750716 - Lecture SB 06.01.31 - San Francisco

Lectures by Date, 1975

His Divine Grace
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

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750716SB-SAN FRANCISCO - July 16, 1975 - 31:37 Minutes

Nitāi:

vikarṣato 'ntar hṛdayād

dāsī-patim ajāmilam

yama-preṣyān viṣṇudūtā

vārayām āsur ojasā

(SB 6.1.31)

(03:27)

"As the order carriers of Yamarāja were snatching out the soul from the core of the heart of Ajāmila, the husband of the prostitute, the order carriers of Viṣṇu forbade them with great resounding voices to do so."

Prabhupāda:

vikarṣato 'ntar hṛdayād

dāsī-patim ajāmilam

yama-preṣyān viṣṇudūtā

vārayām āsur ojasā

(SB 6.1.31)

So when the order carriers of Yamarāja were trying to take away Ajāmila from this world to the other lower planetary system . . . Below this universe there are many planetary system. They are called Pātāla, Tala, Atala, Nitala, Talātala, Rasātala, Pātāla—seven layers. So below that layers there is hellish planets. Just like up, there are heavenly planets, similarly, down there are hellish planets. So Yamarāja, his kingdom, his jurisdiction, is within these hellish planets.

So one point is very important. People are sometimes amazed, "Where is the soul?" Now it is clearly said here, hṛdayāt: "from the core of the heart." Therefore soul is existing within the heart. And the Paramātmā is also existing. The yogīs, they want to see. Although they are, Paramātmā and jīvātmā, sitting side by side, and He is dictating, but on account of our foolishness we cannot see Him, neither hear Him. Antar-bahiḥ. He is within and He is without, but unfortunate as we are, we cannot see Him either within or without. How it is possible? Just like a family member, your father or brother, is playing on the stage, but you cannot see him. Somebody is pointing, "Here is your brother, dancing." You cannot see him. Naṭo nāṭyadharo yathā (SB 1.8.19). Just like a person dressed in dramatic performance, his relative cannot see him, similarly, Kṛṣṇa is everywhere, aṇḍāntara-stha-paramāṇu-cayāntara-stham (Bs. 5.35). Simply one has to make his eyes purified to see Him. Then he can see always Kṛṣṇa, within and without.

Premāñjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena (Bs. 5.38). This seeing is possible only in bhakti, not in jñāna, karma. No. No other way. Premāñjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena. No other method is prescribed. In Bhagavad-gītā also, it is said, bhaktyā mām abhijānāti yāvān yaś cāsmi tattvataḥ (BG 18.55). If you want to know Kṛṣṇa as He is, then you have to know Him through bhakti-yoga, not any other. Others, they may go on speculating for many, many millions of years. Still, they will not be able to understand.

panthās tu koṭi-śata-vatsara-sampragamyo

vāyor athāpi manaso muni-puṅgavānām

so 'py asti yat prapada-sīmny avicintya-tattve

govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi

(Bs. 5.34)

For many millions of years running in the speed of mind and air, not this aeroplane speed . . . Aeroplane speed is, utmost, five hundred, six hundred miles. But you just imagine the mind's speed. Ten thousand miles away your mind can go immediately at a place where you have been. Mind is so speedy. Vāyu, air, is speedy undoubtedly, but mind is still speedier. So even if you try to understand with the . . ., panthās tu koṭi-śata-vatsara-sampragamyo vāyor athāpi (Bs. 5.34), in the aeroplane or via manasa, aeroplane with the . . . Aeroplane has got different speed, but even if you go with the mind's speed and time, panthās tu koṭi-śata-vatsara, hundreds and millions of years, still, you will not be able to understand what is Kṛṣṇa, what is God, if you speculate. But if you are a devotee, then you can see twenty-four hours Kṛṣṇa. That is the difference. Panthās tu koṭi-śata-vatsara-sampragamyaḥ.

So this dāsī-pati, this is also significant word, "the prostitute's husband." Prostitute means . . . They are, in Sanskrit, called puṁścalī. Puṁścalī means they are moved by other men, puṁścalī. There are three kinds of women: sairindhrī, puṁścalī . . . In this way there are divisions. So some women, they are very easily carried by men. So that is not very good. Therefore I am instructing our GBCs that "Let our little girls be educated to become faithful and chaste." That is their qualification. No education required. And the boys should be trained up to become first-class men, śamo damas titikṣā, like that. And literary, Sanskrit and English, that will make them perfect. If the husband is first class and the wife is chaste and faithful, then the home is heaven. This is the formula. Dampatyoḥ kalaho nāsti tatra śrīḥ svayam āgatāḥ.

mūrkhā yatra na pūjyante

dhānyaṁ yatra susañcitam

dampatyoḥ kalaho nāsti

tatra śrīḥ svayam āgatāḥ

(Cāṇakya Paṇḍita)

Everyone is trying to become fortunate. Now, Cāṇakya Paṇḍita gives three things, formula, "If you want to be fortunate, then do these three things." What is that? Mūrkhā yatra na pūjyante: "Do not give any credit to the rascal." That is first qualification. Don't be carried away by the rascal. Mūrkhā yatra na pūjyante. If you worship a rascal, then your life is spoiled. You must worship a really learned representative of God. That is very good. And dhānyaṁ yatra susañcitam: "Food grains, they are properly stocked." Not that for your foodstuff, getting your food grain or earning your livelihood, you have to go hundred miles, fifty miles. No. At home, you produce your food grain and stock it. In India still, they work for three months during this rainy season, and they get their food grains for the whole year. You can save time so nicely. So these things are required for happy home. There must be food grains. You cannot be happy without eating. That is not possible. Annād bhavanti. Kṛṣṇa also says in the Bhagavad-gītā, annād bhavanti bhūtāni (BG 3.14). If you have got sufficient anna, eatables, foodstuff, then you become happy.

So three things: one thing, that at home no rascal should be received or given credit . . . According to Vedic system, at home a sannyāsī is welcome, a brāhmaṇa is welcome. Because they will give good instruction, they are welcome. Just like when Gargamuni came to Mahārāja Nanda, Nanda Mahārāja's house, how nice reception he gave him. That is the . . . Especially . . . Of course, any guest is welcome, but especially a brāhmaṇa, a sannyāsī is very well received. Still in Indian village, if a sannyāsī goes, he has no problem for eating or staying, residence. Everyone will request, "Swamījī, today you take prasādam at my place." So there are many villagers. So he can stay three days, four days. So there is no scarcity. Still they will invite you, "Please come. Take prasādam." So because . . . Why this system? Because sannyāsī means he will give good instruction, spiritual knowledge. But that is his business, parivrājakācārya, wandering all over the world and giving good instruction. Therefore parivrājaka. Parivrājaka means wandering, and ācārya means teacher. Parivrājakācārya. This is sannyāsī's business. So they must be well received. At the present moment, if a sannyāsī is trying to enter in some householder's house, immediately the doorman, "Please get out. Get out. Get out." Because some of the sannyāsīs, they have taken this dress as a means of livelihood. But still in the village, any sannyāsī—he may be a cheater—still he is welcome. In the cities, of course, in India they are now doubtful, "Whether he is actually sannyāsī, or to fill up his belly he has taken this dress?" So this is the formula. So very learned men, the . . ., generally, the sannyāsī and brāhmaṇas, they should be worshiped, not the fools and rascals.

So mūrkhā yatra na pūjyante and dhānyaṁ yatra. Dhānyam means paddy, rice, well stocked. Perhaps you have, in your country also, what is called, barn? That, you keep . . .

Devotee: Silo.

Prabhupāda: So you have got big, big stock. That is required. There may be scarcity at times, but if you keep stock, then there is no trouble. This one, no foolish rascal should be worshiped, food grains should be nicely stocked, and the third thing, most important, dampatyoḥ kalaho nāsti: "There is no disagreement between husband and wife." If these three things are there, then you haven't got to pray to the goddess of fortune, "Kindly be merciful." She will automatically come: "Here is a very nice place. I shall stay here."

So this Ajāmila, he was dāsī-pati. He was a husband of a prostitute. So he was not happy. He was attached. Another thing is . . . That is also Cāṇakya Paṇḍita. He says, duṣṭā-bhāryā. Duṣṭā-bhāryā means this prostitute. Duṣṭā, who is polluted by another man, he (she) is called duṣṭā. Strīṣu duṣṭāsu varṇa-saṅkaraḥ abhibhavāt. Therefore human civilization must be very careful that the women may not become polluted. Strīṣu duṣṭāsu. Duṣṭā means she is not satisfied with husband. She wants new, new. That is called duṣṭā. So Cāṇakya Paṇḍita says, duṣṭā-bhāryā: "If the wife is duṣṭā," duṣṭā-bhāryā śaṭhaṁ mitram, "and friend is śaṭham, hypocrite, talking very friendly, but he has got something, design . . ." That is called śaṭhaṁ mitram. Śaṭham means hypocrite. So "If somebody's wife is duṣṭā and friend is hypocrite," duṣṭā-bhāryā śaṭhaṁ mitraṁ bhṛtyaś ca uttara-dāyakaḥ, "and bhṛtya, servant, does not obey, he argues with the master . . ." Master says, "Why did you not do?" "Oh, I am this . . ." No argument. Bhṛtya should be very silent. Then he is faithful servant. Sometimes master may be angry, but bhṛtya should be silent. Then master becomes kind. But if he replies on equal level, oh, then it is very bad. Duṣṭā-bhāryā śaṭhaṁ mitraṁ bhṛtyaś ca uttara-dāyakaḥ, sa-sarpe ca gṛhe vāsaḥ: "And you are living in a apartment where there is a snake." So if these four things are there, or one of them, not all the fours, then mṛtyur eva na saṁśayaḥ: "Then you are doomed." You are doomed. Your life is spoiled.

duṣṭā-bhāryā śaṭhaṁ mitraṁ

bhṛtyaś cottara-dāyakaḥ

sa-sarpe ca gṛhe vāso

mṛtyur eva na saṁśayaḥ

(Cāṇakya Paṇḍita)

So this man married a prostitute, duṣṭā-bhāryā, and he learned how to cheat, how to become fraud, so many. We have already discussed. That was his business. And he was very nicely . . . He was thinking, "I am very nicely situated." In this way he was little attached to the youngest child. That was his fortune, that he was named Nārāyaṇa. That is Kṛṣṇa's kindness. Kṛṣṇa is so kind, so merciful to His devotee, that Uddhava says that "Kṛṣṇa is so kind that Pūtanā came to poison Kṛṣṇa . . ." She smeared poison on her breast. She made a policy that "I shall take this child very affectionately and push the nipple in His mouth, and as soon as the child will drink the poison, He will die." And Kṛṣṇa is so kind that although her motive was to kill Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa took the bright side. What is that? "Oh, I have sucked her breast, so she is My mother." Kṛṣṇa has taken that. And therefore, after death, Pūtanā got the same position as Mother Yaśodā. So Kṛṣṇa is so kind. Who can kill Kṛṣṇa? So for Kṛṣṇa there is no black side or bright side. Kṛṣṇa can drink oceans of poison. So that He did not take very seriously, that "This witches have come to poison Me, but she has agreed to give Me milk from her breast. Then she is My mother." This is Kṛṣṇa's conclusion. Therefore Uddhava says, "Such a kind Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa, that the enemy, the poison-giver, was accepted as mother. So whom I shall worship except Kṛṣṇa?" This should be the conclusion, that "Kṛṣṇa is so kind. Little service . . ."

So this Ajāmila . . . And in the beginning of his life he was being trained up by his father, first-class brāhmaṇa-Vaiṣṇava, but he fell a victim to the prostitute and he forgot everything. But Kṛṣṇa noted that "He has done something for Me." Svalpam apy asya dharmasya trāyate mahato bhayāt (BG 2.40). Devotional service, if sincerely done, little only, that is also taken, just like the Pūtanā. She had no desire, but still, consciously, unconsciously, she gave some service. Similarly, we should try our best to give some service to Kṛṣṇa. If a little service is sincerely given, Kṛṣṇa takes note of it, and His business is protect you, even though you fall down just like Ajāmila. So Ajāmila fell down very deeply from the standard of brāhmaṇa-Vaiṣṇava, but Kṛṣṇa saved him, that "This man has got very much attraction for the child. So let him have the name Nārāyaṇa." That dictation was given by Kṛṣṇa, that "Better keep your son's name 'Nārāyaṇa.' "

So he was attached to the son, always chanting "Nārāyaṇa." "Nārāyaṇa, please come. Nārāyaṇa, please eat. Nārāyaṇa, please sit down." So at the time of death he loudly chanted, "Nārāyaṇa." He thought his son will save him from the hands of these Yamadūtas. But immediately Kṛṣṇa's, I mean to say, attendants immediately came there, Viṣṇudūtas. And immediately they ordered, "You Yamadūtas, carriers of order, stop! You cannot do it." That is stated here, yama-preṣyān viṣṇudūtā vārayām āsuḥ: "Do not touch him." Ojasā: "very strongly." "If you touch, then you will be punished. Don't do it." (laughter) Ojasā. Ojasā. Ojasā means very strongly. Just like a master orders the servant, "You must do it," similarly, ojasā. This is the benefit of becoming Vaiṣṇava and chanting. If you chant offenselessly . . . This man had no offense. He was misguided accidentally, but he did not commit any offense. He did not perform all sinful activities, that "I am now chanting Nārāyaṇa, so it is being nullified. And so let me go on doing these sinful activities and chant 'Nārāyaṇa.' " No, he did not do so. He did not know what is the benefit of chanting Nārāyaṇa's name. He did not know. So therefore, unconsciously, he was offenseless. Nāmno balād yasya hi pāpa-buddhiḥ. If one thinks that "I am chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, and it is said, 'By chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, everyone's sinful reaction of life becomes nullified,' so let me do these two thing," oh, that is very great offensive. Nāmno balād yasya. You have heard about ten offenses. This is the gravest offense.

So Ajāmila did not do that. He was foolish. He became victimized unknowingly. So he was committing sinful . . ., means cheating others, became a fraud, because he thought, "This is my livelihood." But he was affectionate to his son. He is always chanting, "Nārāyaṇa, Nārāyaṇa, Nārāyaṇa." Not purposefully, that "Let me chant Nārāyaṇa and commit all sinful activities." No, that is not. You should mark this. Therefore the Viṣṇudūta came, that "He is not offender. He is innocent criminal." So therefore the Yamadūtas (Viṣṇudūta) came and immediately, very forcefully ordered, "Do not touch Ajāmila." Now, the next discussion we shall . . . It is very interesting.

Thank you very much.

Devotees: Jaya Śrīla Prabhupāda. (kīrtana) (break) (end).