SB 1.5.24 (1962)
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
TEXT No. 24
Te mayee apeta akhila chapale arbhake Dante adhritakridanake anuvurtini Chakruh kripam yadyapi tulya darshinah Sushrusamane munayo alpabhasini
ENGLISH SYNONYMS
Te—they, Mayee—unto me, Apeta—having not undergone, Akhile—all kinds of, Chapale—proclivities, Arbhake—unto a boy, Dante—having controlled the senses, Adhritakridanake—without being accustomed to sporting habits, Amuvartini—obedient, Chakru—did bestow, Kripam—causeless mercy, Yadyapi—although, Tulyadarshana—impartial by nature, Sushrusamane—unto the faithful, Munayo—the muni followers of the Vedanta, Alpabhasini—one who does not speak more than requirement.
TRANSLATION
Those followers of the Vedanta blessed me with their causeless mercy although they are impartial by nature. So far I was concerned, I was sense-controlled without any attachment for sporting habits even though I was only a boy and besides that I was not naughty neither I used to speak more than requirement.
PURPORT
In the Bhagwat Geeta the Lord says 'all the Vedas are searching after Me.' Lord Sri Chaitanya says that in the Vedas the subject matters are only three, namely to establish the relation of the living entities with the Personality of Godhead, perform the relative duties in devotional service and thus to achieve the ultimate goal back to Godhead. As such Vedanta-vedi or the followers of the Vedanta means pure devotee of the Personality of Godhead. Such Vedanta Vedi or the Bhaktivedantas are impartial in the matter of distributing the transcendental knowledge of devotional service. To them nobody is enemy or friend nobody is educated or non-educated. Nobody is specially favorable and nobody is unfavorable. The Bhaktivedantas see the people in general as wasting time in the matter of false sensuous things and thus their business is to get the ignorant mass of people to the sense of re-establishing the lost relation with the Personality of Godhead. By such Bhaktivedanta's endeavour, even the most forgotten soul is roused up to the sense of spiritual life and thus being initiated by them the people in general become gradually progressive on the path of transcendental realisation. So the Vedantavedis initiated the boy even before he became self-controlled and was detached from childish, sporting etc. But before the initiation of favor by them upon the poor boy, he (the boy) become more and more advanced in the matter of discipline which is very essential for one who wishes to make progress in the line. In the system of Varnashram Dharma, which is the beginning of actual human life, small boys after five years of age are sent to the Guru's Ashram to become Brahmachary where these things were systematically taught to the boys may he be a king's son or the son of an ordinary citizen. The training was compulsory not only to create good citizens of the state but also for the matter of preparing the boy's future life for spiritual realisation. Irresponsible life of sense enjoyment by childish proclivities were unknown to the children of the followers of the Varanashram system. Even the boy was injected with spiritual acumen before he was placed by the father in the womb of the mother. Both the father and the mother were responsible for the boy's life as successful for being liberated from the material bondage. That is the process of successful family planning. It is to beget children for complete perfection. Without being self-controlled, without being disciplinary and without being full obedient nobody can become successful in catching up the instruction of the spiritual master and without being so able nobody is able to go back to Godhead.