So unless we become very serious to understand Kṛṣṇa, it is very, very difficult to understand Kṛṣṇa. Māyā-javanikācchannam. The one side, Kuntī said, antar bahir avasthitam: "Kṛṣṇa, You are within . . ." Īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe (BG 18.61). Kṛṣṇa is not far away. Kṛṣṇa is always with you. He, He's so friendly that just like two birds . . . it is said in the Upaniṣad: the one bird is eating the fruit of the tree; another bird is simply guiding and seeing. Because this material world, living entity wanted to enjoy. Just like you have seen that the dog and the master. The master is so friendly to the dog out of love. It is a dog, but when it is passing stool, he's waiting. Why? Is the duty of the master to wait because the dog is passing stool? No. Out of love. Out of love. We can see from practical example. Similarly . . . the master may be a great millionaire, but still, he loves the dog so much that on the morning walk he takes his dog and the dog is passing urine . . . what, what business dog has got? To pass urine and stool and go this way and that way. But the master is attending. Similarly, God, or Kṛṣṇa, is so affectionate that we have come here in this material world simply to pass stool and urine, still He's attending. Still, He's attending. Just imagine what merciful is Kṛṣṇa.

In the Upaniṣads it is said that two birds . . . the one bird is Paramātmā. Kṛṣṇa has become Paramātmā. It is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā that kṣetra-kṣetrajña. There are two things. One is this kṣetra, this body. Kṣetra, just the field. Just like we are tilling the field. And the tiller, the kṛṣāṇa. Similarly, we are . . . we have got this field, and we are growing our own . . . harvesting our own grains, just like you are doing. So according to our labor, according to our attempt, we are getting food grains. Similarly, we have got this body, and I am . . . the spirit soul is the tiller. So according to my karma, I am getting the result. So similarly . . . not only I am there, but Kṛṣṇa is also there. He's seeing what you are doing—what you are doing, what you want more. Sarvasya cāhaṁ hṛdi sanniviṣṭaḥ (BG 15.15). Kṛṣṇa says: "I am sitting in everyone's heart." Why? "Just to give him the facilities. This rascal living being has come to the, this material world, to till the field to get some result. All right. Let him do that." Just like children play on the beach, do all nonsense, and the father sits. "All right, you have finished your business? Come on." So Kṛṣṇa is like that. He is simply seeing. We are acting so nonsensically, and Kṛṣṇa is giving us . . . the same way, a dog passing stool and urine, the master is attending. Or the father is seeing. The children are playing on the beach; they're making big, big house on the sand, and it has nothing, no value, but Kṛṣ . . . the father is giving the opportunity, "All right, do it."

So Kṛṣṇa is giving us all the facilities, but we are so fool that we cannot understand that Kṛṣṇa is so friendly. That is . . . it is said, na lakṣyase mūḍha-dṛśā (SB 1.8.19). They cannot see, because mūḍha-dṛśā. Mūḍha means rascal, and dṛśā, dṛśā means seeing. They have no power to see. A mūḍha cannot see. Rascals, they cannot see. They are very much proud, "Can you show me God?" But they do not think, "Whether I am qualified to see?" They are very much proud of these eyes. What is the value of this eye? Therefore Kṛṣṇa says: "Yes, you can see Me, but according to My direction. You see Me: raso 'ham apsu kaunteya (BG 7.8). You can see. It is very easy for you. You see Me in the water. While you taste, while you drink water, you see Me. I am the taste." So you are, everyone drinks water, and he gets some taste. Otherwise why he's drinking water? So that taste, if you remember that "Here is Kṛṣṇa," simply by tasting water, simply by drinking water, if you follow Kṛṣṇa's instruction, one day you'll be a devotee. Kṛṣṇa is so kind. Simply by drinking water. Simply we have to know how to see Kṛṣṇa.

Therefore Kuntīdevī says, na lakṣyase mūḍha-dṛśā. The mūḍha, the rascal, is so foolish . . . Kṛṣṇa says that, "You see Me in the taste of water," but these rascals: "Hah! This is humbug. This is humbug. How, in the taste, Kṛṣṇa is there? I want to see in my own eyes." But you haven't got that eyes. Just develop your eyes gradually. Just like one is suffering from some eye disease. So take some medicine, then gradually, your eyesight will be improved. Take the spectacle, some power, then more power, more power. So . . . but they'll not take the instruction of Kṛṣṇa, the instruction of spiritual master. So they want to remain mūḍha-dṛśā, rascal and fool. And still they want to see Kṛṣṇa. This is the difficulty. Na lakṣyase mūḍha-dṛśā. If you do not improve your eyes according to the direction of śāstra . . . sādhu-śāstra-guru, these three things, then how you'll see Kṛṣṇa? Kṛṣṇa is saying. That is śāstra. Śāstra means what is said by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. That is śāstra. And guru, guru says the same thing. And sādhu says the same thing.

Sādhu-guru test means they do not change the words of Kṛṣṇa. They do not say: "Now I have manufactured something. Kṛṣṇa says that, 'You can see Me in the taste of water.' I can say that you can see in this way, 'You see me and you will see Kṛṣṇa.' " Just the Māyāvādī says: "You think of me." In the Aurobindo Ashram, there they have no other business. The disciples are advised that "Whatever you like, you can do. You should always think of Aurobindo." Just like Kṛṣṇa says, man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru (BG 18.65). I inquired from the inmates of the Aurobindo Ashram. So I . . . "What do you do?" "That we think of Aurobindo." They are . . . because Aurobindo thinks that he is Kṛṣṇa. As Kṛṣṇa says, man-manā bhava mad-bhaktaḥ, so they advise that, "You think of me." So the inmates, they think, and smoke bīḍī and cigarette. That's all. I have seen it. So these things are going on. Mūḍha-dṛśā. If we want to remain mūḍha-dṛśā, then it will be difficult for us to see Kṛṣṇa. We have dedicated our life to see Kṛṣṇa, to talk with Kṛṣṇa, to play with Kṛṣṇa, to have Kṛṣṇa as our son, to have Kṛṣṇa as our friend, to Kṛṣṇa as our lover. If this is our ambition, then we should not remain a mūḍha-dṛśā, foolishly.

So we have to follow the mahājano yena gataḥ . . . as Kuntī's advising. Kuntī is . . . she knows how to see Kṛṣṇa. She knows, "Here is Kṛṣṇa. Although He's playing the part of my brother's son, nephew, but actually, He's the Supreme Personality of Godhead." Just like Arjuna. Arjuna, he was talking like friend, but when he saw that, "It is impossible to solve this problem. I am inclined not to fight and kill my relatives, but the duty is to kill them . . ." It is a very perplexed position. So therefore he accepted Kṛṣṇa as guru. He said that, "I do not find anyone else who can solve my this problem. Therefore Kṛṣṇa, I am surrendering unto You." Śiṣyas te 'haṁ śādhi māṁ prapannam (BG 2.7). "Now we are not talking as friends. I accept You as guru." When one accepts somebody as guru, he cannot argue. That is the condition. Praṇipātena, sampūrṇa, fully surrendered. Otherwise there is no meaning of making a guru. It is not like that, a pet dog, that "Everyone makes guru, and let me guru . . . let me have a guru." But that is not the . . . guru means first of all the condition is praṇipāta, fully surrendered. Not that, "If I like, then I shall carry your order. And if I don't like, then I shall not do it." That is not acceptance of guru. Praṇipāta. First of all, we must agree. So because friends and friends talking . . . a friend may agree with this friend; he may not agree with . . . that is friendly talk. But Arjuna became śiṣyas te 'ham, "I am now Your śiṣya, disciple. Now there is no question of disagreeing with You. Whatever You'll say, I will accept." So at last Kṛṣṇa said: "Surrender unto Me." And Arjuna did it. That is the whole purpose of Bhagavad-gītā. He changed his decision. He changed. He did not want to fight. That was his decision. But when he accepted Kṛṣṇa as guru and He said that, "You must fight. It is My desire. Even you don't find these people are not going back home, they will be killed here. That is My already plan."

So these things are discussed in the Bhagavad-gītā. So if we remain mūḍha-dṛśā, in spite of opening our eyes in so many ways by Kṛṣṇa, by guru, by śāstra, if still, if we remain mūḍha-dṛśā, then how we can see Kṛṣṇa? That is not possible. Therefore it is said, na lakṣyase mūḍha-dṛśā: "If we keep our eyes still mūḍha, illusioned, then we cannot see You." How? Naṭo nāṭyadharo yathā. Exactly . . . Kṛṣṇa . . . just like one of my relative, he is playing before me, but because I am mūḍha-dṛśā, my eyesight or my intelligence is not correct, I am seeing that somebody else . . . I see that my relative—my brother or father or friend—is dancing on the stage, but he is dressed in such a way that in spite of being present in my front, I cannot recognize. So if we remain mūḍha-dṛśā, then we cannot see Kṛṣṇa. Otherwise, Kṛṣṇa is everywhere. Akhilātma-bhūtaḥ. In the Brahma-saṁhitā it said, goloka eva nivasaty akhilātma-bhūtaḥ (Bs. 5.37). Although He's living in Goloka Vṛndāvana, He's everywhere. Then how can I see? Premāñjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena santaḥ sadaiva hṛdayeṣu vilokayanti (Bs. 5.38). Those who have developed love for Kṛṣṇa, they can see always, twenty-four hours, Kṛṣṇa and nothing but Kṛṣṇa. This is the process.

So we have to increase our attachment, our love for Kṛṣṇa. Mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ. The . . . this is also explained. Everything is there. Mayy āsakta. We have to increase our attachment for Kṛṣṇa, our love of Kṛṣṇa. Then we shall see Kṛṣṇa always.

premāñjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena

santaḥ sadaiva hṛdayeṣu . . .

yaṁ śyāmasundaram acintya-guṇa-svarūpaṁ

govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi

(Bs. 5.38)

These are the practical experience of mahājana, Brahmā. The Brahma-saṁhitā is written by Brahmā. He's mahājana. Mahājana means the person who knows Kṛṣṇa. The mahājanas are described, you know: twelve mahājanas. Nāradaḥ svayambhūḥ śambhuḥ. Nārada is mahājana, and Brahmā is mahājana, Svayambhū. And Lord Śiva is mahājana. Kapilaḥ kumāro manuḥ prahlādo bhīṣmaḥ. The mahājanas are there. So we have to follow. Mahājano yena gataḥ sa panthāḥ (CC Madhya 17.186). We should not remain mūḍha-dṛśā. We should follow the mahājanas and the sādhus, śāstra. And they recommend . . . the most important process is śravaṇam. Śṛṇvatāṁ sva-kathāḥ kṛṣṇaḥ puṇya-śravaṇa-kīrtanaḥ (SB 1.2.17). If we don't hear about Kṛṣṇa, then how we'll make advance? We have to hear. My Guru Mahārāja was very kind upon me because I was very much interested to hear him. That you know. I hear him. I did not understand him, actually. In the beginning I could not understand him. He was speaking in so high philosophical way that it was not . . . still, I wanted to hear him. That was my only qualification.

So the . . . it is the process. During lecture time, if we don't care to hear or we do other things or take rest, that is not very good sign. We should be very much careful. Then we shall remain mūḍha-dṛśā. Naṭo nāṭyadharo yathā (SB 1.8.19). We have taken the vow to see Kṛṣṇa or to understand Kṛṣṇa. We should be very, very serious and do the needful. Then our life will be successful.

Thank you very much. Hare Kṛṣṇa. (end)