Daily Class: Recent Episodes
Hare Krishna Melbourne
Morning Class SB 8.12.23 - Sri Caitanya Dasa - 24 October 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Morning Class SB 8.12.22 - Karuṇānidhi Kṛṣṇa Dāsa - 23 October 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Morning Class SB 8.12.17 - HG Aniruddha Prabhu - 22 October 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Morning Class SB 8.12.16 - Sevya Bhagavan Prabhu - 21 October 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Morning Class SB 8.12.15 - Gopa Vrndesa Dasa - 20 October 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Morning Class SB 8.12.12 - HG Bhakta Prabhu - 19 October 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Morning Class SB 8.12.11 - Bhakti Priya Mataji - 18 October 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Morning Class SB 8.12.9-10 - Gopa Vrndesa Dasa - 17 October 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Morning Class SB 8.12.8 - HG Aniruddha Prabhu - 16 October 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Morning Class SB 8.9.11 - Mana Mohana Dasa - 26 September 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Morning Class SB 8.9.22 - Dvija Pitambara Prabhu - 2 October 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Morning Class SB 8.9.16-17 - HG Aniruddha Prabhu - 30 September 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Morning Class SB 8.9.13-15 - HG Bhakta Prabhu - 28 September 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Morning Class SB 8.9.12 - Jaya Nitai Dasa - 27 September 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Morning Class SB 8.8.2 - Vraja-rāja Dasa - 13 September 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Morning Class SB 8.8.1 - Sevya Bhagavan Prabhu - 12 September 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 8.7.45 - HG Aniruddha Prabhu - 11 September 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 8.7.43 - 44 - Gopa Vrndesa Dasa - 10 September 2024 [ Ezmp3.cc ] by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 8.7.40 - Mana Mohana Dasa - 9 September 2024 [ Ezmp3.cc ] by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 8.7.36 - Hanuman Dasa - 8 September 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 8.7.34 - Sri Krishna Dasa - 7 September 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 8.7.30 - HG Aniruddha Prabhu - 6 September 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare krishna Melbourne SB 8.7.27 - Dvija Pitambara Prabhu - 5 September 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare krishna Melbourne SB 8.7.25 - 26 - Bhakti Priya Mataji - 4 September 2024 [ Ezmp3.cc ] by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 8.7.24 - Kesava Prabhu - 3 September 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare krishna Melbourne SB 8.7.23 - Ananda Vardhana Dasa - 2 September 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Morning Class SB 8.7.22 - HH Vedavyasapriya Swami - 1 September 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Morning Class SB 8.7.20 - HG Aniruddha Prabhu - 31 August 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Srila Prabhupada Appearance Morning Class SB 10.5.1-2 - Vraja-rāja Dasa - 28 August 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare krishna melbourne Sri Krishna Janmastami - HH Vedavyasapriya Swami - 27 August 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna melbourne SB 8.7.4 - Hanuman Dasa - 26 August 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 8.6.39 -Gopa Vrndesa Dasa - 24 August 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 8.6.33-38 - Vraja-rāja Dasa - 23 August 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare krishna Melbourne SB 8.6.32 - Ananda Vardhana Dasa - 22 August 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 8.6.29 - Sevya Bhagavan Prabhu - 21 August 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 8.6.26-28 - Ananda Vardhana Dasa - 19 August 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 8.6.16 - Prabhav Dasa - 17 August 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 8.6.15 - Madhu Manjari Devi Dasi - 16 August 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 8.6.12 - Kesava Prabhu - 13 August 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare krishna Melbourne SB 8.6.14 - Dvija Pitambara Prabhu - 15 August 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 8.6.10 - HG Aniruddha Prabhu - 12 August 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 8.6.9 - HG Aniruddha Prabhu - 11 August 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 8.5.50 - Sri Caitanya Dasa - 9 August 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 8.5.49 - Arjun Sakha Das - 8 August 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna melbourne SB 8.5.48 - Bhakti Priya Mataji - 7 August 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 8.5.47 - Kesava Prabhu - 6 August 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare krishna melbourne SB 8.5.46 -Ananda Vardhana Dasa - 5 August 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 8.5.45 - Vraja-rāja Dasa - 4 August 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare krishna Melbourne SB 8.5.44 - HG Aniruddha Prabhu - 3 August 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare krishna Melbourne SB 8.5.37 - HG Radha Charan Prabhu - 2 August 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare krishna Melbourne SB 8.5.35-36 - Gopa Vrndesa Dasa - 1 August 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare krishna Melbourne SB 8.5.34 - HG Radha Charan Prabhu - 31 July 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 8.5.33 - Kesava Prabhu - 30 July 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 8.5.32 - Bhakti Priya Mataji - 29 July 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 8.5.31 - Prabhav Dasa - 28 July 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 8.5.30 - HG Bhakta Prabhu - 27 July 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 8.4.11-12 - HG Gauranga Darshan prabhu - 11 July 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare krishna Meblourne SB 8.4.7 - Prabhav Dasa - 10 July 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare krishna melbourne SB 8.4.5 - Gopa Vrndesa Dasa - 9 July 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare krishna Melbourne SB 8.4.2 - Sevya Bhagavan Prabhu - 8 July 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare krishna Melbourne SB 8.4.1 - Nanda Mandir Dāsa - 7 July 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare krishna Melbourne SB 8.3.32-33 - Gopa Vrndesa Dasa - 6 July 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare krisna Melbourne SB 8.3.31 - Sri Caitanya Dasa - 5 July 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 8.3.30 - Prabhav Dasa - 4 July 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare krishna Melbourne SB 8.3.29 - Karuṇānidhi Kṛṣṇa Dāsa - 3 July 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna melbourne SB 8.3.28 - Sevya Bhagavan Prabhu - 2 July 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 8.3.27 - Dvija Pitambara Prabhu - 1 July 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare krishna melbourne SB 8.3.26 - Hanuman Dasa - 30 June 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare krishna melbourne SB 8.3.22 - Karuṇānidhi Kṛṣṇa Dāsa - 28 June 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 8.3.20-21 - Arjun Sakha Das - 27 June 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 8.3.19 - Dvija Pitambara Prabhu - 26 June 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Meblourne SB 8.3.17 - HG Aniruddha Prabhu - 24 June 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne Class SB 8.3.16 - Jagannath Ram Dasa - 23 June 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 8.3.15 - HG Bhakta Prabhu - 22 June 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 8.3.13 - Ananda Vardhana Dasa - 20 June 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna melbourne SB 8.3.13 - Ananda Vardhana Dasa - 20 June 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 8.3.12 - Vraja-rāja Dasa - 19 June 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 8.3.11 - Kesava Prabhu - 18 June 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 8.3.10 - Prabhav Dasa - 17 June 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 8.3.8 - Surya Gopal Dasa - 16 June 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare krishna Melbourne SB 8.3.7 - HG Nrsimha Kavaca Prabhu - 15 June 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 8.3.5 - Dvija Pitambara Prabhu - 13 June 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 8.3.4 - HG Nrsimha Kavaca Prabhu - 12 June 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare krishna Melbourne SB 8.3.3 - Mana Mohana Dasa - 11 June 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 8.3.2 - HG Aniruddha Prabhu - 10 June 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 8.2.33 -Arjun Sakha Das - 8 June 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 8.2.32 - Gopa Vrndesa Dasa - 7 June 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 8.2.31 - HG Nrsimha Kavaca Prabhu - 6 June 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 8.2.20 - Bhakti Priya Mataji - 5 June 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 8.2.9 - 13 - Kesava Prabhu - 4 June 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna melbourne SB 8.2.1 - HG Aniruddha Prabhu - 2 June 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 8.1.20 - Gopa Vrndesa Dasa - 1 June 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 8.1.19 - HH Sri Krishna Caitanya Swami - 31 May 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 8.1.17 - 18 - HH Sri Krishna Caitanya Swami - 30 May 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 8.1.16 - HH Sri Krishna Caitanya Swami - 29 May 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 8.1.15 - HH Sri Krishna Caitanya Swami - 28 May 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 8.1.14 - Mana Mohana Dasa - 27 May 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 8.1.13 - HH Sri Krishna Caitanya Swami - 26 May 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 8.1.12 - HH Sri Krishna Caitanya Swami - 25 May 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 8.1.11 - HH Subhag Swami - 24 May 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 8.1.10 - Dvija Pitambara Prabhu - 23 May 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 8.1.9 - HG Aniruddha Prabhu - 22 May 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 8.1.5 - Kesava Prabhu - 21 May 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 8.1.4 - HG Aniruddha Prabhu - 20 May 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 8.1.3 - HH Subhag Swami - 19 May 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 8.1.1 - HH Devamrita Swami - 18 May 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.15.78 - Sri Krishna Dasa - 17 May 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.15.77 - Gopa Vrndesa Dasa - 16 May 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.15.76 - Bhakti Priya Mataji - 15 May 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.15.75 - Sevya Bhagavan Prabhu - 14 May 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.15.74 - Priti Lakshana Devi Dasi - 13 May 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.15.73 - Surya Gopal Dasa - 12 May 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne HH Bhakti Purusottama Maharaj - 11 May 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.15.72 - HH Bhakti Purusottama Maharaj - 10 May 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.15.71 - H H Bhakti Purusottama Maharaj - 9 May 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.15.70 - Yamuna Lila Devi Dasi - 8 May 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.15.69 - Kesava Prabhu - 7 May 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.15.68 - Dvija Pitambara Prabhu - 6 May 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.15.67 - Vraja - Rāja Dasa - 5 May 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.15.66 - Nanda Mandir Dāsa - 4 May 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.15.60 - 61 - Karuṇānidhi Kṛṣṇa Dāsa - 2 May 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.15.59 - Arjun Sakha Das - 1 May 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.15.58 - Sevya Bhagavan Prabhu - 30 April 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.15.57 - Vraja - Rāja Dasa - 29 April 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.15.54 - HG Radhika Devi Dasi - 28 April 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.15.53 - Gopa Vrndesa Dasa - 27 April 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.15.52 - Sri Krishna Dasa - 26 April 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.15.48 - Prabhav Dasa - 25 April 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.15.47 - Ananda Vardhana Dasa - 24 April 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare krishna Melbourne SB 7.15.46 - Kesava Prabhu - 23 April 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.15.45 - Mana Mohana Dasa - 22 April 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.15.45 - HG Bhurijana Prabhu - 21 April 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.15.43 - 44 - HG Panca Ratna Prabhu - 20 April 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.15.42 - HG Bhurijana Prabhu - 19 April 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 1.2.18 - HG Jagattarini Mataji - 18 April 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 1.3.22 - HG Aniruddha Prabhu - 17 April 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 1.1.14 - HG Jagattarini Mataji - 16 April 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.15.41 - Vraja - Rāja Dasa - 15 April 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.15.38 - 39 - Prabhav Dasa - 13 April 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.15.37 - Bhakti Priya Mataji - 12 April 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.15.36 - Sevya Bhagavan Prabhu - 11 April 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.15.35 - Yamuna Lila Devi Dasi - 10 April 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.15.34 - Kesava Prabhu - 9 April 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.15.32 - 33 - Dvija Pitambara Prabhu - 8 April 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.15.31 - Surya Gopal Dasa - 7 April 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.15.30 - HH Ramai Swami - 6 April 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.15.29 - Hanuman Dasa - 5 April 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.15.28 - HH Ramai Swami - 4 April 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.15.27 - HH Ramai Swami - 3 April 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.15.26 - Gopa Vrndesa Dasa - 2 April 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.15.25 - Karuṇānidhi Kṛṣṇa Dāsa - 1 April 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.15.24 - HG Aniruddha Prabhu - 31 March 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.15.23 - Arjun Sakha Das - 30 March 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.15.19 - Jaya Nitai Dasa - 29 March 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare krishna Melbourne SB 7.15.16 - HH Bhanu Swami - 28 March 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.15.14 - HH Bhanu Swami - 26 March 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.15.13 - HH Bhanu Swami - 24 March 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.15.12 - HH Devamrita Swami - 23 March 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.15.11 - HH Bhanu Swami - 22 March 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.15.7 - Sevya Bhagavan Prabhu - 20 March 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.15.7 - Sevya Bhagavan Prabhu - 20 March 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Meblourne SB 7.15.5 - Kesava Prabhu - 19 March 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krisna Melbourne SB 7.15.4 - Karuṇānidhi Kṛṣṇa Dāsa - 18 March 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.15.3 - Sri Krishna Dasa - 17 March 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.15.2 - HG Bhakta Prabhu - 16 March 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.15.1 - Sri Caitanya Dasa - 15 March 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.14.42 - Vraja - Rāja Dasa - 14 March 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna MelbourneSB 7.14.41 - Prabhav Dasa - 13 March 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.14.39 - Yamuna Lila Devi Dasi - 11 March 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.14.38 - Jagannath Ram Dasa - 10 March 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.14.37 - HG Aniruddha Prabhu - 9 March 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare krishna Melbourne SB 7.14.36 - Hanuman Dasa - 8 March 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.14.35 - Sevya Bhagavan Prabhu - 7 March 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.14.34 - Bhakti Priya Mataji - 6 March 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.14.30 - 33 - Vraja - Rāja Dasa - 5 March 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.14.29 - Karuṇānidhi Kṛṣṇa Dāsa - 4 March 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.14.27 - 28 - Surya Gopal Dasa - 3 March 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.14.25 - Prabhav Dasa - 2 March 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.14.18 - Prabhav Dasa - 28 February 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare krishna Melbourne SB 7.14.17 - Kesava Prabhu - 27 February 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.14.15 - Vraja - Rāja Dasa - 26 February 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna MelbournevSB 7.14.14 - Jagannath Ram Dasa - 25 February 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare krishna Melbourne SB 7.14.13 - Hanuman Dasa - 24 February 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.14.12 - Bhakti Priya Mataji - 23 February 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.14.11 - HG Aniruddha Prabhu - 22 February 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.14.10 - Yamuna Lila Devi Dasi - 21 February 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.14.10 - Yamuna Lila Devi Dasi - 21 February 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.14.9 - Kesava Prabhu - 20 February 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.14.8 - Ananda Vardhana Dasa - 19 February 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne HH Maha Vishnu Swami - 18 February 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.14.5 - Vraja - Rāja Dasa - 16 February 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.14.3 - 4 - Bhagavat Asraya Prabhu - 15 February 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna MelbourneSB 7.14.2 - Harinamananda Prabhu - 14 February 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.14.1 - Kesava Prabhu - 13 February 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.13.46 - Bhagavat Asraya Prabhu - 12 February 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.13.45 - HG Aniruddha Prabhu - 11 February 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.13.44 - Gopa Vrndesa Dasa - 10 February 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.13.43 - Sri Caitanya Dasa - 9 February 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.13.41 - HG Atula Krsna Prabhu - 8 February 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.13.40 - Swarupa Sakti Devi Dasi - 7 February 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.13.37 39 Ananda Vardhana Dasa 6 February 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.13.35 36 Prabhav Dasa 5 February 2024 - FhGp3HG1ZqU - 192k - 1707300947 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare krishna Melbourne SB 7.13.34 - Surya Gopal Dasa - 4 February 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.13.33 - Prabhav Dasa - 3 February 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare krishna Melbourne SB 7.13.32 - HG Urmila Mataji - 2 February 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.13.31 - HG Aniruddha Prabhu - 1 February 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.13.30 HG Urmila Mataji 31 January 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.13.29 - HG Urmila Mataji - 30 January 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.13.28 Vraja Ra Ja Dasa 29 January 2024 - by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.13.27 Prabhav Dasa 28 January 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.13.26 HG Atula Krsna Prabhu 27 January 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.13.25 Hanuman Dasa 26 January 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare krishna Melbourne SB 7.13.24 Sevya Bhagavan Prabhu 25 January 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna melbourne SB 7.13.23 HG Aniruddha Prabhu 24 January 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna melbourne SB 7.13.20 Mana Mohana Dasa 23 January 2024 - 7vp5rRCFcuQ - 192k - 1706413760 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.13.19 - HG Atula Krsna Prabhu - 22 January 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.13.15 - Gopa Vrndesa Dasa - 21 January 2024 (128 Kbps) by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare krishna Melbourne SB 7.13.12 - 13 - HG Aniruddha Prabhu - 20 January 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.13.11 - HG Atula Krsna Prabhu - 19 January 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.13.10 Bhakti Priya Mataji 18 January 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne Sb 7.13.9 Swarupa Sakti Devi Dasi 17 January 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.13.8 HG Atula Krsna Prabhu 16 January 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.13.7 Hanuman Dasa 15 January 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.13.1 6 HH Devamrita Swami 14 January 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare krishna Melbourne SB 7.12.17 HG Atula Krsna Prabhu 13 January 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.12.16 Prabhav Dasa 12 January 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.12.15 HG Atula Krsna Prabhu 11 January 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.12.11 Ananda Vardhana Dasa 9 January 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare krishna Melbourne 7.12.10 Sevya Bhagavan Prabhu 8 January 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.12.8 - HG Bhakta Prabhu - 6 January 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.12.1 - Gopa Vrndesa Dasa - 4 January 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.11.35 - HG Arcita Prabhu - 3 January 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.11.32 - HG Arcita Prabhu - 2 January 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.11.31 - HG Arcita Prabhu - 1 January 2024 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.11.30 - HG Aniruddha Prabhu - 31 December 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.11.29 Gopa Vrndesa Dasa 30 December 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.11.26 28 29 December 2023 -Bhakhti priya Devi Dasi by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.11.25 Dvija Pitambara Prabhu 28 December 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare krishna Melbourne SB 7.11.22 Gopa Vrndesa Dasa 27 December 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.11.21 - HG Prabhava Prabhu - 26 December 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.11.18 HG Aniruddha Prabhu 25 December 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.11.17 - Jnana Samudra Das - 24 December 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.11.15 - Nanda Mandir Dāsa - 23 December 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.11.14 - Priti Lakshana Devi Dasi - 22 December 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Mebourne SB 7.11.13 Sevya Bhagavan Prabhu 21 December 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Y2meta.app - Morning Class SB 7.11.8 - 12 - Ananda Vardhana Dasa - 20 December 2023 (128 Kbps) by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.11.5 - HG Samba Prabhu And HG Nitai Sevini Mataji - 19 December 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.11.5 - HH Ramai Swami - 18 December 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.11.1 HH Ramai Swami 17 December 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.10.67 HH Ramai Swami 16 December 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.10.61 Sevya Bhagavan Prabhu 15 December 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne Sb 7.10.60 Mahatma Das 14 December 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.10.52 Vraja RaJa Dasa 13 December 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.10.50 - Vraja - Rāja Dasa - 11 December 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.10.49 - HG Nrsimha Kavaca Prabhu - 10 December 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.10.46 Surya Gopal Dasa 9 December 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.10.45 - Sri Krishna Dasa - 8 December 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.10.43 - Vraja - Rāja Dasa - 7 December 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne HG Nrsimha Kavaca Prabhu 5 December 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.10.24 - HH Devamrita Swami - 1 December 2023 (128 Kbps) by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.10.23 - HG Prabhava Prabhu - 30 November 2023 (128 Kbps) by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.10.21 - Gopa Vrndesa Dasa - 29 November 2023 (128 Kbps) by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.10.20 - HG Nrsimha Kavaca Prabhu - 28 November 2023 (128 Kbps) by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.10.19 - Vraja - Rāja Dasa - 27 November 2023 (128 Kbps) by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.10.18 - Mathurā Manohara Dāsa - 26 November 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.10.15 - 17 - HG Bhakta Prabhu - 25 November 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.10.14 - Sri Krishna Dasa - 24 November 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.10.13 HG Nrsimha Kavaca Prabhu 23 November 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.10.12 - Gopa Vrndesa Dasa - 22 November 2023 (128 Kbps) by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare krishna Melbourne SB 7.10.11 - Rupanuga Bhakta Das - 21 November 2023 (128 Kbps) by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne- HG Chaitanya Charan Prabhu - 20 November 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.10.9 HG Chaitanya Charan Prabhu 19 November 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare krishna Melbourne SB 10.27.17 - HG Chaitanya Charan Prabhu - 18 November 2023 (128 Kbps) by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 3.13.1 4 HG Prabhava Prabhu 17 November 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.10.8 - HG Chaitanya Charan Prabhu - 16 November 2023 (128 Kbps) by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.10.7 - HG Nrsimha Kavaca Prabhu - 15 November 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.10.6 - Dvija Pitambara Prabhu - 14 November 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.10.5 - Vraja - Rāja Dasa - 13 November 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.10.4 Nanda Mandir Da Sa 12 November 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.10.3 - Sevya Bhagavan Prabhu - 10 November 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.10.2 HG Sankarshan Das Adhikari 9 November 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7101 Mana Mohana Dasa 8 November 2023 96kbps by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7955 Surya Gopal Dasa 7 November 2023 96kbps by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7954 HG Aniruddha Prabhu 6 November 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna melbourne SB 7952 HG Aniruddha Prabhu 4 November 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melboune SB 7951 HG Sankarshan Das Adhikari 3 November 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7950 Part 1 Yamuna Lila Devi Dasi 2 November 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7949 HG Sankarshan Das Adhikari 1 November 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.9.47 - Dvija Pitambara Prabhu - 30 October 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare krishna Melbourne SB 7.9.46 - HG Prabhava Prabhu - 29 October 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.9.45 - Gopa Vrndesa Dasa - 28 October 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.9.44 - Sri Krishna Dasa - 27 October 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.9.43 - Yamuna Lila Devi Dasi - 26 October 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.9.42 - Sri Caitanya Dasa - 25 October 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishana Melbourne SB 7.9.41 - Kesava Prabhu - 24 October 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.9.40 - Sevya Bhagavan Prabhu - 23 October 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.9.39 - Jaya Nitai Dasa - 22 October 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishana Melbourne SB 7.9.38 - HG Bhakta Prabhu - 21 October 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.9.37 - Madhu Manjari Devi Dasi - 20 October 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Meblourne SB 7.9.36 - HG Prabhava Prabhu - 19 October 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.9.34 - HG Aniruddha Prabhu - 17 October 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare krishna Melbourne Sb 7.9.33 KarunanidhiKrsnadasa 16 October 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.9.32 Surya Gopal Dasa 15 October 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Onlymp3.to - Morning Class SB 7.9.31 Sri Caitanya Dasa 13 October 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.9.30 HG Prabhava Prabhu 12 October 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne Sb 7.9.29 Dvija Pitambara Prabhu 11 October 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.9.28 - HH Devamrita Swami - 10 October 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna MelbourneSB 7.9.27 - Toshan Krsna Prabhu - 9 October 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.9.26 HH Devamrita Swami 8 October 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.9.25 Jaya Sacinandana Dasa 7 October 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.9.24 - Hanuman Dasa - 6 October 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare krishna Melbourne SB 7.9.23 - Mana Mohana Dasa - 5 October 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.9.22 - Arjun Sakha Das - 4 October 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.9.21 - HG Prabhava Prabhu - 3 October 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.9.20 Vraja Ra Ja Dasa 2 October 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare krishna Melbourne SB 7.9.19 Madhavananda Dasa 1 October 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.9.18 Sevya Bhagavan Prabhu 30 September 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.9.17 Dvija Pitambara Prabhu 29 September 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne Sb 7.9.11 Hanuman Dasa 22 September 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.9.15 Yamuna Lila Devi Dasi 27 September 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.9.14 Kesava Prabhu 26 September 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.9.13 Gopa Vrndesa Dasa 25 September 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.9.12 Jaya Nitai Dasa 24 September 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.9.11 - Hanuman Dasa - 22 September 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.9.10 - Dvija Pitambara Prabhu - 21 September 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare krishna Melbourne SB 7.9.9 Vraja Ra Ja Dasa 20 September 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.9.8 - HG Aniruddha Prabhu - 19 September 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.9.7 Sevya Bhagavan Prabhu 18 September 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne Sb 7.9.6 Jaya Sacinandana Dasa 17 September 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.9.3 5 Nanda Mandir Da Sa 16 September 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.8.54 - Sri Caitanya Dasa - 13 September 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.8.53 Kesava Prabhu 12 September 2023- QYowJ2T2L0 - 192k - 1694685075 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.8.52 - Priti Lakshana Devi Dasi - 11 September 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.8.49 - HG Aniruddha Prabhu - 10 September 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.8.48 Surya Gopal Dasa 9 September 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 9.24.62 - Vraja-rāja Dasa - 8 September 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 9.24.61 Part 1 - Gopa Vrndesa Dasa - 7 September 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.8.46 - Sevya Bhagavan Prabhu - 6 September 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.8.45 - Madhu Manjari Devi Dasi - 5 September 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.8.44 - Karuṇānidhi Kṛṣṇa Dāsa - 4 September 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.8.43 - Hanuman Dasa - 3 September 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.8.42 HG Prabhava Prabhu 2 September 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.8.41 - Sri Krishna Dasa - 1 September 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.8.33 - Arjun Sakha Das - 30 August 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.8.32 - Kesava Prabhu - 29 August 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.8.31 - HG Aniruddha Prabhu - 28 August 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.8.30 - Madhavananda Dasa - 27 August 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.8.28 - Jaya Sacinandana Dasa - 26 August 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare krishna Melbourne SB 7.8.27 - Dvija Pitambara Prabhu - 25 August 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.8.25 - Madhavananda Dasa - 24 August 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.8.19-24 - Sevya Bhagavan Prabhuu - 23 August 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare krishna Mebourne SB 7.8.18 - Gopa Vrndesa Dasa - 22 August 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.8.14 - HG Aniruddha Prabhu - 21 August 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.8.13 - Mathurā Manohara Dāsa - 20 August 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.8.11 - Hanuman Dasa - 18 August 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.8.10 Sri Caitanya Dasa 17 August 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.8.9 HG Aniruddha Prabhu 16 August 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.8.6 7 Vraja Ra Ja Dasa 14 August 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.8.5 HG Prabhava Prabhu 13 August 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare krishna Melbourne SB 7.8.3-4 - Sevya Bhagavan Prabhu - 12 August 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare krishna Melbourne SB 7.8.2 - Sri Krishna Dasa - 11 August 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.8.1 - Dvija Pitambara Prabhu - 10 August 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.7.55 - Gopa Vrndesa Dasa - 9 August 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.7.54 - Mana Mohana Dasa - 8 August 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare krishna Melbourne SB 7.7.53 Vraja Ra Ja Dasa 7 August 2023 - QrMjaOSntro - 192k - 1691661394 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare krishna Melbourne 7.7.51 52 Jagannath Ram Dasa 6 August 2023 - Dq7vUM3JUVw - 192k - 1691660744 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare krishna Melbourne SB 7.7.50 Surya Gopal Dasa 5 August 2023 - 3i2ThBEGRLE - 192k - 1691660406 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.7.49 - Sri Caitanya Dasa - 4 August 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.7.48 - Gopa Vrndesa Dasa - 3 August 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare krishna Melbourne SB 7.7.47 - HG Prabhava Prabhu - 2 August 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.7.46 - Kesava Prabhu - 1 August 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.7.44 - Vraja-rāja Dasa - 31 July 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.7.43 - Mathurā Manohara Dāsa - 30 July 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.7.42 - HG Prana Prabhu - 29 July 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.7.41 - Rupa Raghunath Dasa - 28 July 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.7.40 - Sevya Bhagavan Prabhu - 27 July 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.7.39 - HG Aniruddha Prabhu - 26 July 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.7.38 - Kesava Prabhu - 25 July 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.7.37 - Vraja-rāja Dasa - 24 July 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.7.36 - HG Prana Prabhu - 23 July 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare krishna Melbourne SB 7.7.35 Part 2 - Madhavananda Dasa - 22 July 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.7.34 - HG Aniruddha Prabhu - 21 July 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.7.33 Part 2 - Sri Krishna Dasa - 20 July 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.7.32 - HG Prana Prabhu - 19 July 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.7.30-31 - Kesava Prabhu - 18 July 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.7.29 - Sevya Bhagavan Prabhu - 17 July 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.7.28 - Sukadeva Dasa - 16 July 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.7.27 - Surya Gopal Dasa - 15 July 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.7.26 - Arjun Sakha Das - 14 July 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.7.25 - Mana Mohana Dasa - 13 July 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna melbourne SB 7.7.24 - Vraja-rāja Dasa - 12 July 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare krishna Melbourne SB 7.7.23 - HH Vedavyasapriya Swami - 11 July 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.7.22 - Madhu Manjari Devi Dasi - 10 July 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.7.21 - Jagannath Ram Dasa - 9 July 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.7.19-20 - Dvija Pitambara Prabhu - 7 July 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.7.18 - HH Vedavyasapriya Swami - 6 July 2023 (128 Kbps) by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.7.17 - HH Vedavyasapriya Swami - 5 July 2023 (128 Kbps) by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.7.16 - Mana Mohana Dasa - 4 July 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melboune SB 7.7.15 - Yamuna Lila Devi Dasi - 3 July 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.7.12 - Nanda Mandir Dāsa - 2 July 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.7.11 - Jaya Sacinandana Dasa - 1 July 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.7.2 - Karuṇānidhi Kṛṣṇa Dāsa - 30 June 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.7.1 - Gopa Vrndesa Dasa - 29 June 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.6.29-30 - Vraja-rāja Dasa - 28 June 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.6.28 - Padma Sundari Mataji - 27 June 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.6.27 - Hanuman Dasa - 26 June 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.6.26 - Radha Krsna Prabhu - 25 June 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.6.25 - HG Aniruddha Prabhu - 24 June 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.6.24 - Radha Krsna Prabhu - 23 June 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.6.20-23 - Mana Mohana Dasa - 22 June 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.6.19 - Arjun Sakha Das - 21 June 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.6.17-18 - Yamuna Lila Devi Dasi - 20 June 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.6.16 - Madhu Manjari Devi Dasi - 19 June 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.6.15 - HG Bhakta Prabhu - 17 June 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.6.14 - HG Prabhava Prabhu - 16 June 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare krishna Melbourne SB 4.24.71 - HG Jagattarini Mataji - 15 June 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna MelbourneSB 4.24.51 - HG Jagattarini Mataji - 14 June 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 4.24.31 - HG Jagattarini Mataji - 13 June 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.6.11-13 - Nanda Mandir Dāsa - 12 June 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.6.10 - Jaya Sacinandana Dasa - 11 June 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Meblourne SB 7.6.7-8 - Vraja-rāja Dasa - 9 June 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.6.6 - Dvija Pitambara Prabhu - 8 June 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna MelbourneSB 7.6.5 - HG Aniruddha Prabhu - 7 June 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.6.4 - Kesava Prabhu - 6 June 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.6.3 - Arjun Sakha Das - 5 June 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.6.2 - Jagannath Ram Dasa - 4 June 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.6.1 - Surya Gopal Dasa - 3 June 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.5.56-57 - Vraja-rāja Dasa - 2 June 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.5.55 - Sri Krishna Dasa - 1 June 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.5.54 - Karuṇānidhi Kṛṣṇa Dāsa - 31 May 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.5.42 Sevya Bhagavan Prabhu 29 May 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.5.40 Jaya Sachidanada Dasa 27 May 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.5.39 - HG Aniruddha Prabhu - 26 May 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.5.36 - Mana Mohana Dasa - 24 May 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.5.33 - Dvija Pitambara Prabhu - 23 May 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.5.32 - HG Prabhava Prabhu - 22 May 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melboure SB 7.5.31 - Nanda Mandir Dāsa - 21 May 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.5.30 - HG Aniruddha Prabhu - 20 May 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.5.28 - Sri Caitanya Dasa - 19 May 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.5.25 - Vraja-rāja Dasa - 17 May 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.5.23-24 - Kesava Prabhu - 16 May 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare krishna melbourne SB 7.5.23-24 - Sevya Bhagavan Prabhu - 15 May 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.5.23 - 24 - HG Damodar Prabhu - 14 May 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.5.23 - 24 - HG Radha Gopinath Prabhu- 13 May 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.5.23-24 - Gopa Vrndesa Dasa - 12 May 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.5.23-24 - Sri Krishna Dasa - 11 May 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.5.23-24 - Kesava Prabhu - 9 May 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.5.23-24 - Priti Lakshana Devi Dasi - 8 May 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.5.23-24 - Jagannath Ram Dasa - 7 May 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.5.20 - Surya Gopal Dasa - 6 May 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.5.19 - Mana Mohana Dasa - 5 May 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.5.18 - HG Bhakta Prabhu - 4 May 2023 part 2 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne 7.5.18 - HG Bhakta Prabhu - 4 May 2023 part 1 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.5.17 - Madhu Manjari Devi Dasi - 3 May 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna MelbourneSB 7.5.16 - HG Aniruddha Prabhu - 2 May 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.5.14 - Nanda Mandir Dāsa - 30 April 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.5.13 - HG Aniruddha Prabhu - 29 April 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.5.12 - Priti Lakshana Devi Dasi - 28 April 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.5.10 - Sevya Bhagavan Prabhu - 27 April 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.5.9 - Mana Mohana Dasa - 26 April 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.5.8 - Kesava Prabhu - 25 April 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.5.7 - Gopa Vrndesa Dasa - 24 April 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.5.6 - Madhavananda Dasa - 23 April 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.5.5 - Surya Gopal Dasa - 22 April 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.5.4 - Gopa Vrndesa Dasa - 21 April 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.5.2 - Sri Vraja Raj Dasa - 20 April 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.5.1 - Dvija Pitambara Prabhu - 19 April 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.4.45 - HH Bhanu Swami - 18 April 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.4.44 - HG Gauranga Darshan prabhu - 17 April 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.4.42 - HG Gauranga Darshan prabhu - 15 April 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.4.41 - HG Gauranga Darshan prabhu - 14 April 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.4.40 - HH Bhanu Swami - 13 April 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.4.39 - HH Bhanu Swami - 12 April 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.4.38 - HG Gauranga Darshan prabhu - 11 April 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.4.37 - Sri Krishna Dasa - 10 April 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.4.35-36 - Jaya Sacinandana Dasa - 9 April 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.4.34 - HG Prabhava Prabhu - 8 April 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.4.33 - Karuṇānidhi Kṛṣṇa Dāsa - 7 April 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.4.31-32 - Yamuna Lila Devi Dasi - 6 April 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.4.30 - Sevya Bhagavan Prabhu - 5 April 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.4.29 - Kesava Prabhu - 4 April 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.4.27-28 - Hanuman Dasa - 3 April 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.4.24-25 - Vraja-rāja Dasa - 2 April 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.4.22-23 - HG Bhakta Prabhu - 1 April 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.4.21 - Gopa Vrndesa Dasa - 31 March 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.4.20 - HG Prabhava Prabhu - 30 March 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.4.19 - Arjun Sakha Das - 29 March 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krsna Melbourne SB 7.4.18 - Kesava Prabhu - 28 March 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krsna Melbourne SB 7.4.15-17 - Dvija Pitambara Prabhu - 27 March 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.4.14 - HH Devamrita Swami - 26 March 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.4.13 - Mana Mohana Dasa - 25 March 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.4.9-12 - Surya Gopal Dasa - 24 March 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.4.8 - HH Devamrita Swami - 23 March 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.4.5-7 - Karuṇānidhi Kṛṣṇa Dāsa - 22 March 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.4.3 - Mana Mohana Dasa - 21 March 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.3.37 - HH Ramai Swami - 20 March 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.3.36 - HH Ramai Swami - 19 March 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Mrlbourne SB 7.3.35 - Hanuman Dasa - 18 March 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.3.34 - Sri Caitanya Dasa - 17 March 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.3.33 - Vraja-rāja Dasa - 16 March 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.3.32 - Yamuna Lila Devi Dasi - 15 March 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.3.31 - Kesava Prabhu - 14 March 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.3.29 - Jaya Sacinandana Dasa - 12 March 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.3.28 - Arjun Sakha Das - 11 March 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna melbourne SB 7.3.25 - Dvija Pitambara Prabhu - 10 March 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare krishna melbourne SB 7.3.23 - HG Aniruddha Prabhu - 9 March 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.3.22 - Mana Mohana Dasa - 8 March 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 11.5.32 - Kesava Prabhu - 7 March 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.3.20 - HG Prabhava Prabhu - 6 March 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.3.19 - Jagannath Ram Dasa - 5 March 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.3.18 - Surya Gopal Dasa - 4 March 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.3.17 - Vraja-rāja Dasa - 3 March 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare krishna melbourne SB 7.3.15-16 - HG Aniruddha Prabhu - 2 March 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna melbourne SB 7.3.14 - HH Bhanu Swami - 1 March 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.3.13 - HH Bhanu Swami - 28 February 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare krishna Melbourne SB 7.3.12 - HG Aniruddha Prabhu - 27 February 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.3.11 - HH Janananda Goswami - 26 February 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.3.2 - HH Janananda Goswami - 25 February 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.3.1 - HG Aniruddha Prabhu - 24 February 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.2.61 - Dvija Pitambara Prabhu - 23 February 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.2.59 - Bhaja Govinda Dāsa - 22 February 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.2.58 - Kesava Prabhu - 21 February 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.2.57 - Vraja-rāja Dasa - 20 February 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.2.51 - Madhavananda Dasa - 19 February 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna MelbourneSB 7.2.50 - Yamuna Lila Devi Dasi - 18 February 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna MelbourneSB 7.2.49 - Sri Caitanya Dasa - 17 February 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.2.48 - Jagannath Ram Dasa - 16 February 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.2.47 - Karuṇānidhi Kṛṣṇa Dāsa - 15 February 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.2.46 - HG Aniruddha Prabhu - 14 February 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare krishna Melbourne Morning Class SB 7.2.45 - Hanuman Dasa - 13 February 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.2.44 - Jaya Sacinandana Dasa - 12 February 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.2.43 - Surya Gopal Dasa - 11 February 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.2.42 - HG Aniruddha Prabhu - 10 February 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.2.40 - Vraja-rāja Dasa - 8 February 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.2.38 - Dvija Pitambara Prabhu - 6 February 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.2.37 - Nanda Mandir Dāsa - 5 February 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare krishna Melbourne SB 7.2.36 - HG Prabhava Prabhu - 4 February 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.2.35 - Arjun Sakha Das - 2 February 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.2.28 - Karuṇānidhi Kṛṣṇa Dāsa - 1 February 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.2.27 - Kesava Prabhu - 31 January 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.2.23-26 - Hanuman Dasa - 30 January 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.2.22 - Jagannath Ram Dasa - 29 January 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Mlebourne SB 7.2.22 - Mana Mohana Dasa - 27 January 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.2.17 - HG Prabhava Prabhu - 26 January 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.2.16 Jaya Sacinandana Dasa - 25 January 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.2.15 Yamuna Lila Devi Dasi - 24 January 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne HG Deena Bandhu prabhu - 22 January 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
In celebration of the 50th Anniversary of Sri Sri Radha Vallabha’s installation at ISKCON Melbourne by ISKCON Founder-Acharya HisDivine Grace Srila Prabhupada, this special offering has been rendered by Gopa Vrndesa Dasa Brahmchari.The song has 11 verses: 10 sweet verses of glorification of the deties, devotees and the Hare Krishna temple at Melbourne, and oneprayer verse at the end on behalf of everyone associated with ISKCON Melbourne.CREDITS:Official Name: Mahāprabhu-mandira-mahimāmṛta-daśakaṁSanskrit Composition & Translation: His Grace Gopa-Vṛndeśa Dāsa BrahmacārīVocals: Her Grace Vasudhā-Priya Devī DāsīEnglish Narration: Her Grace Yamunā-Sundarī Devī DāsīMusic Composed & Arranged By: Śrimān Tejas ChhavanTablā: Śrimān Rahul BhimteMixed & Mastered By: Śrimān Shashank Shinde@Rezonance Studio, Pune, IndiaVideo By: Bhakta Praveen KalletiVideo Assistant: Bhakta Deepankar AdhikaryOverall Coordinator: His Grace Dvija-PītāmbaraDāsa BrahmacārīAssisted By: Govinda Hari Dāsa© Gopa-Vṛndeśa Dāsa Brahmacārī, ISKCONMelbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.2.12 - 21 January 2023 Gopa Vrndesa Dasa by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.2.11 - 20 January 2023 Her Grace Nitai Sevini mathaji by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.2.7-8 - HG Deena Bandhu prabhu - 18 January 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.2.9 - HG Deena Bandhu prabhu - 19 January 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.2.7-8 - HG Deena Bandhu prabhu - 18 January 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.1.44-48 - Sri Krishna Dasa - 16 January 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne Sevya Bhagavan Prabhu - 17 January 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.1.43 - HG Aniruddha Prabhu- 15 January 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.1.38 - Jaya Sacinandana Dasa - 14 January 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare krishna Melbourne Dvija Pitambara Prabhu - 12 January 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.1.36 - Mana Mohana Dasa - 13 January 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.1.33-34 - 11 January 2023 Arjun Sakha Das 11 January 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.1.25 - Karuṇānidhi Kṛṣṇa Dāsa - 4 January 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.1.17 - Karuṇānidhi Kṛṣṇa Dāsa - 30 December 2022 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.1.22 - Madhu Manjari Devi Dasi - 2 January 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna melbourne SB 7.1.32 - HG Prabhava Prabhu - 10 January 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.1.30 - HG Aniruddha Prabhu - 8 January 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krsihna Melbourne SB 7.1.32 - HG Prabhava Prabhu - 10 January 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare krishna Melbourne SB 7.1.28-29 - 7 January 2023 Nanda Mandir Dāsa by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.1.26 - HG Aniruddha Prabhu - 5 January 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7. 1. 12 - 28 December 2022 Gopa Vrindesh Das by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.1.21 - Surya Gopal Dasa - 1 January 2023 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Morning Class SB 7.1.11 - Sri Krishna Dasa - 27 December 2022 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.1.9 - Madhavananda Dasa - 25 December 2022 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7. 1. 13 - Prabhav Das - 29 December 2022 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.1.10 - HG Prabhava Prabhu - 26 December 2022 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.1.6 - Arjun Sakha Das - 22 December 2022 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.1.3 - Madhava Govinda Prabhu - 20 December 2022 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 7.1.7 - Hanuman Dasa - 23 December 2022 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna MelbourneSB 7.1.8 - HG Narayani Mataji - 24 December 2022 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 6.19.19-25 - 17 December 2022 Jaya Sacinandana Dasa by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 6.19.26-28 7.1.1 - 18 December 2022 HG Narayani Mataji - 18 December 2022 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 6.19.7-9 - 14 December 2022 Jaya Sacinandana Dasa by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 6.19.14 - Karuṇānidhi Kṛṣṇa Dāsa - 16 December 2022 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 6.19.6 - 13 December 2022 Karuṇānidhi Kṛṣṇa Dāsa by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 6.18.75 - 9 December 2022 Arjun Sakha Das by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 6.18.76 - 10 December 2022 Surya Gopal Dasa by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 6.19.5 - 12 December 2022 Hanuman Dasa by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 6.19.1 - 11 December 2022 Madhu Manjari Devi Dasi by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 6.18.72-73 -7 December 2022 Vraja-rāja Dasa by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 6.18.63 - 6 December 2022 Man Mohan Das by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare krishna melbourne SB 6.18.53 - 3 December 2022 HH Ramai Swami by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare krishna melbourne SB 6.18.52 2 December 2022 HH Ramai Swami - by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare krishna melbourne SB 6.18.50 - 1 December 2022 HH Ramai Swami by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare krishna Melbourne SB 6.18.48 -30 November 2022 Arjun kha Das by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare krishna Melbourne SB 6.18.47 - 29 November 2022 HG Rambhoru Mataji by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 6.18.46 - 28 November 2022 Sri Krishna Dasa by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 6.18.43 - 26 November 2022 HG Sankarshan Das Adhikari by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 6.18.44-45- 27 November 2022 HG Sankarshan Das Adhikari by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 6.18.42 - 25 November 2022 Arjun Sakha Das by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 6.18.41 -24 November 2022 Jaya Sacinandana Dasa by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 6.18.38 - 23 November 2022 Mana Mohana Dasa by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 6.18.37 -22 November 2022 Yamuna Lila Devi Dasi by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 6.18.35 - 21 November 2022 Vraja-rāja Dasa by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 6.18.31-34 - 20 November 2022 Jagannath Ram Dasa by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna MelbourneSB 6.18.27-28 - 19 November 2022 Sukadeva Dasa by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna MelbourneSB 6.18.26 - 18 November 2022 HH Devamrita Swami by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 6.18.24 - 17 November 2022 Karuṇānidhi Kṛṣṇa Dāsa by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare krishna Melbourne SB 6.18.20 - 16 November 2022 Vraja-rāja Dasa by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 6.18.9 - 15 November 2022 Mana Mohana Dasa by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 6.18.7 14 November 2022 Balaram Prabhu by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB6.17.40 13 November 2022 Surya Gopal Dasa by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 6.17.39 12 November 2022 HG Prabhava Prabhu by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 6.17.38 - 11 November 2022 Karuṇānidhi Kṛṣṇa Dāsa by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 6.17.37 - 10 November 2022-HG Sankarshan Das Adhikari by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 6.17.36 - 9 November 2022 HG Sankarshan Das Adhikari by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna MelbourneSB 6.17.34-35 - 8 November 2022 HG Sankarshan Das Adhikari by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Harekrishna Melbourne SB 6.17.33 -7 November 2022 Sri Krishna Dasa by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 6.17.32 - 6 November 2022 Gopa Vrndesa Dasa by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 6.17.31 - 5 November 2022 HG Prabhava Prabhu by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 6.17.30 - 4 November 2022 -HG Aniruddha Prabhu by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 6.17.29 - 3 November 2022 Karuṇānidhi Kṛṣṇa Dāsa by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 6.17.28 - 2 November 2022 Jaya Sacinandana Dasa by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 6.17.25 - 1 November 2022 Chaitanya Charan by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 6.17.24 - 31 October 2022 Hanuman Dasa - by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna MelbourneSB 6.17.23 -30 October 2022 Chaitanya Charan Prabhu by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Damodara Lila and Damodarastakam verses explained - Chaitanya Charan by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne Special class SB 10.31.9 - 29 October 2022 HG Chaitanya Charan by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 6.17.22 - 28 October 2022 Sri Caitanya Dasa by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 6.17.21 - HG Prabhava Prabhu - 27 October 2022 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 6.17.20 - 26 October 2022 HGChaitanya Charan Prabhu by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 6.17.19 - 25 October 2022 HG Aniruddha Prabhu by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 6.17.18 24 October 2022_HG Rambhoru Mataji by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 10.24 and 25 - 22 October 2022 HG Prana Prabhu by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 6.17.15 21 October 2022 Surya Gopal Dasa by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 6.17.14 - 20 October 2022 HG Prabhava Prabhu by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 6.17.11 -19 October 2022 Vraja-rāja Dasa by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 6.17.10 - 18 October 2022 Jaya Sacinandana Dasa by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 6.17.9 - 17 October 2022 Sri Krishna Dasa by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 6.17.8 - 16 October 2022-Jagannath Ram Dasa by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 6.17.6-7 - 15 October 2022-Nanda Mandir Dāsa - by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 6.17.4-5 - 14 October 2022 HG Prabhava Prabhu by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 6.17.1 - 13 October 2022 Gopa Vrndesa Dasa by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 6.16.58 - Madhu Manjari Devi Dasi 12 October 2022 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 6.16.57 -11 October 2022 Jaya Sacinandana Dasa by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 6.16.56 -10 October 2022 Hanuman Dasa by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 6.16.55 - 8 October 2022 Arjun Sakha Das by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 6.16.53,54 7 October 2022 Sri Caitanya Dasa by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 6.16.52 - 6 October 2022 HH Devamrita Swami by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melourne SB 6.16.51 - 5 October 2022 Madhu Manjari Devi Dasi by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 6.16.48 - 4 October 2022 HH Devamrita Swami by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne Sb - 6.16.46 -3-October -2022 Hg Prabhava Prabhu by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 6.16.45 - 2 October 2022 HG Aniruddha Prabhu by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 6.16.44 1 October 2022 HH Devamrita Swami by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare krishna Melbourne SB6.16.42-29 September 2022 Jaya sacinandana Dasa by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne SB 6.16.41 -28 September 2022- HG Prabhava Prabhu by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare krsihna Melbourne SB 6.16.40 - 27 September 2022-Kesava Prabhu by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare krishna Melbourne SB 6.16.39 - 26 September 2022 HG Aniruddha Prabhu by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare krishna Melbourne SB 6.16.38 - 25 September 2022 _Mathurā Manohara Dāsa by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare krishna Melbourne SB 6.16.37-24 September 2022-Jaya Nitai Dasa by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare krishna Melbourne SB 6.16.36 - 23 September 2022-Surya Gopal Dasa by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare krishna Melbourne- SB 6.16.35 22 September 2022_HG Prabhava Prabhu by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare krishna Melbourne- SB 6.16.34 21 September 2022_Chaitanya Dasa by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare krishna Melbourne- SB 6.16.33 20 September 2022_Jagannathram Dasa by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne- SB 6.16.32 19th September 2022 Sri Krishna Dasa by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Hare Krishna Melbourne-SB 6.16.31 18th September 2022_HG Aniruddha Prabhu by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Śrīmad Bhāgavatam class on Thu 16th June 2022 by Her Grace Jagattarini Dāsi 10.22.35 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Śrīmad Bhāgavatam class on Wed 15th June 2022 by Her Grace Jagattarini Dāsi 1.15.43 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
One may doubt how a gentleman can retire from family life and live as a beggar, eating meager foodstuffs. The Lord here responds by stating that sumptuous or palatable foods — along with all other material objects, such as the body itself — should never be seen as ultimate reality, since they are obviously perishable items. One should retire from material programs destined to enhance the quality of one’s illusion both in this life and the next.
Śrīmad Bhāgavatam class on Mon 13th June 2022 by JayaSacinandana Dāsa 6.9.53-55 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Śrīmad Bhāgavatam class on Sun 12th June 2022 by MadhuManjari Dāsi 6.9.52 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Śrīmad Bhāgavatam class on Sat 11th June 2022 by NandaMandir Dāsa 6.9.51 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Conditioned souls are generally bereft of intelligence because of profound desires for sense gratification. They do not know what benedictions to ask. Therefore nondevotees are advised in the śāstras to worship various demigods to achieve material benefits.
Śrīmad Bhāgavatam class on Thu 9th June 2022 by Śri Kṛṣṇa Dāsa 6.9.49 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Śrīmad Bhāgavatam class on Wed 8th June 2022 by Ādipuruṣa Dāsa 6.9.48 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
A devotee says, govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi: “I offer my respectful obeisances unto Govinda, unto Kṛṣṇa.” That is the way to offer prayers. If one continues to offer such personal prayers to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, he is eligible to become a pure devotee and return home, back to Godhead.
As expressed in the prayers offered by Queen Kuntī, the Lord is akiñcana-vitta, the property of such a devotee. Those who are liberated from the bondage of conditioned life are elevated to the spiritual world, where they achieve five kinds of liberation — sāyujya, sālokya, sārūpya, sārṣṭi and sāmīpya. They personally associate with the Lord in five mellows — śānta, dāsya, sakhya, vātsalya and mādhurya. These rasas are all emanations from Kṛṣṇa
“Those miscreants who are grossly foolish, lowest among mankind, whose knowledge is stolen by illusion, and who partake of the atheistic nature of demons, do not surrender unto Me. O best among the Bhāratas [Arjuna], four kinds of pious men render devotional service unto Me — the distressed, the desirer of wealth, the inquisitive, and he who is searching for knowledge of the Absolute.”
Śrīmad Bhāgavatam class on Sat 4thJune 2022 by Surya Gopal Dāsa 6.9.42-43 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Śrīmad Bhāgavatam class on Fri 3rd June 2022 by Ādipuruṣa Dāsa 6.9.40 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Śrīmad Bhāgavatam class on Thu 2nd June 2022 by Gopa Vrndesa Dāsa 6.9.40 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Śrīmad Bhāgavatam class on Wed 1st June 2022 by His Grace Prabhava Prabhu 6.9.39 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Śrīmad Bhāgavatam class on Mon 30th May 2022 by Karuṇānidhi Kṛṣṇa Dāsa 6.9.37 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Śrīmad Bhāgavatam class on Tue 31st May 2022 by His Grace Kesava Prabhu 6.9.38 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Śrīmad Bhāgavatam class on Sat 29th May 2022 by His Grace Bhakta Prabhu 6.9.36 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Śrīmad Bhāgavatam class on Sat 28th May 2022 by Mādhavananda Dāsa 6.9.35 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Śrīmad Bhāgavatam class on Fri 27th May 2022 by Ādipuruṣa Dāsa 6.9.34 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Above realization of Nārāyaṇa is realization of Baladeva, and above that is realization of Kṛṣṇa. All these realizations are possible when one engages fully in devotional service. The covered core of one’s heart is then completely open to receiving an understanding of the Supreme Personality of Godhead in His various forms.
Śrīmad Bhāgavatam class on Wed 25th May 2022 by His Grace Aniruddha Prabhu 6.9.31-32 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
In Vaikuṇṭhaloka the Supreme Personality of Godhead has four hands and decorations like the Śrīvatsa mark on His chest and the gem known as Kaustubha. These are special indications of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The Lord’s personal attendants and other devotees in Vaikuṇṭha have the same features, except for the Śrīvatsa mark and the Kaustubha gem.
Śrīmad Bhāgavatam class on Mon 23rd May 2022 by GopaVrndesa Dāsa 6.9.26-27 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Śrīmad Bhāgavatam class on Sun 22nd May 2022 by His Holiness Devāmrita Swāmi 6.9.23-25 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Śrīmad Bhāgavatam class on Sat 21st May 2022 by His Grace Aniruddha Prabhu 6.9.22 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Although the time factor is fearful to everyone, fear personified is afraid of the Supreme Lord, who is therefore known as abhaya, fearless. Taking shelter of the Supreme Lord brings actual fearlessness, and therefore the demigods decided to take shelter of the Lord.
Śrīmad Bhāgavatam class on Thu 19th May 2022 by Śri Kṛṣṇa Dāsa 6.9.8-11 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Śrīmad Bhāgavatam class on Wed 18th May 2022 by Jai SaciNandana Dāsa 6.9.4-7 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Śrīmad Bhāgavatam class on Tue 17th May 2022 by His Grace Kesava Prabhu 6.9.2-3 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Śrīmad Bhāgavatam class on Mon 16th May 2022 by Karuṇānidhi Kṛṣṇa Dāsa 6.8.1 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
If one sincerely tries his best to spread Kṛṣṇa consciousness by preaching the glories of the Lord and His supremacy, even if he is imperfectly educated, he becomes the dearmost servant of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. This is bhakti. As one performs this service for humanity, without discrimination between friends and enemies, the Lord becomes satisfied, and the mission of one’s life is fulfilled.
Śrīmad Bhāgavatam class on Fri 13th May 2022 by Her Grace Devaki Dāsi by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Śrīmad Bhāgavatam class on Thu 12th May 2022 by GopaVrndesa Dāsa 6.8.20-30 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
The mission of Lord Buddha was to save people from the abominable activity of animal killing and to save the poor animals from being unnecessarily killed. When pāṣaṇḍīs were cheating by killing animals on the plea of sacrificing them in Vedic yajñas, the Lord said, “If the Vedic injunctions allow animal killing, I do not accept the Vedic principles.” Thus he actually saved people who acted according to Vedic principles. One should therefore surrender to Lord Buddha so that he can help one avoid misusing the injunctions of the Vedas.
Śrīmad Bhāgavatam class on Tue 10th May 2022 by Vraja Rāja Dāsa 6.8.18 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Śrīmad Bhāgavatam class on Mon 9th May 2022 by Ādipuruṣa Dāsa 6.8.13-17 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Thinking oneself one with the Supreme is called ahaṅgrahopāsanā. Through ahaṅgrahopāsanā one does not become God, but he thinks of himself as qualitatively one with the Supreme. Understanding that as a spirit soul he is equal in quality to the supreme soul the way the water of a river is of the same nature as the water of the sea, one should meditate upon the Supreme Lord, as described in this verse, and seek His protection. The living entities are always subordinate to the Supreme. Consequently their duty is to always seek the mercy of the Lord in order to be protected by Him in all circumstances.
Śrīmad Bhāgavatam class on Sat 7th May 2022 by Her Grace Devaki Dāsi 6.7.39-40 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Śrīmad Bhāgavatam class on Fri 6th May 2022 by Karuṇānidhi Kṛṣṇa Dāsa 6.7.37-38 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
A first-class brāhmaṇa does not accept any rewards from his disciples or yajamānas. Practicing austerities and penances, he instead goes to the agricultural field and collects food grains left by the agriculturalists to be collected by brāhmaṇas. Similarly, such brāhmaṇas go to marketplaces where grains are purchased and sold wholesale, and there they collect grains left by the merchants. In this way, such exalted brāhmaṇas maintain their bodies and families. Such priests never demand anything from their disciples to live in opulence, imitating kṣatriyas or vaiśyas. In other words, a pure brāhmaṇa voluntarily accepts a life of poverty and lives in complete dependence on the mercy of the Lord.
Śrīmad Bhāgavatam class on Tue 3rd May 2022 by His Grace Kesava Prabhu 6.7.34 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
It does not matter whether one is a brāhmaṇa, śūdra, gṛhastha or sannyāsī. These are all material designations. A spiritually advanced person has nothing to do with such designations. Therefore, if one is advanced in the science of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, regardless of his position in human society, he may become a spiritual master.
Śrīmad Bhāgavatam class on Sun 1st May 2022 by His Grace Prabhav Prabhu 6.7.24 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Śrīmad Bhāgavatam class on Sun 30th Apr 2022 by Madhavānanda Dāsa 6.7.23 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Śrīmad Bhāgavatam class on Sat 29th Apr 2022 by Hanumān Dāsa 6.7.22 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Śrīmad Bhāgavatam class on Fri 28th Jan 2022 by His Grace Aniruddha Prabhu 6.7.16 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
“Just try to learn the truth by approaching a spiritual master. Inquire from him submissively and render service unto him. The self-realized soul can impart knowledge unto you because he has seen the truth.” One should fully surrender unto the spiritual master and with service (sevayā) one should approach him for further spiritual enlightenment.
One who boards a boat made of stone is doomed. To be elevated to the stage of perfection, humanity must first give up false leaders who present boats of stone. All of human society is in such a dangerous position that to be rescued it must abide by the standard instructions of the Vedas. The cream of these instructions appears in the form of Bhagavad-gītā. One should not take shelter of any other instructions, for Bhagavad-gītā gives direct instructions on how to fulfill the aim of human life.
When Lord Kṛṣṇa was sitting on His throne and Nārada fortunately entered His assembly, even Lord Kṛṣṇa immediately stood up with His officers and ministers to offer respectful obeisances to Nārada. Nārada knew that Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and Kṛṣṇa knew that Nārada was His devotee, but although Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Lord and Nārada is the Lord’s devotee, the Lord observed the religious etiquette.
Śrīmad Bhāgavatam class on Sun 24th Apr 2022 by His Grace Prabhav Prabhu 6.7.1-12 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Śri Śri Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa Deities 50th Anniversary lecture 23 April 2022 by Her Grace Chitra Lekha Dāsi and His Grace Kurma Prabhu
After the incidents concerning the loss of his many sons, Dakṣa repented his misunderstanding with Nārada Muni. Lord Brahmā then saw Dakṣa and instructed him to beget children again. This time Dakṣa was very cautious to beget female children instead of male children so that Nārada Muni would not disturb them by urging them to accept the renounced order.
Following the orders of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, one who preaches the glories of the Lord all over the world or all over the universe should be humbler than grass and more tolerant than a tree because a preacher cannot live an easygoing life. Indeed, a preacher must face many impediments. Not only is he sometimes cursed, but sometimes he must also suffer personal injury. For example, when Nityānanda Prabhu went to preach Kṛṣṇa consciousness to the two roguish brothers Jagāi and Mādhāi, they injured Him and made His head bleed, but nevertheless, He tolerantly delivered the two rogues, who became perfect Vaiṣṇavas.
Śrīmad Bhāgavatam class on Wed 20th Apr 2022 by Jai Sacinandana Dāsa 6.5.43 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Śrīmad Bhāgavatam class on Tue 19th Apr 2022 by Her Grace Devaki Dāsi 6.5.42 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
According to Dakṣa’s philosophy, one should become implicated in material enjoyment so that after experiencing the distress of such enjoyment. one will automatically renounce. Material nature, however, is so strong that although a man suffers at every step, he will not cease his attempts to enjoy (tṛpyanti neha kṛpaṇā-bahu-duḥkha-bhājaḥ). Under the circumstances, unless one gets the association of a devotee like Nārada Muni or his servant in the disciplic succession, one’s dormant spirit of renunciation cannot be awakened. It is not a fact that because material enjoyment involves so many painful conditions one will automatically become detached. One needs the blessings of a devotee like Nārada Muni. Then one can renounce his attachment for the material world. The young boys and girls of the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement have given up the spirit of material enjoyment not because of practice but by the mercy of Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and His servants.
This is a joint class by Her Grace Rasarāni Dāsi, Her Grace Ambika Dāsi, Her Grace Surabhi Dāsi, and Her Grace Rukmavati Dāsi.
Śrīmad Bhāgavatam class on Sat 16th Apr 2022 by His Grace Aniruddha Prabhu 6.5.39 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Śrīmad Bhāgavatam class on Fri 15th Apr 2022 by Karuṇānidhi Kṛṣṇa Dāsa 6.5.38 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Śrīmad Bhāgavatam class on Thu 14th Apr 2022 by His Grace Prabhava Prabhu 6.5.37 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
A brāhmaṇa gṛhastha may earn his livelihood by becoming a learned scholar and teaching people in general how to worship the Supreme Personality of Godhead. He may also assume the duty of worship himself. Therefore it is said that only brāhmaṇas may engage in Deity worship, and they may accept as prasāda whatever people offer the Deity. Although a brāhmaṇa may sometimes accept charity, it is not for his personal maintenance but for the worship of the Deity. Thus a brāhmaṇa does not stock anything for his future use.
Śrīmad Bhāgavatam class on Tue 12th Apr 2022 by Gopa Vrndesa Dāsa 6.5.31-35 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Śrīmad Bhāgavatam class on Mon 11th Apr 2022 by His Grace Narasimha Kavaca Prabhu 6.5.29-30 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Śrī Rāma-Navamī class on Sun 10th April 2022 by His Grace Prabhava Prabhu 9.10.53 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
From these verses it is apparent that the chanting of the mahā-mantra or the Vedic mantras must be accompanied by severe austerities. In Kali-yuga, people cannot undergo severe austerities like those mentioned herein — drinking only water and eating only air for many months. One cannot imitate such a process
Śrīmad Bhāgavatam class on Fri 8th Apr 2022 by Śri Chaitanya Dāsa 6.5.26 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Śrīmad Bhāgavatam class on Thu 7th Apr 2022 by His Grace Narasimha Kavaca Prabhu 6.5.25 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Prajāpati Dakṣa is very expert in begetting children, and Nārada Muni is very expert in delivering all the conditioned souls back home, back to Godhead. Therefore the materialistic experts do not agree with the spiritual expert Nārada Muni, but this does not mean that Nārada Muni will give up his engagement of chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra.
Śrīmad Bhāgavatam class on Tue 5th Apr 2022 by His Grace Narasimha Kavaca Prabhu 6.5.23 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Śrīmad Bhāgavatam class on Mon 4th Apr 2022 by His Grace Aniruddha Prabhu 6.5.22 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Śrīmad Bhāgavatam class on Sun 3rd Apr 2022 by Surya Gopal Dāsa 6.5.21 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Śrīmad Bhāgavatam class on Sat 2nd Apr 2022 by Nanda Mandir Dāsa 6.5.20 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Śrīmad Bhāgavatam class on Fri 1st Apr 2022 by Śri Kṛṣṇa Dāsa 6.5.19 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
The Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is very eager to present Vedic literature in modern languages, especially Western languages such as English, French and German. The leaders of the Western world, the Americans and Europeans, have become the idols of modern civilization because the Western people are very sophisticated in temporary activities for the advancement of material civilization. A sane man, however, can see that all such grand activities, although perhaps very important for temporary life, have nothing to do with eternal life. The entire world is imitating the materialistic civilization of the West, and therefore the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is very much interested in giving the Western people knowledge by translating the original Sanskrit Vedic literatures into Western languages.
“Learned transcendentalists who know the Absolute Truth call this nondual substance Brahman, Paramātmā or Bhagavān.” The Absolute Truth appears to neophytes as impersonal Brahman and to advanced mystic yogīs as Paramātmā, the Supersoul, but devotees, who are further advanced, understand the Absolute Truth as the Supreme Lord, Viṣṇu.
Śrīmad Bhāgavatam class on Tue 29th Mar 2022 by His Grace Kesava Prabhu 6.5.16 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
“The bewildered spirit soul, under the influence of the three modes of material nature, thinks himself to be the doer of activities, which are in actuality carried out by nature.” Although one follows the dictations of material nature, he happily thinks himself the master or husband of material nature. Scientists, for example, try to be the masters of material nature, life after life, not caring to understand the Supreme Person, under whose direction everything within this material world is moving
“After attaining Me, the great souls, who are yogīs in devotion, never return to this temporary world, which is full of miseries, because they have attained the highest perfection.” One’s real concern should be to free himself from the repetition of birth and death and attain the topmost perfection of life by living with the Supreme King in the spiritual world.
A Kṛṣṇa conscious person does not change his profession, for his only profession is to attract the attention of Kṛṣṇa by chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra and living a very simple life, without following daily changes of fashion. In our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, fashionable persons are taught to adopt one fashion — the dress of a Vaiṣṇava with a shaved head and tilaka. They are taught to be always clean in mind, dress and eating in order to be fixed in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. What is the use of changing one’s dress, sometimes wearing long hair and a long beard and sometimes dressing otherwise? This is not good. One should not waste his time in such frivolous activities. One should always be fixed in Kṛṣṇa consciousness and take the cure of devotional service with firm determination.
Śrīmad Bhāgavatam class on Fri 25th Mar 2022 by Yamuna Lila Dāsi 6.5.12 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
The Haryaśvas, the sons of Prajāpati Dakṣa, could immediately understand the purport of Nārada’s instructions. Our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is especially meant for such enlightenment. We are trying to enlighten humanity so that people may come to the understanding that they should work hard in tapasya for self-realization and freedom from the continuous bondage of birth, death, old age and disease in one body after another. Māyā, however, is very strong; she is expert in putting impediments in the way of this understanding. Therefore sometimes one comes to the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement but again falls into the clutches of māyā, not understanding the importance of this movement.
Śrīmad Bhāgavatam class on Wed 23rd Mar 2022 by His Holiness Ramai Swamii 6.5.1-8 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Śrīmad Bhāgavatam class on Tue 22nd Mar 2022 by MadhuManjari Dāsi 6.4.51-54 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Nothing is possible without tapasya. Lord Brahmā, however, was empowered to create this entire universe because of his austerities. The more we engage in austerities, the more we become powerful by the grace of the Lord. Therefore Ṛṣabhadeva advised His sons, tapo divyaṁ putrakā yena sattvaṁ śuddhyed: “One should engage in penance and austerity to attain the divine position of devotional service. By such activity, one’s heart is purified.” (Bhāg. 5.5.1) In our material existence we are impure, and therefore we cannot do anything wonderful, but if we purify our existence by tapasya, we can do wonderful things by the grace of the Lord. Therefore tapasya is very important, as stressed in this verse.
The first cause is the Lord Himself, the Supreme Person. From Him, Brahmā is created, and Brahmā takes charge of the affairs of the universe. The universal affairs of the material creation depend upon the material energy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is therefore the cause of the material creation. The entire cosmic manifestation is described herein as guṇa-vigrahaḥ, the form of the Lord’s qualities. From the cosmic universal form, the first creation is Lord Brahmā, who is the cause of all living entities.
“Learned transcendentalists who know the Absolute Truth call this nondual substance Brahman, Paramātmā or Bhagavān.” Consideration of the Paramātmā and impersonal Brahman arose after the creation; before the creation, only the Supreme Personality of Godhead existed. As firmly declared in Bhagavad-gītā (18.55), the Lord can be understood only by bhakti-yoga. The ultimate cause, the supreme cause of creation, is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who can be understood only by bhakti-yoga.
The Lord is described in the Third Canto (3.2.15) as follows: parāvareśo mahad-aṁśa-yukto hy ajo ’pi jāto bhagavān. Although unborn, the Lord, the master of everything, appears like a born child by entering the mind of a devotee. The Lord is already there within the mind, and consequently it is not astonishing for Him to appear as if born from a devotee’s body.
To engage in tapasya, or denial of material activities, is the first principle of spiritual life. Then there are spiritual activities, such as the performance of Vedic ritualistic sacrifices, study of the Vedic knowledge, meditation upon the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and chanting of the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra. One should also respect the demigods and understand how they are situated, how they act and how they manage the activities of the various departments of this material world.
There are various types of incarnations or expansions of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The expansions of His personal self, or viṣṇu-tattva, are called svāṁśa expansions, whereas the living entities, who are not viṣṇu-tattva but jīva-tattva, are called vibhinnāṁśa, separated expansions. Although Prajāpati Dakṣa is not on the same level as Lord Brahmā and Lord Śiva, he is compared to them because he engages in the service of the Lord. In the service of the Personality of Godhead, it is not that Lord Brahmā is considered very great while an ordinary human being trying to preach the glories of the Lord is considered very low. There are no such distinctions. Regardless of whether materially high or materially low, anyone engaged in the service of the Lord is spiritually very dear to Him.
All the living entities within this material world have revolted against the service of the Lord, and therefore they remain within this material world as ever conditioned, nitya-baddha, taking birth again and again. There is a chance, of course, of their being liberated, but nevertheless the conditioned souls, not taking advantage of this opportunity, continue in a life of sense enjoyment, and thus they are punished by birth and death again and again. This is the law of nature.
Śrīmad Bhāgavatam class on Mon 14th Mar 2022 by Surya Gopal Dāsa 6.4.42-43 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
When one actually realizes or sees the Supreme Personality of Godhead, he is filled with complete happiness. For example, when Dhruva Mahārāja saw the Lord in his presence, he said, svāmin kṛtārtho ’smi varaṁ na yāce: “My dear Lord, I have nothing to ask from You. Now I am completely satisfied.” Similarly, when Prajāpati Dakṣa saw the Supreme Lord in his presence, he simply fell flat, unable to speak or ask Him for anything.
The conditioned soul cannot understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead by speculative knowledge or by imagination. One must therefore know the Supreme Personality of Godhead by the grace of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. He reveals Himself, but He cannot be understood by speculation.
As a small boy He lifted Govardhana Hill, and in His childhood He killed many demons. Such activities are very attractive, and therefore He is sometimes called Giridhārī, Madhusūdana, Agha-niṣūdana and so on. Because He acted as the son of Nanda Mahārāja, He is called Nanda-tanuja. These names already exist, but since nondevotees cannot understand the names of the Lord, He is sometimes called anāma, or nameless. This means that He has no material names. All His activities are spiritual, and therefore He has spiritual names.
The bhaktas know that the Supreme Person has no material form, whereas the jñānīs simply deny the material form. One should therefore take shelter of the bhakti-mārga, the path of devotion; then everything will be clear. Jñānīs concentrate on the virāṭ-rūpa, the gigantic universal form of the Lord. This is a good system in the beginning for those who are extremely materialistic, but there is no need to think continuously of the virāṭ-rūpa.
Philosophy means finding the ultimate cause. As Vedānta-sūtra very reasonably says, athāto brahma jijñāsā: human life is meant for understanding the ultimate cause. Devotees accept that the ultimate cause is Kṛṣṇa because this conclusion is supported by all Vedic literature and also by Kṛṣṇa Himself, who says, ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavaḥ: “I am the source of everything.”
The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa, is the original cause, as confirmed in Bhagavad-gītā (ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavaḥ). Even this material world, which is conducted under the modes of material nature, is caused by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who therefore also has an intimate relationship with the material world. If the material world were not a part of His body, the Supreme Lord, the supreme cause, would be incomplete.
One who manufactures names, forms, qualities or paraphernalia pertaining to the Supreme Personality of Godhead cannot understand Him, since He is beyond creation. The Supreme Lord is the creator of everything, and this means that He existed when there was no creation. In other words, His name, form and qualities are not materially created entities; they are transcendental always. Therefore by our material concoctions, vibrations and thoughts we cannot ascertain the Supreme Lord
To understand Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, one must undergo severe penances and austerities, but since the path of devotional service is perfect, by following this process one can very easily come to the spiritual platform and understand the Lord.
In our gross conditional stage we perceive things through material experience and remembrance, and in the subtle stage we perceive the world in dreams. The process of vision also involves remembrance and also exists in a subtle form. Above gross experience and dreams is suṣupti, deep sleep, and when one comes to the completely spiritual platform, transcending deep sleep, he attains trance, viśuddha-sattva, or vasudeva-sattva, in which the Personality of Godhead is revealed.
Material scientists can make an analytical study of the physical elements, the body, the senses, the sense objects and even the air that controls the vital force, but still they cannot understand that above all these is the real spirit soul. In other words, the living entity, because of his being a spirit soul, can understand all the material objects, or, when self-realized, he can understand the Paramātmā, upon whom yogīs meditate. Nevertheless, the living being, even if advanced, cannot understand the Supreme Being, the Personality of Godhead, for He is ananta, unlimited, in all six opulences.
Actually the Supersoul is directing the workings of his senses in the enjoyment of sense objects, but as these sense objects cannot see the senses, the conditioned soul cannot see the directing soul. The conditioned soul has desires, and the Supreme Soul fulfills them, but the conditioned soul is unable to see the Supreme Soul.
The conditioned souls may try to understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead for many billions of years through their mental speculative processes, traveling at the speed of the mind or the wind, but still the Absolute Truth will remain inconceivable to them because a materialistic person cannot measure the length and breadth of the Supreme Personality of Godhead’s unlimited existence. If the Absolute Truth is beyond measurement, one may ask, how can one realize Him? The answer is given here by the word svayambhuve: one may understand Him or not, but nevertheless He is existing in His own spiritual potency.
When one becomes angry, he forgets himself and his situation, but if one is able to consider his situation by knowledge, one transcends the influence of the modes of material nature. One is always a servant of lusty desires, anger, greed, illusion, envy and so forth, but if one obtains sufficient strength in spiritual advancement, one can control them. One who obtains such control will always be transcendentally situated, untouched by the modes of material nature.
Śrīmad Bhāgavatam class on Mon 28th Feb 2022 by YamunaLila Dāsi 6.4.13 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Śrīmad Bhāgavatam class on Sun 27th Feb 2022 by Jagannath Ram Dāsa 6.4.12 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Śrīmad Bhāgavatam class on Sat 26th Feb 2022 by Surya Gopal Dāsa 6.4.10-11 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Soma, the predominating deity of the moon, reminded the Pracetās that this vegetation had been created by the Lord of lords to provide food for everyone. If the Pracetās tried to kill them off, their own subjects would also suffer, for trees are also required for food.
The government or king has the duty of protecting not only the human beings, but all other living entities, including animals, trees and plants. No living entity should be killed unnecessarily.
It is understood from this verse that the predominating deity of the moon is the maintainer of all the trees and plants throughout the universe. It is due to the moonshine that trees and plants grow very luxuriantly. Therefore how can we accept the so-called scientists whose moon expeditions have informed us that there are no trees or vegetation on the moon?
When the government neglects agriculture, which is necessary for the production of food, the land becomes covered with unnecessary trees. Of course, many trees are useful because they produce fruits and flowers, but many other trees are unnecessary. They could be used as fuel and the land cleared and used for agriculture. When the government is negligent, less grain is produced.
Śrīmad Bhāgavatam class on Mon 21st Feb 2022 by His Grace Aniruddha Prabhu 6.4.1-4 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Śrīmad Bhāgavatam class on Sun 20th Feb 2022 by His Grace Bhakta Prabhu 6.3.34-35 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
A devotee’s duty is to chant the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. One may sometimes chant with offenses and sometimes without offenses, but if one seriously adopts this process, he will achieve perfection, which cannot be achieved through Vedic ritualistic ceremonies of atonement. Persons who are attached to the Vedic ritualistic ceremonies, but do not believe in devotional service, who advise atonement, but do not appreciate the chanting of the Lord’s holy name, fail to achieve the highest perfection
Even if one chants the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra offensively, one can avoid offenses by continuously chanting without deviation. One who becomes accustomed to this practice will always remain in a pure transcendental position, untouchable by sinful reactions.
The chanting of the holy name of the Lord is able to uproot even the reactions of the greatest sins. Therefore the chanting of the saṅkīrtana movement is the most auspicious activity in the entire universe. Please try to understand this.
Lord Yamarāja took upon himself the responsibility for the offense committed by his servants. If the servant of an establishment makes a mistake, the establishment takes responsibility for it. Although Yamarāja is above offenses, his servants, practically with his permission, went to arrest Ajāmila, which was a great offense. The nyāya-śāstra confirms, bhṛtyāparādhe svāmino daṇḍaḥ: if a servant makes a mistake, the master is punishable because he is responsible for the offense. Taking this seriously, Yamarāja, along with his servants, prayed with folded hands to be excused by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Nārāyaṇa.
Every human being is expected to perform duties meant for approaching Lord Viṣṇu. Therefore Yamarāja advises the Yamadūtas to bring him those persons who have forgotten their duties toward Viṣṇu (akṛta-viṣṇu-kṛtyān). One who does not chant the holy name of Viṣṇu (Kṛṣṇa), who does not bow down to the Deity of Viṣṇu, and who does not remember the lotus feet of Viṣṇu is punishable by Yamarāja. In summary, all avaiṣṇavas, persons unconcerned with Lord Viṣṇu, are punishable by Yamarāja.
Let me offer my obeisances to Lord Śrī Nityānanda, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, whose opulence is wonderful and unlimited. By His will, even a fool can understand His identity.
Yamarāja specifically advises his servants to bring these persons to him for punishment and not to bring the devotees, who always lick the honey at the lotus feet of the Lord, who are equal to everyone, and who try to preach Kṛṣṇa consciousness because of sympathy for all living entities. Devotees are not liable to punishment by Yamarāja, but persons who have no information of Kṛṣṇa consciousness cannot be protected by their material life of so-called family enjoyment.
In effect, Yamarāja warned his servants, “My dear servants, despite what you may have done previously to disturb the devotees, henceforward you should stop. The actions of devotees who have surrendered unto the lotus feet of the Lord and who constantly chant the holy name of the Lord are praised by the demigods and the residents of Siddhaloka. Those devotees are so respectable and exalted that Lord Viṣṇu personally protects them with the club in His hand. Therefore, regardless of what you have done this time, henceforward you should not approach such devotees; "
A pure devotee is one whose intelligence is clear; he is truly thoughtful because he engages in the service of the Lord — not as a matter of show, but with love, with his mind, words and body. Nondevotees may make a show of religion, but it is not very effective because although they ostentatiously attend a temple or church, they are thinking of something else. Such persons are neglecting their religious duty and are punishable by Yamarāja. But a devotee who commits sinful acts, which he may do unwillingly or accidentally because of his former habits, is excused. That is the value of the saṅkīrtana movement.
Especially in this Age of Kali, saṅkīrtana alone is sufficient. If the members of our temples in the different parts of the world simply continue saṅkīrtana before the Deity, especially before Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, they will remain perfect. There is no need of any other performances. Nevertheless, to keep oneself clean in habits and mind, Deity worship and other regulative principles are required. Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī says that although saṅkīrtana is sufficient for the perfection of life, the arcanā, or worship of the Deity in the temple, must continue in order that the devotees may stay clean and pure.
The chanting of the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra is recommended even for persons who commit offenses, because if they continue chanting they will gradually chant offenselessly. By chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra without offenses, one increases his love for Kṛṣṇa. As stated by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, premā pumartho mahān: one’s main concern should be to increase one’s attachment to the Supreme Personality of Godhead and to increase one’s love for Him.
Śrī Advaita Prabhu, who is an incarnation of Mahā-Viṣṇu, is an ācārya, or teacher. All His activities and all the other activities of Viṣṇu are auspicious. Anyone who can view the all-auspiciousness in the pastimes of Lord Viṣṇu also becomes auspicious simultaneously. Therefore, since Lord Viṣṇu is the fountainhead of auspiciousness, anyone who is attracted by the devotional service of Lord Viṣṇu can render the greatest service to human society.
There is no need to conduct research into the significance of the chanting of the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. The history of Ajāmila is sufficient proof of the power of the Lord’s holy name and the exalted position of a person who chants the holy name incessantly.
After chanting the holy name of the Lord and dancing in ecstasy, one gradually sees the form of the Lord, the pastimes of the Lord and the transcendental qualities of the Lord. This way one fully understands the situation of the Personality of Godhead. One can come to this understanding of the Lord, how He descends into the material world, how He takes His births and what activities He performs, but one can know this only by executing devotional service.
There are four lines of disciplic succession: one from Lord Brahmā, one from Lord Śiva, one from Lakṣmī, the goddess of fortune, and one from the Kumāras. The disciplic succession from Lord Brahmā is called the Brahma sampradāya, the succession from Lord Śiva (Śambhu) is called the Rudra sampradāya, the one from the goddess of fortune, Lakṣmījī, is called the Śrī sampradāya, and the one from the Kumāras is called the Kumāra sampradāya. One must take shelter of one of these four sampradāyas in order to understand the most confidential religious system.
When challenged by the Viṣṇudūtas to describe the principles of religion, the Yamadūtas said, veda-praṇihito dharmaḥ: the religious principles are the principles enacted in the Vedic literature. They did not know, however, that the Vedic literature contains ritualistic ceremonies that are not transcendental, but are meant to keep peace and order among materialistic persons in the material world. Real religious principles are nistraiguṇya, above the three modes of material nature, or transcendental.
The pure devotees of Lord Viṣṇu may rest assured of the Lord’s protection, and as long as they are in this material world they should fully engage in devotional service by preaching the cult of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and Lord Kṛṣṇa, namely the Hare Kṛṣṇa movement of Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
Yamarāja was describing the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the supreme controller, but the order carriers of Yamarāja were very eager to know about the Viṣṇudūtas, who had defeated them in their encounter with Ajāmila. Yamarāja therefore stated that the Viṣṇudūtas resemble the Supreme Personality of Godhead in their bodily features, transcendental qualities and nature. In other words, the Viṣṇudūtas, or Vaiṣṇavas, are almost as qualified as the Supreme Lord. Yamarāja informed the Yamadūtas that the Viṣṇudūtas are no less powerful than Lord Viṣṇu. Since Viṣṇu is above Yamarāja, the Viṣṇudūtas are above the Yamadūtas. Persons protected by the Viṣṇudūtas, therefore, cannot be touched by the Yamadūtas.
The living entity cannot do anything without the sanction of the Supersoul. The Supersoul is acting at every moment, but the living entity cannot understand the form and activities of the Supersoul by manipulating his senses. The example of the eyes and the bodily limbs is very appropriate. If the limbs could see, they could walk forward without the help of the eyes, but that is impossible. Although one cannot see the Supersoul in one’s heart through sensual activities, His direction is necessary.
Even those in the mode of goodness, like the many demigods and great ṛṣis described in these verses, cannot understand the activities of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. As stated in Bhagavad-gītā, one who is situated in the devotional service of the Lord is transcendental to all the material qualities. Therefore the Lord personally says that no one can understand Him but the bhaktas, who are transcendental to all material qualities (bhaktyā mām abhijānāti).
The varṇāśrama institution offers the perfect process for making one eligible to return home, back to Godhead, because the aim of every varṇa and āśrama is to please the Supreme Lord. One can please the Lord under the direction of a bona fide spiritual master, and if one does so his life is perfect. The Supreme Lord is worshipable, and everyone worships Him directly or indirectly. Those who worship Him directly get the results of liberation quickly, whereas the liberation of those who serve Him indirectly is delayed.
Apart from other living entities, the living being in the human form of body is systematically controlled by the Vedic injunctions in terms of the divisions of varṇa and āśrama. A human being is expected to follow the rules and regulations of varṇa and āśrama; otherwise he cannot escape punishment by Yamarāja. The point is that every human being is expected to elevate himself to the position of a brāhmaṇa, the most intelligent man, and then one must transcend that position to become a Vaiṣṇava. This is the perfection of life.
In governmental management there may be departmental officials to give justice to different persons, but the law must be one, and that central law must control everyone. The Yamadūtas could not imagine that two judges would give two different verdicts in the same case, and therefore they wanted to know who the central judge is. The Yamadūtas were certain that Ajāmila was a most sinful man, but although Yamarāja wanted to punish him, the Viṣṇudūtas excused him. This was a puzzling situation that the Yamadūtas wanted Yamarāja to clarify.
Although Yamarāja, under these circumstances, was accused by both the Viṣṇudūtas and the Yamadūtas, he is perfect in administering justice because he is empowered by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Therefore he will explain what his real position is and how everyone is controlled by the supreme controller, the Personality of Godhead.
Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura says that the Yamadūtas, the order carriers of Yamarāja, were so disappointed that they asked their master, almost in great anger, whether there were many masters other than him. Furthermore, because the Yamadūtas had been defeated and their master could not protect them, they were inclined to say that there was no need to serve such a master. If a servant cannot carry out the orders of his master without being defeated, what is the use of serving such a powerless master?
Śrīmad Bhāgavatam class on Tue 25th Jan 2022 by His Grace Prabhav Prabhu 6.3.1 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
The perfect conclusion, however, is that if one actually desires to get out of the material world, he must take to devotional service, which begins with śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ: chanting and hearing the glories of the Lord. The Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement has actually proved this. In the Western countries, many young boys who had many other bad habits, which they could not give up, abandoned all those propensities and very seriously engaged in chanting the glories of the Lord as soon as they joined the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement.
While the body is fit why should we not chant the holy name of the Lord loudly and distinctly? If one does so, it is quite possible that even at the time of death he will be properly able to chant the holy name of the Lord with love and faith. In conclusion, one who chants the holy name of the Lord constantly is guaranteed to return home, back to Godhead, without a doubt.
Śrīmad Bhāgavatam class on Sat 22nd Jan 2022 by VrajRaj Dāsa 6.2.44 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
The Viṣṇudūtas who had rescued Ajāmila came before him again when his mind was firmly fixed upon the form of the Lord. The Viṣṇudūtas had gone away for some time to give Ajāmila a chance to become firmly fixed in meditation upon the Lord. Now that his devotion had matured, they returned to take him. Understanding that the same Viṣṇudūtas had returned, Ajāmila offered them his obeisances by bowing down before them.
If one worships the Deity in the temple, one’s mind will naturally be absorbed in thought of the Lord and His form. There is no distinction between the form of the Lord and the Lord Himself. Therefore bhakti-yoga is the most easy system of yoga. Yogīs try to concentrate their minds upon the form of the Supersoul, Viṣṇu, within the heart, but this same objective is easily achieved when one’s mind is absorbed in the Deity worshiped in the temple. In every temple there is a transcendental form of the Lord, and one may easily think of this form.
The devotees who have joined the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement may live comfortably in our many temples and engage in the devotional service of the Lord. Thus they can control the mind and senses and achieve the highest success in life. This is the process descending from time immemorial. Learning from the life of Ajāmila, we should vow with determination to do what is necessary to follow this path.
Our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement now has centers in Vṛndāvana and Navadvīpa so that those who want to live a retired life, whether they be devotees or not, can go there and with determination give up the bodily concept of life. One is welcome to live in those holy places for the rest of his life in order to achieve the highest success by the very simple method of chanting the holy name of the Lord and taking prasāda. Thus one may return home, back to Godhead.
Bhagavad-gītā begins with the spiritual instruction that one is not the body, but is within the body. This consciousness can be possible only if one chants the holy name of Kṛṣṇa, the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra, and always keeps oneself in the association of devotees. This is the secret of success.
A Kṛṣṇa conscious person should free himself from the clutches of māyā, and he should also be compassionate to all others suffering in those clutches. The activities of the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement are meant not only for oneself but for others also. This is the perfection of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. One who is interested in his own salvation is not as advanced in Kṛṣṇa consciousness as one who feels compassion for others and who therefore propagates the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. Such an advanced devotee will never fall down, for Kṛṣṇa will give him special protection. That is the sum and substance of the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. Everyone is like a play toy in the hands of the illusory energy and is acting as she moves him. One should come to Kṛṣṇa consciousness to release oneself and also to release others.
Every one of us should have this determination. We have been elevated to an exalted position by the mercy of Kṛṣṇa and the spiritual master, and if we remember that this is a great opportunity and pray to Kṛṣṇa that we will not fall again, our lives will be successful.
The name Vaikuṇṭhapati, which means “the master of the spiritual world,” is not different from the name Vaikuṇṭha. Ajāmila, who was now a realized soul, could understand that because of his past spiritual activities in devotional service, he had gotten this opportunity to chant the holy name of Vaikuṇṭhapati in his horrible condition at the time of death.
In the beginning of his life Ajāmila was certainly very pure, and he associated with devotees and brāhmaṇas; because of that pious activity, even though he was fallen, he was inspired to name his son Nārāyaṇa. Certainly this was due to good counsel given from within by the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
According to Vedic civilization, everyone has the responsibility for taking care of brāhmaṇas, old men, women, children and cows. This is the duty of everyone, especially an upper-class person. Because of his association with a prostitute, Ajāmila abandoned all his duties. Regretting this, Ajāmila now considered himself quite fallen.
When one is elevated to the platform of devotional service by the grace of the Lord and the spiritual master, one first regrets his past sinful activities. This helps one advance in spiritual life. The Viṣṇudūtas had given Ajāmila the chance to become a pure devotee, and the duty of a pure devotee is to regret his past sinful activities.
A devotee is transcendental, and therefore in a marriage between devotees, the boy and girl form a very happy combination.
The Vedic principles certainly prescribe a gradual process for rising to the spiritual platform, but if one remains attached to the Vedic principles, there is no chance of his being elevated to spiritual life. Kṛṣṇa therefore advised Arjuna to perform devotional service, which is the process of transcendental religion
When the Viṣṇudūtas saw Ajāmila trying to say something to them, they disappeared to give him a chance to glorify the Supreme Lord. Since all his sinful reactions had been vanquished, he was now prepared to glorify the Lord. Indeed, one cannot glorify the Lord unless one is completely free from all sinful activities.
Vaiṣṇavas are also Viṣṇudūtas because they carry out the orders of Kṛṣṇa. Lord Kṛṣṇa is very eager for all the conditioned souls rotting in this material world to surrender to Him and be saved from material pangs in this life and punishment in hellish conditions after death. A Vaiṣṇava therefore tries to bring conditioned souls to their senses. Those who are fortunate like Ajāmila are saved by the Viṣṇudūtas, or Vaiṣṇavas, and thus they return back home, back to Godhead.
The servants of Yamarāja are so powerful that they can never be hindered anywhere, but this time they were baffled and disappointed in their attempt to take away a man they considered sinful. Therefore they immediately returned to Yamarāja and described to him everything that had happened.
In the Western countries, where the Hare Kṛṣṇa movement is spreading, learned scholars and other thoughtful men are realizing its effectiveness. For example, Dr. J. Stillson Judah, a learned scholar, has been very much attracted to this movement because he has actually seen that it is turning hippies addicted to drugs into pure Vaiṣṇavas who voluntarily become servants of Kṛṣṇa and humanity. Even a few years ago, such hippies did not know the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, but now they are chanting it and becoming pure Vaiṣṇavas. Thus they are becoming free from all sinful activities, such as illicit sex, intoxication, meat-eating and gambling. This is practical proof of the effectiveness of the Hare Kṛṣṇa movement, which is supported in this verse.
Fire will act, regardless of whether handled by an innocent child or by someone well aware of its power. For example, if a field of straw or dry grass is set afire, either by an elderly man who knows the power of fire or by a child who does not, the grass will be burned to ashes. Similarly, one may or may not know the power of chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, but if one chants the holy name he will become free from all sinful reactions.
One should take shelter of Kṛṣṇa-Balarāma, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, whose protective power is so great that it cannot be equaled in the material world. However powerful the reactions of one’s sins, they will immediately be vanquished if one chants the name of Hari, Kṛṣṇa, Balarāma or Nārāyaṇa.
One who chants the holy name of the Lord is immediately freed from the reactions of unlimited sins, even if he chants indirectly [to indicate something else], jokingly, for musical entertainment, or even neglectfully. This is accepted by all the learned scholars of the scriptures.
The Viṣṇudūtas, who are superior authorities, gave orders to the Yamadūtas, who did not know that Ajāmila was no longer subject to tribulation in hellish life for his past sins. Although he had chanted the holy name Nārāyaṇa to indicate his son, the holy name is so transcendentally powerful that he was automatically freed because he had chanted the holy name while dying (ante nārāyaṇa-smṛtiḥ).
Śrīmad Bhāgavatam class on Fri 31st Dec 2021 by Śri Kṛṣṇa Dāsa 6.2.12 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura comments that the chanting of the holy name of the Lord has special significance that distinguishes it from the Vedic ritualistic ceremonies of atonement for severe, more severe or most severe sinful actions. There are twenty types of religious scriptures called dharma-śāstras, beginning with the Manu-saṁhitā and Parāśara-saṁhitā, but herein it is stressed that although one may become free from the reactions of the most sinful activities by following the religious principles of these scriptures, this cannot promote a sinful man to the stage of loving service to the Lord. On the other hand, chanting the holy name of the Lord even once not only frees one immediately from the reactions of the greatest sins, but also raises one to the platform of rendering loving service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is described as uttamaśloka because He is famous for His glorious activities. Thus one serves the Lord by remembering His form, His attributes and pastimes
Because of chanting the holy name of Nārāyaṇa in this way, he had already vanquished the accumulated sinful reactions of many, many lives. In the beginning he was pure, but although he later committed many sinful acts, he was offenseless because he did not chant the holy name of Nārāyaṇa to counteract them. One who always chants the holy name of the Lord without offenses is always pure.
The Yamadūtas had considered only the external situation of Ajāmila. Since he was extremely sinful throughout his life, they thought he should be taken to Yamarāja and did not know that he had become free from the reactions of all his sins. The Viṣṇudūtas therefore instructed that because he had chanted the four syllables of the name Nārāyaṇa at the time of his death, he was freed from all sinful reactions
The Sanskrit word viśvasta-ghāta refers to one who breaks faith or causes a breach of trust. The mass of people should always feel security because of the government’s protection. Therefore, how regrettable it is for the government itself to cause a breach of trust and put the citizens in difficulty for political reasons. We actually saw during the partition days in India that although Hindus and Muslims were living together peacefully, manipulation by politicians suddenly aroused feelings of hatred between them, and thus the Hindus and Muslims killed one another over politics. This is a sign of Kali-yuga.
Although Ajāmila was not punishable, the Yamadūtas were insisting on taking him away to Yamarāja for punishment. This was adharma, contrary to religious principles. The Viṣṇudūtas feared that if such irreligious acts were allowed, the management of human society would be spoiled. In modern times, the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is trying to introduce the right principles of management for human society, but unfortunately the governments of Kali-yuga do not properly support the Hare Kṛṣṇa movement because they do not appreciate its valuable service. The Hare Kṛṣṇa movement is the right movement for ameliorating the fallen condition of human society, and therefore governments and public leaders in every part of the world should support this movement to completely rectify humanity’s sinful condition.
The king, or in modern times the government, should act as the guardian of the citizens by teaching them the proper goal of life. The human form of life is especially meant for realization of one’s self and one’s relationship with the Supreme Personality of Godhead because this cannot be realized in animal life. The duty of the government, therefore, is to take charge of training all the citizens in such a way that by a gradual process they will be elevated to the spiritual platform and will realize the self and his relationship with God.
The Viṣṇudūtas accused the Yamadūtas of violating the religious principles by attempting to drag Ajāmila to Yamarāja for punishment. Yamarāja is the officer appointed by the Supreme Personality of Godhead to judge religious and irreligious principles and to punish people who are irreligious. However, if completely sinless people are punished, the entire assembly of Yamarāja is contaminated. This principle applies not only in the assembly of Yamarāja, but throughout human society also.
The Viṣṇudūtas had forbidden the Yamadūtas to take Ajāmila to Yamarāja, and therefore the Yamadūtas explained that taking such a man to Yamarāja was appropriate. Since Ajāmila had not undergone atonement for his sinful acts, he was to be taken to Yamarāja to be purified.
By speaking this verse, Śukadeva Gosvāmī wants to impress upon the mind of the reader that Ajāmila’s exalted position as a brāhmaṇa was vanquished by his association with the prostitute, so much so that he forgot all his brahminical activities. Nevertheless, at the end of his life, by chanting the four syllables of the name Nārāyaṇa, he was saved from the gravest danger of falling down.
Unless one is very strong in knowledge, patience and proper bodily, mental and intellectual behavior, controlling one’s lusty desires is extremely difficult. Because of the force of materialistic life, to maintain self-control is extremely difficult unless one is specifically under the protection of the Supreme Personality of Godhead through devotional service.
While traveling along the public way, Ajāmila came upon a fourth-class man and a prostitute, who are vividly described here. Drunkenness was sometimes manifest even in bygone ages, although not very frequently. In this Age of Kali, however, such sin is to be seen everywhere, for people all over the world have become shameless. Long ago, when he saw the scene of the drunken śūdra and the prostitute, Ajāmila, who was a perfect brahmacārī, was affected. Nowadays such sin is visible in so many places, and we must consider the position of a brahmacārī student who sees such behavior. For such a brahmacārī to remain steady is very difficult unless he is extremely strong in following the regulative principles.
The order carriers of Yamarāja, the Yamadūtas, are explaining the factual position of piety and impiety and how a living entity is entangled in this material world. Describing the history of Ajāmila’s life, the Yamadūtas relate that in the beginning he was a learned scholar of the Vedic literature. He was well-behaved, neat and clean, and very kind to everyone. In fact, he had all good qualities
In summary, the living entity is an eternal servant of God, but he comes to the material world and is bound by material conditions because of his desire to lord it over matter. Liberation means giving up this false consciousness and reviving one’s original service to the Lord. This return to one’s original life is called mukti, as confirmed in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (muktir hitvānyathā rūpaṁ svarūpeṇa vyavasthitiḥ).
If a human being is taught to change his subtle body by developing a consciousness of Kṛṣṇa, at the time of death the subtle body will create a gross body in which he will be a devotee of Kṛṣṇa, or if he is still more perfect, he will not take another material body but will immediately get a spiritual body and thus return home, back to Godhead. This is the process of the transmigration of the soul. Therefore instead of trying to unite human society through pacts for sense gratification that can never be achieved, it is clearly desirable to teach people how to become Kṛṣṇa conscious and return home, back to Godhead. This is true now and, indeed, at any time.
The influence of the modes of nature is very strong. The living entity entangled in different types of fruitive activity is like a silkworm trapped in a cocoon. Getting free is very difficult unless he is helped by the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
The sum and substance of material conditional life is explained in this verse. The living entity, the seventeenth element, is struggling alone, life after life. This struggle is called saṁsṛti, or material conditional life. In Bhagavad-gītā it is said that the force of material nature is insurmountably strong (daivī hy eṣā guṇa-mayī mama māyā duratyayā). Material nature harasses the living entity in different bodies, but if the living entity surrenders to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, he becomes free from this entanglement, as confirmed in Bhagavad-gītā (mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te). Thus his life becomes successful.
Everyone engages in work with his hands, legs and other senses just to achieve a certain goal according to his concocted ideas. One tries to enjoy the five sense objects, namely form, sound, taste, aroma and touch, not knowing the actual goal of life, which is to satisfy the Supreme Lord. Because of disobeying the Supreme Lord, one is put into material conditions, and he then tries to improve his situation in a concocted way, not desiring to follow the instructions of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Nevertheless, the Supreme Lord is so kind that He comes Himself to instruct the bewildered living entity how to act obediently and then gradually return home, back to Godhead, where he can attain an eternal, peaceful life of bliss and knowledge.
Everything depends on bhagavān, or ajaḥ, the unborn. Why doesn’t one please Bhagavān to receive a better body? The answer is ajñas tamasā: because of gross ignorance. One who is in complete darkness cannot know what his past life was or what his next life will be; he is simply interested in his present body. Even though he has a human body, a person in the mode of ignorance and interested only in his present body is like an animal, for an animal, being covered by ignorance, thinks that the ultimate goal of life and happiness is to eat as much as possible.
One should not consider Yamarāja an ordinary living being. He is as good as Lord Brahmā. He has the complete cooperation of the Supreme Lord, who is situated in everyone’s heart, and therefore, by the grace of the Supersoul, he can see the past, present and future of a living being from within. The word anumīmāṁsate means that he can decide in consultation with the Supersoul. Anu means “following.” The actual decisions concerning the next lives of the living entities are made by the Supersoul, and they are carried out by Yamarāja.
Our past and future are not very difficult to understand, for time is under the contamination of the three modes of material nature. As soon as spring arrives, the usual exhibition of various types of fruits and flowers automatically becomes manifest, and therefore we may conclude that spring in the past was adorned with similar fruits and flowers and will be so adorned in the future also.
The actions and reactions of the three modes of material nature are visible in this life. For example, some people are very happy, some are very distressed, and some are in mixed happiness and distress. This is the result of past association with the modes of material nature — goodness, passion and ignorance.
Those who act in the mode of goodness are promoted to higher planetary systems to become demigods, those who act in an ordinary way and do not commit excessively sinful acts remain within this middle planetary system, and those who perform abominable sinful actions must go down to hellish life.
The difference between human beings and nonhuman beings is that a human is supposed to act according to the direction of the Vedas. Unfortunately, men manufacture their own ways of acting, without reference to the Vedas. Therefore all of them commit sinful actions and are punishable.
A conditioned soul thinks that he is working stealthily and that no one can see his sinful activities, but we can understand from the śāstras that there are many witnesses, including the sun, fire, sky, air, moon, demigods, evening, day, night, directions, water, land and the Supersoul Himself, who sits with the individual soul within his heart. Where is the dearth of witnesses? The witnesses and the Supreme Lord both exist, and therefore so many living entities are elevated to higher planetary systems or degraded to lower planetary systems, including the hellish planets.
Śrīmad Bhāgavatam class on Mon 6th Dec 2021 by MadhuManjari Dāsi 6.1.41 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
The members of modern civilization manufacture defective religious principles through speculative concoction. This is not dharma. They do not know what is dharma and what is adharma. Therefore, as stated in the beginning of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, dharmaḥ projjhita-kaitavo ’tra: dharma not supported by the Vedas is rejected from śrīmad-bhāgavata-dharma.
Human beings, who are advanced in consciousness, are responsible, but not all of them are punishable. Those engaged in advanced pious activities are beyond punishment. Only those who engage in sinful activities are punishable. Therefore the Viṣṇudūtas particularly inquired about who is punishable and why Yamarāja has been designated to discriminate between who is punishable and who is not. How is one to be judged? What is the basic principle of authority? These are the questions raised by the Viṣṇudūtas.
One who represents someone else must fully know that person’s mission. The devotees in the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement must therefore be fully aware of the mission of Kṛṣṇa and Lord Caitanya; otherwise they will be considered foolish. All devotees, especially preachers, must know the philosophy of Kṛṣṇa consciousness so as not to be embarrassed and insulted when they preach.
The residents of Vaikuṇṭha, who are decorated with garlands and yellow silken garments, have four arms holding various weapons. Thus they conspicuously resemble Lord Viṣṇu. They have the same bodily features as Nārāyaṇa because they have attained the liberation of sārūpya, but they nevertheless act as servants. All the residents of Vaikuṇṭhaloka know perfectly well that their master is Nārāyaṇa, or Kṛṣṇa, and that they are all His servants. They are all self-realized souls who are nitya-mukta, everlastingly liberated. Although they could conceivably declare themselves Nārāyaṇa or Viṣṇu, they never do so; they always remain Kṛṣṇa conscious and serve the Lord faithfully. Such is the atmosphere of Vaikuṇṭhaloka. Similarly, one who learns the faithful service of Lord Kṛṣṇa through the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement will always remain in Vaikuṇṭhaloka and have nothing to do with the material world.
Since the Yamadūtas are servants of Yamarāja, who is also one of the siddha-sattamas, they knew that a siddha-sattama is above the demigods and sub-demigods and, indeed, above all the living entities within this material world. The Yamadūtas therefore inquired why the Viṣṇudūtas were present where a sinful man was going to die.
According to the sinful activities of Ajāmila, he was within the jurisdiction of Yamarāja, the supreme judge appointed to consider the sins of the living entities. When forbidden to touch Ajāmila, the order carriers of Yamarāja were surprised because they had never been hindered in the execution of their duty by anyone within the three worlds.
“The Supreme Lord is situated in everyone’s heart, O Arjuna, and is directing the wanderings of all living entities, who are seated as on a machine, made of the material energy.” Yantra means a machine, such as an automobile. The driver of the machine of the body is the individual soul, who is also its director or proprietor, but the supreme proprietor is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. One’s body is created through the agency of māyā (karmaṇā daiva-netreṇa), and according to one’s activities in this life, another vehicle is created, again under the supervision of daivī māyā (daivī hy eṣā guṇa-mayī mama māyā duratyayā). At the appropriate time, one’s next body is immediately chosen, and both the individual soul and the Supersoul transfer to that particular bodily machine. This is the process of transmigration.
Hari-kīrtana is actually meant to glorify the holy name, form, pastimes and qualities of the Lord. Ajāmila, however, did not glorify the form, qualities or paraphernalia of the Lord; he simply chanted the holy name. Nevertheless, that chanting was sufficient to cleanse him of all sinful activities. As soon as the Viṣṇudūtas heard their master’s name being chanted, they immediately came.
A person who performs sinful activities performs them with his body, mind and words. Therefore three order carriers from Yamarāja came to take Ajāmila to Yamarāja’s abode. Fortunately, even though he was referring to his son, Ajāmila chanted the four syllables of the hari-nāma Nārāyaṇa, and therefore the order carriers of Nārāyaṇa, the Viṣṇudūtas, also immediately arrived there. Because Ajāmila was extremely afraid of the ropes of Yamarāja, he chanted the Lord’s name with tearful eyes. Actually, however, he never meant to chant the holy name of Nārāyaṇa; he meant to call his son.
“The highest perfection of human life, achieved either by complete knowledge of matter and spirit, by acquirement of mystic powers, or by perfect discharge of one’s occupational duty, is to remember the Personality of Godhead at the end of life.”
The Supreme Personality of Godhead is kind to the conditioned soul. Although this man completely forgot Nārāyaṇa, he was calling his child, saying, “Nārāyaṇa, please come eat this food. Nārāyaṇa, please come drink this milk.” Somehow or other, therefore, he was attached to the name Nārāyaṇa. This is called ajñāta-sukṛti. Although calling for his son, he was unknowingly chanting the name of Nārāyaṇa, and the holy name of the Supreme Personality of Godhead is so transcendentally powerful that his chanting was being counted and recorded.
Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī has therefore declared that if one’s mind is somehow or other attracted by the holy name of Kṛṣṇa (tasmāt kenāpy upāyena manaḥ kṛṣṇe niveśayet), one is on the path of liberation. It is customary in Hindu society for parents to give their children names like Kṛṣṇadāsa, Govinda dāsa, Nārāyaṇa dāsa and Vṛndāvana dāsa. Thus they chant the names Kṛṣṇa, Govinda, Nārāyaṇa and Vṛndāvana and get the chance to be purified.
Ajāmila’s sinfulness because although he was eighty-eight years old, he had a very young child. According to Vedic culture, one should leave home as soon as he has reached fifty years of age; one should not live at home and go on producing children.
Restraint is very difficult, but it is quite possible if one fully surrenders to Kṛṣṇa, since all these abominable habits gradually become distasteful for a Kṛṣṇa conscious person.
The process of chanting the holy name of the Lord is always superbly effective, but it is especially effective in this Age of Kali. Its practical effectiveness will now be explained by Śukadeva Gosvāmī through the history of Ajāmila, who was freed from the hands of the Yamadūtas simply because of chanting the holy name of Nārāyaṇa. Parīkṣit Mahārāja’s original question was how to be freed from falling down into hell or into the hands of the Yamadūtas. In reply, Śukadeva Gosvāmī is citing this old historical example to convince Parīkṣit Mahārāja of the potency of bhakti-yoga, which begins simply with the chanting of the Lord’s name. All the great authorities of bhakti-yoga recommend the devotional process beginning with the chanting of the holy name of Kṛṣṇa (tan-nāma-grahaṇādibhiḥ).
The sinful actions of one who has surrendered unto Kṛṣṇa are compared to a snake with its poison fangs removed (protkhāta-daṁṣṭrāyate). Such a snake is no longer to be feared. Of course, one should not commit sinful activities on the strength of having surrendered to Kṛṣṇa. However, even if one who has surrendered to Kṛṣṇa happens to do something sinful because of his former habits, such sinful actions no longer have a destructive effect. Therefore one should adhere to the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa very tightly and serve Him under the direction of the spiritual master. Thus in all conditions one will be akuto-bhaya, free from fear.
To take advantage of the methods of atonement, one must be at least somewhat devoted; otherwise there is no chance of one’s being purified. It is clear from this verse that even those who take advantage of karma-kāṇḍa and jñāna-kāṇḍa, but are not at least slightly devoted cannot be purified simply by following these other paths. The word prāyaścittāni is plural in number to indicate both karma-kāṇḍa and jñāna-kāṇḍa.
One should not think that the person who takes to bhakti is one who cannot perform the ritualistic ceremonies recommended in the karma-kāṇḍa section of the Vedas or is not sufficiently educated to speculate on spiritual subjects. Māyāvādīs generally allege that the bhakti path is for women and illiterates. This is a groundless accusation. The bhakti path is followed by the most learned scholars, such as the Gosvāmīs, Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu and Rāmānujācārya. These are the actual followers of the bhakti path. Regardless of whether or not one is educated or aristocratic, one must follow in their footsteps
One must render service to a Vaiṣṇava in order to get freed from sinful reactions, revive one’s original Kṛṣṇa consciousness and be trained in how to love Kṛṣṇa. This is the result of mahātma-sevā. Of course, if one engages in the service of a pure devotee, the reactions of one’s sinful life are vanquished automatically. Devotional service is necessary not to drive away an insignificant stock of sins, but to awaken our dormant love for Kṛṣṇa. As fog is vanquished at the first glimpse of sunlight, one’s sinful reactions are automatically vanquished as soon as one begins serving a pure devotee; no separate endeavor is required.
In the Padma Purāṇa there is a statement that persons whose hearts are always attached to the devotional service of Lord Viṣṇu are immediately released from all the reactions of sinful life. These reactions generally exist in four phases. Some of them are ready to produce results immediately, some are in the form of seeds, some are unmanifested, and some are current. All such reactions are immediately nullified by devotional service. When devotional service is present in one’s heart, desires to perform sinful activities have no place there. Sinful life is due to ignorance, which means forgetfulness of one’s constitutional position as an eternal servant of God, but when one is fully Kṛṣṇa conscious he realizes that he is God’s eternal servant.
In the bhakti-mārga, the path of devotional service, one must strictly follow the regulative principles by first controlling the tongue (sevonmukhe hi jihvādau svayam eva sphuraty adaḥ). The tongue (jihvā) can be controlled if one chants the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra, does not speak of any subjects other than those concerning Kṛṣṇa and does not taste anything not offered to Kṛṣṇa. If one can control the tongue in this way, brahmacarya and other purifying processes will automatically follow. It will be explained in the next verse that the path of devotional service is completely perfect and is therefore superior to the path of fruitive activities and the path of knowledge.
Because of ignorance, one speculatively thinks himself liberated from material contamination although actually he is not. Therefore even if one rises to brahma jñāna, understanding of Brahman, one nevertheless falls down because of not taking shelter of the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa. Nonetheless, jñānīs at least know what is sinful and what is pious, and they very cautiously act according to the injunctions of the śāstras.
As stated in Bhagavad-gītā (7.19), one attains real knowledge when he understands Kṛṣṇa and surrenders unto Him (bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyate). To become learned and free from material contamination, therefore, one should try to understand Kṛṣṇa, for thus one is immediately liberated from all pious and impious activities and their reactions.
Before one’s next death comes, as long as one’s body is strong enough, one should quickly adopt the process of atonement according to śāstra; otherwise one’s time will be lost, and the reactions of his sins will increase. As an expert physician diagnoses and treats a disease according to its gravity, one should undergo atonement according to the severity of one’s sins.
Lord Kṛṣṇa urges that one give up all other duties and surrender to Him, and He promises, ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi: “I shall free you from all sinful reactions and give you liberation.” Therefore in response to the inquiries of Parīkṣit Mahārāja, Śukadeva Gosvāmī, his guru, could have immediately explained the principle of bhakti, but to test Parīkṣit Mahārāja’s intelligence, he first prescribed atonement according to karma-kāṇḍa, the path of fruitive activities.
Because a Vaiṣṇava fully takes shelter of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, he personally has no problems, but because he is compassionate toward the fallen, conditioned souls, he is always thinking of plans to save them from their hellish life in this body and the next. Parīkṣit Mahārāja, therefore, anxiously wanted to know from Śukadeva Gosvāmī how humanity can be saved from gliding down to hell.
Atheists try to conceal the hand of God, which is present in every creation, but they cannot explain how all these creations could come into existence without a competent intelligence and almighty power behind them. Simply to imagine or speculate is a waste of time.
Learned men, therefore, must be cautious of this age, and if they at all want to cross over the dangerous ocean of Kali, they must follow the footsteps of the sages of Naimiṣāraṇya and accept Śrī Sūta Gosvāmī or his bona fide representative as the captain of the ship. The ship is the message of Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa in the shape of Bhagavad-gītā or the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.
All living entities are rotating throughout the universe, going sometimes up to the higher planetary systems and sometimes down to the lower planets. This is the material disease, which is known as pravṛtti-mārga. When one becomes intelligent he takes to nivṛtti-mārga, the path of liberation, and thus instead of rotating within this material world, he returns home, back to Godhead. This is necessary.
Bhakti-yoga, however, is so powerful that it does not depend on karma-yoga or jñāna-yoga. Bhakti-yoga itself is so powerful that even an impious man with no assets in karma-yoga or an illiterate with no assets in jñāna-yoga can undoubtedly be elevated to the spiritual world if he simply adheres to bhakti-yoga.
Sometimes one must take care of more than one item of important business for the same purpose. Therefore mother Yaśodā was not unjust when she left her son to take care of the overflowing milk. On the platform of love and affection, it is the duty of the devotee to do one thing first and other things later. The proper intuition by which to do this is given by Kṛṣṇa.
“One who knows the transcendental nature of My appearance and activities does not, upon leaving the body, take his birth again in this material world, but attains My eternal abode, O Arjuna.”
The Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is pushing forward the publication of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, as explained especially for the understanding of the modern civilized man, to awaken him to his original consciousness. Without this consciousness, one melts into complete darkness. Whether one goes to the upper planetary systems or the hellish planetary systems, he simply wastes his time. Therefore one should hear of the universal position of the virāṭ form of the Lord as described in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. That will help one save himself from material conditional life and gradually elevate him to the path of liberation so that he can go back home, back to Godhead.
Śrīmad Bhāgavatam class on Tue 2nd Nov 2021 by His Grace Aniruddha Prabhu 5.26.26-30 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
In Bhagavad-gītā (6.41) Kṛṣṇa says, śucīnāṁ śrīmatāṁ gehe yoga-bhraṣṭo ’bhijāyate: “Because of his previous connection with bhakti-yoga, a man is born into a prestigious family of brāhmaṇas or aristocrats.” Having taken such a birth, one should utilize it to perfect bhakti-yoga. However, due to bad association one often forgets that his prestigious position has been given to him by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and he misuses it by performing various kinds of so-called yajñas like Kālī-pūjā or Durgā-pūjā, in which poor animals are sacrificed. How such a person is punished is described herein.
In the Western countries especially, aristocrats keep dogs and horses to hunt animals in the forest. Whether in the West or the East, aristocratic men in the Kali-yuga adopt the fashion of going to the forest and unnecessarily killing animals. Men of the higher classes (the brāhmaṇas, kṣatriyas and vaiśyas) should cultivate knowledge of Brahman, and they should also give the śūdras a chance to come to that platform. If instead they indulge in hunting, they are punished as described in this verse.
“According to the three modes of material nature and the work ascribed to them, four divisions of human society were created by Me.” Even if one is by qualification a śūdra, he must try to improve his position and become a brāhmaṇa. No one should try to check a person, no matter what his present position is, from coming to the platform of a brāhmaṇa or a Vaiṣṇava. Actually, one must come to the platform of a Vaiṣṇava. Then he automatically becomes a brāhmaṇa. This can be done only if the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is spread, for we are trying to elevate everyone to the platform of Vaiṣṇava.
“Work done as a sacrifice for Viṣṇu has to be performed; otherwise work binds one to this material world. Therefore, O son of Kuntī, perform your prescribed duties for His satisfaction, and in that way you will always remain unattached and free from bondage.”
Kṛṣṇa states in Bhagavad-gītā (4.13), cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ: “According to the three modes of material nature and the work ascribed to them, the four divisions of human society were created by Me.” Thus all men should be divided into four classes — brāhmaṇas, kṣatriyas, vaiśyas and śūdras — and they should act according to their ordained regulations. They cannot deviate from their prescribed rules and regulations.
In this life, an envious person commits violent acts against many living entities. Therefore after his death, when he is taken to hell by Yamarāja, those living entities who were hurt by him appear as animals called rurus to inflict very severe pain upon him. Learned scholars call this hell Raurava. Not generally seen in this world, the ruru is more envious than a snake.
“One who accepts this bodily bag of three elements [bile, mucus and air] as his self, who has an affinity for an intimate relationship with his wife and children, who considers his land worshipable, who takes bath in the waters of the holy places of pilgrimage but never takes advantage of those persons who are in actual knowledge — he is no better than an ass or a cow.” (Bhāg. 10.84.13)
Yamarāja is not a fictitious or mythological character; he has his own abode, Pitṛloka, of which he is king. Agnostics may not believe in hell, but Śukadeva Gosvāmī affirms the existence of the Naraka planets, which lie between the Garbhodaka Ocean and Pātālaloka. Yamarāja is appointed by the Supreme Personality of Godhead to see that the human beings do not violate His rules and regulations.
Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura explains that the different hellish planets within this universe are held slightly above the Garbhodaka Ocean and remain situated there. This chapter describes how all sinful persons go to these hellish planets and how they are punished there by the assistants of Yamarāja. Different individuals with different bodily features enjoy or suffer various reactions according to their past deeds.
“My dear Lord, son of Nanda Mahārāja, I am Your eternal servant. Somehow or other, I have fallen into this ocean of nescience. Kindly, therefore, save me from this horrible condition of materialistic life.”
Even if he be distressed or degraded, any person who chants the holy name of the Lord, having heard it from a bona fide spiritual master, is immediately purified. Even if he chants the Lord’s name jokingly or by chance, he and anyone who hears him are freed from all sins. Therefore how can anyone seeking disentanglement from the material clutches avoid chanting the name of Lord Śeṣa? Of whom else should one take shelter?
Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī has translated this verse as follows. “The Supreme Personality of Godhead is the cause of all causes. It is by His will that gross and subtle ingredients interact. He appears in various incarnations just to please the hearts of His pure devotees.” For example, the Supreme Lord appeared in the transcendental incarnation of Lord Varāha (the boar) just to please His devotees by lifting the planet earth from the Garbhodaka Ocean.
From Vedic literature we learn that when the Supreme Lord glances (sa aikṣata) over the material energy, the three modes of material nature become manifest and create material variety. Before He glances over the material energy, there is no possibility of the creation, maintenance and annihilation of the material world. The Lord existed before the creation, and consequently He is eternal and unchanging. Therefore how can any human being, however great a scientist or philosopher he may be, understand the ways of the Supreme Personality of Godhead?
The Vaiṣṇavas in the Gauḍīya-sampradāya belong to the disciplic succession stemming from Lord Brahmā. Lord Brahmā is the spiritual master of Nārada, Nārada is the spiritual master of Vyāsadeva, and Vyāsadeva wrote the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam as a commentary on the Vedānta-sūtra. Therefore all devotees in the Gauḍīyasampradāya accept the activities of Lord Ananta related in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam as authentic, and they are thus benefited by going back home, back to Godhead.
Anantadeva’s main mission is to dissolve this material creation, but He checks His anger and intolerance. This material world is created to give the conditioned souls another chance to go back home, back to Godhead, but most of them do not take advantage of this facility. After the creation, they again exercise their old propensity for lording it over the material world. These activities of the conditioned souls anger Anantadeva, and He desires to destroy the entire material world. Yet, because He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, He is kind toward us and checks His anger and intolerance. Only at certain times does He express His anger and destroy the material world.
The pink, transparent toenails on the Lord’s lotus feet are exactly like valuable gems polished to a mirror finish. When the unalloyed devotees and the leaders of the snakes offer their obeisances to Lord Saṅkarṣaṇa with great devotion, they become very joyful upon seeing their own beautiful faces reflected in His toenails. Their cheeks are decorated with glittering earrings, and the beauty of their faces is extremely pleasing to see.
In each creation, the living entities are given a chance to close their business as conditioned souls. When they misuse this opportunity and do not go back home, back to Godhead, Lord Saṅkarṣaṇa becomes angry. The eleven Rudras, expansions of Lord Śiva, come out of Lord Saṅkarṣaṇa’s eyebrows due to His angry mood, and all of them together devastate the entire creation.
The Lord is situated in everyone’s heart as Saṅkarṣaṇa, and when a demon thinks himself one with the Supreme Lord, the Lord keeps him in that darkness. Although such a demoniac living entity is only an insignificant part of the Supreme Lord, he forgets his true position and thinks he is the Supreme Lord. Because this forgetfulness is created by Saṅkarṣaṇa, He is sometimes called tāmasī. The name tāmasī does not indicate that He has a material body. He is always transcendental, but because He is the Supersoul of Lord Śiva, who must perform tamasic activities, Saṅkarṣaṇa is sometimes called tāmasī.
It is stated here that the snakes who live in the planetary system known as Mahātala are very powerful and have many hoods. They live with their wives and children and consider themselves very happy, although they are always full of anxiety because of Garuḍa, who comes there to destroy them. This is the way of material life. Even if one lives in the most abominable condition, he still thinks himself happy with his wife, children, friends and relatives.
It is said that for spiritual realization one must follow great personalities like Lord Brahmā, Devarṣi Nārada, Lord Śiva and Prahlāda Mahārāja. The path of bhakti is not at all difficult if we follow in the footsteps of previous ācāryas and authorities, but those who are too materially contaminated by the modes of material nature cannot follow them. Although Bali Mahārāja was actually following the path of his grandfather, because of his great humility he thought that he was not. It is characteristic of advanced Vaiṣṇavas following the principles of bhakti that they think themselves ordinary human beings. This is not an artificial exhibition of humility; a Vaiṣṇava sincerely thinks this way and therefore never admits his exalted position.
Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu has instructed that an unalloyed devotee should consider himself a servant of the servant of the servant of the Supreme Lord (gopī-bhartuḥ pāda-kamalayor dāsa-dāsānudāsaḥ). In Vaiṣṇava philosophy, one should not even become a direct servant. Prahlāda Mahārāja was offered all the blessings of an opulent position in the material world and even the liberation of merging into Brahman, but he refused all this. He simply wanted to engage in the service of the servant of the servant of the Lord. Therefore Bali Mahārāja said that because his grandfather Prahlāda Mahārāja had rejected the blessings of the Supreme Personality of Godhead in terms of material opulence and liberation from material bondage, he truly understood his self-interest.
Bali Mahārāja was so powerful that he fought with Indra and took possession of the three worlds. Indra was certainly very advanced in knowledge, but instead of asking Vāmanadeva for engagement in His service, he used the Lord to beg for material possessions that would be finished at the end of one age of Manu. An age of Manu, which is the duration of Manu’s life, is calculated to last seventy-two yugas.
There are two kinds of opulence. One, which results from one’s karma, is material, whereas the other is spiritual. A surrendered soul who fully depends upon the Supreme Personality of Godhead does not want material opulence for sense gratification. Therefore when a pure devotee is seen to possess exalted material opulence, it is not due to his karma. Rather, it is due to his bhakti.
The nāmābhāsa stage is between that of nāma-aparādha, or chanting of the holy name with offenses, and pure chanting. There are three stages in chanting the holy name of the Lord. In the first stage, one commits ten kinds of offenses while chanting. In the next stage, nāmābhāsa, the offenses have almost stopped, and one is coming to the platform of pure chanting. In the third stage, when one chants the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra without offenses, his dormant love for Kṛṣṇa immediately awakens. This is the perfection.
Bali Mahārāja donated all his possessions to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Vāmanadeva, but one should certainly not conclude that he achieved his great worldly opulence in bila-svarga as a result of his charitable disposition. The Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is the source of life for all living entities, lives within everyone as the friendly Supersoul, and under His direction a living entity enjoys or suffers in the material world. Greatly appreciating the transcendental qualities of the Lord, Bali Mahārāja offered everything at His lotus feet. His purpose, however, was not to gain anything material, but to become a pure devotee. For a pure devotee, the door of liberation is automatically opened.
The Supreme Personality of Godhead is described as Uttamaśloka, “He who is worshiped by the best of selected Sanskrit verses,” and His devotees such as Bali Mahārāja are also worshiped by puṇya-śloka, verses that increase one’s piety. Bali Mahārāja offered everything to the Lord — his wealth, his kingdom and even his own body (sarvātma-nivedane baliḥ). The Lord appeared before Bali Mahārāja as a brāhmaṇa beggar, and Bali Mahārāja gave Him everything he had. However, Bali Mahārāja did not become poor; by donating all his possessions to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, he became a successful devotee and got everything back again with the blessings of the Lord. Similarly, those who give contributions to expand the activities of the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement and to accomplish its objectives will never be losers; they will get their wealth back with the blessings of Lord Kṛṣṇa. On the other side, those who collect contributions on behalf of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness should be very careful not to use even a farthing of the collection for any purpose other than the transcendental loving service of the Lord.
“As one can transform kaṁsa, or bell metal, into gold by treating it with mercury, one can also turn a lowborn man into a brāhmaṇa by initiating him properly into Vaiṣṇava activities.” The International Society for Krishna Consciousness is trying to turn mlecchas and yavanas into real brāhmaṇas by properly initiating them, stopping them from the four principles of sinful activity and chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra.
Everything in the subterranean heavens is very nicely arranged. There are well situated residential quarters, there is a pleasing atmosphere, and there are no bodily inconveniences or mental anxieties, but nevertheless those who live there have to take another birth according to karma. Persons whose minds are dull cannot understand this defect of a materialistic civilization aiming at material comforts. One may make his living conditions very pleasing for the senses, but despite all favorable conditions, one must in due course of time meet death. The members of a demoniac civilization endeavor to make their living conditions very comfortable, but they cannot check death. The influence of the Sudarśana cakra will not allow their so-called material happiness to endure.
According to the statements of Prahlāda Mahārāja, material enjoyment is māyā-sukha, illusory enjoyment. A Vaiṣṇava is full of anxieties for the deliverance of all living entities from such false enjoyment. Prahlāda Mahārāja says, māyā-sukhāya bharam udvahato vimūḍhān: these fools (vimūḍhas) are engaged in material happiness, which is surely temporary. Whether in the heavenly planets, the lower planets or the earthly planets, people are engrossed in temporary, material happiness, forgetting that in due course of time they have to change their bodies according to the material laws and suffer the repetition of birth, death, old age and disease. Not caring what will happen in the next birth, gross materialists are simply busy enjoying during the present short span of life. A Vaiṣṇava is always anxious to give all such bewildered materialists the real happiness of spiritual bliss.
The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Viṣṇu, is always the protector of His devotees, who are also known as demigods. The controlling demigods are most obedient to Lord Viṣṇu, although they also want material sense enjoyment, and that is why they are called demigods, or almost godly. Although Rāhu attempts to attack both the sun and the moon, they are protected by Lord Viṣṇu. Being very afraid of Lord Viṣṇu’s cakra, Rāhu cannot stay in front of the sun or moon for more than a muhūrta (forty-eight minutes). The phenomenon that occurs when Rāhu blocks the light of the sun or moon is called an eclipse.
My dear King, the body of the śiśumāra, as thus described, should be considered the external form of Lord Viṣṇu, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Morning, noon and evening, one should silently observe the form of the Lord as the Śiśumāra-cakra and worship Him with this mantra: “O Lord who have assumed the form of time! O resting place of all the planets moving in different orbits! O master of all demigods, O Supreme Person, I offer my respectful obeisances unto You and meditate upon You.”
“The Supreme Lord is situated in everyone’s heart, O Arjuna, and is directing the wanderings of all living entities, who are seated as on a machine, made of the material energy.” The machine given by material nature — whether the machine of the body or the machine of the orbit, or kāla-cakra — works according to the orders given by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The Supreme Personality of Godhead and material nature work together to maintain this great universe, and not only this universe but also the millions of other universes beyond this one.
“Lord Viṣṇu, who is the source of knowledge and transcendental bliss, has assumed the form of Śiśumāra in the seventh heaven, which is situated in the topmost level of the universe. All the other planets, beginning with the sun, exist under the shelter of this Śiśumāra planetary system.”
When we take into account that the moon is 100,000 yojanas, or 800,000 miles, above the rays of the sunshine, it is very surprising that the modern excursions to the moon could be possible. Since the moon is so distant, how space vehicles could go there is a doubtful mystery. Modern scientific calculations are subject to one change after another, and therefore they are uncertain. We have to accept the calculations of the Vedic literature. These Vedic calculations are steady; the astronomical calculations made long ago and recorded in the Vedic literature are correct even now. Whether the Vedic calculations or modern ones are better may remain a mystery for others, but as far as we are concerned, we accept the Vedic calculations to be correct.
According to solar astronomical calculations, each year extends six days beyond the calendar year, and according to lunar calculations, each year is six days shorter. Therefore, because of the movements of the sun and moon, there is a difference of twelve days between the solar and lunar years. As the Saṁvatsara, Parivatsara, Iḍāvatsara, Anuvatsara and Vatsara pass by, two extra months are added within each five years. This makes a sixth saṁvatsara, but because that saṁvatsara is extra, the solar system is calculated according to the above five names.
Worshiping the most powerful demigod Sūrya, the Gandharvas sing in front of him, the Apsarās dance before the chariot, the Niśācaras follow the chariot, the Pannagas decorate the chariot, the Yakṣas guard the chariot, and the saints called the Vālikhilyas surround the sun-god and offer prayers. The seven groups of fourteen associates arrange the proper times for regular snow, heat and rain throughout the universe.
The seven horses yoked to the sun-god’s chariot are named Gāyatrī, Bṛhati, Uṣṇik, Jagatī, Triṣṭup, Anuṣṭup and Paṅkti. These names of various Vedic meters designate the seven horses that carry the sun-god’s chariot.
In Bhagavad-gītā (10.21) Kṛṣṇa says, nakṣatrāṇām ahaṁ śaśī: “Of stars I am the moon.” This indicates that the moon is similar to the other stars. The Vedic literature informs us that within this universe there is one sun, which is moving. The Western theory that all the luminaries in the sky are different suns is not confirmed in the Vedic literature. Nor can we assume that these luminaries are the suns of other universes, for each universe is covered by various layers of material elements, and therefore although the universes are clustered together, we cannot see from one universe to another. In other words, whatever we see is within this one universe. In each universe there is one Lord Brahmā, and there are other demigods on other planets, but there is only one sun.
Śrīmad Bhāgavatam class on Thu 23rd Sep 2021 by Sri Chaitanya Dāsa 5.21.4-10 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Although the sun is described as bhagavān, the most powerful, and although it is actually the most powerful planet within the universe, it nevertheless has to carry out the order of Govinda, Kṛṣṇa. The sun-god cannot deviate even an inch from the orbit designated to him. Therefore in every sphere of life, the supreme order of the Supreme Personality of Godhead is carried out.
The actual life and soul of all living entities within this universe is the sun. He is therefore upāsya, worshipable. We worship the sun-god by chanting the Gāyatrī mantra (om bhūr bhuvaḥ svaḥ tat savitur vareṇyaṁ bhargo devasya dhīmahi). Sūrya is the life and soul of this universe, and there are innumerable universes for which a sun-god is the life and soul, just as the Supreme Personality of Godhead is the life and soul of the entire creation.
The post of Lord Brahmā is meant for very highly elevated, spiritually advanced living beings. When such living beings are unavailable, Lord Viṣṇu, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, expands Himself as Lord Brahmā. This takes place very rarely. Consequently there are two kinds of Brahmās. Sometimes Brahmā is an ordinary living entity, and at other times Brahmā is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The Brahmā spoken of here is an ordinary living being. Whether Brahmā is the Supreme Personality of Godhead or an ordinary living being, he is known as Vairāja Brahmā and Hiraṇyagarbha Brahmā. Therefore the sun-god is also accepted as Vairāja Brahmā.
In Bhagavad-gītā (4.6) Lord Kṛṣṇa says, sambhavāmy ātma-māyayā: “I appear by My internal potency.” The word ātma-māyā refers to the Lord’s personal potency, yoga-māyā. After creating both the material world and spiritual world through yoga-māyā, the Supreme Personality of Godhead personally maintains them by expanding Himself in different categories as the Viṣṇu mūrtis and the demigods. He maintains the material creation from beginning to end, and He personally maintains the spiritual world.
Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura has given accurate astronomical information about the location of Lokāloka Mountain, the movements of the sun globe and the distance between the sun and the circumference of the universe. However, the technical terms used in the astronomical calculations given by the Jyotir Veda are difficult to translate into English.
The vivid description of how the rays of the sun are distributed throughout the different planetary systems of the universe is very scientific. Śukadeva Gosvāmī described these universal affairs to Mahārāja Parīkṣit as he had heard about them from his predecessor. He explained these facts five thousand years ago, but the knowledge existed long, long before because Śukadeva Gosvāmī received it through disciplic succession. Because this knowledge is accepted through the disciplic succession, it is perfect.
In this verse, the word karma-mayam (“obtainable by the Vedic ritualistic system”) is significant. The Vedas say, svadharma-niṣṭhaḥ śata janmabhiḥ pumān viriñcatām eti: “One who strictly follows the principles of varṇāśrama-dharma for at least one hundred births will be rewarded with the post of Lord Brahmā.” It is also significant that although Lord Brahmā is extremely powerful, he never thinks himself one with the Supreme Personality of Godhead; he always knows that he is an eternal servitor of the Lord. Because the Lord and the servant are identical on the spiritual platform, Brahmā is herein addressed as bhagavān. Bhagavān is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa, but if a devotee serves Him with full faith, the meaning of the Vedic literature is revealed to him. Therefore Brahmā is called brahma-liṅga, which indicates that his entire form consists of Vedic knowledge.
Through the mystic yoga practice called prāṇāyāma, the yogī controls the airs within the body to maintain the body in a healthy condition. In this way, the yogī comes to the point of trance and tries to see the Supersoul within the core of his heart. Prāṇāyāma is the means to attain samādhi, trance, in order to fully absorb oneself in seeing the Supreme Lord as antaryāmī, the Supersoul within the core of the heart.
tapta-kāñcana-gaurāṅgi rādhe vṛndāvaneśvari vṛṣabhānu-sute devi praṇamāmi hari-priye
I offer my respects to Rādhārāṇī, whose bodily complexion is like molten gold and who is the Queen of Vṛndāvana. You are the daughter of King Vṛṣabhānu, and You are very dear to Lord Kṛṣṇa.
The energy of the Lord acts throughout the creation, just as heat and light, the energies of the sun, act within the universe and make everything work. The specific rivers mentioned in the śāstras are also energies of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and people who regularly bathe in them are purified. It can actually be seen that many people are cured of diseases simply by bathing in the Ganges. Similarly, the inhabitants of Krauñcadvīpa purify themselves by bathing in the rivers there.
The demigods are servants who assist the Supreme Personality of Godhead. If one worships the demigods, the demigods, as servants of the Supreme, carry the sacrificial offerings to the Lord, like tax collectors collecting revenue from the citizens and bringing it to the government’s treasury. The demigods cannot accept the sacrificial offerings; they simply carry the offerings to the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
From the descriptions in this verse, we can make an educated guess about the nature of the flames on the moon. Like the sun, the moon must also be full of flames because without flames there cannot be illumination. The flames on the moon, however, unlike those on the sun, must be mild and pleasing. This is our conviction. The modern theory that the moon is full of dust is not accepted in the verses of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.
Lord Viṣṇu is even the Supreme Lord of death, as confirmed in Bhagavad-gītā (mṛtyuḥ sarva-haraś cāham). There are two kinds of activity — auspicious and inauspicious — and both are controlled by Lord Viṣṇu. Inauspicious activities are said to be behind Lord Viṣṇu, whereas auspicious activities stand before Him. The auspicious and the inauspicious exist throughout the entire world, and Lord Viṣṇu is the controller of them both.
According to general understanding, there are originally three deities — Lord Brahmā, Lord Viṣṇu and Lord Śiva — and people with a poor fund of knowledge consider Lord Viṣṇu no better than Lord Brahmā or Lord Śiva. This conclusion, however, is invalid. As stated in the Vedas, iṣṭāpūrtaṁ bahudhā jāyamānaṁ viśvaṁ bibharti bhuvanasya nābhiḥ tad evāgnis tad vāyus tat sūryas tad u candramāḥ agniḥ sarvadaivataḥ. This means that the Supreme Lord, who accepts and enjoys the results of Vedic ritualistic ceremonies (technically called iṣṭāpūrta), who maintains the entire creation, who supplies the necessities of all living entities (eko bahūnāṁ yo vidadhāti kāmān) and who is the central point of all creation, is Lord Viṣṇu.
Although the demigods are situated in exalted positions in the heavenly planets, they nevertheless desire to descend to the land of Bhārata-varṣa on the planet earth. This indicates that even the demigods are unfit to reside in Bhārata-varṣa. Therefore if persons already born in Bhārata-varṣa live like cats and dogs, not taking full advantage of their birth in this land, they are certainly unfortunate.
In Bhārata-varṣa one is naturally Kṛṣṇa conscious, and if one further cultivates his Kṛṣṇa consciousness, by the grace of Kṛṣṇa he certainly expands his good fortune by becoming perfect in Kṛṣṇa consciousness and very easily going back home, back to Godhead. In many other places in the Vedic literature it is found that even the demigods want to come to this land of Bhārata-varṣa. A foolish person may desire to be promoted to the heavenly planets as a result of his pious activities, but even the demigods from the heavenly planets want to come to Bhārata-varṣa and achieve bodies that may be very easily used to cultivate Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
“Whether one is freed from all material desires, is full of material desires, or desires to become one with the Supreme, he should engage in devotional service.” In this way, not only will the devotee’s desires be fulfilled, but the day will come when he will have no other desire than to serve the lotus feet of the Lord.
Kṛṣṇa does not desire to be worshiped indirectly through the different parts of His body; Kṛṣṇa wants direct devotional worship. Therefore a devotee who directly worships Lord Kṛṣṇa through staunch devotional service, as recommended in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, (tīvreṇa bhakti-yogena yajeta puruṣaṁ param), is very quickly elevated to the transcendental position. Nevertheless, devotees who worship the demigods, the different parts of the Lord, receive the benedictions they desire because the Lord is the original master of all benedictions. If anyone wants a particular benediction, for the Lord to award it is not at all difficult.
In the land of Bhārata-varṣa one can very easily perform the saṅkīrtana-yajña, which consists of śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ, or one can perform other methods of devotional service, such as smaraṇaṁ vandanaṁ arcanaṁ dāsyaṁ sakhyam and ātma-nivedanam. In Bhārata-varṣa one has the opportunity to visit many holy places, especially Lord Caitanya’s birthsite and Lord Kṛṣṇa’s birthsite — Navadvīpa and Vṛndāvana — where there are many pure devotees who have no desire other than to execute devotional service (anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyaṁ jñāna-karmādy-anāvṛtam), and one may thus become free from the bondage of material conditions
Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu appeared in the land of Bhārata-varṣa, specifically in Bengal, in the district of Nadia, where Navadvīpa is situated. It is therefore to be concluded, as stated by Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura, that within this universe, this earth is the best planet, and on this planet the land of Bhārata-varṣa is the best; in the land of Bhārata-varṣa, Bengal is still better, in Bengal the district of Nadia is still better, and in Nadia the best place is Navadvīpa because Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu appeared there to inaugurate the performance of the sacrifice of chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra.
One who has taken birth in the land of Bhārata-varṣa has a full opportunity to study the direct instructions given by Kṛṣṇa in Bhagavad-gītā and thus finally decide what to do in his human form of life. One should certainly give up all other propositions and surrender to Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa will then immediately take charge and relieve one of the results of past sinful life (ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi mā śucaḥ). Therefore one should take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, as Kṛṣṇa Himself recommends
People in the land of Bhārata-varṣa generally follow the Vedic principles and consequently perform great sacrifices by which they can be elevated to the heavenly planets. However, what is the use of such great attainments? As stated in Bhagavad-gītā (9.21), kṣīṇe puṇye martya-lokaṁ viśanti: after the results of one’s sacrifices, charity and other pious activities expire, one must return to the lower planetary systems and again feel the pangs of birth and death. However, one who becomes Kṛṣṇa conscious can go back to Kṛṣṇa (yānti-mad-yājino ’pi mām). Therefore the demigods even regret having been elevated to the higher planetary systems.
A disciple should serve the spiritual master as a menial servant, and whatever he has in his possession should be dedicated to the spiritual master. Prāṇair arthair dhiyā vācā. Everyone has his life, his wealth, his intelligence and his words, and all of them should be offered to the Supreme Personality of Godhead through the medium of the spiritual master. Everything should be offered to the spiritual master as a matter of duty, but the offering should be made to the spiritual master with heart and soul, not artificially to gain material prestige. This offering is called arpaṇa.
There are many facilities in India, Bhārata-varṣa, for executing devotional service. In Bhārata-varṣa, all the ācāryas contributed their experience, and Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu personally appeared to teach the people of Bhārata-varṣa how to progress in spiritual life and be fixed in devotional service to the Lord. From all points of view, Bhārata-varṣa is the special land where one can very easily understand the process of devotional service and adopt it to make his life successful. If one makes his life successful in devotional service and then preaches devotional service in other parts of the world, people throughout the world will actually benefit.
The people who take birth in this tract of land are divided according to the qualities of material nature — the modes of goodness [sattva-guṇa], passion [rajo-guṇa], and ignorance [tamo-guṇa]. Some of them are born as exalted personalities, some are ordinary human beings, and some are extremely abominable, for in Bhārata-varṣa one takes birth exactly according to one’s past karma. If one’s position is ascertained by a bona fide spiritual master and one is properly trained to engage in the service of Lord Viṣṇu according to the four social divisions [brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya and śūdra] and the four spiritual divisions [brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha and sannyāsa], one’s life becomes perfect.
After many, many births, when the results of one’s pious activities mature, one gets an opportunity to associate with pure devotees. Then one is able to cut the knot of bondage to ignorance, which bound him because of varied fruitive activities. As a result of associating with devotees, one gradually renders service to Lord Vāsudeva, who is transcendental, free from attachment to the material world, beyond the mind and words, and independent of everything else. That bhakti-yoga, devotional service to Lord Vāsudeva, is the real path of liberation.
The perfection of yoga consists of giving up attachment for this body and bodily relationships and transferring that attachment to Kṛṣṇa. We are very attached to material enjoyment, but when we transfer that same attachment to Kṛṣṇa, we traverse the path of liberation. One has to practice this yoga system and none other.
At the time of death a materialist thinks of his wife and children. He is absorbed in thinking of how they will live and who will take care of them after he leaves. Consequently he is never prepared to give up his body; rather, he wants to continue to live in his body to serve his society, family, friends and so on. Therefore by practicing the mystic yoga system one must become detached from bodily relationships. If despite practicing bhakti-yoga and studying all the Vedic literature, one is afraid of giving up his bad body, which is the cause of all his suffering, what is the use of his attempts to advance in spiritual life?
The only purpose of life is to be fully absorbed in thoughts of Kṛṣṇa and His form, pastimes, activities and qualities. If one is able to think of Kṛṣṇa in this way, twenty-four hours a day, he is already liberated (svarūpeṇa vyavasthitiḥ). Whereas materialists are absorbed in material thoughts and activities, devotees, on the contrary, are always absorbed in thoughts of Kṛṣṇa and Kṛṣṇa’s activities. Therefore they are already on the platform of liberation. One has to think of Kṛṣṇa with full absorption at the time of death. Then he will certainly return home, back to Godhead, without a doubt.
The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa, is described as sac-cid-ānanda-vigraha, the body of eternity, transcendental bliss and full knowledge. Now in this verse He is more fully described. Kṛṣṇa is the creator of the entire cosmic manifestation, yet He is unattached to it. If we were to construct a very tall skyscraper, we would be very attached to it, but Kṛṣṇa is so renounced that although He has created everything, He is not attached to anything (na badhyate).
In his own book, known as Nārada Pañcarātra, Bhagavān Nārada has very vividly described how to work to achieve the ultimate goal of life — devotion — through knowledge and through execution of the mystic yoga system. He has also described the glories of the Lord, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The great sage Nārada instructed the tenets of this transcendental literature to Sāvarṇi Manu in order to teach those inhabitants of Bhārata-varṣa who strictly follow the principles of varṇāśrama-dharma how to achieve the devotional service of the Lord. Thus Nārada Muni, along with the other inhabitants of Bhārata-varṣa, always engages in the service of Nara-Nārāyaṇa, and he chants as follows.
One must be very serious about self-realization and the practice of austerity. Unfortunately, the people of this Age of Kali do not even know the meaning of austerity. Under these circumstances, the Lord has appeared as Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu to bestow upon the fallen souls the easiest method of self-realization, technically called ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanam, cleansing of the dirt from the core of one’s heart. This method is extremely simple. Anyone can chant the glorious kṛṣṇa-saṅkīrtana — Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare.
When the Lord appears in this universe in the form of a human being, He has two purposes, as stated in Bhagavad-gītā — paritrāṇāya sādhūnāṁ vināśāya ca duṣkṛtām: to destroy the demons and protect the devotees. To protect the devotees, the Lord not only satisfies them by His personal presence but also teaches them so that they will not fall down from devotional service. By His personal example, Lord Rāmacandra taught the devotees that it is better not to enter married life, which is certainly followed by many tribulations.
Lord Śrī Rāmacandra is so kind and merciful to His devotees that He is very easily satisfied by a little service rendered by anyone, human or not. This is the special advantage of worshiping Lord Rāmacandra, and there is the same advantage in worshiping Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Lord Kṛṣṇa and Lord Rāmacandra, in the manner of kṣatriyas, sometimes showed Their mercy by killing asuras, but Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu awarded love of God without difficulty even to the asuras. All the incarnations of the Supreme Personality of Godhead — but especially Lord Rāmacandra, Lord Kṛṣṇa and, later, Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu — delivered many of the living entities present before Them, indeed almost all of them.
Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu had a very sincere devotee whose name was Kholāvecā Śrīdhara and whose only business was to sell pots made of the skin of banana trees. Whatever income he had, he used fifty percent for the worship of mother Ganges, and with the other fifty percent he provided for his necessities. On the whole, he was so very poor that he lived in a cottage that had a broken roof with many holes in it. He could not afford brass utensils, and therefore he drank water from an iron pot. Nevertheless, he was a great devotee of Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. He is a typical example of how a poor man with no material possessions can become a most exalted devotee of the Lord. The conclusion is that one cannot attain shelter at the lotus feet of Lord Kṛṣṇa or Śrī Caitanya Gosāñi through material opulence; that shelter is attainable only by pure devotional service.
Since the Lord is always spiritually qualified, He is attached to servants who always render transcendental loving service unto Him. He is attached to the truth in life, not to brahminical qualities. Indeed, He is never attached to any material qualities. Although He is the Supersoul of all living entities, He is specifically manifest to those who are self-realized, and He is especially dear to the hearts of His transcendental devotees. Because Lord Rāmacandra descended to teach human society how dutiful a king should be, He apparently gave up the company of mother Sītā and Lakṣmaṇa. Factually, however, He could not have given them up. One should therefore learn about the activities of Lord Rāmacandra from a self-realized soul. Then one can understand the transcendental activities of the Lord.
“I worship the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Govinda, who is always situated in various incarnations such as Rāma, Nṛsiṁha and many subincarnations as well, but who is the original Personality of Godhead known as Kṛṣṇa and who incarnates personally also.”
In some millenniums Lord Rāmacandra and His brothers appear as incarnations of Vāsudeva, Saṅkarṣaṇa, Pradyumna and Aniruddha, and in other millenniums They appear as incarnations of Nārāyaṇa, Śeṣa, Cakra and Śaṅkha. The residence of Lord Rāmacandra on this planet is Ayodhyā. Ayodhyā City is still existing in the district of Faizabad, which is situated on the northern side of Uttar Pradesh.
Sometimes the question arises why the Supreme Lord has created this material world, which is so full of suffering for the living entities entrapped in it. The answer given herein is that the Supreme Personality of Godhead does not wish to create this material world just to inflict suffering on the living entities. The Supreme Lord creates this world only because the conditioned souls want to enjoy it.
The objects of material enjoyment, the sensory activities, attachment to sensual pleasure, the body, false egotism and so on are produced by the Lord’s external energy, māyā. The background of all these activities is the living being, and the director of the living beings is the Supersoul. The living being is not the all in all. He is directed by the Supersoul.
“After many births and deaths, he who is actually in knowledge surrenders unto Me.” When one understands that the Lord is situated in everyone’s heart and actually sees the Lord present everywhere, he has perfect knowledge.
Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: Dear King, the Supreme Lord in His boar incarnation, who accepts all sacrificial offerings, lives in the northern part of Jambūdvīpa. There, in the tract of land known as Uttarakuru-varṣa, mother earth and all the other inhabitants worship Him with unfailing devotional service by repeatedly chanting the following Upaniṣadic mantra.
Philosophers and scientists have been trying to study the entire cosmic situation and have been theorizing and calculating in different ways for millions and millions of years. However, the speculative research work of a so-called scientist or philosopher is always interrupted when he dies, and the laws of nature go on without regard for his work.
This verse completely rejects the theory of brahma satyaṁ jagan mithyā, which states that spirit, or Brahman, is real, whereas the manifested material world, with its great variety of things, is false. Nothing is false. One thing may be permanent and another temporary, but both the permanent and the temporary are facts. For example, if someone becomes angry for a certain period, no one can say that his anger is false. It is simply temporary. Everything we experience in our daily lives is of this same character; it is temporary but real.
In Bhagavad-gītā the Lord also says, mat-sthāni sarva-bhūtāni na cāhaṁ teṣv avasthitaḥ: the entire material creation is resting on Kṛṣṇa’s energy, either material, spiritual or marginal, but because His form is absent from the expansion of His energy, He is not personally present. This inconceivable expansion of the Supreme Lord’s energy is called acintya-śakti. Therefore no one can understand the real form of the Lord without becoming His devotee.
O my Lord, I offer my respectful obeisances unto You, who have assumed the form of a tortoise. You are the reservoir of all transcendental qualities, and being entirely untinged by matter, You are perfectly situated in pure goodness. You move here and there in the water, but no one can discern Your position. Therefore I offer my respectful obeisances unto You. Because of Your transcendental position, You are not limited by past, present and future. You are present everywhere as the shelter of all things, and therefore I offer my respectful obeisances unto You again and again.
In Hiraṇmaya-varṣa, the Supreme Lord, Viṣṇu, lives in the form of a tortoise [kūrma-śarīra]. This most dear and beautiful form is always worshiped there in devotional service by Aryamā, the chief resident of Hiraṇmaya-varṣa, along with the other inhabitants of that land.
Śrīmad Bhāgavatam class on Fri 6th Aug 2021 by Sri Chaitanya Dāsa 5.18.28 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
It is fashionable for materialistic persons to compete with the power of God. When so-called scientists try to manufacture living entities in their laboratories, their only purpose is to defy the talent and ability of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. This is called illusion.
The living entity is never independent. Under all circumstances, he is dependent on the mercy of the Lord. The Lord creates the social divisions of human society — brāhmaṇas, kṣatriyas, vaiśyas and śūdras — and ordains that they follow rules and regulations suited to their particular position. In this way, all members of society remain always under the Supreme Lord’s control. Still, some people foolishly deny the existence of God.
Soon after the cosmic creation, the entire universe was inundated with water. At that time Lord Kṛṣṇa (Keśava) incarnated as a gigantic fish to protect the Vedas. Therefore Manu addresses Lord Matsya as mukhyatama, the first incarnation to appear. Fish are generally considered a mixture of the modes of ignorance and passion, but we must understand that every incarnation of the Supreme Personality of Godhead is completely transcendental. There is never any deterioration of the Supreme Lord’s original transcendental quality
The conclusion is that one cannot associate with Kṛṣṇa unless he has fully received the favor of the inhabitants of Vrajabhūmi. Therefore if one wants to be delivered by Kṛṣṇa directly, he must take to the service of the residents of Vṛndāvana, who are unalloyed devotees of the Lord.
The goddess of fortune, Lakṣmīdevī, states that she does not bestow her favor on any materialistic person. Although sometimes a materialist becomes very opulent in the eyes of another materialist, such opulence is bestowed upon him by the goddess Durgādevī, a material expansion of the goddess of fortune, not by Lakṣmīdevī herself. By pleasing Goddess Durgā one can obtain such benefits, but since they are temporary, they result only in māyā-sukha (illusory happiness).
Lakṣmīdevī advises all devotees who approach the Lord with material desires that according to her practical experience, the Lord is Kāmadeva, and thus there is no need to ask Him for anything material. She says that everyone should simply serve the Lord without any motive. Since the Supreme Personality of Godhead is sitting in everyone’s heart, He knows everyone’s thoughts, and in due course of time He will fulfill all desires. Therefore let us completely depend on the service of the Lord without bothering Him with our material requests.
People want to become a husband, a guardian, a governor or a political leader without knowing the actual meaning of such a superior position. There are many people all over the world — indeed, throughout the universe — who claim for some time that they are husbands, political leaders or guardians, but in due course of time the Supreme Lord desires their removal from their posts, and their careers are immediately finished. Therefore those who are actually learned and advanced in spiritual life do not accept any leader, husband or maintainer other than the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
In this verse, Lakṣmīdevī (Ramā) shows compassion toward women who worship the Lord for the benediction of possessing a good husband. Although such women desire to be happy with children, wealth, a long duration of life and everything dear to them, they cannot possibly do so. In the material world, a so-called husband is dependent on the control of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Godess Lakshmi Devi prayer: Let me offer my respectful obeisances unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Hṛṣīkeśa, the controller of all my senses and the origin of everything. As the supreme master of all bodily, mental and intellectual activities, He is the only enjoyer of their results. The five sense objects and eleven senses, including the mind, are His partial manifestations. He supplies all the necessities of life, which are His energy and thus nondifferent from Him, and He is the cause of everyone’s bodily and mental prowess, which is also nondifferent from Him. Indeed, He is the husband and provider of necessities for all living entities. The purpose of all the Vedas is to worship Him. Therefore let us all offer Him our respectful obeisances. May He always be favorable toward us in this life and the next.
Māyā means affection as well as illusion. When a mother deals with her child affectionately, she is called māyāmaya. In whatever form the Supreme Lord Viṣṇu appears, He is always affectionate toward His devotees. Thus the word māyāmayam is used here to mean “very affectionate toward the devotees.”
This Kāmadeva, who appears as Kṛṣṇa’s son named Pradyumna, is viṣṇu-tattva. How this is so is explained by Madhvācārya, who quotes from the Brahmāṇḍa Purāṇa: kāmadeva-sthitaṁ viṣṇum upāste. Although this Kāmadeva is viṣṇu-tattva, His body is not spiritual but material. Lord Viṣṇu as Pradyumna or Kāmadeva accepts a material body, but He still acts spiritually. It does not make any difference whether He accepts a spiritual or a material body; He can act spiritually in any condition of existence. Māyāvādī philosophers regard even Lord Kṛṣṇa’s body as material, but their opinions cannot impede the spiritual activity of the Lord.
Therefore, O demons, give up the so-called happiness of family life and simply take shelter of the lotus feet of Lord Nṛsiṁhadeva, which are the actual shelter of fearlessness. Entanglement in family life is the root cause of material attachment, indefatigable desires, moroseness, anger, despair, fear and the desire for false prestige, all of which result in the repetition of birth and death.
Although crocodiles are very fierce animals, they are powerless when they venture out of the water onto land. When they are out of the water, they cannot exhibit their original power. Similarly, the all-pervading Supersoul, Paramātmā, is the source of all living entities, and all living entities are part and parcel of Him. When the living entity remains in contact with the all-pervading Vāsudeva, the Personality of Godhead, he manifests his spiritual power, exactly as the crocodile exhibits its strength in the water. In other words, the greatness of the living entity can be perceived when he is in the spiritual world, engaged in spiritual activities.
All living entities are part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa, and therefore when they revive their original Kṛṣṇa consciousness, they possess all the good qualities of Kṛṣṇa in a small quantity. When one engages himself in the nine processes of devotional service (śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ smaraṇaṁ pāda-sevanam/ arcanaṁ vandanaṁ dāsyaṁ sakhyam ātma-nivedanam), one’s heart becomes purified, and he immediately understands his relationship with Kṛṣṇa. He then revives his original quality of Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
The Supreme Lord within everyone’s heart becomes very pleased when a person hears narrations of His activities, and He personally cleanses the dirt from the mind of the listener. Hṛdy antaḥ-stho hy abhadrāṇi vidhunoti: He washes off all dirt from the mind. Material existence is caused by dirty things within the mind. If one can cleanse his mind, he immediately comes to his original position of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, and thus his life becomes successful. Therefore all the great saints in the devotional line very strongly recommend the process of hearing.
My dear Lord, we pray that we may never feel attraction for the prison of family life, consisting of home, wife, children, friends, bank balance, relatives and so on. If we do have some attachment, let it be for devotees, whose only dear friend is Kṛṣṇa. A person who is actually self-realized and who has controlled his mind is perfectly satisfied with the bare necessities of life. He does not try to gratify his senses. Such a person quickly advances in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, whereas others, who are too attached to material things, find advancement very difficult.
Just like a desire tree, a Vaiṣṇava can fulfill all the desires of anyone who takes shelter of his lotus feet. Prahlāda Mahārāja is a typical Vaiṣṇava. He prays not for himself but for all living entities — the gentle, the envious and the mischievous. He always thought of the welfare of mischievous persons like his father, Hiraṇyakaśipu. Prahlāda Mahārāja did not ask for anything for himself; rather, he prayed for the Lord to excuse his demoniac father. This is the attitude of a Vaiṣṇava, who always thinks of the welfare of the entire universe.
Any devotee aspiring to be free of material desires should offer his respectful prayers to Nṛsiṁhadeva as Prahlāda Mahārāja did in this verse.
Unless one is completely freed of all material desires, which are caused by the dense darkness of ignorance, one cannot fully engage in the devotional service of the Lord. Therefore we should always offer our prayers to Lord Nṛsiṁhadeva, who killed Hiraṇyakaśipu, the personification of material desire
Śukadeva Gosvāmī refers to Nṛsiṁhadeva because of Prahlāda Mahārāja. Prahlāda Mahārāja was put into great distress by his powerful father, the demon Hiraṇyakaśipu. Apparently helpless before him, Prahlāda Mahārāja called on the Lord, who immediately assumed the gigantic form of Nṛsiṁhadeva, half-lion and half-man, to kill the gigantic demon. Although Kṛṣṇa is the original person, one without a second, He assumes different forms just to satisfy His devotees or to execute a specific purpose. Therefore Jayadeva Gosvāmī always repeats the name of Keśava, the original Personality of Godhead, in his prayers describing the Lord’s different incarnations for different purposes.
Although Vedic knowledge is imperishable, within this material world it is sometimes manifest and sometimes not. When the people of this material world become too absorbed in ignorance, the Vedic knowledge disappears. Lord Hayagrīva or Lord Matsya, however, always protects the Vedic knowledge, and in due course of time it is again distributed through the medium of Lord Brahmā. Brahmā is the trustworthy representative of the Supreme Lord. Therefore when he again asked for the treasure of Vedic knowledge, the Lord fulfilled his desire.
The Lord is always prepared to excuse His devotee, but if a devotee takes advantage of the Lord’s leniency and purposefully commits mistakes again and again, the Lord will certainly punish him by letting him fall down into the clutches of the illusory energy. In other words, theoretical knowledge acquired by studying the Vedas is insufficient to protect one from the clutches of māyā. One must strongly adhere to the lotus feet of the Lord in devotional service. Then one’s position is secure.
The Supreme Lord does not want any living being to act sinfully, and He begs him through his good conscience to refrain from sin. But when someone insists upon acting sinfully, the Supreme Lord gives him the sanction to act at his own risk (mattaḥ smṛtir jñānam apohanaṁ ca). No one can do anything without the sanction of the Lord, but He is so kind that when the conditioned soul persists in doing something, the Lord permits the individual soul to act at his own risk.
We offer our respectful obeisances unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the reservoir of all religious principles, who cleanses the heart of the conditioned soul in this material world. Again and again we offer our respectful obeisances unto Him.
In all the activities of creation and annihilation, the living entity is entangled in fruitive activities, which are executed by the illusory energy, māyā. He is exactly like a computer handled by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The so-called scientists say that nature acts independently, but they cannot explain what nature is. Nature is nothing but a machine operated by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. When one understands the operator, his problems of life are solved.
From Saṅkarṣaṇa, Mahā-Viṣṇu expands, and from Mahā-Viṣṇu, Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṇu expands. Lord Brahmā, who was born of Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṇu, fathers Lord Śiva, from whom all the other demigods gradually evolve. Lord Brahmā, Lord Śiva and Lord Viṣṇu are incarnations of the different material qualities. Lord Viṣṇu is actually above all material qualities, but He accepts control of sattva-guṇa (the mode of goodness) to maintain the universe.
The incarnation of the Supreme Personality of Godhead known as Śeṣa or Ananta has unlimited strength, fame, wealth, knowledge, beauty and renunciation. As described in this verse, Ananta’s strength is so great that the innumerable universes rest on His hoods. He has the bodily features of a snake with thousands of hoods, and since His strength is unlimited, all the universes resting on His hoods feel no heavier than mustard seeds.
Anyone who remains unagitated, even in the presence of cause for agitation, is called dhīra, or equipoised. The Supreme Personality of Godhead, being always in a transcendental position, is never agitated by anything. Therefore someone who wants to become dhīra must take shelter of the lotus feet of the Lord. In Bhagavad-gītā (2.13) Kṛṣṇa says, dhīras tatra na muhyati: a person who is equipoised in all circumstances is never bewildered. Prahlāda Mahārāja is a perfect example of a dhīra. When the fierce form of Nṛsiṁhadeva appeared in order to kill Hiraṇyakaśipu, Prahlāda was unagitated. He remained calm and quiet, whereas others, including even Lord Brahmā, were frightened by the features of the Lord.
We cannot control the force of our anger. Therefore when we look at material things, we cannot avoid feeling attraction or repulsion for them. But the Supreme Lord is never affected in this way. Although He glances over the material world for the purpose of creating, maintaining and destroying it, He is not affected, even to the slightest degree. Therefore, one who desires to conquer the force of the senses must take shelter of the lotus feet of the Lord. Then he will be victorious.
Sometimes we see a picture of Lord Śiva engaged in meditation. This verse explains that Lord Śiva is always meditating upon Lord Saṅkarṣaṇa in trance. Lord Śiva is in charge of the destruction of the material world. Lord Brahmā creates the material world, Lord Viṣṇu maintains it, and Lord Śiva destroys it. Because destruction is in the mode of ignorance, Lord Śiva and his worshipable Deity, Saṅkarṣaṇa, are technically called tāmasī. Lord Śiva is the incarnation of tamo-guṇa. Since both Lord Śiva and Saṅkarṣaṇa are always enlightened and situated in the transcendental position, they have nothing to do with the modes of material nature — goodness, passion and ignorance — but because their activities involve them with the mode of ignorance, they are sometimes called tāmasī.
One should strictly follow this śāstric injunction and worship the Deity, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, without offenses. The spiritual master is the direct representative of the Lord, and no one should consider him an ordinary human being. By avoiding offenses against the Deity and the spiritual master, one can advance in spiritual life, or Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
The inhabitants of this earth also desire such heavenly enjoyment, but when they somehow or other achieve imitation pleasures like intoxication, they completely forget the service of the Supreme Lord. In the heavenly planets, however, although the residents enjoy superior sense gratification, they never forget their positions as eternal servants of the Supreme Being.
There are four yugas: Satya-yuga, Tretā-yuga, Dvāpara-yuga and Kali-yuga. During the first yuga, Satya-yuga, people were very pious. Everyone practiced the mystic yoga system for spiritual understanding and realization of God. Because everyone was always absorbed in samādhi, no one was interested in material sense enjoyment. During Tretā-yuga, people enjoyed sense pleasure without tribulations. Material miseries began in Dvāpara-yuga, but they were not very stringent. Stringent material miseries really began from the advent of Kali-yuga.
“One should render transcendental loving service to the Supreme Lord Kṛṣṇa favorably and without desire for material profit or gain through fruitive activities or philosophical speculation. That is called pure devotional service.” Those who fully engage in devotional service to Kṛṣṇa just to please Him are not interested in the three divisions of heavenly places, namely, divya-svarga, bhauma-svarga and bila-svarga.
The place where the Ganges flows into the salt water of the Bay of Bengal is still known as Gaṅgā-sāgara, or the meeting place of the Ganges and the Bay of Bengal. On Makara-saṅkrānti, in the month of January—February, thousands of people still go there to bathe, hoping to be liberated. That they can actually be liberated in this way is confirmed herein. For those who bathe in the Ganges at any time, the results of great sacrifices like the Aśvamedha and Rājasūya yajña are not at all difficult to achieve.
We should always remember that the Ganges River comes from the Causal Ocean, beyond the covering of the universe. After the water of the Causal Ocean leaks through the hole created by Lord Vāmanadeva, it flows down to Dhruvaloka (the polestar) and then to the seven planets beneath Dhruvaloka. Then it is carried to the moon by innumerable celestial airplanes, and then it falls to the top of Mount Meru, which is known as Sumeru-parvata. In this way, the water of the Ganges finally reaches the lower planets and the peaks of the Himālayas, and from there it flows through Hardwar and throughout the plains of India, purifying the entire land.
Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu has perfectly enunciated and broadcast the process of bhakti-yoga. Consequently, for one who has taken shelter at the lotus feet of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, the highest perfection of the Māyāvādīs, kaivalya, or becoming one with the Supreme, is considered hellish, to say nothing of the karmīs’ aspiration to be promoted to the heavenly planets. Devotees consider such goals to be worthless phantasmagoria
When a person is firmly fixed in devotional service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, he is described as vīra-vrata, fully determined. Such a devotee increases his ecstasy in devotional service more and more. Thus as soon as he remembers Lord Viṣṇu, his eyes fill with tears. This is a symptom of a mahā-bhāgavata. Dhruva Mahārāja maintained himself in that devotional ecstasy, and Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu also gave us a practical example of transcendental ecstasy when He lived at Jagannātha Purī. His pastimes there are fully narrated in Caitanya-caritāmṛta.
The water of the Ganges is called patita-pāvanī, the deliverer of all sinful living beings. It is a proven fact that a person who regularly bathes in the Ganges is purified both externally and internally. Externally his body becomes immune to all kinds of disease, and internally he gradually develops a devotional attitude toward the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Śrīmad Bhāgavatam class on Mon 28th June 2021 by JaiSaciNandana Dāsa 5.16.26-29 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
The miserable conditions of this material world can be corrected by a sufficient supply of milk, yogurt, honey, ghee, molasses, food grains, ornaments, bedding, sitting places and so on. This is human civilization. Ample food grains can be produced through agricultural enterprises, and profuse supplies of milk, yogurt and ghee can be arranged through cow protection. Abundant honey can be obtained if the forests are protected.
“All living bodies subsist on food grains, which are produced from rains. Rains are produced by performance of yajña [sacrifice], and yajña is born of prescribed duties.” These are the prescriptions given in Bhagavad-gītā (3.14). If people follow these principles in full Kṛṣṇa consciousness, human society will be prosperous, and they will be happy both in this life and in the next.
Śrīmad Bhāgavatam class on Fri 25th June 2021 by YamunaLila Dāsi 5.16.22 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
The humble devotee simply prays to the Lord, “Kindly pick me up from the material world, which is full of varieties of material opulence, and keep me under the shelter of Your lotus feet.”
The limits of the expansions of Govinda, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, cannot be estimated by anyone, even a person as perfect as Brahmā, not to speak of tiny scientists whose senses and instruments are all imperfect and who cannot give us information of even this one universe. We should therefore be satisfied with the information obtainable from Vedic sources as spoken by authorities like Śukadeva Gosvāmī.
In our preaching work also, we deal with so much property and money and so many books bought and sold, but because these dealings all pertain to the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, they should never be considered material. That one is absorbed in thoughts of such management does not mean that he is outside of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. If one rigidly observes the regulative principle of chanting sixteen rounds of the mahā-mantra every day, his dealings with the material world for the sake of spreading the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement are not different from the spiritual cultivation of Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
From Bhagavad-gītā (10.21) we understand that the stars are similar to the moon (nakṣatrāṇām ahaṁ śaśī). Like the moon, the stars reflect the sunshine. Apart from our modern distinguished estimations of where the planetary systems are located, we can understand that the sky and its various planets were studied long, long before Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam was compiled.
When the Supreme Lord is pleased by a person’s actions, automatically all the demigods, human beings, animals, birds, bees, creepers, trees, grass and all other living entities, beginning with Lord Brahmā, are pleased. The Supreme Personality of Godhead is the Supersoul of everyone, and He is by nature fully pleased. Nonetheless, He came to the arena of Mahārāja Gaya and said, “I am fully pleased.”
In Mahārāja Gaya’s sacrifices, there was a great supply of the intoxicant known as soma. King Indra used to come and become intoxicated by drinking large quantities of soma-rasa. Also, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Viṣṇu [the yajña-puruṣa] also came and personally accepted all the sacrifices offered unto Him with pure and firm devotion in the sacrificial arena.
Śrīmad Bhāgavatam class on Fri 18th June 2021 by Sri Chaitanya Dāsa 5.15.11 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
The earth over which Mahārāja Gaya ruled is compared to a cow. The good qualities whereby he maintained and ruled the citizens are compared to the calf. A cow delivers milk in the presence of her calf; similarly the cow, or earth, fulfilled the desires of Mahārāja Gaya, who was able to utilize all the resources of the earth to benefit his citizens. This was possible because he was bathed in sanctified water by the honest daughters of Dakṣa. Unless a king or ruler is blessed by authorities, he cannot rule the citizens very satisfactorily. Through the good qualities of the ruler, the citizens become very happy and well qualified.
As a representative of the Supreme Lord, the king had the duty to protect the citizens in a perfect way so that they would not be anxious for food and protection and so that they would be jubilant. The king would supply everything for their benefit, and because of this he would levy taxes. If the king or government otherwise levies taxes on the citizens, he becomes responsible for the sinful activities of the citizens.
A direct incarnation of the Supreme Personality of Godhead is called aṁśa or svāṁśa, whereas an incarnation from aṁśa is called kalā. Among the kalās there are the vibhinnāṁśa-jīvas, or living entities. These are counted among the jīva-tattvas. Those who come directly from Lord Viṣṇu are called viṣṇu-tattva and are sometimes designated as Mahāpuruṣa. Another name for Kṛṣṇa is Mahāpuruṣa, and a devotee is sometimes called mahā-pauruṣika.
God consciousness is not imaginary or concocted. The devotee who is pure and advanced realizes God as He is. Mahārāja Pratīha did so, and due to his direct realization of Lord Viṣṇu, he propagated self-realization and became a preacher. A real preacher cannot be bogus; he must first of all realize Lord Viṣṇu as He is.
Lord Buddha, an incarnation of Lord Kṛṣṇa, adopted a particular means to propagate the philosophy of bhāgavata-dharma. He preached almost exclusively among atheists. Atheists do not want any God, and Lord Buddha therefore said that there is no God, but he adopted the means to instruct his followers for their benefit. Therefore he preached in a duplicitous way, saying that there is no God. Nonetheless, he himself was an incarnation of God.
If one submissively hears and chants about the all-auspicious Mahārāja Bharata, one’s life span and material opulences certainly increase. One can become very famous and easily attain promotion to the heavenly planets, or attain liberation by merging into the existence of the Lord. Whatever one desires can be attained simply by hearing, chanting and glorifying the activities of Mahārāja Bharata. In this way, one can fulfill all his material and spiritual desires. One does not have to ask anyone else for these things, for simply by studying the life of Mahārāja Bharata, one can attain all desirable things.
The purpose of aṣṭāṅga-yoga, as stated by Madhvācārya, is to link or connect with the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The goal is not to display some material perfections.
A person who always desires to serve Kṛṣṇa is interested in ways to convince people that there is a Supreme Personality of Godhead and that the Supreme Personality of Godhead is Kṛṣṇa. That is his ambition. It doesn’t matter whether he is in heaven or in hell.
We have to learn from the great King Bharata how to become cautious in cultivating Kṛṣṇa consciousness. A little inattention will retard our devotional service for the time being. Yet any service rendered to the Supreme Personality of Godhead is never lost: svalpam apy asya dharmasya trāyate mahato bhayāt (Bg. 2.40). A little devotional service rendered sincerely is a permanent asset.
The path of devotional service is very difficult, even for great kings who have conquered many enemies. Although these kings were victorious on the battlefield, they could not conquer the bodily conception. There are many big leaders, yogīs, svāmīs and so-called incarnations who are very much addicted to mental speculation and who advertise themselves as perfect personalities, but they are not ultimately successful. The path of devotional service is undoubtedly very difficult to follow, but it becomes very easy if the candidate actually wants to follow the path of the mahājana.
“Any person who seriously desires to achieve real happiness must seek out a bona fide spiritual master and take shelter of him by initiation. The qualification of his spiritual master is that he must have realized the conclusion of the scriptures by deliberation and be able to convince others of these conclusions. Such great personalities, who have taken shelter of the Supreme Godhead, leaving aside all material considerations, are to be understood as bona fide spiritual masters.”
The real mission of life for the conditioned soul is to reestablish the forgotten relationship with the Supreme Personality of Godhead and engage in devotional service so that he may revive Kṛṣṇa consciousness after giving up the body. One doesn’t have to give up his occupation as a brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra or whatever. In any position, while discharging his prescribed duty, one can develop Kṛṣṇa consciousness simply by associating with devotees who are representatives of Kṛṣṇa and who can teach this science
The great saint Jaḍa Bharata described both the miserable condition and the means to get out. The only way out of it is association with devotees, and this association is very easy. Although unfortunate people also get this opportunity, due to their great misfortune they cannot take shelter of pure devotees, and consequently they continuously suffer. Nonetheless, this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement insists that everyone take to this path by adopting the chanting of the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra. The preachers of Kṛṣṇa consciousness go from door to door to inform people how they can be relieved from the miserable conditions of material life
Materialistic life means continuous unhappiness, but sometimes we accept happiness as it appears between the gaps. Sometimes a condemned person is submerged in water and hauled out. Actually all of this is meant for punishment, but he feels a little comfort when he is taken out of the water. This is the situation with the conditioned soul.
Every conditioned soul has the propensity to cheat, even in marriage. Everywhere in this material world, one conditioned soul is envious of another. For the time being, people may remain friends, but eventually they become enemies again and fight over money. Sometimes they marry and then separate by divorce or other means
Unless one is very well organized, one cannot accumulate riches by unfair means. Even if one acquires riches by unfair means, he cannot avoid punishment and insult from the government or the general populace. There are many instances of important people’s embezzling money, getting caught and being put in prison.
The conditioned soul suffers many miserable bodily conditions, such as being affected by severe cold and strong winds. He also suffers due to the activities of other living beings and due to natural disturbances. When he is unable to counteract them and has to remain in a miserable condition, he naturally becomes very morose because he wants to enjoy material facilities
Everyone is afraid of death, and however strong a materialistic person may be, when there is disease and old age one must certainly accept death’s notice. The conditioned soul becomes very morose to receive notice of death. His fear is compared to the fear experienced upon entering a dark mountain cave, and death is compared to a great elephant.
Just as a monkey jumps from one tree to another, the conditioned soul jumps from one body to another. As the monkey is ultimately captured by the hunter and is unable to get out of captivity, the conditioned soul, being captivated by momentary sex pleasure, becomes attached to different types of bodies and is encaged in family life. Family life affords the conditioned soul a festival of momentary sex pleasure, and thus he is completely unable to get out of the material clutches.
Presently all human society is engaged in improving economic conditions and bodily comforts. People are not interested in knowing what is going to happen after death, nor do they believe in the transmigration of the soul. When one scientifically studies the evolutionary theory, one can understand that human life is a junction where one may take the path of promotion or degradation.
By fulfilling the process of evolution from the aquatics to the animal platform, a living entity eventually reaches the human form. The three modes of material nature are always working in the evolutionary process. Those who come to the human form through the quality of sattva-guṇa were cows in their last animal incarnation. Those who come to the human form through the quality of rajo-guṇa were lions in their last animal incarnation. And those who come to the human form through the quality of tamo-guṇa were monkeys in their last animal incarnation
Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, has left behind Him Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam and Bhagavad-gītā. Not referring to these authorized scriptures, many take shelter of man-made scriptures and try to compete with Lord Kṛṣṇa. That is the greatest difficulty one encounters when trying to promote spiritual consciousness in human society. The Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is trying its best to bring people back to Kṛṣṇa consciousness in its pure form.
The attraction between man and woman is the cause of bondage for both. Actually both belong to the parā prakṛti, the superior energy of the Lord, but both are actually prakṛti (female). However, because both want to enjoy one another, they are sometimes described as puruṣa (male). Actually neither is puruṣa, but both can be superficially described as puruṣa. As soon as man and woman are united, they become attached to home, hearth, land, friendship and money. In this way they are both entrapped in material existence.
The conditioned soul has to accept many miserable conditions simply to enjoy sense gratification in this world.
I offer my respectful obeisances unto Lord Nṛsiṁhadeva, the source of all power. O my Lord who possess nails and teeth just like thunderbolts, kindly vanquish our demonlike desires for fruitive activity in this material world. Please appear in our hearts and drive away our ignorance so that by Your mercy we may become fearless in the struggle for existence in this material world.
Unless one can find a person transcendental to the four basic defects, one should not accept advice and become a victim of the material condition. The best process is to take the advice and instructions of Śrī Kṛṣṇa or His bona fide representative. In this way one can be happy in this life and the next.
The so-called happy materialistic person is constantly having to endure the threefold miseries of life, called adhidaivika, adhyātmika and adhibhautika. Actually no one can counteract these threefold miseries. All three may assail one at one time, or one misery may be absent and the other present. Thus the living entity is full of anxiety, fearing misery from one side or the other. The conditioned soul must be disturbed by at least one of these three miseries. There is no escape.
One person cheats another, and another person cheats someone else; therefore the best way to possess Lakṣmī is to keep her by the side of Nārāyaṇa. This is the point of the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. We worship Lakṣmī (Rādhārāṇī) along with Nārāyaṇa (Kṛṣṇa). We collect money from various sources, but that money does not belong to anyone but Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa (Lakṣmī-Nārāyaṇa). If money is utilized in the service of Lakṣmī-Nārāyaṇa, the devotee automatically lives in an opulent way.
The results of all one’s activities should be utilized not for sense gratification but for the mission of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The Supreme Lord gives all information in Bhagavad-gītā about the aim of life, and at the end of Bhagavad-gītā He demands surrender unto Him. People do not generally like this demand, but one who cultivates spiritual knowledge for many births eventually surrenders unto the lotus feet of the Lord
Meat-eating and intoxication excite the senses more and more, and the conditioned soul falls victim to women. In order to keep women, money is required, and to acquire money, one begs, borrows or steals. Indeed, he commits abominable acts that cause him to suffer both in this life and in the next.
Material life means being fully absorbed in eating, sleeping, mating and defending. Out of these, sleep is taken very seriously. While asleep, one completely forgets the object of life and what to do. For spiritual realization, one should try to avoid sleep as much as possible. The Gosvāmīs of Vṛndāvana practically did not sleep at all. Of course, they slept some, for the body requires sleep, but they slept only about two hours, and sometimes not even that. They always engaged in spiritual cultivation. Nidrāhāra-vihārakādi-vijitau. Following in the footsteps of the Gosvāmīs, we should try to reduce sleeping, eating, mating and defending.
Sometimes, due to misery, one becomes very hardened toward his affectionate sons, daughters and wife. This is but part of the blazing fire of the forest of material life.
Due to ignorance of the real existence of the Lord, the conditioned soul imagines many things. Influenced by fruitive activity, he comes together with his relatives, fathers, sons and grandfathers, exactly as straws gather together in a moving stream. In a moment the straws are thrown everywhere, and they lose contact. In conditional life, the living entity is temporarily with many other conditioned souls. They gather together as family members, and the material affection is so strong that even after a father or grandfather passes away, one takes pleasure in thinking that they return to the family in different forms. Sometimes this may happen, but in any case the conditioned soul likes to take pleasure in such concocted thoughts.
At unfavorable times income taxes are exacted forcibly, and the taxpayers become very morose.
A life in this material world is exactly like a blazing forest fire. No one goes to set fire to the forest, yet the fire takes place. Similarly, everyone wants to be happy in the material world, but the miserable conditions of material life simply increase. Sometimes a person caught in the blazing fire of material existence condemns himself, but due to his bodily conception he cannot get out of the entanglement, and thus he suffers more and more.
Once we actually saw a distressed man steal ornaments from his daughter just to maintain himself. As the English proverb goes, necessity knows no law. When a conditioned soul needs something, he forgets his relationship with his relatives and exploits his own father or son.
One should approach a guru who can extinguish the blazing fire of this material world, the struggle for existence. People want to be cheated, and therefore they go to yogīs and svāmīs who play tricks, but tricks do not mitigate the miseries of material life. If being able to manufacture gold is a criterion for becoming God, then why not accept Kṛṣṇa, the proprietor of the entire universe, wherein there are countless tons of gold?
The wealth and riches acquired through previous pious activities should not be misused for sense gratification. Enjoying them for sense gratification is like enjoying the fruits of a poisonous tree. Such activities will not help the conditioned soul in any way, neither in this life nor the next. However, if one engages his possessions in the service of the Lord under the guidance of a proper spiritual master, he will attain happiness both in this life and the next.
Śrīmad Bhāgavatam class on Sun 9th May 2021 by Jagannath Ram Dāsa 5.14.11 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
The main disease in material life is the bodily conception. Being baffled again and again in material activity, the conditioned soul temporarily thinks of the futility of material enjoyment, but he again tries the same thing. By the association of devotees, a person may become convinced of the material futility, but he cannot give up his engagement, although he is very eager to return home, back to Godhead.
A materialistic person does not believe that everything is managed in nature, and he does not know that if one does something wrong, he is witnessed by different demigods.
Not knowing the aim of life, the materialist perpetually wanders in material existence, struggling to get the necessities of life. Not understanding the aim of life, even though he acquires sufficient necessities, he manufactures artificial necessities and thus becomes more and more entangled. He creates a mental situation whereby he needs greater and greater comforts. The materialist does not know the secret of nature’s ways.
In Bhagavad-gītā, Lord Kṛṣṇa says that the material world is not only full of miseries (duḥkhālayam) but also temporary (aśāśvatam). Even if we want to live here amid miseries, material nature will not allow us to do so. It will oblige us to change bodies and enter another atmosphere full of miserable conditions.
There are two worlds — the spiritual and the material. The material world is false like a mirage in the desert. In the desert, animals think they see water, but actually there is none. Similarly, those who are animalistic try to find peace within the desert of material life. It is repeatedly said in different śāstras that there is no pleasure in this material world. Furthermore, even if we agree to live without pleasure, we are not allowed to do so.
Due to forgetting the lotus feet of Lord Nityānanda and being puffed up by material possessions, wealth and opulence, one thinks the false, temporary material world to be an actual fact. This is the material disease. The living entity is eternal and blissful, but despite miserable material conditions, he thinks the material world to be real and factual due to his ignorance.
Unless one’s desires are completely transferred to the service of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the desire for family life continues, even after one has taken sannyāsa. Sometimes in our society, ISKCON, a person out of sentiment may take sannyāsa, but because his desires are not burned completely, he again takes to family life, even at the risk of losing his prestige and disgracing his good name. These strong desires can be burned out completely when one fully engages in the service of the Lord in devotional service.
Although a miserly man wants to guard his money very carefully, his family members take away all his assets forcibly, even though he is very vigilant.
One should practice a little austerity and not spend money on anything other than the regulative life of devotional service. The senses demand that one see beautiful things; therefore money should be spent for decorating the Deity in the temple. Similarly, the tongue has to taste good food, which should be bought and offered to the Deity. The nose can be utilized in smelling the flowers offered to the Deity, and the hearing can be utilized by listening to the vibration of the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. In this way the senses can be regulated and utilized to advance Kṛṣṇa consciousness
The most important information in this verse is hari-guru-caraṇa-aravinda-madhukara-anupadavīm. In this material world the conditioned souls are baffled by their activities, and sometimes they are relieved after great difficulty. On the whole the conditioned soul is never happy. He simply struggles for existence. Actually his only business is to accept the spiritual master, the guru, and through him he must accept the lotus feet or the Lord.
There are many stories and incidents in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam that are described figuratively. Such allegorical descriptions may not be understood by unintelligent men; therefore it is the duty of the student to approach a bonafide spiritual master for the direct explanation.
It is a fact that if one takes shelter of a pure devotee, one attains all perfection, even if the association is a short one. A sādhu is a pure devotee of the Lord. It has been our practical experience that the first instruction of our spiritual master infused us with Kṛṣṇa consciousness so that now we are at least on the path of Kṛṣṇa consciousness and can understand the philosophy. As a result, there are many devotees engaged in this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. The whole world is revolving under the bodily conception; therefore there must be devotees all over the world to deliver people from the false bodily conception and fully engage them in Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
A saintly devotee is certainly very tolerant. He is the friend of all living entities, and he does not create enemies within the world. A pure devotee has all the qualities of a sādhu. Jaḍa Bharata is an example of this. Due to the material body, his senses were certainly agitated when he was insulted by King Rahūgaṇa, but later, due to the King’s humble submission, Jaḍa Bharata excused him.
King Rahūgaṇa was very repentant because he had forced Jaḍa Bharata to carry his palanquin. He therefore began offering prayers to all kinds of brāhmaṇas and self-realized persons, even though they might be playing like children or hiding in some guises
Association with pure devotees certainly frees one from the material clutches. This is certainly true of King Rahūgaṇa’s association with Jaḍa Bharata. King Rahūgaṇa was immediately freed from the misgivings of material association. The arguments offered by pure devotees to their disciples are so convincing that even a dull-headed disciple is immediately enlightened with spiritual knowledge.
Human birth is a great opportunity for self-realization. One may take birth in a high planetary system among the demigods, but due to the profusion of material comforts, one cannot gain release from material bondage. Even on this earth those who are very opulent do not generally care to take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
My dear King Rahūgaṇa, you are also a victim of the external energy, being situated on the path of attraction to material pleasure. So that you may become an equal friend to all living entities, I now advise you to give up your kingly position and the rod by which you punish criminals. Give up attraction to the sense objects and take up the sword of knowledge sharpened by devotional service. Then you will be able to cut the hard knot of illusory energy and cross to the other side of the ocean of nescience.
As stated in the Vedas, oṁ tad viṣṇoḥ paramaṁ padaṁ sadā paśyanti sūrayaḥ: those who are spiritually advanced simply look to the lotus feet of Viṣṇu. The conditioned soul, however, not being interested in reviving his relationship with Viṣṇu, becomes captivated by material activities and remains in everlasting bondage.
Sometimes the living entity falls victim to an incurable disease, which is like falling into a mountain cave. He becomes afraid of death, which is like the elephant in the back of that cave, and he remains stranded, grasping at the twigs and branches of a creeper.
Sometimes so-called spiritualists seeking a spiritual life come to associate with Kṛṣṇa conscious devotees, but they cannot execute the regulative principles or follow the path of spiritual life. Consequently they leave the association of devotees and go to associate with sense gratifiers, who are compared to monkeys.
To be saved from the hands of hari, the lion of death, one must take shelter of the supreme Hari, the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Because one spoils his life with the illusion of “this is my land and my family,” he cannot progress spiritually and attain liberation from the clutches of māyā.
Actually human life is meant for jñāna and vairāgya, knowledge and renunciation. Through these one can attain the platform of devotional service.
In this material world, there are many transactions between peoples and societies as well as between nations, but gradually these end in enmity between the two parties. Similarly, in the marriage relationship, monetary transactions are sometimes overpowered by the dangerous conditions of material life
The principles of beg, borrow or steal are very appropriate in this material world. When one is in want, he begs, borrows or steals. If begging is unsuccessful, he borrows. If he cannot pay, he steals, and when he is caught, he is insulted. This is the law of material existence. No one can live here very honestly; therefore by trickery, cheating, begging, borrowing or stealing, one tries to satisfy his senses.
The Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement aims at creating an atmosphere of non-envy. Of course it is not possible for everyone to become Kṛṣṇa conscious, but the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement can create an exemplary society wherein there is no envy.
When one becomes unconscious due to being bitten by a snake, one cannot understand what is taking place outside the body. This unconscious condition is the condition of deep sleep. Similarly, the conditioned soul is actually sleeping on the lap of the illusory energy.
One must go to the Vṛndāvana forest and take shelter of Govinda. That will make one happy. The International Society for Krishna Consciousness is therefore constructing a Kṛṣṇa-Balarāma temple to invite its members as well as outsiders to come and live peacefully in a spiritual atmosphere. That will help one become elevated to the transcendental world and return home, back to Godhead.
The desert is heated by scorching sunshine, and if we want to reduce the desert temperature, we need huge amounts of water — millions and millions of gallons. What effect will one drop have? Water certainly has value, but one drop of water cannot reduce the heat of the desert. In this material world everyone is ambitious, but the heat is very scorching. What will an imaginary castle in the air do to help?
When one is hot due to the scorching sun, one sometimes jumps into a river to gain relief. However, if the river is almost dried up and the water is too shallow, one may break his bones by jumping in. The conditioned soul is always experiencing miserable conditions. Sometimes his efforts to get help from friends are exactly like jumping into a dry river. By such actions, he does not derive any benefit. He only breaks his bones.
The material world is full of envious people. Even within one’s inner circle there is much backbiting, and this is compared to the sound vibration of a cricket in the forest. One cannot see the cricket, but one hears its sounds and thus becomes aggrieved. When one takes to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, one always hears unpalatable words from relatives. This is the nature of the world; one cannot avoid mental distress due to the backbiting of envious people.
Astrological calculations are called jyoti-śāstra. Because the jyoti, or effulgence, in the material world comes from the different stars and planets, the science is called jyoti-śāstra, the science of the luminaries. By the calculations of jyoti, our future is indicated. In other words, all the luminaries — the stars, sun and moon — witness the activities of the conditioned soul. Thus he is awarded a particular type of body.
The material household is actually a hole of fruitive activity. To earn a livelihood one engages in different industries and trades, and sometimes one performs great sacrifices to go to higher planetary systems. Apart from this, at least everyone is engaged in earning a livelihood in some profession or occupation. In these dealings, one has to meet many undesirable people, and their behavior is compared to the biting of mosquitoes.
O King Rahūgaṇa, in this forest of material existence there are six very powerful plunderers. When the conditioned soul enters the forest to acquire some material gain, the six plunderers misguide him. Thus the conditioned merchant does not know how to spend his money, and it is taken away by these plunderers. Like tigers, jackals and other ferocious animals in a forest that are ready to take away a lamb from the custody of its protector, the wife and children enter the heart of the merchant and plunder him in so many ways.
Due to the living entity’s ignorance of his eternal blissful life, he becomes attracted to material activities under the spell of māyā. In this world, he can never experience happiness, yet he works very hard to do so. This is called māyā.
To become liberated from material bondage, one must give up the association of worldly people and accept the association of devotees; positive and negative processes are mentioned in this regard. Through the association of devotees, one develops Kṛṣṇa consciousness, which is dormant within.
If one always follows the orders of the spiritual master, there is no question of falling down. As soon as a foolish disciple tries to overtake his spiritual master and becomes ambitious to occupy his post, he immediately falls down.
The symptoms of pure devotees are described in this verse. The pure devotee is never interested in material topics. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu has strictly prohibited His devotees to talk about worldly matters. Grāmya-vārtā nā kahibe: one should not indulge in talking unnecessarily about news of the material world. One should not waste time in this way. This is a very important feature in the life of a devotee. A devotee has no other ambition than to serve Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Actual knowledge of transcendental bliss can be bestowed upon anyone by a pure devotee. Vedeṣu durlabham adurlabham ātma-bhaktau. One cannot attain the perfection of spiritual life simply by following the directions of the Vedas. One has to approach a pure devotee.
In His teachings to Sanātana Gosvāmī, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu has declared every living entity to be an eternal servitor of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. This is the constitutional position of all living entities. Just as a dog or servant is very much satisfied to get a competent, perfect master, or as a child is completely satisfied to possess a competent father, so the living entity is satisfied by completely engaging in the service of the Supreme Lord. He thereby knows that he has a competent master to save him from all kinds of danger.
The Absolute Truth is devoid of material contamination and is transcendental to the material qualities. It gives all spiritual success and liberation from this material world. That Supreme Absolute Truth is Kṛṣṇa, Vāsudeva. There is no difference between Kṛṣṇa’s inner self and outward body. Kṛṣṇa is pūrṇa, the complete whole. There is no distinction between His body and soul as there is between ours.
The actual protectress is the material nature, but Viṣṇu is her Lord. He is the Lord of everything. Lord Janārdana is the director both externally and internally. He is the cause of the function of words and what is expressed in all sound.
Those who follow the atomic theory think that the protons and electrons of atoms combine in such a way as to bring all material existence into being. However, the scientists fail to discover the cause of atomic existence itself. Under these circumstances, we cannot accept that the atom is the cause of the universe. Such theories are advanced by unintelligent people. According to real intelligence, the real cause of the cosmic manifestation is the Supreme Lord.
The entire cosmic manifestation is but a transformation of the energy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, but because of illusion, no one can appreciate that God is nondifferent from the material world. Actually He is not different, but this material world is simply a transformation of His different energies;
Learned circles do not appreciate the king’s utilizing public endeavor for his own benefit. His duty is to give protection to the citizens instead. The king should not become such a rogue that he exploits the citizens for his own benefit.
The living entity has nothing to do with bodily pains and pleasures. These are simply mental concoctions. An intelligent man will find the original cause of everything. Material combinations and permutations may be a matter of fact in worldly dealings, but actually the living force, the soul, has nothing to do with them.
Formal inquiries and answers about the bodily conception do not constitute knowledge of the Absolute Truth. Knowledge of the Absolute Truth is quite different from the formal understanding of bodily pains and pleasures. In Bhagavad-gītā Lord Kṛṣṇa informs Arjuna that the pains and pleasures experienced in relation to the body are temporary; they come and go. One should not be disturbed by them but should tolerate them and continue with spiritual realization.
An intelligent man must be very inquisitive to know the transcendental science deeply. Therefore one must approach a guru, a spiritual master.A challenging spirit before the spiritual master should be avoided if one is at all interested in learning the Vedic instructions in depth.
The entire world is going on under the bodily conception and creating a hellish condition unfit for any gentleman’s living. The instructions given to King Rahūgaṇa by Jaḍa Bharata are very valuable. They are like the medicine that can save one from a snakebite. The Vedic instructions are like nectar and cool water for one suffering from scorching heat.
From the Brahma-saṁhitā we understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead is the cause of all causes (sarva-kāraṇa-kāraṇam). Ṛṣabhadeva was the direct incarnation of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the cause of all causes. His son, Bharata Mahārāja, who was now acting as the brāhmaṇa Jaḍa Bharata, had received his body from the cause of all causes. Therefore he is addressed as kāraṇa-vigrahāya.
When one’s mind is absorbed in the material conception, he thinks that he belongs to a particular nation, family, country or creed. These are all called upādhis, designations, and one has to become freed from them (sarvopādhi-vinirmuktam). As long as one is not freed, he has to continue conditioned life in material existence. The human form of life is meant for cleansing away these misconceptions. If this is not done, one has to repeat the cycle of birth and death and thus suffer all material conditions.
Every living being is controlled by the supreme living being, Paramātmā, who resides within everyone’s heart. He is the puruṣa, the puruṣa-avatāra, who creates this material world. The first puruṣa-avatāra is Mahā-Viṣṇu, and that Mahā-Viṣṇu is the plenary portion of the plenary portion of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa’s first expansion is Baladeva, and His next expansions are Vāsudeva, Saṅkarṣaṇa, Aniruddha and Pradyumna. Vāsudeva is the original cause of the brahmajyoti, and the brahmajyoti is the expansion of the rays of the body of Vāsudeva.
The physical elements, nature, the original cause, culture, destiny and the time element are all material causes. Agitated by these material causes, the eleven functions transform into hundreds of functions and then into thousands and then into millions. But all these transformations do not take place automatically by mutual combination. Rather, they are under the direction of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
When the mind and senses are purified, one’s total existence is purified, and one’s designations are also purified. One no longer considers himself a human being, a demigod, cat, dog, Hindu, Muslim and so forth. When the senses and mind are purified and one is fully engaged in Kṛṣṇa’s service, one can be liberated and return home, back to Godhead.
If the mind is controlled, the senses are automatically controlled, and therefore the soul is saved from the reactions of pious and impious activity. If the mind is engaged at the lotus feet of Lord Kṛṣṇa (sa vai manaḥ kṛṣṇa-padāravindayoḥ), the senses are automatically engaged in the Lord’s service. When the mind and senses are engaged in devotional service, the living entity naturally becomes Kṛṣṇa conscious.
Material existence means being fully controlled by material nature. The mind is the center for accepting the dictations of material nature. In this way the living entity is carried away in different types of bodies continuously, millennium after millennium.
Devotional service means mukti, freedom from material entanglement, but pious and impious activities result in entanglement within this material world. If the mind is captivated by the pious and impious activities mentioned in the Vedas, one remains eternally in darkness; one cannot attain the absolute platform.
The purpose of Vedic study is to transcend the activities of the three modes of material nature. Of course in the material world the mode of goodness is accepted as the best, and one can be promoted to the higher planetary systems by being on the sattva-guṇa platform. However, that is not perfection. One must come to the conclusion that even the sattva-guṇa platform is also not good.
Sri Jada Bharat said: My dear King, talks of the relationship between the master and the servant, the king and the subject and so forth are simply talks about material activities. People interested in material activities which are expounded in the Vedas are intent on performing material sacrifices and placing faith in their material activities. For such people, spiritual advancement is definitely not manifest.
among people in general, 99.9 percent try to talk like experienced advisers, but they are actually devoid of spiritual knowledge and are therefore like inexperienced children speaking nonsensically. Consequently their words cannot be given any importance. One has to learn from Kṛṣṇa or His devotee. If one speaks on the basis of this experience — that is, on the basis of spiritual knowledge — one’s words are valuable. At the present moment, the entire world is full of foolish people.
“One who blasphemes a Vaiṣṇava cannot be protected by anyone. Even if a person is as strong as Lord Śiva, if he blasphemes a Vaiṣṇava he is sure to be destroyed. This is the verdict of all śāstras. If one does not care for the verdict of the śāstras and dares blaspheme a Vaiṣṇava, he suffers life after life because of this.”
Kṛṣṇa is always very simple and by nature merciful. When one commits an offense at the feet of a Vaiṣṇava, one must immediately apologize to such a personality so that his spiritual advancement may not be hampered.
King Rahūgaṇa tried to engage Jaḍa Bharata in carrying the palanquin, which is a form of sense gratification for the King. However, if one is engaged as a palanquin carrier in the Lord’s service, that is certainly beneficial. In this godless civilization, if a president engages people somehow or other in devotional service or the awakening of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, he renders the very best service to the citizens.
It can be said that a person sitting in his car is certainly different from his car, but if there is damage to the car, the owner of the car, being overly attached to the car, feels pain. Actually, the damage done to the car has nothing to do with the car’s proprietor, but because the proprietor has identified himself with the interest of the car, he feels pleasure and pain connected with it. This conditional state can be avoided if attachment is withdrawn from the car.
A dream that we see at night is certainly false, but a horrible dream certainly affects the person seeing it. The soul’s fatigue is not factual, but as long as one is immersed in the illusory bodily conception, one is affected by such false dreams. When dreaming, it is not possible to avoid the actual facts, and the conditioned soul is forced to suffer due to his dream.
Although Mahārāja Rahūgaṇa was playing the part of a king, he had been informed by Jaḍa Bharata that he was not a king nor was Jaḍa Bharata deaf and dumb. Such designations were simply coverings of the spirit soul. Everyone must come to this knowledge
Jaḍa Bharata was a perfect yogī. He was formerly the emperor Bharata Mahārāja, and he was now the most exalted personality among learned sages and the master of all mystic powers. Although Jaḍa Bharata was an ordinary living entity, he had inherited all the knowledge given by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kapiladeva. He could therefore be taken directly as the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Every living being within this material world has a strong desire to enjoy matter to his fullest satisfaction. For this purpose, the conditioned soul must accept one body after another, and thus his strongly fixed fruitive desires continue. One cannot stop the repetition of birth and death without being completely desireless.
Nityananda Trayodasi class on Thu 25th Feb 2021 by His Grace Prabhav Prabhu 5.10.17 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Rahūgaṇa was accepting Jaḍa Bharata as a guru, but a guru must prove his position not only by wearing a sacred thread but by advancing knowledge in spiritual life. It is also significant that Rahūgaṇa asked Jaḍa Bharata which family he belonged to. There are two types of families — one according to dynasty and the other according to disciplic succession. In either way, one can be enlightened. The word śuklaḥ refers to a person in the mode of goodness. If one wants to receive spiritual knowledge, he must approach a bona fide brāhmaṇa-guru, either in the disciplic succession or in a family of learned brāhmaṇas.
Mahārāja Rahūgaṇa attained this perfection of understanding the value of human life; therefore he regretted his insulting words to Jaḍa Bharata, and he immediately descended from his palanquin and fell down at the lotus feet of Jaḍa Bharata in order to be excused and to hear from him further about the values of life known as brahma jijñāsā (inquiry into the Absolute Truth).
An exalted devotee of the Lord never thinks that he is a paramahaṁsa or a liberated person. He always remains a humble servant of the Lord. In all reverse conditions, he agrees to suffer the results of his past life. He never accuses the Lord of putting him into a distressed condition. These are the signs of an exalted devotee. Tat te ’nukampāṁ susamīkṣyamāṇaḥ. When suffering reversed conditions, the devotee always considers that the reverse conditions are the Lord’s concessions. He is never angry with his master; he is always satisfied with the position his master offers. In any case, he continues performing his duty in devotional service.
My dear King, you have said, “You rascal, you dull, crazy fellow! I am going to chastise you, and then you will come to your senses.” In this regard, let me say that although I live like a dull, deaf and dumb man, I am actually a self-realized person. What will you gain by punishing me? If your calculation is true and I am a madman, then your punishment will be like beating a dead horse. There will be no effect. When a madman is punished, he is not cured of his madness.
Jada Bharat Said:
My dear King, if you still think that you are the King and that I am your servant, you should order me, and I should follow your order. I can then say that this differentiation is temporary, and it expands only from usage or convention. I do not see any other cause. In that case, who is the master, and who is the servant? Everyone is being forced by the laws of material nature; therefore no one is master, and no one is servant. Nonetheless, if you think that you are the master and that I am the servant, I shall accept this. Please order me. What can I do for you?
Advaita Acharya Appearance Day Lecture:
Because He is nondifferent from Hari, the Supreme Lord, He is called Advaita, and because He propagates the cult of devotion, He is called Ācārya. He is the Lord and the incarnation of the Lord’s devotee. Therefore I take shelter of Him.
The spirit soul is in a deep slumber caused by the force of material nature. He is put in one type of condition and again changed into another type. Without self-realization and knowledge, conditional life continues, and one falsely claims himself a king, a servant, a cat or a dog. These are simply different transformations brought about by the supreme arrangement.
One who is spiritually advanced has no connection with the body or with the bodily actions and reactions. When one comes to understand that he is not the body and therefore is neither fat nor skinny, one attains the topmost form of spiritual realization. When one is not spiritually realized, the bodily conception entangles one in the material world.
Jaḍa Bharata was actually situated on the platform of self-realization. He was completely aloof from the bodily conception; therefore he immediately took this position and convinced the King that whatever contradictory things the King had said about his body did not actually apply to him as a spirit soul.
The distinction between a person in the bodily conception and a person beyond the bodily conception is presented in this verse. In the bodily conception, King Rahūgaṇa considered himself a king and chastised Jaḍa Bharata in so many unwanted ways. Being self-realized, Jaḍa Bharata, who was fully situated on the transcendental platform, did not at all become angry; instead, he smiled and began to deliver his teachings to King Rahūgaṇa.
The body is created according to one’s karma, and material nature supplies the ingredients for the development of a certain type of body. The soul the body covers is different from the bodily construction; therefore anything favorable or mischievous done to the body does not affect the spirit soul. The Vedic injunction is asaṅgo hy ayaṁ puruṣaḥ: the spirit soul is always unaffected by material arrangements.
King Rahūgaṇa could understand the speeches given by the carriers, who were afraid of being punished. He could also understand that simply due to the fault of one person, the palanquin was not being carried properly. Knowing this perfectly well and hearing their appeal, he became a little angry, although he was very advanced in political science and was very experienced. His anger arose due to his inborn nature as a king. Actually King Rahūgaṇa’s mind was covered by the mode of passion, and he therefore spoke as follows to Jaḍa Bharata, whose Brahman effulgence was not clearly visible, being covered like a fire covered by ashes.
According to political science, a king sometimes tries to pacify his subordinates, sometimes chastises them, sometimes divides them and sometimes rewards them. In this way the king rules his subordinates.
Jaḍa Bharata was a qualified brāhmaṇa, highly elevated in spiritual knowledge, yet he was forced to carry the palanquin. He did not mind this, but while walking on the road, he could not forget his duty to avoid killing even an ant. A Vaiṣṇava is never envious or unnecessarily violent. There were many ants on the path, but Jaḍa Bharata took care by looking ahead three feet. When the ants were no longer in his way, he would place his foot on the ground. A Vaiṣṇava is always very kind at heart to all living entities.
First, a devotee is firmly convinced of his spiritual identity. He never identifies with the body; he is firmly convinced that the spirit soul is different from the body. Consequently he fears nothing. Even though his life may be threatened, he is not at all afraid. He does not even treat an enemy like an enemy. Such are the qualifications of devotees. Devotees are always fully dependent on the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and the Lord is always eager to give them all protection in all circumstances.
Śrīmad Bhāgavatam class on Mon 8th Feb 2021 by His Holiness Bhanu Swami 5.9.16-17 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
All the thieves, according to their imaginative ritual for killing animalistic men, bathed Jaḍa Bharata, dressed him in new clothes, decorated him with ornaments befitting an animal, smeared his body with scented oils and decorated him with tilaka, sandalwood pulp and garlands. They fed him sumptuously and then brought him before the goddess Kālī, offering her incense, lamps, garlands, parched grain, newly grown twigs, sprouts, fruits and flowers. In this way they worshiped the deity before killing the man-animal, and they vibrated songs and prayers and played drums and bugles. Jaḍa Bharata was then made to sit down before the deity.
The leader of the dacoits captured a man-animal for sacrifice, but he escaped, and the leader ordered his followers to find him. They ran in different directions but could not find him. Wandering here and there in the middle of the night, covered by dense darkness, they came to a paddy field where they saw the exalted son of the Āṅgirā family [Jaḍa Bharata], who was sitting in an elevated place guarding the field against the attacks of deer and wild pigs.
Śrīmad Bhāgavatam class on Fri 5th Feb 2021 by Ganga Dāsa 5.9.12 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
“In the material world, conceptions of good and bad are all mental speculations. Therefore, saying, ‘This is good and this is bad,’ is all a mistake.” One has to understand that in the material world of duality, to think that this is good or that this is bad is simply a mental concoction. However, one should not imitate this consciousness; one should actually be situated on the spiritual platform of neutrality.
One who has no desire to maintain the body or who is not anxious to keep the body in order and who is satisfied in any condition must be either mad or liberated. Actually Bharata Mahārāja in his birth as Jaḍa Bharata was completely liberated from material dualities. He was a paramahaṁsa and therefore did not care for bodily comfort.
Those too attached to family life, who forget that death comes in the future to take them away, become attached and unable to finish their duty as human beings. The duty of human life is to solve all the problems of life, but instead people remain attached to family affairs and duties. Although they forget death, death will not forget them. Suddenly they will be kicked off the platform of a peaceful family life. One may forget that he has to die, but death never forgets. Death comes always at the right time.
Jaḍa Bharata was Bharata Mahārāja in the body of a brāhmaṇa, and he outwardly conducted himself as if he were dull, deaf, dumb and blind. Actually he was quite alert within. He knew perfectly well of the results of fruitive activity and the results of devotional service. In the body of a brāhmaṇa, Mahārāja Bharata was completely absorbed in devotional service within; therefore it was not at all necessary for him to execute the regulative principles of fruitive activity.
Due to his being especially gifted with the Lord’s mercy, Bharata Mahārāja could remember the incidents of his past life. Although he received the body of a brāhmaṇa, he was still very much afraid of his relatives and friends who were not devotees. He was always very cautious of such association because he feared that he would again fall down. Consequently he manifested himself before the public eye as a madman — dull, blind and deaf — so that others would not try to talk to him. In this way he saved himself from bad association. Within he was always thinking of the lotus feet of the Lord and chanting the Lord’s glories, which save one from the bondage of fruitive action. In this way he saved himself from the onslaught of nondevotee associates.
Śrīla Śukadeva Gosvāmī continued: My dear King, after giving up the body of a deer, Bharata Mahārāja took birth in a very pure brāhmaṇa family. There was a brāhmaṇa who belonged to the dynasty of Aṅgirā. He was fully qualified with brahminical qualifications. He could control his mind and senses, and he had studied the Vedic literatures and other subsidiary literatures. He was expert in giving charity, and he was always satisfied, tolerant, very gentle, learned and nonenvious. He was self-realized and engaged in the devotional service of the Lord. He remained always in a trance. He had nine equally qualified sons by his first wife, and by his second wife he begot twins — a brother and a sister, of which the male child was said to be the topmost devotee and foremost of saintly kings — Bharata Mahārāja. This, then, is the story of the birth he took after giving up the body of a deer.
Remaining in that āśrama, the great King Bharata Mahārāja was now very careful not to fall victim to bad association. Without disclosing his past to anyone, he remained in that āśrama and ate dry leaves only. He was not exactly alone, for he had the association of the Supersoul. In this way he waited for death in the body of a deer. Bathing in that holy place, he finally gave up that body.
Association is very meaningful; therefore ISKCON tries to perfect one who enters the society. The members of this society should always remember that the society is not like a free hotel. All the members should be very careful to execute their spiritual duties so that whoever comes will automatically become a devotee and will be able to return back to Godhead in this very life.
It is proved herein that due to the grace of the Supreme Lord, a devotee is never vanquished. Due to his willful neglect of devotional service, a devotee may be punished for a short time, but he again revives his devotional service and returns home, back to Godhead.
The conclusion must be that Mahārāja Bharata purposefully became over-addicted to the deer and neglected his spiritual advancement. To immediately rectify his mistake, for a short time he was awarded the body of a deer. This was just to increase his desire for mature devotional service. Although Bharata Mahārāja was awarded the body of an animal, he did not forget what had previously happened due to his purposeful mistake.
Mahārāja Bharata continued to speak like a madman. Seeing above his head the dark marks on the rising moon, which resembled a deer, he said: Can it be that the moon, who is so kind to an unhappy man, might also be kind upon my deer, knowing that it has strayed from home and has become motherless? This moon has given the deer shelter near itself just to protect it from the fearful attacks of a lion.
After speaking like a madman in this way, Mahārāja Bharata got up and went outside. Seeing the footprints of the deer on the ground, he praised the footprints out of love, saying: O unfortunate Bharata, your austerities and penances are very insignificant compared to the penance and austerity undergone by this earth planet. Due to the earth’s severe penances, the footprints of this deer, which are small, beautiful, most auspicious and soft, are imprinted on the surface of this fortunate planet. This series of footprints show a person like me, who am bereaved due to loss of the deer, how the animal has passed through the forest and how I can regain my lost wealth. By these footprints, this land has become a proper place for brāhmaṇas who desire heavenly planets or liberation to execute sacrifices to the demigods.
Bharata Mahārāja was constantly thinking of the activities of the deer, forgetting that such meditation and diversion of attention was killing his progress in spiritual achievement.
Out of strong affection, the King Bharata accepted the small deer as if it were a prince. This is called moha. Due to his anxiety over the deer’s absence, the King addressed the animal as though it were his son. Out of affection, anyone can be addressed as anything.
As the sun arises, one should chant the Vedic mantra beginning with the Gāyatrī. The sun is the symbolic representation of the eyes of the Supreme Lord. Mahārāja Bharata lamented that although the sun was going to set, due to the poor animal’s absence he could not find anything auspicious. Bharata Mahārāja considered himself most unfortunate, for due to the animal’s absence, there was nothing auspicious for him in the presence of the sun.
From the materialistic point of view such kind thoughts may be very laudable, but from the spiritual point of view the King was actually falling from his exalted spiritual position and unnecessarily becoming attached to an animal. Thus degrading himself, he would have to accept an animal body.
Bharata Mahārāja was very noble and exalted, and therefore when the deer was absent from him he thought himself unworthy to give it protection. Due to his attachment for the animal, he thought that the animal was as noble and exalted as he himself was. According to the logic of ātmavan manyate jagat, everyone thinks of others according to his own position. Therefore Mahārāja Bharata felt that the deer had left him due to his negligence and that due to the animal’s noble heart, it would again return.
If Bharata Mahārāja sometimes could not see the deer, his mind would be very agitated. He would become like a miser, who, having obtained some riches, had lost them and had then become very unhappy. When the deer was gone, he would be filled with anxiety and would lament due to separation. Thus he would become illusioned.
Because his attraction for the deer was so intense, Bharata Mahārāja could not concentrate upon worshiping the Lord or performing his ritualistic ceremonies.
Mahārāja Bharata left his home, wife, children, kingdom and everything else to advance his spiritual life in the forest, but again he fell victim to material affection due to his attachment to an insignificant pet deer. What, then, was the use of his renouncing his family?
Unless we increase our faith in the Supreme Lord, we shall be attracted to many other things. That is the cause of our material bondage.
If one is at all sympathetic or able to do good to others, he should endeavor to raise people to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. In this way everyone advances spiritually by the grace of the Lord. For our instruction, Bharata Mahārāja acted in such a way. We should be very careful not to be misled by so-called welfare activities conducted in bodily terms. One should not give up his interest in attaining the favor of Lord Viṣṇu at any cost. Generally people do not know this, or they forget it. Consequently they sacrifice their original interest, the attainment of Viṣṇu’s favor, and engage in philanthropic activities for bodily comfort.
If one is actually sympathetic to fallen, suffering humanity, he should try to elevate people from material consciousness to spiritual consciousness. As far as the deer was concerned, Bharata Mahārāja became very sympathetic, but he forgot that it was impossible for him to elevate a deer to spiritual consciousness, because, after all, a deer is but an animal. It was very dangerous for Bharata Mahārāja to sacrifice all his regulative principles simply to take care of an animal
Even if one is in the renounced order, he should never give up the regulative principles. He should worship the Deity and give his time and life to the service of Kṛṣṇa. He should also continue following the rules and regulations of austerity and penance. These things cannot be given up.
Spiritual salvation and liberation from material bondage must be worked out with great caution, otherwise a little discrepancy will cause one to fall down again into material existence. By studying the activities of Mahārāja Bharata, we can learn the art of becoming completely freed from all material attachment. As it will be revealed in later verses, Bharata Mahārāja had to accept the body of a deer due to being overly compassionate for this infant deer.
The predominating Deity within the sun is Hiraṇmaya, Lord Nārāyaṇa. He is worshiped by the Gāyatrī mantra: om bhūr bhuvaḥ svaḥ tat savitur vareṇyaṁ bhargo devasya dhīmahi. He is also worshiped by other hymns mentioned in the Ṛg Veda, for instance: dhyeyaḥ sadā savitṛ-maṇḍala-madhya-vartī. Within the sun, Lord Nārāyaṇa is situated, and He has a golden hue.
When one is actually advanced in ecstatic love for Kṛṣṇa, eight transcendental, blissful symptoms are manifest in the body. Those are the symptoms of perfection arising from loving service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Since Mahārāja Bharata was constantly engaged in devotional service, all the symptoms of ecstatic love were manifest in his body.
In the gardens of Pulaha-āśrama, Mahārāja Bharata lived alone and collected a variety of flowers, twigs and tulasī leaves. He also collected the water of the Gaṇḍakī River, as well as various roots, fruits and bulbs. With these he offered food to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Vāsudeva, and, worshiping Him, he remained satisfied. In this way his heart was completely uncontaminated, and he did not have the least desire for material enjoyment. All material desires vanished. In this steady position, he felt full satisfaction and was situated in devotional service.
Śālagrāma-śilā refers to pebbles that appear like stones with circles marked up and down. These are available in the river known as Gaṇḍakī-nadī. Wherever the waters of this river flow, the place becomes immediately sanctified.
The Lord is situated as Himself, Lord Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and He is accompanied by His expansions like Lord Rāma, Baladeva, Saṅkarṣaṇa, Nārāyaṇa, Mahā-Viṣṇu and so forth. The devotees worship all these forms according to their liking, and the Lord, out of His affection, presents Himself as arcā-vigraha. He sometimes presents Himself personally before the devotee out of reciprocation or affection.
According to the law of dāya-bhāk, when one inherits an estate he must hand it over to the next generation. Bharata Mahārāja did this properly. First he enjoyed his paternal property for one thousand times ten thousand years. At the time of his retirement, he divided this property among his sons and left for Pulaha-āśrama.
Paramātmā is situated in the hearts of all living beings. He has four hands, which hold four symbolic weapons. All devotees who think of the Paramātmā within the heart worship the Supreme Personality of Godhead as the temple Deity. They also understand the impersonal features of the Lord and His bodily rays, the Brahman effulgence.
Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu was never pleased to hear books or verses opposed to the conclusive statements of devotional service. The Lord did not like hearing rasābhāsa, the overlapping of transcendental mellows.
A devotee is always free from material contamination. He is fully situated in knowledge, and therefore his sacrifices are intended for the satisfaction of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
In this Age of Kali, the Supreme Lord in His incarnation of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu should be worshiped with His associates by performance of saṅkīrtana-yajña, the congregational chanting of the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. This process is accepted by intelligent men. Yajñaiḥ saṅkīrtana-prāyair yajanti hi sumedhasaḥ. The word sumedhasaḥ refers to intelligent men who possess very good brain substance.
Śrīmad Bhāgavatam class on Thu 31st Dec 2020 by His Grace Prabhava Prabhu 5.7.1-4 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Even though one may be situated within this material world, he can become fully satisfied and devoid of hankering and lamentation simply by following the instructions of the Lord as set forth in Bhagavad-gītā or Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Satisfaction through self-realization is called svarūpānanda. The conditioned soul, eternally sleeping in darkness, does not understand his self-interest. He simply tries to become happy by making material adjustments, but this is impossible.
Although Lord Kṛṣṇa did not appear in the Kuru dynasty, He was so obligated to the Pāṇḍavas’ devotional service that He acted as a maintainer of the family and spiritual master of the Pāṇḍavas. Although He took birth in the Yadu dynasty, Lord Kṛṣṇa was more affectionate to the Pāṇḍavas. By His actions, Lord Kṛṣṇa proved that He was more inclined to the Kuru dynasty than the Yadu dynasty. Indeed, Lord Kṛṣṇa, indebted to the Pāṇḍavas’ devotional service, sometimes acted as their messenger, and He guided them through many dangerous situations. Therefore Mahārāja Parīkṣit should not have been saddened because Lord Kṛṣṇa did not appear in his family.
For a devotee, mukti is not a very great achievement. Mukti means being situated in one’s constitutional position. The constitutional position of every living being is that of the Lord’s servant; therefore when a living entity is engaged in the Lord’s loving service, he has already attained mukti. Consequently a devotee does not aspire for mukti, even if it is offered by the Supreme Lord Himself.
One should either chant the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra or read Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam and thereby try to understand the characteristics and instructions of the Supreme Lord, who appeared as Lord Ṛṣabhadeva, Lord Kapila and Lord Kṛṣṇa. In this way one can become fully aware of the transcendental nature of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Generally yogīs desire the yogic perfections of aṇimā, laghimā, mahimā, prākāmya, prāpti, īśitva, vaśitva and kāmāvasāyitā. Lord Ṛṣabhadeva, however, never aspired for all these material things.
There are many dynasties in human society wherein the Supreme Lord descends as an incarnation. Lord Kṛṣṇa appeared in the Yadu dynasty, and Lord Rāmacandra appeared in the Ikṣvāku, or Raghu, dynasty. Similarly, Lord Ṛṣabhadeva appeared in the dynasty of King Priyavrata. All these dynasties are very famous, and of them the dynasty of Priyavrata is most famous.
Every inhabitant of Bhārata-varṣa can perfect his life by discharging bhagavad-bhakti and then preaching this cult throughout the world for the benefit of everyone.
If one actually follows Ṛṣabhadeva, he will certainly be delivered from the clutches of māyā and return home, back to Godhead. If one strictly follows the instructions of Ṛṣabhadeva given in the Fifth Chapter, he will certainly be liberated. Lord Ṛṣabhadeva incarnated specifically to deliver these fallen souls.
the Vedic system is not fatalistic. It is fatalistic only in the sense that one’s material destiny cannot be changed. But your spiritual life is in your hands. Our point is this: The whole Vedic civilization is based on the understanding that destiny allows only a certain amount of material happiness in this world, and that our efforts should therefore be directed toward self-realization. Nobody is enjoying uninterrupted material happiness. That is not possible. A certain amount of material happiness and a certain amount of material distress – these both must be present always. So just as you cannot check your distressing condition of life, similarly you cannot check your happy condition of life. It will come automatically. Therefore, don’t waste your time with these things. Better you utilize your energy for advancing in Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
There are many hippie groups at the present moment, but they all originated from King Arhat, who imitated the activities of Lord Ṛṣabhadeva, who was situated on the paramahaṁsa stage.
The King of Koṅka, Veṅka and Kuṭaka whose name was Arhat, heard of the activities of Ṛṣabhadeva and, imitating Ṛṣabhadeva’s principles, introduced a new system of religion. Taking advantage of Kali-yuga, the age of sinful activity, King Arhat, being bewildered, gave up the Vedic principles, which are free from risk, and concocted a new system of religion opposed to the Vedas. That was the beginning of the Jain dharma. Many other so-called religions followed this atheistic system.
Actually Lord Ṛṣabhadeva had no material body, but due to yoga-māyā He considered His body material, and therefore, because He played like an ordinary human being, He gave up the mentality of identifying with it. Following this principle, He began to wander all over the world. While traveling, He came to the province of Karṇāṭa in South India and passed through Koṅka, Veṅka and Kuṭaka. He had no plan to travel this way, but He arrived near Kuṭakācala and entered a forest there. He placed stones within His mouth and began to wander through the forest, naked and with His hair disheveled like a madman.
One must understand his constitutional position and the constitutional position of the Supreme Lord as well. Both have the same spiritual identity. Maintaining oneself as a servant of the Supreme Lord, one should avoid rebirth in this material world. If one keeps himself spiritually fit and thinks of himself as an eternal servant of the Supreme Lord, he will be successful at the time he has to give up the material body.
The mind is the original cause of material bondage. It is followed by many enemies, such as anger, pride, greed, lamentation, illusion and fear. The best way to control the mind is to engage it always in Kṛṣṇa consciousness (sa vai manaḥ kṛṣṇa-padāravindayoḥ). Since the followers of the mind bring about material bondage, we should be very careful not to trust the mind.
If the yogī gives his mind a chance and does not restrain it, his mind will give facility to enemies like lust, anger and greed, and they will doubtlessly kill the yogī.
In our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement it has been very difficult to disassociate ourselves from women in our society, especially in Western countries. We are therefore sometimes criticized, but nonetheless we are trying to give everyone a chance to chant the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra and thus advance spiritually.
Even one who has renounced the world and has taken sannyāsa should not renounce chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra. Renunciation does not mean that one has to renounce saṅkīrtana-yajña. Similarly, one should not renounce charity or tapasya.
King Parīkṣit asked Śukadeva Gosvāmī: My dear Lord, for those who are completely pure in heart, knowledge is attained by the practice of bhakti-yoga, and attachment for fruitive activity is completely burned to ashes. For such people, the powers of mystic yoga automatically arise. They do not cause distress. Why, then, did Ṛṣabhadeva neglect them?
O King Parīkṣit, just to show all the yogīs the mystic process, Lord Ṛṣabhadeva, the plenary expansion of Lord Kṛṣṇa, performed wonderful activities. Actually He was the master of liberation and was fully absorbed in transcendental bliss, which increased a thousandfold. Lord Kṛṣṇa, Vāsudeva, the son of Vasudeva, is the original source of Lord Ṛṣabhadeva. There is no difference in Their constitution, and consequently Lord Ṛṣabhadeva awakened the loving symptoms of crying, laughing and shivering. He was always absorbed in transcendental love. Due to this, all mystic powers automatically approached Him, such as the ability to travel in outer space at the speed of mind, to appear and disappear, to enter the bodies of others, and to see things far, far away. Although He could do all this, He did not exercise these powers.
So Ṛṣabhadeva is Kṛṣṇa. So He became disturbed while walking on the street. He is not disturbed, but it is instruction that "If you are disturbed, you feel disturbed in this way, so you adopt this way. You sit down." Similarly, if they are disturbing too much, so we can sit down in one place and chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. There is no difficulty. And Kṛṣṇa will send you all necessities.
Although Lord Ṛṣabhadeva’s body was very much neglected, His transcendental features were attractive.
Since the Lord is situated in everyone’s heart, He is in the heart of hogs and dogs also. If hogs and dogs in their material bodies live in filthy places, one should not think that the Supreme Personality of Godhead in His Paramātmā feature also lives in a filthy place. Although Lord Ṛṣabhadeva was maltreated by the bad elements of the world, He was not at all affected. Therefore it is stated here, sva-mahima-avasthānena: “He was situated in His own glory.” He was never saddened due to being insulted in the many ways described above.
ord Ṛṣabhadeva has been stressing devotional service, and now He is concluding by saying that all the senses should be engaged in the Lord’s service. There are five senses by which we gather knowledge and five senses with which we work. These ten senses and the mind should be fully engaged in the Lord’s service. Without engaging them in this way, one cannot get out of the clutches of māyā.
Lord Rasabhadeva instructed His sons as follows: "My dear sons, you should not envy any living entity — be he moving or nonmoving. Knowing that I am situated in them, you should offer respect to all of them at every moment. In this way, you offer respect to Me."
I am fully opulent, almighty and superior to Lord Brahmā and Indra, the King of the heavenly planets. I am also the bestower of all happiness obtained in the heavenly kingdom and by liberation. Nonetheless, the brāhmaṇas do not seek material comforts from Me. They are very pure and do not want to possess anything. They simply engage in My devotional service. What is the need of their asking for material benefits from anyone else?
By studying all the Vedas, one should come to understand the transcendental position of Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa. One who actually assimilated the essence of the Vedas can preach the truth. He is compassionate to conditioned souls who are suffering the threefold miseries of this conditional world due to their not being Kṛṣṇa conscious. A brāhmaṇa should take pity on the people and preach Kṛṣṇa consciousness in order to elevate them.
When animals and man are sufficiently fed with grains, they become stronger, their hearts become tranquil and their brains peaceful. They can then advance in spiritual life, life’s ultimate destination.
A brāhmaṇa is a worshiper of the Supreme Brahman, and the Supreme Brahman worships the brāhmaṇa. In other words, the devotee is subordinate to the Supreme Lord, and the Lord is inclined to see to the satisfaction of His devotee. A brāhmaṇa is called dvija-deva, and the Lord is called dvija-deva-deva. He is the Lord of brāhmaṇas.
Serving a devotee means serving the Supreme Lord, for a devotee always represents the Lord. When a devotee is in charge, the government is always congenial and beneficial for everyone.
In the spiritual world, everyone has a spiritual body. There is no conception of material existence there. In the spiritual world there is only service and the receiving of service. There is only sevya, sevā and sevaka — the person served, the process of service and the servant. These three items are completely spiritual, and therefore the spiritual world is called absolute. There is no tinge of material contamination there.
Unless one is devoted, he cannot give everything to the Supreme Lord. Unless one can do so, he cannot become a spiritual master, husband, father or mother.
If someone is ignorant and addicted to the path of saṁsāra, how can one who is actually learned, merciful and advanced in spiritual knowledge engage him in fruitive activity and thus further entangle him in material existence? If a blind man is walking down the wrong path, how can a gentleman allow him to continue on his way to danger? How can he approve this method? No wise or kind man can allow this.
Life goes on from one body to another, and the activities performed in this life are enjoyed or suffered in the next life, if not later in this life. One who is unintelligent, who has no eyes to see the future, simply creates enmity and fights with others for sense gratification. As a result, one suffers in the next life, but due to being like a blind man, he continues to act in such a way that he suffers unlimitedly. Such a person is a mūḍha, one who simply wastes his time and does not understand the Lord’s devotional service.
If one is serious about going back home, back to Godhead, he must consider the mercy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead the summum bonum and chief aim of life. If he is a father instructing his sons, a spiritual master instructing his disciples, or a king instructing his citizens, he must instruct them as I have advised. Without being angry, he should continue giving instructions, even if his disciple, son or citizen is sometimes unable to follow his order.
The instructions received from the spiritual master must be followed immediately. One should not deviate from or surpass the instructions of the spiritual master. One should not be simply intent on consulting books but should simultaneously execute the spiritual master’s order (yathopadeśam).
To be freed from the entanglement of the material world, one has to approach a spiritual master. By questioning the spiritual master and by serving him, one can advance in spiritual life. When one engages in devotional service, naturally the attraction for personal comfort — for eating, sleeping and dressing — is reduced. By associating with the devotee, a spiritual standard is maintained.
When, by associating with sādhus and engaging in devotional service, one is gradually freed from the material conception due to knowledge, practice and detachment, the knot of attachment in the heart is slackened. Thus one can get freed from conditional life and become eligible to return home, back to Godhead.
The attraction between male and female is the basic principle of material existence. On the basis of this misconception, which ties together the hearts of the male and female, one becomes attracted to his body, home, property, children, relatives and wealth. In this way one increases life’s illusions and thinks in terms of “I and mine.”
Even though one may be very learned and wise, he is mad if he does not understand that the endeavor for sense gratification is a useless waste of time. Being forgetful of his own interest, he tries to be happy in the material world, centering his interests around his home, which is based on sexual intercourse and which brings him all kinds of material miseries. In this way one is no better than a foolish animal.
When the living entity is covered by the mode of ignorance, he does not understand the individual living being and the supreme living being, and his mind is subjugated by fruitive activity. Therefore, until one has love for Lord Vāsudeva, who is none other than Myself, he is certainly not delivered from having to accept a material body again and again.
A sādhu is a devotee of the Lord. His concern therefore is to enlighten people in devotional service to the Lord. That is his mercy. He knows that without devotional service to the Lord, human life is spoiled. A devotee travels all over the country, from door to door, preaching “Be Kṛṣṇa conscious. Be a devotee of Lord Kṛṣṇa. Don’t spoil your life in simply fulfilling your animal propensities. Human life is meant for self-realization, or Kṛṣṇa consciousness.”
The point is to know Kṛṣṇa, Vāsudeva, as everything and surrender unto Him. Karmīs do not know this, but a devotee who is one hundred percent engaged in the devotional service of the Lord knows fully what is karma and jñāna; therefore a pure devotee is no longer interested in karma or jñāna. Anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyaṁ jñāna-karmādy-anāvṛtam. The real bhakta is untouched by any tinge of karma and jñāna. His only purpose in life is to serve the Lord.
When a person considers sense gratification the aim of life, he certainly becomes mad after materialistic living and engages in all kinds of sinful activity. He does not know that due to his past misdeeds he has already received a body which, although temporary, is the cause of his misery. Actually the living entity should not have taken on a material body, but he has been awarded the material body for sense gratification. Therefore I think it not befitting an intelligent man to involve himself again in the activities of sense gratification by which he perpetually gets material bodies one after another.
A householder should lead such a life that he gets full opportunity to hear and chant. He should worship the Deity at home, observe festivals, invite friends in and give them prasāda. A householder should earn money for this purpose, not for sense gratification.
One can attain the path of liberation from material bondage only by rendering service to highly advanced spiritual personalities. These personalities are impersonalists and devotees. Whether one wants to merge into the Lord’s existence or wants to associate with the Personality of Godhead, one should render service to the mahātmās. For those who are not interested in such activities, who associate with people fond of women and sex, the path to hell is wide open. The mahātmās are equipoised. They do not see any difference between one living entity and another. They are very peaceful and are fully engaged in devotional service. They are devoid of anger, and they work for the benefit of everyone. They do not behave in any abominable way. Such people are known as mahātmās.
At the very beginning of this chapter Śukadeva Gosvāmī reveals the foolishness of Indra and the absurdity of his anger. Indra was frustrated because the residents of Vṛndāvana accepted Śrī Kṛṣṇa as their Lord. But the simple fact is that Śrī Kṛṣṇa is the Lord, not only of the residents of Vṛndāvana but of all that exists, including Indra himself. Thus Indra’s petulant reaction was ridiculous. As the common saying goes, “Pride goes before a fall.”
Human life means voluntarily practicing suffering for the advancement of spiritual life. There is, of course, suffering in the lives of animals and plants, which are suffering due to their past misdeeds. However, human beings should voluntarily accept suffering in the form of austerities and penances in order to attain the divine life. After attaining the divine life, one can enjoy happiness eternally. After all, every living entity is trying to enjoy happiness, but as long as one is encaged in the material body he has to suffer different kinds of misery.
If the citizens are unhappy due to bad government, the heads of government are condemned. During these democratic days, monarchy is disliked by the people, but here is an example of how an emperor of the whole world kept all the citizens fully satisfied by supplying the necessities of life and following the Vedic principles. Thus everyone was happy during the reign of Mahārāja Ṛṣabhadeva, the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
The human life is especially meant for the revival of our relationship with the Supreme Lord, and to this end all kinds of austerities and penances should be accepted. By austere activities, one’s heart can be cleansed of material contamination, and as a result one can be situated on the spiritual platform. To attain this perfection, one has to take shelter of a devotee and serve him. Then the door of liberation will be open.
A Vaiṣṇava does not disrespect the demigods, but on the other hand he is not so foolish that he accepts each and every demigod as the Supreme Lord. The Supreme Lord is master of all demigods; therefore the demigods are His servants. The Vaiṣṇava accepts them as servants of the Supreme Lord, and he worships them directly.
Men trained perfectly as brāhmaṇas should know all Vedic literature, and the benefit derived from this literature should be distributed to the general populace. The general populace should follow the perfect brāhmaṇa. In this way, one can learn how to control the mind and senses and thus gradually advance to spiritual perfection.
It is essential for human society to have a section of men perfectly trained as qualified brāhmaṇas according to the instructions of Vedic knowledge. Those below the brahminical qualification — administrators, merchants and workers — should take instructions from those ideal people who are considered to be intellectuals. In this way, everyone can be elevated to the highest transcendental position and be freed from material attachment. The material world is described by Lord Kṛṣṇa Himself as duḥkhālayam aśāśvatam, a temporary place of misery. No one can stay here, even if he makes a compromise with misery. One has to give up this body and accept another, which may not even be a human body. As soon as one gets a material body, he becomes deha-bhṛt, or dehī. In other words, he is subjected to all the material conditions. The leaders of society must be so ideal that by following them one can be relieved from the clutches of material existence.
The varṇāśrama-dharma is meant for imperfect, conditioned souls. It trains them to become spiritually advanced in order to return home, back to Godhead.
Ṛṣabhadeva, a king, was certainly a kṣatriya. He had a hundred sons, and out of these, ten were engaged as kṣatriyas and ruled the planet. Nine sons became good preachers of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (mahā-bhāgavatas), and this indicates that they were above the position of brāhmaṇas. The other eighty-one sons became highly qualified brāhmaṇas. These are some practical examples of how one can become fit for a certain type of activity by qualification, not by birth. All the sons of Mahārāja Ṛṣabhadeva were kṣatriyas by birth, but by quality some of them became kṣatriyas, and some became brāhmaṇas. Nine became preachers of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (bhāgavata-dharma-darśanāḥ), which means that they were above the categories of kṣatriya and brāhmaṇa.
“One who has taken his birth as a human being in the land of India (Bhārata-varṣa) should make his life successful and work for the benefit of all other people.” (Cc. Ādi 9.41) The inhabitants of this piece of land are very fortunate. They can purify their existence by accepting this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement and go outside Bhārata-bhūmi (India) and preach this cult to benefit the whole world.
Human society must follow the instructions received from śruti and smṛti, Vedic literature. Practically applied in life this is worship of the Supreme Personality of Godhead according to the pāñcarātrika-vidhi. Every human being must advance his spiritual life and at the end return home, back to Godhead. Mahārāja Ṛṣabhadeva strictly followed all these principles. He remained an ideal gṛhastha and taught His sons how to become perfect in spiritual life. These are some examples of how He ruled the earth and completed His mission as an incarnation.
“A scholarly brāhmaṇa expert in all subjects of Vedic knowledge is unfit to become a spiritual master without being a Vaiṣṇava, but a person born in a family of a lower caste can become a spiritual master if he is a Vaiṣṇava.”
Activities performed only for the satisfaction of the Supreme Lord are pure and are not contaminated by the modes of material nature. All other activities are contaminated by the modes of ignorance and passion, as well as goodness. All material activities meant for satisfying the senses are contaminated, and Mahārāja Nābhi did not perform anything contaminated.
A liberated person prepares himself in such a way that he does not take on any more material bodies, which are destined to die. In other words, he does not fall down again to repeat birth and death.
The Supreme Lord appears as the son of one of His devotees, just as Lord Kṛṣṇa appeared as the son of Yaśodā and Nanda Mahārāja. These devotees could never think of their son as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, for such appreciation would hamper their relationship of parental love.
Every family in every society can conduct saṅkīrtana-yajña at least every evening. In this way there will be no disturbance or scarcity of rain. It is essential for the people in this age to perform the saṅkīrtana-yajña in order to be materially happy and to advance spiritually.
When the son of Mahārāja Nābhi became visible, He evinced all good qualities described by the great poets — namely, a well-built body with all the symptoms of the Godhead, prowess, strength, beauty, name, fame, influence and enthusiasm. When the father, Mahārāja Nābhi, saw all these qualities, he thought his son to be the best of human beings or the supreme being. Therefore he gave Him the name Ṛṣabha.
An incarnation of God must have the six opulences — wealth, strength, knowledge, beauty, fame and renunciation. It is said that although Ṛṣabhadeva was endowed with all opulences, He was not at all attached to material enjoyment. He was self-controlled and therefore liked by everyone. Due to His superexcellent qualities, everyone wanted Him to rule the earth.
According to the Vedic injunctions, one should perform sacrifices in the company of one’s own wife. Sapatnīko dharmam ācaret: religious rituals should be performed with one’s wife; therefore Mahārāja Nābhi conducted his great sacrifice with his wife by his side.
The ṛtvijaḥ, the priests, knew that God is one, yet they prayed for the Supreme Lord to become the son of Mahārāja Nābhi to let the world know that the Absolute Truth, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is one without a second. When He incarnates, He expands Himself in different potencies.
In Kali-yuga, different religious sects consider their God to be different from the God of others, but that is not possible. God is one, and He is appreciated according to different angles of vision. In this verse the word kaivalyāt means that God has no competitor. There is only one God. In the Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad (6.8) it is said, na tat-samaś cābhyadhikaś ca dṛśyate: “No one is found to be equal to Him or greater than Him.” That is the definition of God.
O Lord, You perform many wonderful activities. Our only aim was to acquire a son by performing this great sacrifice; therefore our intelligence is not very sharp. We are not experienced in ascertaining life’s goal. By inviting You to this negligible sacrifice for some material motive, we have certainly committed a great offense at Your lotus feet. Therefore, O Lord of lords, please excuse our offense because of Your causeless mercy and equal mind.
Dear Lord, unless one worships the lotus feet of great devotees, one will be conquered by the illusory energy, and his intelligence will be bewildered. Indeed, who has not been carried away by the waves of material enjoyment, which are like poison? Your illusory energy is unconquerable. No one can see the path of this material energy or tell how it is working.
Dear Lord, here is the great King Nābhi, whose ultimate goal in life is to have a son like You. Your Lordship, his position is like that of a person approaching a very rich man and begging for a little grain. Mahārāja Nābhi is so desirous of having a son that he is worshiping You for a son, although You can offer him any exalted position, including elevation to the heavenly planets or liberation back to Godhead.
The real success in life is ante nārāyaṇa-smṛti — remembering the holy name, attributes, activities and form of the Lord at the time of death. Although we may be engaged in the Lord’s devotional service in the temple, material conditions are so tough and inevitable that we may forget the Lord at the time of death due to a diseased condition or mental derangement. Therefore we should pray to the Lord to be able to remember His lotus feet without fail at the time of death, when we are in such a precarious condition.
Dear Lord, all the great sages who are thoughtful and saintly persons incessantly recount Your spiritual qualities. These sages have already burned up all the unlimited dirty things and, by the fire of knowledge, strengthened their detachment from the material world. Thus they have attained Your qualities and are self-satisfied. Yet even for those who feel spiritual bliss in chanting Your attributes, Your personal presence is very rare.
Kṛṣṇa’s appearance is for the deliverance and satisfaction of His devotees. Actually He does not advent Himself simply to kill the demons, for that can be done by His agents. Lord Viṣṇu’s appearance at the sacrificial arena of Mahārāja Nābhi was just to please the King and his assistants. Otherwise there was no reason for His being present there.
O Lord of lords, we are completely ignorant of the execution of dharma, artha, kāma and mokṣa, the process of liberation, because we do not actually know the goal of life. You have appeared personally before us like a person soliciting worship, but actually You are present here just so we can see You. You have come out of Your abundant and causeless mercy in order to serve our purpose, our interest, and give us the benefit of Your personal glory called apavarga, liberation. You have come, although You are not properly worshiped by us due to our ignorance.
All of life’s goals and opulences are directly, self-sufficiently, unceasingly and unlimitedly increasing in You at every moment. Indeed, You are unlimited enjoyment and blissful existence itself. As far as we are concerned, O Lord, we are always after material enjoyment. You do not need all these sacrificial arrangements, but they are meant for us so that we may be benedicted by Your Lordship. All these sacrifices are performed for our fruitive results, and they are not actually needed by You.
The Supreme Lord is causelessly merciful upon His devotee, so much so that even the poorest of men can offer Him a little water and a flower in devotion and thus please Him. This is due to His affectionate dealings with His devotees.
We have to hear from the authorities and from the śāstras and consider the Supreme Lord in terms of their statements. We cannot imagine or concoct forms and attributes of the Lord.
The Supreme Personality of Godhead is also a living being, but He is the supreme living being. In Bhagavad-gītā (7.7), Lord Kṛṣṇa Himself says, mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat kiñcid asti dhanañjaya: “O conqueror of wealth [Arjuna], there is no truth superior to Me.” No one is more attractive or more authoritative than Lord Kṛṣṇa. That is one of the differences between God and an ordinary living being. According to this description of the transcendental body of Lord Viṣṇu, the Lord can easily be distinguished from all other living beings. Consequently Mahārāja Nābhi and his priests and associates all offered the Lord obeisances and began to worship Him with various things.
One can understand and see the Supreme Personality of Godhead through the process of devotional service, and not in any other way. Although Mahārāja Nābhi performed prescribed duties and sacrifices, it should still be considered that the Lord appeared before him not due to his sacrifices but because of his devotional service. It was for this reason that the Lord agreed to appear before him in His beautiful bodily features.
Since King Āgnīdhra was a devotee, he actually had no attraction for material enjoyment, but because he wanted a wife for progeny and Lord Brahmā had sent Pūrvacitti for this purpose, he expertly pleased her with flattering words. Women are attracted by a man’s flattering words. One who is expert in this art of flattery is called vidagdha.
Karmīs who act very seriously for sense gratification are always referred to in the śāstras by such terms as pramatta, vimukha and vimūḍha. They are killed by māyā. However, one who is apramatta, a sane, sober person, a dhīra, knows very well that a human being’s primary duty is to render service to the Supreme Person. Māyā is always ready to kill those who are pramatta with her invisible bows and arrows. Āgnīdhra questioned Pūrvacitti about this.
One who is serious about going back home, back to Godhead, should not contemplate the attractive features of women and the opulence of rich men. Such contemplation will check one’s advancement in spiritual life. Once a devotee is fixed in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, however, these attractions will not agitate his mind.
When one engages in devotional service, however, completely employing all the activities of the senses in the service of the Lord, the venomous quality of the senses is completely nullified. It is explained that a serpent is to be feared because of its poison fangs, but if those fangs are broken, the serpent, although it seems fearsome, is not at all dangerous.
Lord Brahmā could understand Mahārāja Āgnīdhra’s desire because he is as powerful as Lord Viṣṇu. As Lord Viṣṇu, situated as Paramātmā, can understand the desire of the living entity, so Lord Brahmā can also understand the living entity’s desire, for Viṣṇu, as a via medium, informs him.
An intelligent devotee, instead of being entangled by the happiness of this material world in the form of a beautiful wife, material opulence and children, desires to be immediately transferred back home, back to Godhead. Thus he worships the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Viṣṇu.
The Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is the only hope to save the world from such devastation. It is the most scientific and authorized movement for the actual welfare of the whole human society.
One must have a superior taste in spiritual life; then he can give up material opulence. Mahārāja Priyavrata had already tasted spiritual bliss, and therefore he had no interest in any of the material achievements available in the lower, higher or middle planetary systems.
One cannot be promoted to civilized life unless one comes to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, for by nature one is destined to live in a particular situation according to one’s karma and association with the modes of nature. If men want to live in harmony and peace, they must take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, for they cannot achieve the highest standard while absorbed in the bodily concept of life. Mahārāja Priyavrata divided the surface of the globe into different islands so that each class of men would live peacefully and not clash with the others. The modern idea of nationhood has gradually developed from the divisions made by Mahārāja Priyavrata.
This designation, bhagavān, is sometimes conferred upon a pure devotee by the grace of the Lord so that he will be very highly esteemed. Mahārāja Priyavrata was such a devotee.
“O almighty Lord, I have no desire to accumulate wealth, nor do I desire beautiful women, nor do I want any number of followers. I only want Your causeless devotional service birth after birth.”
Generally when people are powerful or when they have a beautiful wife, a beautiful home and material popularity, they become more and more entangled. Priyavrata Mahārāja, however, having been completely trained by the great sage Nārada, revived his Kṛṣṇa consciousness in spite of all impediments.
As long as one is in the material world, he has to be under the influence of the modes of material nature (guṇa-visarga). It is not that Mahārāja Priyavrata was freed from material influence because he possessed all material opulences. In this material world, both the very poor man and the very rich man are under material influences, for both wealth and poverty are creations of the modes of material nature.
Since the Supreme Lord is all-powerful, He can do things that seem wonderful for a common man. Similarly, a devotee who has taken shelter at the lotus feet of the Lord can also do wonderful things unimaginable to a common man, by the grace of the dust of those lotus feet.
When Priyavrata drove his chariot behind the sun, the rims of his chariot wheels created impressions that later became seven oceans, dividing the planetary system known as Bhū-maṇḍala into seven islands.
Devotional service is so powerful. When a devotee achieves what he wants to accomplish, it is not by his own mystic power but by the grace of the master of mystic power, Lord Kṛṣṇa: by His grace, a devotee can accomplish wonderful things unimaginable even to the most powerful scientist.
When a pure devotee goes to a place of pilgrimage, he desires to purify that holy place of pilgrimage. Many sinful men bathe in the holy waters of the places of pilgrimage. They take their baths in the waters of the Ganges and Yamunā at places such as Prayāga, Vṛndāvana and Mathurā. In this way the sinful men are purified, but their sinful actions and reactions remain at the holy places of pilgrimage. When a devotee comes to take his bath at those places of pilgrimage, the sinful reactions left by the sinful men are neutralized by the devotee.
In this material world everyone is envious of everyone else, but by vibrating or discussing the holy name of the Lord, one becomes nonenvious and devoid of material hankering. Because of our envy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, we have become envious of all other living entities. When we are no longer envious of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, there will be real peace, unity and fraternity in human society. Without Nārāyaṇa or saṅkīrtana-yajña there cannot be peace in this material world.
His Holiness Bhakti Charu Swami Memorial class on 7th July 2020 by His Grace Prabhava Prabhu and His Grace Aniruddha Prabhu
A pure devotee considers a moment’s association with another pure devotee to be far superior to residing in a heavenly planet or merging in the Brahman effulgence. The topmost benediction for those who are living in this material world and are subjected to the repetition of birth and death (transmigration) is association with pure devotees. One should search out such pure devotees and remain with them. That will make one completely happy, even though living within the material world. This Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is started for that purpose. A person who is overly affected materially may take advantage of this movement and become intimately associated with it. In this way the confused and frustrated inhabitants of this material world may find the highest happiness in association with devotees.
One may be in one position or another according to destiny, but in any case one must continue to hear about the activities and pastimes of the Supreme Lord, regardless of circumstances.
When a devotee is actually engaged in the service of the lotus feet of the Lord, his engagement in itself is so perfect that there is no need to ask for further benediction. When a bee approaches the pārijāta tree, it gets unlimited supplies of honey. There is no need to go to another tree. If one is fixed in the service of the lotus feet of the Lord, there is unlimited transcendental bliss, and as such there is no need to ask for further benediction.
he Lord’s pastimes, qualities, forms and names are all unlimited. There is no limit to His name, forms, pastimes, creation and paraphernalia. The living entity cannot conceive of the unlimitedness of the unlimited. However, if living entities are engaged in hearing about the unlimited potencies of the Supreme Lord, they are factually connected directly to the unlimited. Such understanding of the unlimited becomes unlimited by hearing and chanting.
Pavarga means “material existence.” In material existence, one always works very hard but is ultimately baffled. One then dies and has to accept another body to work very hard again. This is the cycle of material existence. Apavarga means just the opposite. Instead of working hard like cats and dogs, one returns home, back to Godhead.
Whatever a living entity desires, however insignificant he may be, is noted by the Lord, who gives him a chance to fulfill his desires. If the desires of the nondevotees are fulfilled, why not those of the devotee? A pure devotee simply wants to engage in the service of the Lord without material desire, and if he wants this within the core of his heart, where the Lord is situated, and if he is without ulterior motive, why should the Lord not understand? If a sincere devotee renders service to the Lord or to the arcā-vigraha, the form of the Lord, all his activities prove successful because the Lord is present within his heart and understands his sincerity. Thus if a devotee, with all confidence, goes on discharging the prescribed duties of devotional service, he will ultimately attain success.
The devotee offers eatables in the form of vegetables, fruits, leaves and water to the arcā-vigraha. The Lord, being bhakta-vatsala, compassionate upon His devotees, accepts these offerings. Atheists may think that the devotees are engaged in idol worship, but the fact is different. Janārdana, the Supreme Lord, accepts bhāva, the attitude of service. The neophyte devotee engaged in the worship of the Lord may not understand the value of such worship, but the Supreme Lord, being bhakta-vatsala, accepts His devotee and in due course of time takes him home.
According to the desires of the living entity, the Lord makes him remember or forget. If the living entity is demoniac and wants to forget the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the Lord gives him the intelligence to be able to forget the Supreme Lord forever. Similarly, when a devotee wants to serve the Supreme Lord, the Lord, as Paramātmā, gives the devotee the intelligence to make progress in devotional service. The Lord directly witnesses our activities and experiences our desires. The Supreme Lord gives us the facilities to act in the way we wish.
Lord Brahmā, the first creature of the universe, is born from this lotus flower, and subsequently Lord Brahmā creates the whole universe. The origin of all creation is therefore Lord Viṣṇu, and the origin of all the viṣṇu-tattvas is Lord Kṛṣṇa. Consequently, Kṛṣṇa is the origin of everything.
One should therefore not think that Lord Viṣṇu is in the same category with Lord Brahmā and Śiva.
A devotee knows very well that everything within this material world is but a manifestation of the Supreme Lord’s energy. To maintain the three modes of material nature, the Supreme Lord takes on different forms as Lord Brahmā, Lord Viṣṇu and Lord Śiva. Unaffected by the modes of material nature, the Lord takes on different forms to create, maintain and annihilate this cosmic manifestation. The conclusion is that although the pure devotee appears to engage in material activities in the service of the Lord, he knows very well that material enjoyment for sense gratification has no use whatsoever.
The Supreme Lord is attracted by devotional service, and He can approach us more swiftly than we can approach Him with our mental speculation. The Lord has stated that although He is beyond the range of mental speculation and the speed of thought, He can be approached easily by His causeless mercy. Thus only by His causeless mercy can He be attained. Other methods will not be effective.
The holy name of the Lord is the Lord Himself. If one chants and hears, he becomes purified. Gradually all material contamination disappears. The Pracetās were already purified due to the Lord’s presence before them, and they could therefore offer the proper prayers with folded hands. In other words, as soon as devotees are engaged in devotional service, they become transcendental to all material contamination immediately.
The Supersoul gives instructions to the sincere, unalloyed devotee on how he can progress more and more in approaching the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī in this connection says that the Supersoul, the plenary expansion of the Personality of Godhead, exists in everyone’s heart, but in the heart of the devotee He reveals Himself as ever-increasingly new. Being inspired by Him, the devotee experiences increased transcendental bliss in the execution of his devotional service.
One who tries to enjoy the results of his activities becomes bound by the results. One who offers the results or profits to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, however, does not become entangled in the results. This is the secret of success.
Material attachment is very strong. During one lifetime, a materialist engages in acquiring land, money, friends, society, friendship, love and so on. He also wants to enjoy the heavenly planets after the annihilation of the body. If one is engaged in devotional service, however, he becomes unattached to all kinds of material enjoyment and suffering. In the material world, those who are elevated to the higher planetary systems are supposed to enjoy all material facilities, whereas those degraded to lower planetary systems are supposed to live in a hellish condition. A devotee, however, is transcendental to both heavenly and hellish conditions.
Different limbs of the body may act in different ways, but the ultimate objective is to maintain the entire body. Similarly, if we work for the satisfaction of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, we will find that we satisfy everything.
The whole material world is filled with envy that everyone becomes afraid of his neighbors. Every businessman is afraid of his associates because this material world is the field of activities for all kinds of envious people who have come here to compete with the opulence of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
The great politician Cāṇakya said, “If there is a good tree within a garden or forest, its flowers will fill the forest with their fragrance. Similarly, a good son within a family makes the whole family famous all over the world.” Kṛṣṇa took birth in the family of the Yadus, and consequently the Yadu dynasty is famous all over the world.
Since every living entity is part and parcel of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, he has small independence. Sometimes unintelligent men ask why one is put into a miserable condition even though everyone is under the control of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Because of his minute independence, the living entity can obey or disobey the orders of the Supreme Lord. If he obeys the Supreme Lord’s orders, he becomes happy. If he does not, he becomes unhappy. Therefore the living entity creates his own happiness or unhappiness. The Supreme Lord does not enforce these on anyone.
If we follow the ācāryas, we attain the same benefit as our predecessors. If one follows the decisions of Arjuna, he should be considered to be directly hearing Bhagavad-gītā from the Supreme Personality of Godhead. There is no difference between hearing Bhagavad-gītā directly from the Supreme Lord and following a personality like Arjuna, who formerly heard Bhagavad-gītā directly from the Lord.
Each and every one of the sons of King Prācīnabarhiṣat was an individual soul, but they were united in offering transcendental service to the Lord. The unity of the individual souls attempting to satisfy the Supreme Lord or rendering service to the Lord is real unity. In the material world such unity is not possible. Even though people may officially unite, they all have different interests
A king is always accompanied by his ministers, secretaries and commanders, and Lord Viṣṇu is also accompanied by His followers — the demigods, great sages, saintly persons and so on. He is never alone. Consequently there is no question of the Lord’s being impersonal. He is always Himself, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and His associates are also persons.
The Lord is just like the effulgent sun. Consequently, whenever the Supreme Personality of Godhead is present, there cannot be darkness or ignorance. Actually this dark universe is illuminated by the sun, but the sun and moon simply reflect the bodily effulgence of the Supreme Lord.
Many austerities were performed in the Satya-yuga, Dvāpara-yuga and Tretā-yuga, but not in this Age of Kali. In this Kali-yuga, one can attain the same results simply by chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra. Because the people of this age are fallen, the Lord is kind enough to give them the easiest method. Simply by chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, one can attain the same results. However, as Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu points out, we are so unfortunate that we are not even attracted to chanting the mahā-mantra — Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare.
One can offer prayers to the Supreme Personality of Godhead directly, but if one repeats the prayers offered by great devotees like Lord Śiva and Lord Brahmā, or if one follows in the footsteps of great personalities, one can please the Supreme Personality of Godhead very easily.
Lord Mahādeva instructed them to worship the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and he personally offered a prayer. As stated in the previous verse (rudra-gītena), simply by chanting the prayers offered by Lord Śiva to Viṣṇu, the Pracetās were transferred to the spiritual world. Sometimes devotees desire to enjoy material happiness also; therefore, by the arrangement of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the devotee is given a chance to enjoy the material world before his final entrance into the spiritual world.
The highest perfection is to return home, back to Godhead, so that one will not have to return to this material world and transmigrate from one body to another in the dream of material existence. By the grace of Lord Śiva, the Pracetās actually attained perfection and returned home, back to Godhead, after enjoying material facilities to the highest extent.
It is said that man is a rational animal, but from this verse we can also understand that rationality exists even in animal life. Unless there is rationality, how can an animal maintain its body by working so hard? That the animals are not rational is untrue; their rationality, however, is not very advanced. In any case, we cannot deny them rationality. The point is that one should use one’s reason to understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead, for that is the perfection of human life.
It is said that man is a rational animal, but from this verse we can also understand that rationality exists even in animal life. Unless there is rationality, how can an animal maintain its body by working so hard? That the animals are not rational is untrue; their rationality, however, is not very advanced. In any case, we cannot deny them rationality. The point is that one should use one’s reason to understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead, for that is the perfection of human life.
This material world is created by the dreaming of Mahā-Viṣṇu. The real, factual platform is the spiritual world, but when the spirit soul wants to imitate the Supreme Personality of Godhead, he is put into this dreamland of material creation. After being in contact with the material modes of nature, the living entity develops the subtle and gross bodies. When the living entity is fortunate enough to associate with Śrī Nārada Mahāmuni or his servants, he is liberated from this dreamland of material creation and the bodily conception of life.
One who is struggling against māyā is a hero, and one who is sober enough to understand his position is a dhīra. Without becoming sober or heroic, one cannot attain spiritual salvation.
The varṇāśrama-dharma is essential in a good government. One class of men (the brāhmaṇas) must be intelligent and brahminically qualified, another class must be trained in administrative work (kṣatriya), another in mercantile business (vaiśya), and another simply in labor (śūdra). These four classes of men are already there according to nature, but it is the government’s duty to see that all four of these classes follow the principles of their varṇas methodically.
All the residents of Siddhaloka are spacemen, and they can travel in space without mechanical help. The residents of Siddhaloka can go from one planet to another individually by virtue of their yogic perfection. After giving instructions to the great King Prācīnabarhi, Nārada Muni departed and also invited him to Siddhaloka.
When we engage ourselves in the devotional service of the Lord to become Kṛṣṇa conscious, we understand not only Kṛṣṇa but everything related to Kṛṣṇa. In other words, through Kṛṣṇa consciousness we can understand not only Kṛṣṇa and the cosmic manifestation but also our constitutional position.
Instead of plunging oneself into the ocean of material activity, one should accept material activity only to maintain body and soul together. The rest of one’s time should be devoted to engaging in the transcendental loving service of the Lord. In this way one can attain relief from the reactions of material activity.
A living entity too much absorbed in material activity becomes very much attracted to the material body. Even at the point of death, he thinks of his present body and the relatives connected to it. Thus he remains fully absorbed in the bodily conception of life, so much so that even at the point of death he abhors leaving his present body. Sometimes it is found that a person on the verge of death remains in a coma for many days before giving up the body. This is common among so-called leaders and politicians who think that without their presence the entire country and all society will be in chaos. This is called māyā
One should always engage in the Lord’s devotional service. As recommended in the arcana-mārga, one should worship the Deity in the temple and constantly offer obeisances to the spiritual master and the Deity. These processes are recommended to one who actually wants to become free from material entanglement. Modern psychologists can study the actions of the mind — thinking, feeling and willing — but they are unable to go deep into the matter
The living entity comes in contact with the sixteen material elements and is influenced by the three modes of material nature. The living entity and this combination of elements combine to form what is called jīva-bhūta, the conditioned soul that struggles hard within material nature. The total material existence is first agitated by the three modes of material nature, and these become the living conditions of the living entity.
A child may be innocent, but this does not mean that he is a liberated soul. Everything is held in reservation, and everything will become manifest in due course of time. Even in the absence of certain manifestations in the subtle body, the objects of sense enjoyment may act.
On a dark-moon night, the full shining moon is still present, but it appears not to be present due to conditions. Similarly, the senses of the living entity are there, but they only become active when the gross body and the subtle body are developed. Unless the senses of the gross body are developed, they will not act on the subtle body. Similarly, because of the absence of desires in the subtle body, there may be no development in the gross body.
We act sometimes in relation to the gross body and sometimes in relation to the subtle body. If, by Kṛṣṇa’s grace, we act in our spiritual body, we can transcend both the gross and subtle bodies. In other words, we can gradually train ourselves to act in terms of the spiritual body. As stated in the Nārada-pañcarātra, hṛṣīkeṇa hṛṣīkeśa-sevanaṁ bhaktir ucyate: devotional service means engaging the spiritual body and spiritual senses in the service of the Lord. When we are engaged in such activities, the actions and reactions of the gross and subtle bodies cease.
The consciousness of material identification (such as “I” and “mine”) still continues because such consciousness has been extant from time immemorial. However, when one transfers to the spiritual world by virtue of understanding Kṛṣṇa consciousness, the actions and reactions of both gross and subtle bodies no longer bother the spirit soul.
In Brahma-saṁhitā (5.54) it is said, karmāṇi nirdahati kintu ca bhakti-bhājām: when a person is fully absorbed in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, his stockpile of material desires is minimized. Indeed, the desires no longer fructify in the form of gross bodies. Instead, the stockpile of desires becomes visible on the mental platform by the grace of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Even in this life span we can sometimes experience dreams of our childhood. Although such incidents now appear strange, it is to be understood that they are recorded in the mind. Because of this, they become visible in dreams. The transmigration of the soul is caused by the subtle body, which is the storehouse of all kinds of material desires. Unless one is fully absorbed in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, material desires will come and go.
Why is it that we sometimes in our dreams see what we have never heard of or seen at any time during this life? Here it is stated that even though such events may not be experienced in this life, they were experienced in previous lives. According to time and circumstance, they combine so that in dreams we see something wonderful that we have never experienced.
If a person is in the mode of goodness, his mental activities will promote him to a higher planetary system. Similarly, if he has a low mentality, his future life will be most abominable. The lives of the living entity, in both the past and the future, are indicated by the mental condition. Nārada Muni is herein offering the King blessings of all good fortune so that the King will not desire anything or make plans for sense gratification.
“One who engages in the transcendental service of the Lord in body, mind and words is to be considered liberated in all conditions of material existence.” (Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu 1.2.187) The Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is based on this principle. We must teach people to absorb themselves always in the service of the Lord because that position is their natural position.
In dreams we sometimes see things that we have never experienced in the present body. Sometimes in dreams we think that we are flying in the sky, although we have no experience of flying. This means that once in a previous life, either as a demigod or astronaut, we flew in the sky. The impression is there in the stockpile of the mind, and it suddenly expresses itself. It is like fermentation taking place in the depths of water, which sometimes manifests itself in bubbles on the water’s surface. Sometimes we dream of coming to a place we have never known or experienced in this lifetime, but this is proof that in a past life we experienced this. The impression is kept within the mind and sometimes becomes manifest either in dream or in thought. The conclusion is that the mind is the storehouse of various thoughts and experiences undergone during our past lives.
There is an English proverb that says, “The face is the index of the mind.” If one is angry, his anger is immediately expressed in his face. Similarly, other mental states are reflected by the actions of the gross body. In other words, the activities of the gross body are reactions of the mental condition. The mind’s activities are thinking, feeling and willing. The willing portion of the mind is manifest by the activities of the body. The conclusion is that by the activities of the body and senses, we can understand the condition of the mind.
Karma is the aggregate of fruitive activities conducted to make this body comfortable or uncomfortable. We have actually seen that when one man was about to die he requested his physician to give him a chance to live four more years so that he could finish his plans. This means that while dying he was thinking of his plans. After his body was destroyed, he doubtlessly carried his plans with him by means of the subtle body, composed of mind, intelligence and ego. Thus he would get another chance by the grace of the Supreme Lord, the Supersoul, who is always within the heart
When the mind is educated in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, or higher consciousness in the mode of goodness, one is transferred either to the upper, heavenly planets or to the spiritual world, the Vaikuṇṭha planets. One therefore has to change his consciousness by cultivating knowledge received from Vedic instructions from the Supreme Personality of Godhead through the disciplic succession.
Because the Supreme Personality of Godhead as Supersoul is always guiding the individual soul, the individual soul always knows how to act according to the reactions of his past karma. In other words, the Supersoul reminds him to act in such a way. Therefore although there is apparently a change in the gross body, there is a continuation between the lives of an individual soul.
subtle body carries the results of the present body’s actions down to the next gross body. The present body may be finished grossly, but the subtle body is not finished; it carries the soul to the next body. Actually the gross body is dependent on the subtle body. Therefore the next gross body must suffer and enjoy according to the subtle body. The soul is carried by the subtle body continuously until liberated from gross material bondage.
Even great philosophers and scientists cannot account for the transferal of karma from one body to another. As we experience, every individual soul has an individual body, and one person’s activities or one body’s activities are not enjoyed or suffered by another body or another person. The question is how the activities of one body are suffered or enjoyed in the next.
People generally are attracted by these activities, and very rarely is a person attracted to devotional service, as Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu confirms. Unless one is very, very fortunate, he does not take to devotional service. Even the so-called learned Vedic scholars are bewildered by devotional service. They are generally attracted to the rituals for sense gratification.
The Vedic ritualistic ceremonies are concerned with satisfying different demigods, but unless one is very advanced, he cannot understand that the original personality is Śrī Kṛṣṇa (govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi). After hearing the instructions of Nārada, King Barhiṣmān came to his senses.
A paramahaṁsa is one who has taken shelter of the Parabrahman, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. If one takes shelter of the paramahaṁsa spiritual master, gradually, through training and instruction, he will become detached from worldly life and ultimately return home, back to Godhead.
Unless one is completely freed of all material desires, which are caused by the dense darkness of ignorance, one cannot fully engage in the devotional service of the Lord. Therefore we should always offer our prayers to Lord Nṛsiṁhadeva, who killed Hiraṇyakaśipu, the personification of material desire.
The human being, just like the deer, enjoys his family without knowing that before him is the factor of time, which is represented by the tiger. The fruitive activities of a living entity simply create another dangerous position and oblige him to accept different types of bodies. For a deer to run after a mirage of water in the desert is not unusual. The conclusion is that one who lives like a deer will be killed in due course of time.
he human being, just like the deer, enjoys his family without knowing that before him is the factor of time, which is represented by the tiger. The fruitive activities of a living entity simply create another dangerous position and oblige him to accept different types of bodies.
According to all the instructions of the Vedas, we can understand that unless one takes to Kṛṣṇa consciousness and devotional service, he is simply wasting his time engaging in the fruitive activities of material existence. Nārada Muni therefore decided to relate another allegory to the King so that he might be induced to give up family life within material existence.
One should therefore take shelter of such a bona fide spiritual master. Success in life means accepting a spiritual master who knows Kṛṣṇa as the only supreme beloved personality. One should worship such a confidential devotee of the Lord.
Everyone has dormant love for Kṛṣṇa, and by culture and education that has to be awakened. That is the purpose of this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement.
If Kṛṣṇa consciousness is missing, one is simply engaged in false activities and false educational pursuits.
Human life is very valuable, and one should not waste it in vain exploration of other planets. One should be intelligent enough to return to Godhead. One should be interested in information about the spiritual Vaikuṇṭha planets, and in particular the planet known as Goloka Vṛndāvana, and should learn the art of going there by the simple method of devotional service, beginning with hearing (śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ).
Generally people are very much attracted to the fruitive activities sanctioned in the Vedic rituals. One may be very much attracted to becoming elevated to heavenly planets by performing great sacrifices, like those of King Barhiṣmān. Śrī Nārada Muni wanted to stop King Barhiṣmān from engaging in such fruitive activities. Therefore he is now directly telling him, “Don’t be interested in such temporary benefits.”
This material world, the cosmic manifestation, is created by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and the living entities have come here to enjoy themselves. The Vedic instructions guide them according to different regulative principles, and intelligent people take advantage of these instructions. They thus enjoy material life without being disturbed. This is actually illusion, and to get out of this illusion by one’s own endeavor is very difficult.
By demigod worship, one may obtain the benediction of material opulence in the form of animals, riches, beautiful wives, many followers, and so on. By such material opulence, however, one cannot understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Perfect knowledge for human beings, as well as all living entities, is contained in the Vedas. All the above-mentioned great personalities are not only powerful — being cognizant of past, present and future — but are also devotees. Still, in spite of their great education in knowledge, and despite their meeting the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Viṣṇu, they cannot actually understand the perfection of the living entity’s relationship with Lord Viṣṇu.
Unless one is associated with devotees, he cannot cultivate Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Nirjana-bhajana, cultivating Kṛṣṇa consciousness in a solitary place, is not possible for the neophyte, for he will be disturbed by the bodily necessities — eating, sleeping, mating and defending. Being so disturbed, one cannot cultivate Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
In the association of pure devotees, one becomes attached to hearing and chanting the glories of the Lord. In this way one can cultivate Kṛṣṇa consciousness, and as soon as this cultivation is advanced, one can become faithful to the Lord, devoted to the Lord, and attached to the Lord, and thus one can very quickly attain full Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
Constant engagement in the transcendental loving service of Vāsudeva means constantly hearing the glories of the Lord. Simply by hearing of the glories of the Lord, one is elevated to the transcendental position.
As soon as one engages in the service of Lord Vāsudeva, he attains his normal constitutional position. This position is called the liberated stage. Muktir hitvānyathā-rūpaṁ svarūpeṇa vyavasthitiḥ: in the liberated stage, one is situated in his original Kṛṣṇa conscious position. He gives up all engagements in the service of matter, engagements concocted under the names of social service, national service, community service, dog service, automobile service and so many other services conducted under the illusion of “I” and “mine.”
Material existence is the cause of all our sufferings, for we do not suffer once we are out of the material condition. The Vedas therefore enjoin that one should factually understand that he is not material but is actually Brahman (ahaṁ brahmāsmi). This understanding cannot be fully realized unless one is engaged in Brahman activities, namely devotional service. To get free from the material conditions, one has to take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is the only remedy.
There are two kinds of fruitive activity: we can place the burden on the head, or we can place it on the shoulder. Actually, keeping the burden in either place is the same. The transferal, however, is taking place under the name of counteraction.
When one gets tired of keeping a burden on his head, he will place it on his shoulder. This does not mean that he has become freed from the strains of carrying the burden. Similarly, human society in the name of civilization is creating one kind of trouble to avoid another kind of trouble.
We can actually see in our daily lives how we are forced to make plans to drive away miserable conditions. To get rid of one miserable condition, we have to put ourselves in another kind of miserable condition. A poor man suffers for want of money, but if he wants to become rich, he has to struggle in so many ways. Actually that is not a valid counteracting process but a snare of the illusory energy. If one does not endeavor to counteract his situation but is satisfied with his position, knowing that he has obtained his position through past activities, he can instead engage his energy to develop Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
One should engage in the service of a Vaiṣṇava and try to please him in every respect. Unless one does so, he does not make spiritual advancement. Apart from spiritual advancement, in the material world if one does not develop his qualities in goodness, he cannot be promoted to the higher planetary system.
Actually the living entity is part and parcel of the Lord; therefore he is spiritual in quality. The living entity is never material, and his material conception is simply a mistake due to forgetfulness. He is as brilliant as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Both the sun and the sunshine are very brilliant.
At the present moment human society is overly influenced by the mode of passion, and consequently people are engaged in working in big factories. They forget how distressful it is to live in such places. In Bhagavad-gītā such activities are described as ugra-karma, that is, distressful activities.
servant may desire to start his own business and imitate his master, and when he chooses to do so, he may leave the protection of his master. Sometimes he is a failure, and sometimes he is successful. Similarly, the living entity, part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa, starts his own business to compete with the Lord. There are many competitors out to attain the Lord’s position, but to become like the Lord is not at all possible. Thus there is a great struggle for existence with the material world as different parties try to imitate the Lord.
Manifold miseries encircle the transcendental living entity simply because he desires to satisfy his senses in this material world. If he simply withdraws from activities of sense gratification and applies his senses in the service of the Lord, all the problems of material existence will immediately diminish. With the advancement of Kṛṣṇa consciousness he will be freed from all tribulations, and after giving up the body he will go back home, back to Godhead.
Those who are in Kṛṣṇa consciousness and are engaged in devotional service under the instructions of Nārada Muni are not subjected to the influence of Yamarāja and his sister Jarā. If one is Kṛṣṇa conscious, he conquers death. After leaving the material body, he does not accept another body that is material but returns home, back to Godhead.
Just as a king is seated on a chariot, the living entity is seated in the body. The sitting place is the heart, and the living entity sits there and engages in the struggle for existence, which goes on without progress perpetually.
Intelligence acts both in the dream state and in the waking state, but it is contaminated by the three modes of material nature. Since the intelligence is contaminated, the living entity is also contaminated. In the conditioned state, the living entity acts according to his contaminated intelligence.
The mind and intelligence of the living entity in material existence are affected by the modes of material nature, and according to the association of the material modes, the mind is habituated to go here and there. The heart feels satisfaction, jubilation or illusion according to the effects of the modes of material nature.
From the external point of view, it can be concluded that Vṛndāvana has become degenerate due to these sahajiyā activities, yet from the spiritual point of view, Vṛndāvana is the only place where all these sinful persons can be rectified by means of taking birth in the forms of dogs, hogs and monkeys. By living in Vṛndāvana as a dog, hog or monkey, the living entity can be elevated to the spiritual platform in the next life.
The Vedas are known as śruti, and the knowledge received from them through aural reception is called śruta-dhara. As stated in Bhagavad-gītā, one can be promoted to the planets of the demigods or to the planets of the Pitās (forefathers), or even to the Vaikuṇṭha planets, simply through the process of hearing.
Just as the air or wind cannot be checked by anyone, the two nostrils, situated in one place, enjoy the sense of smell without impediment. When the tongue is present, the mouth continually tastes all kinds of relishable foodstuffs.
The two eyes are attracted by brilliant things like light. Sometimes we find that little insects are attracted by the brightness of fire and thus enter into it. Similarly, the two eyes of the living entity are attracted by bright and beautiful forms. They are entangled in these forms, exactly as the insect becomes attracted to fire.
“ ‘It is My vow that if one only once seriously surrenders unto Me, saying “My dear Lord, from this day I am Yours,” and prays to Me for courage, I shall immediately award courage to that person, and he will always remain safe from that time on.’
Not being aware of his spiritual position, the living entity, directed by the mind, goes out through the nine gates to enjoy material objects. Because of long association with material objects, he forgets his real, spiritual activities and is thus misled.
f one gets a good manager, his estate is very nicely managed, but if the manager is a thief, his estate is spoiled. Similarly, in his material, conditional existence, the living entity gives power of attorney to his mind. As such, he is liable to be misdirected by his mind into enjoying sense objects.
Because of his desire to enjoy the material world, the living entity is dressed with the material gross and subtle bodies. Thus he is given a chance to enjoy the senses. The senses are therefore the instruments for enjoying the material world; consequently the senses have been described as friends.
Real intelligence means linking with the Supreme Personality of Godhead. When this is done, the Supreme Personality of Godhead from within gives one the real intelligence by which one can return home, back to Godhead. Intelligence in the material world is described in this verse as pramadā because in material existence the living entity falsely claims things to be his.
A particular type of animal may have a strong tendency to enjoy one kind of sense enjoyment, but in the human form one can enjoy all the senses. The human form has the facility to utilize all the senses for gratification. Unless one is properly trained, he becomes a victim of the modes of material nature.
Ordinary persons engaged in pious and impious activities cannot understand the form, name and activities of the Lord. The devotee, however, can know the Personality of Godhead in many respects. He can understand that Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, that His address is Goloka Vṛndāvana and that His activities are all spiritual.
The name Purañjana indicates one who enjoys possessing different types of bodies. His mentality for enjoyment in the material world is accommodated by different types of bodies.
Generally people are enchanted by the three modes of material nature and therefore practically unable to understand that behind all materialistic activities in the cosmic manifestation is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa.
Indirect instruction is quickly understandable for a common man. Factually the path of bhakti-yoga is the path of hearing directly about the pastimes of the Supreme Personality of Godhead (śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ), but those who are not interested in hearing directly about the activities of the Lord, or who cannot understand them, can very effectively hear such stories and fables as this one narrated by Nārada Muni.
One has to select a bona fide spiritual master and become enlightened to his original consciousness. In this way the individual soul can understand that he is always subordinate to the Supersoul. As soon as he declines to remain subordinate and tries to become an enjoyer, he begins his material conditioning. When he abandons this spirit of being an individual owner or enjoyer, he becomes situated in his liberated state.
The Supersoul is present in everyone’s body, whereas the individual soul is conditioned in one particular type of body. The individual soul cannot understand what is taking place in another’s body, but the Supersoul knows very well what is happening in all bodies. In other words, the Supersoul is always present in His full spiritual position, whereas the individual soul is prone to forget himself.
Both the Supreme Personality of Godhead and the living entity are qualitatively one. There is no factual difference between the two.
The factual position of both the Supreme Personality of Godhead and the living entity is qualitatively one. The Supreme Lord is the Supreme Spirit, the Supersoul, and the living entity is the individual spiritual soul. Even though both of them are original spiritual identities, the living entity forgets his identity when he comes in contact with material nature and becomes conditioned.
Śrīmad Bhāgavatam class on Fri 20th Mar 2020 by Gopavrndesa Dāsa 4.28.60 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
The living entity lives by means of fire, water and food grains. It is through the combination of these three that the body is maintained. Consequently the body is called prakṛti, material creation.
Śrīmad Bhāgavatam class on Mon 16th Mar 2020 by His Holiness Ramai Swami 4.28.54 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
The natural position of the living entity is to serve the Lord in a transcendental loving attitude. When the living entity wants to become Kṛṣṇa Himself or imitate Kṛṣṇa, he falls down into the material world. Since Kṛṣṇa is the supreme father, His affection for the living entity is eternal. When the living entity falls down into the material world, the Supreme Lord, through His svāṁśa expansion (Paramātmā), keeps company with the living entity. In this way the living entity may some day return home, back to Godhead.
Consultation with the Supersoul seated within everyone’s heart is possible only when one is completely free from the contamination of material attachment. One who is sincere and pure gets an opportunity to consult with the Supreme Personality of Godhead in His Paramātmā feature sitting within everyone’s heart.
When one becomes serious to follow the mission of the spiritual master, his resolution is tantamount to seeing the Supreme Personality of Godhead. As explained before, this means meeting the Supreme Personality of Godhead in the instruction of the spiritual master.
s the Supreme Personality of Godhead comes down upon this earth to reestablish the principles of religion, so His representative, the spiritual master, also comes to reestablish religious principles. It is the duty of the disciples to take charge of the mission of the spiritual master and execute it properly.
Religion means abiding by the orders of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Religious principles begin from the time one surrenders to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. It is the ācārya’s duty to spread a bona fide religious system and induce everyone to bow down before the Supreme Lord.
Lord Caitanya always chants the holy name of Kṛṣṇa and describes it also, and because He is Kṛṣṇa Himself, whoever meets Him will automatically chant the holy name of Kṛṣṇa and later describe it to others. He injects one with transcendental Kṛṣṇa consciousness, which merges the chanter in transcendental bliss. In all respects, therefore, He appears before everyone as Kṛṣṇa, either by personality or by sound.
The disciple and spiritual master are never separated because the spiritual master always keeps company with the disciple as long as the disciple follows strictly the instructions of the spiritual master. This is called the association of vāṇī (words). Physical presence is called vapuḥ. As long as the spiritual master is physically present, the disciple should serve the physical body of the spiritual master, and when the spiritual master is no longer physically existing, the disciple should serve the instructions of the spiritual master.
The wife especially should remain austere, not desiring luxurious dresses and living standards. She should accept only the bare necessities of life and minimize her eating and sleeping.
If a woman is fortunate enough to be the wife of a pure devotee, she can serve her husband without any desire for sense gratification. If she remains engaged in the service of her exalted husband, she will automatically attain the spiritual perfections of her husband. If a disciple gets a bona fide spiritual master, simply by satisfying him, he can attain a similar opportunity to serve the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
In the advanced stage of devotional service, the devotee does not see anything separate between his own interests and those of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Both interests become one, for the devotee does not act for a separate interest. Whatever he does, he does in the interest of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. At that time he sees everything in the Supreme Personality of Godhead and the Supreme Personality of Godhead in everything. Having attained this stage of understanding, he sees no distinction between the spiritual and material worlds.
The Lord is the Supersoul seated in everyone’s heart, and He acts as the caitya-guru, the spiritual master within. However, He gives direct instructions only to the advanced, pure devotees. In the beginning, when a devotee is serious and sincere, the Lord gives him directions from within to approach a bona fide spiritual master.
The body is taken to be the field, and the individual soul is taken to be the worker in that field. Yet there is another, who is known as the Supersoul, who, along with the individual soul, simply witnesses. The individual soul works and enjoys the fruits of the body, whereas the Supersoul simply witnesses the activities of the individual soul but does not enjoy the fruits of those activities.
When one comes to the conclusion that Kṛṣṇa is everything by worshiping or by rendering devotional service unto Kṛṣṇa, one actually becomes perfect in all respects. Not only must one come to the conclusion that Kṛṣṇa is everything, but he must remain fixed in this realization. This is the highest perfection of life, and it is this perfection that King Malayadhvaja attained at the end.
One cannot fix one’s mind upon an impersonal “something.” For those whose minds are attached to the unmanifested, impersonal feature of the Supreme, advancement is very troublesome. Consequently, when it is said herein that King Malayadhvaja fixed his mind on Brahman, “Brahman” means the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Vāsudeva.
Devotees used to go to forests, high hills or mountains on pilgrimages, but such severe austerities are not possible in these days. One should instead eat only prasāda and no more than required. According to the Vaiṣṇava calendar, there are many fasts, such as Ekādaśī and the appearance and disappearance days of God and His devotees. All of these are meant to decrease the fat within the body so that one will not sleep more than desired and will not become inactive and lazy.
A disciple should always remember that by serving the spiritual master he can easily advance in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. All the scriptures recommend that it is by pleasing the spiritual master and serving him directly that one can attain the highest perfectional stage of devotional service.
The devotees of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness now render service as preachers in various parts of the world.
If one tries to advance by other means — by karma-yoga or jñāna-yoga — one will fall down, but if one is fixed in bhakti, he never falls down.
We have already started the International Society for Krishna Consciousness, and many thousands of Europeans and Americans have joined this movement. Indeed, it is spreading like wildfire. The cult of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, based on the nine principles of devotional service (śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ smaraṇaṁ pāda-sevanam/ arcanaṁ vandanaṁ dāsyaṁ sakhyam ātma-nivedanam), will never be stopped. It will go on without distinction of caste, creed, color or country. No one can check it.
A devotee has no vision in his life other than Kṛṣṇa. The seven processes of devotional service are hearing, chanting, remembering, offering worship, offering prayers, rendering transcendental loving service and serving the lotus feet of the Lord. Of the nine types of devotional service, only seven were immediately given. The balance — friendship and surrendering everything — were to be developed later.
The Vedic system is for a daughter of a king to be offered under certain conditions. Vaidarbhī, the daughter of Vidarbha, was offered to a great devotee and powerful king. Since King Malayadhvaja was both a powerful king and great devotee, he fulfilled all the requirements.
When a living entity is accustomed to think of a particular subject matter or become absorbed in a certain type of thought, he will think of that subject at the time of death. At the time of death, one will think of the subject that has occupied his life while he was awake, lightly sleeping or dreaming, or while he was deeply sleeping.
To save human civilization from the darkness of ignorance, this movement was started. The main purpose of the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is to enlighten the forgetful living entity and remind him of his original Kṛṣṇa consciousness. In this way the living entity can be saved from the catastrophe of ignorance as well as bodily transmigration.
Just as in civilized human society the law is a life for a life, no living entity can encroach upon another living entity as far as the Supreme Lord is concerned. Everyone should be given freedom to live at the cost of the supreme father.
A person can be in full Kṛṣṇa consciousness and become happy and satisfied if he knows but three things — namely, that the Supreme Lord Kṛṣṇa is the enjoyer of all benefits, that He is the proprietor of everything, and that He is the supreme friend of all living entities.
Every living entity is responsible for his activities in this life, and after death he is taken to the court of Yamarāja, where it is decided what kind of body he will take next. Although the gross material body is left, the living entity and his desires, as well as the resultant reactions of his past activities, go on. It is Yamarāja who decides what kind of body one gets next in accordance with one’s past actions.
As long as a living entity in the form of a child or boy is innocent, it is the duty of the father and mother to lead him into a proper understanding of the values of life. When a child is grown, it should be left up to him to execute the duties of life properly. The parent, after his death, cannot help his child. A father may leave some estate for his children’s immediate help, but he should not be overly absorbed in thoughts of how his family will survive after his death. This is the disease of the conditioned soul.
At the time of death every living entity worries about what will happen to his wife and children. Similarly, a politician also worries about what will happen to his country or his political party. Unless one is fully Kṛṣṇa conscious, he has to accept a body in the next life according to his particular state of consciousness. Since Purañjana is thinking of his wife and children and is overly engrossed in thoughts of his wife, he will accept the body of a woman.
In each and every life one is engaged in the struggle to become happy. Actually no one in this material world is happy, but the struggle gives a false sense of happiness. A person must work very hard, and when he attains the result of his hard work, he thinks himself happy. In the material world people do not know what real happiness is.
For family life it is very good for a husband to be attached to his wife, but it is not very good for spiritual advancement. Thus Kṛṣṇa consciousness must be established in every home. If a husband and wife are very much attached to one another in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, they will both benefit because Kṛṣṇa is the center of their existence.
Generally a chaste woman becomes a very obedient wife. This causes a husband to become attached to his wife, and consequently he thinks of his wife very much at the time of death. This is a very dangerous situation, as is evident from the life of King Purañjana.
It is clear in this verse that at the time of death thoughts of material enjoyment do not go away. This indicates that the living entity, the soul, is carried by the subtle body — mind, intelligence and ego. Due to false ego, the living entity still wants to enjoy the material world, and for want of material enjoyment he becomes sorry or sad. He still makes intellectual plans to further his existence, and therefore, although he gives up the gross body, he is carried by the subtle body to another gross body.
Śrī Advaita Prabhu, who is an incarnation of Mahā-Viṣṇu, is an ācārya, or teacher. All His activities and all the other activities of Viṣṇu are auspicious. Anyone who can view the all-auspiciousness in the pastimes of Lord Viṣṇu also becomes auspicious simultaneously. Therefore, since Lord Viṣṇu is the fountainhead of auspiciousness, anyone who is attracted by the devotional service of Lord Viṣṇu can render the greatest service to human society.
It is not infrequent for a person overly attached to the material body to request a physician to prolong his life at least for some time. If the so-called scientific physician is able to prolong one’s life for a few minutes through the use of oxygen or other medicines, he thinks that he is very successful in his attempts, although ultimately the patient will die. This is called the struggle for existence. At the time of death both patient and physician still think of prolonging life, although all the constituents of the body are practically dead and gone.
Lord Nityananda Appearance day class on Fri 7th Feb 2020 by Manamohana Dāsa CC Ādi 5.7 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
The swan takes great pleasure in diving within water and being encircled by the stem of the lotus flower. This entanglement is sporting joy. If, in our healthy condition, we think of the lotus feet of the Lord and die, it is most fortunate. In old age, at the time of death, the throat sometimes becomes choked with mucus or blocked by air. At such a time the sound vibration of Hare Kṛṣṇa, the mahā-mantra, may not come out.
It becomes very difficult for snakes to leave a forest when there is a fire. Other animals may flee due to their long legs, but serpents, only being able to crawl, are generally burnt in the fire. At the last stage, the limbs of the body are not as much affected as the life air.
The living entity is covered by two different types of bodies — the gross body and the subtle body. At death we can see that the gross body is finished, but actually the living entity is carried by the subtle body to another gross body. The so-called scientists of the modern age cannot see how the subtle body is working in carrying the soul from one body to another.
According to the Vedic system, a dead body is set on fire, but before death there is another fire, or fever, which is called prajvāra, or viṣṇu-jvāra. Medical science verifies that when one’s temperature is raised to 107 degrees, a man immediately dies. This prajvāra, or high fever, at the last stage of life places the living entity in the midst of a blazing fire.
Śrī Advaita Prabhu, who is an incarnation of Mahā-Viṣṇu, is an ācārya, or teacher. All His activities and all the other activities of Viṣṇu are auspicious. Anyone who can view the all-auspiciousness in the pastimes of Lord Viṣṇu also becomes auspicious simultaneously. Therefore, since Lord Viṣṇu is the fountainhead of auspiciousness, anyone who is attracted by the devotional service of Lord Viṣṇu can render the greatest service to human society.
Everyone is engaged in maintaining the body, home and family. Consequently everyone becomes confused at the end of life, not knowing what spiritual life and the goal of human life are. In a civilization of sense gratification there cannot be spiritual life, because a person thinks only of this life. Although the next life is a fact, no information is given about it.
When a person becomes weak from the attack of old age, the family members, servants and secretaries do not care for him. He is then unable to counteract this. Thus he becomes more and more anxious and laments his frightful condition.
When one is harassed by the invalidity of old age, various diseases manifest at the gates of the body. For example, the eyes become so dim that one requires spectacles, and the ears become too weak to hear directly, and therefore one requires hearing aids. The nostrils are blocked by mucus, and one has to always sniff a medicinal bottle containing ammonia.
At the fag end of life, when the invalidity of old age attacks a man, his body becomes useless for all purposes. Therefore Vedic training dictates that when a man is in his boyhood he should be trained in the process of brahmacarya — that is, he should be completely engaged in the service of the Lord and should not in any way associate with women.
As one’s body engages in sense gratification, it becomes weaker and weaker daily. Finally the vital force becomes so weak that it is herein compared to a weak serpent. The life air has already been compared to the serpent. When the vital force within the body becomes weak, the body itself also becomes weak.
The period of life just prior to death is certainly very dangerous because usually at this time people are attacked by the weakness of old age as well as many kinds of disease. The diseases that attack the body are compared here to soldiers.
This entire material world, especially in these days, is the result of fruitive activities. Everyone is fully engaged in decorating the world with highways, motorcars, electricity, skyscrapers, industries, businesses, etc. All this appears very nice for those who are simply engaged in sense gratification and who are ignorant of spiritual identity.
After much consideration, the King of the Yavanas decided to make the best use of a bad bargain. Kālakanyā was a bad bargain, and no one liked her, but everything can be used for the service of the Lord. Thus the King of the Yavanas tried to utilize her for some purpose.
Thus a sane person, by attaining old age, will become fearful of death. Foolish people engage in material activities as if they will live forever and enjoy material advancement, but actually there is no material advancement. Under illusion people think that material opulence will save them, but although there has been much advancement in material science, the problems of human society — birth, death, old age and disease — are still unsolved.
Lord Caitanya Himself requested everyone to preach the cult of bhakti-yoga all over the world, in every village and town. Preachers in the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement have actually experienced that even the yavanas and mlecchas have taken to spiritual life on the strength of Nārada Muni’s pāñcarātrika-vidhi. When mankind follows the disciplic succession, as recommended by Caitanya Mahāprabhu, everyone throughout the world will benefit.
If one accepts the instructions of Nārada Muni, the ocean of fear (bhaya) can be very quickly removed by the grace of that great Vaiṣṇava.
The great sage Nārada Muni has a spiritual body; therefore old age, disease, birth and death do not affect him. Nārada is the most kind devotee of the Supreme Lord, and his only business is to travel all over the universe and preach God consciousness. Like Nārada Muni, many other devotees of the Lord are engaged in preaching the glories of the Lord in different places and in different universes. Such personalities are beyond the jurisdiction of material laws.
It requires great strength to resist a woman’s attraction. It is difficult for old men, and what to speak of young. Those who live as brahmacārīs must follow in the footsteps of the great sage Nārada Muni, who never accepted the proposals of Jarā.
One should not wait for old age in order to become Kṛṣṇa conscious. Due to the invalidity of old age, one cannot make progress in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, however opulent he may be materially.
There are four basic kinds of suffering — birth, old age, disease and death. No scientist or philosopher has ever been able to make a solution to these four miserable conditions. No one likes to become old and invalid, but this is inevitable for everyone.
Cārvāka recommended that man should live very opulently by either begging, borrowing or stealing. He also maintained that one should not be afraid of death, the next life, the past life or an impious life because after the body is burnt to ashes everything is finished. This is the philosophy of those who are too much materially addicted.
The living entity resides within the body and struggles for existence with the limbs of the body, which are referred to here as citizens and friends. One can struggle alone with many soldiers for some time, but not for all time. The living entity within the body can struggle up to the limit of a hundred years with good luck, but after that it is not possible to prolong the struggle. Thus the living entity submits and falls victim.
Actually the living entity does not take birth nor does he die, but he has to fight with the stringent laws of material nature throughout the entire span of his lifetime. He must also face different kinds of miserable conditions. Despite all this, the living entity, due to illusion, thinks that he is well situated in sense gratification.
Up to the age of fifty one can actively work for sense gratification, but after the fiftieth year one’s energy decreases, although one can with great strain work for two or three more years — perhaps up to the fifty-fifth year. Thus the fifty-fifth year is generally taken by government regulations as the final year for retirement.
Material activity means manufacturing things for sense gratification. Scientists are conducting research to find out how we can satisfy our senses more and more elaborately. In this Kali-yuga, the demoniac mentality is employed in manufacturing various machines to facilitate the process of sense gratification.
Our relationship with Kṛṣṇa : envy and attraction seminar Tue 7th Jan 2020 by Her Grace Rambhoru Devi Dās
Śrīla Prabhupāda book marathon 2019 results class on Sun 5th January 2020 by His Grace Aniruddha Prabhu
Within this material world, covered by the material body of subtle and gross matter, every living entity creates actions and reactions, which are herein known allegorically as sons and grandsons. There are two kinds of actions and reactions — namely pious and impious.
According to the Vedic system, everyone should marry. One has to accept a wife because a wife will produce children, and the children in their turn will offer foodstuffs and funeral ceremonies so that the forefathers, wherever they may live, will be made happy.
A sannyāsī’s title is svāmī or gosvāmī, which means that he completely refrains from sense enjoyment. One should not accept the sannyāsa order whimsically; he must be fully confident that he can restrain his desires for sense gratification.
If one lives for one hundred years at the utmost, in his family life he simply begets children up to the age of fifty. Unfortunately at the present moment people do not live even a hundred years; nonetheless they beget children up to the age of sixty.
The material enjoyments of youth are especially pleasing to a person who has no spiritual training. If one is trained only according to the bodily conception of life, he simply leads a disappointed life because bodily sense enjoyment finishes within forty years or so.
The first step of self-realization is to know oneself as spirit soul apart from the body. In the second stage of self-realization, one comes to know that every soul, every individual living entity, is part and parcel of the Supreme Soul.
A person in ignorance takes it as the usual course that days come, and after the days, the nights come. This is the law of material nature. But a man in ignorance does not know that when the sun rises early in the morning it begins to take away the balance of his life. Thus day after day the span of one’s life is reduced, and forgetting the duty of human life.
The wife is the inspiration of all good intelligence. Upon seeing one’s wife dressed nicely, one can think very soberly about family business. When a person is too anxious about family affairs, he cannot discharge his family duties nicely. A wife is therefore supposed to be an inspiration and should keep the husband’s intelligence in good order so that they can combinedly prosecute the affairs of family life without impediment.
A systematic family life as enjoined in the Vedas is better than an irresponsible sinful life. If a husband and wife combine together in Kṛṣṇa consciousness and live together peacefully, that is very nice
When one’s intelligence is properly utilized, both the intellect and the intelligent person enjoy one another with great satisfaction.
When one’s consciousness and intelligence are without any brilliant thoughts about Kṛṣṇa, they become morose and lusterless, so much so that one cannot derive any benefit despite sharp intelligence.
The conclusion is that if Kṛṣṇa consciousness is covered by material sins, one can eliminate the sins simply by chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, but if one pollutes his Kṛṣṇa consciousness by offending a brāhmaṇa or a Vaiṣṇava, one cannot revive it until one properly atones for the sin by pleasing the offended Vaiṣṇava or brāhmaṇa.
When one returns to his original Kṛṣṇa consciousness, he actually becomes steady, and his life becomes successful.
It is said that when a foolish man is instructed in something very nice, he generally cannot accept it. Indeed, he actually becomes angry. Such anger is compared to the poison of a serpent, for when a serpent is fed milk and bananas, its poison actually increases. Instead of becoming merciful or sober, the serpent increases its poisonous venom when fed nice foodstuffs. Similarly, when a fool is instructed, he does not rectify himself but actually becomes angry.
Animals and children are sometimes punished not out of vengeance but out of love. Similarly, a master sometimes punishes his servant, not out of vengeance but out of love, to correct him and bring him to the right point.
Lord Kṛṣṇa wants everyone to surrender unto Him, and this surrendering process begins when one touches the lotus feet of a bona fide spiritual master. By sincerely rendering service to a bona fide spiritual master, one begins his spiritual life in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Touching the lotus feet of a spiritual master means giving up one’s false prestige and unnecessarily puffed-up position in the material world.
When a person loses his Kṛṣṇa consciousness and loses interest in self-realization, he must engage in sinful activities. All one’s activities in a life devoid of Kṛṣṇa consciousness simply lead to defeat and misuse of one’s life. Naturally one who comes to Kṛṣṇa consciousness regrets his previous sinful activities in the human form. Only by this process can one be delivered from the clutches of nescience or ignorance in materialistic life.
When one’s good intelligence is separated or neglected, he fully engages in sinful activities. Due to neglecting one’s good intelligence, or Kṛṣṇa consciousness, one becomes bewildered and engages in sinful activities.
Just as one saves his money and places it under his own personal protection, one should similarly protect his wife by his own personal supervision. Just as intelligence is always within the heart, so a beloved chaste wife should always have her place on the chest of a good husband. This is the proper relationship between husband and wife.
Sri Rupa Manjari Pada bhajan - Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Disappearance day on Mon 16th Dec 2019
Actually, a woman is supposed to be the energy of the man. Historically, in the background of every great man there is either a mother or a wife. One’s household life is very successful if he has both a good wife and mother. In such a case, everything about household affairs and all the paraphernalia in the house becomes very pleasing.
A sane man should consult his mind — its thinking, feeling and willing processes — and decide how these processes should be utilized. If one always thinks of Kṛṣṇa, feels how to serve Him and wills to execute the order of Kṛṣṇa, it should be known that he has taken good instruction from his intelligence, which is called the mother.
Simple food like rice, dāl, capātīs, vegetables, milk and sugar constitute a balanced diet, but sometimes it is found that an initiated person, in the name of prasāda, eats very luxurious foodstuffs. Due to his past sinful life he becomes attracted by Cupid and eats good food voraciously. It is clearly visible that when a neophyte in Kṛṣṇa consciousness eats too much, he falls down.
When a man comes into good consciousness and accepts a saintly person as a spiritual master, he hears many Vedic instructions in the form of philosophy, stories, narrations about great devotees, and transactions between God and His devotees. In this way a man becomes refreshed in mind, exactly like a person who smears scented sandalwood pulp all over his body and decorates himself with ornaments. These decorations may be compared to knowledge of religion and the self.
King Purañjana’s coming home, taking bath and having an appropriate dinner indicate that a materialistic person must retire from sinful activities and become purified by accepting a spiritual master and hearing from him about the values of life. If one would do this, he would feel completely refreshed, just as one feels after taking a bath.
If a child touches fire without knowing the effect, he must be burned, even though he is only a child. If a child violates the law of nature, there is no compassion. Only through ignorance does a person violate the laws of nature, and when he comes to knowledge he does not commit any more sinful acts.
Nārada Muni explained that devotees like him are very much afflicted by all the killing that goes on in human society. Not only are saintly persons afflicted by this killing, but even God Himself is afflicted and therefore comes down in the incarnation of Lord Buddha.
One who acts on the mental platform has to change his standard of knowledge periodically. We consequently see that one philosopher may disagree with another philosopher, and one scientist may put forward a theory contradicting the theory of another scientist. All of this is due to their working on the mental platform without a standard of knowledge. In the Vedic instructions, however, the standard of knowledge is accepted, even though it may sometimes appear that the statements are contradictory. Because the Vedas are the standard of knowledge, even though they may appear contradictory, they should be accepted. If one does not accept them, he will be bound by the material conditions.
Just as a government may issue trade licenses in order for its citizens to act in a certain way, the Vedas contain injunctions that restrain and regulate all of our fruitive activities. All living entities have come into this material world to enjoy themselves. Consequently, the Vedas are given to regulate sense enjoyment. One who enjoys his senses under the Vedic regulative principles does not become entangled in the actions and reactions of his activities.
Regulations are meant for human beings, not for animals. The traffic regulations on the street, telling people to keep to the right or the left, are meant for human beings, not for animals. If an animal violates such a law, he is never punished, but a human being is punished
When a man becomes too proud of his material position, he tries to enjoy his senses in an unrestricted way, being influenced by the modes of passion and ignorance. He is thus described as asuric, or demoniac.
Our consciousness is always working in two ways — the right way and the wrong way. When one becomes too proud of his position, influenced by the mode of passion, he gives up the right path and accepts the wrong one.
Śrīmad Bhāgavatam class on Mon 2nd December 2019 by Karuṇānidhi Kṛṣṇa Dāsa 4.26.1-3 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
One who is attracted by the material quality of darkness is in the lowest stage of life, whereas one who is attracted by the material quality of goodness is in a better position. Sometimes we see that when a person is on the platform of material goodness, he is attracted more or less by the cultivation of knowledge. This is, of course, a better position, for knowledge gives one the preference to accept devotional service.
Materialistic persons, who are under the full control of material intelligence, cannot perform devotional activities. Thus, consciously or unconsciously, they become entangled by the dictations of material intelligence.
When the living entity is encircled by wife, children and home, he acts on the mental plane. Sometimes he is very happy, sometimes he is very much satisfied, sometimes he is not satisfied, and sometimes he is bewildered. Bewilderment is called moha, illusion.
Illusioned by society, friendship and love, the living entity thinks that his so-called society, friendship and love, nationality, community, etc., will give him protection. He does not know that after death he will be thrown into the hands of a very strong material nature that will force him to accept a certain type of body according to his present work. This body may not even be a human body.
Although the living entity is the master of many other senses, when he has to go somewhere, do something or touch something, he has to use his blind legs and hands.
Lord Caitanya consequently wanted this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement to be preached on the western side of the world so that people addicted to sense gratification might be benefited by His teachings.
One who is interested in going to Tapoloka, Brahmaloka, the Vaikuṇṭha planets or Kṛṣṇaloka may take initiation from the spiritual master in order to be elevated to such lokas.
The right ear is used for karma-kāṇḍīya, or fruitive activities. As long as one is attached to the enjoyment of material resources, he hears from the right ear and uses the five senses to elevate himself to the higher planetary systems like Pitṛloka. Consequently, the right ear is here described as the Pitṛhū gate.
The mouth is here described as the chief or the most important gate. The mouth is a very important entrance because one has two functions to conduct with the mouth. One function is eating, and the other is speaking. Our eating is done with the friend Rasajña, the tongue, which can taste so many different types of foods. The tongue is also used for speaking, and it can speak of either material sense enjoyment or Vedic knowledge. Of course, here material sense enjoyment is stressed.
Although both eyes are constructed in one place, one is stronger than the other in the power to see. The king, or the living entity, uses these two gates to see things properly, but he cannot see unless accompanied by a friend whose name is Dyumān. This friend is the sun.
Of the seven doors on the surface — namely the two eyes, two ears, two nostrils and one mouth — five look forward, and these are described as the doors facing the eastern side. Since looking forward means seeing the sun, these are described as the eastern gates, for the sun rises in the east
Formerly a capital was surrounded by walls, and one passed through various gates to go to various cities or toward specific directions. In Old Delhi there are still remnants of surrounding walls and various gates known as the Kashmiri Gate, the Lahori Gate, etc. Similarly, in Ahmedabad there is a Delhi Gate.
A living being has different activities in different stages of life. One stage is called jāgrata, or the life of awakening, and another is called svapna, or the life of dream. Another stage is called susupti, or life in an unconscious state, and still another stage occurs after death. In the previous verse the life of awakening was described — that is, the man and the woman were married and enjoyed life for one hundred years.
The span of life is different on different planets, according to the planet’s distance from the sun. In other words, one hundred years on this planet is different from one hundred years on another planet. Lord Brahmā lives for one hundred years according to time on the Brahmaloka planet, but one day of Brahmā is equal to millions of years on this planet.
Every husband is certainly a great hero to his wife. In other words, if a woman loves a man, that man appears very beautiful and magnanimous. Unless one becomes beautiful in the eyes of another, one cannot dedicate his whole life to another.
We receive heat, light, water and all other natural amenities through the mercy of the demigods. We are also indebted to our forefathers, who have given us these bodies, paternal property, intelligence, society, friendship and love. Similarly, we are indebted to the general public for politics and sociology, and we are also indebted to lower animals such as horses, cows, asses, dogs and cats. In this way, as soon as one is born in this material world as a human being, he has so many obligations and is bound to repay all these obligations.
The material distresses are birth, old age, disease and death, but those who are interested in pravṛtti-mārga hold various religious functions at the time of birth, old age, disease and death. Without caring for the distresses of birth, old age, disease and death, they are addicted to performing the special functions according to the Vedic ritualistic ceremonies.
The wife is the cause of all kinds of success in religion, economic development, sense gratification and ultimately salvation. When one accepts a wife, it is to be understood that he is being helped in his progressive march toward liberation.
King Purañjana represents the ordinary living entity, and the woman represents the ordinary living entity’s intelligence. Combined, the living entity enjoys his material senses, and the intelligence supplies all paraphernalia for his enjoyment. As soon as he enters the human form, the living entity is entrapped by a family tradition, nationality, customs, etc.
Air is exhibited in the form of breathing, and as long as breath is there, one can understand that a sleeping man is alive. Even when the gross body is asleep the vital force remains active and alive to protect the body. Thus the snake is described as living and eating air to keep the body fit for life.
Unless a person comes to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, all of his activities are defeated. This human form of life is especially meant to dissipate ignorance, but without understanding how to dissipate ignorance people are planning and building many things. After death, however, all of this is finished.
The living entity is ignorant of his origin. He does not know why this material world was created, why others are working in this material world and what the ultimate source of this manifestation is. No one knows the answers to these questions, and this is called ignorance.
This conditional life, the platform of material sense enjoyment, is the cause of forgetfulness of spiritual life. In this way a living entity’s original Kṛṣṇa consciousness becomes covered or converted into material consciousness. Thus one engages in the business of sense gratification.
Śukadeva Gosvāmī reveals the foolishness of Indra and the absurdity of his anger. Indra was frustrated because the residents of Vṛndāvana accepted Śrī Kṛṣṇa as their Lord. But the simple fact is that Śrī Kṛṣṇa is the Lord, not only of the residents of Vṛndāvana but of all that exists, including Indra himself. Thus Indra’s petulant reaction was ridiculous. As the common saying goes, “Pride goes before a fall.”
In conditional life the living entity is attracted by a face, eyebrows or eyes, a voice or anything. In short, everything becomes attractive
Conditional life means being under the control of a woman, and certainly the living entity is always at the mercy of a woman or a man. Thus living entities live in bondage to one another, and thus they continue this conditional, material life illusioned by māyā.
There is a difference between demoniac mentality and devotional mentality. Devotees know perfectly well that the goddess of fortune, who is the constant companion of Viṣṇu, or Nārāyaṇa, cannot be enjoyed by a living entity. This higher sense of understanding is called Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
The material world cannot be enjoyed by any living entity. If one so desires to enjoy it, he immediately becomes a demon like Rāvaṇa, Hiraṇyakaśipu or Kaṁsa. Because Rāvaṇa wanted to enjoy the goddess of fortune, Sītādevī, he was vanquished with all his family, wealth and opulence. One can, however, enjoy that māyā bestowed upon the living entity by Lord Viṣṇu. The satisfaction of one’s senses and desires means enjoying māyā, not the goddess of fortune.
Prahlāda Mahārāja advises a person who has taken to the materialistic way of life, which is never permanent but always temporary, to take shelter of the Supreme Personality of Godhead and leave aside all his so-called responsibilities in order to get free from all anxieties.
In the human form one should utilize his intelligence by asking all these questions, just as Purañjana, the living entity, is asking the unknown girl where she has come from, what her business is, why she is present, etc. These are inquiries about ātma-tattva, self-realization. The conclusion is that unless a living entity is inquisitive about self-realization he is nothing but an animal.
Śrīmad Bhāgavatam class on Fri 25th October 2019 by Manamohana Dāsa 4.25.25 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
The vital force of a living entity includes the five kinds of air working within the body, which are known as prāṇa, apāna, vyāna, samāna and udāna. The vital force is compared to a serpent because a serpent can live by simply drinking air. The vital force carried by the air is described as the pratīhāra, or the bodyguard. Without the vital force one cannot live for a moment. Indeed, all the senses are working under the protection of the vital force.
While wandering here and there in that wonderful garden, King Purañjana suddenly came in contact with a very beautiful woman who was walking there without any engagement. She had ten servants with her, and each servant had hundreds of wives accompanying him.
A man earns his livelihood with hard labor, but the result is that he is plundered by his wife and children exactly as a person in a forest is attacked by some thieves and burglars who take his money. Nonetheless, in family life the turmoil of wife and children appears to be like the cooing of the cuckoos in the garden of family life.
All these are representations of rūpa, rasa, gandha, śabda and sparśa. The wind is sparśa, or touch; the waterfall is rasa, or taste; the spring air (kusumākara) is smell. All these varieties of enjoyment make life very pleasing, and thus we become captivated by material existence.
On the outskirts of that city were many beautiful trees and creepers encircling a nice lake. Also surrounding that lake were many groups of birds and bees that were always chanting and humming.
The heart of the body can be compared to the assembly house, for the living entity is within the heart along with the Paramātmā, and thus the heart is the center of all remembrance, forgetfulness and deliberation.
The body is protected by walls of skin. The hairs on the body are compared to parks, and the highest parts of the body, like the nose and head, are compared to towers. The wrinkles and depressions on different parts of the body are compared to trenches or canals, the eyes are compared to windows, and the eyelids are compared to protective gates.
this human form of life is meant for the advancement of spiritual life and for keeping the material necessities in order. Especially in the Western countries there are ample facilities for material comforts, but no one has any idea of spiritual advancement. Many are hankering after spiritual advancement, but many cheaters come, take advantage of their money, bluff them and go away.
Śrīmad Bhāgavatam class on Mon 14th October 2019 by Gangeswar Dāsa 4.25.12 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
The travelings of Purañjana are similar to the travelings of the modern hippies. Generally hippies are sons of great fathers and great families. It is not that they are always poor. But some way or another they abandon the shelter of their rich fathers and travel all over the world.
Every living entity is supposed to be the king of his body because the living entity is given full freedom to use his body as he likes. He usually engages his body for sense gratification, because one who is in the bodily conception of life feels that the ultimate goal of life is to serve the senses.
n order to wear a gold or diamond nose pin or earring, one has to pierce the ear or nose. Such pain endured for the sake of sense gratification is endured on the path of karma-kāṇḍa, the path of fruitive activity. If one wishes to enjoy something in the future, he has to endure trouble in the present. If one wants to become a millionaire in the future and enjoy his riches, he has to work very hard at the present moment in order to accumulate money.
Nārada Muni wanted to convince the King that overindulgence in animal sacrifice is risky because as soon as there is a small discrepancy in the execution of such a sacrifice, the slaughtered animal may not be promoted to a human form of life. Consequently, the person performing sacrifice will be responsible for the death of the animal, just as much as a murderer is responsible for killing another man.
Nārada Muni wanted to instruct the King about the real purpose of life and invoke a spirit of renunciation in his heart. Knowledge and the spirit of renunciation (jñāna-vairāgya) are the ultimate goal of life. Without knowledge, one cannot become detached from material enjoyment, and without being detached from material enjoyment, one cannot make spiritual advancement.
All living entities are wandering in different types of bodies throughout different planets, and if, in the course of their wanderings, they come in contact with a devotee by the direction of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, their lives become successful.
In the Western countries it is not unusual for one to take birth in a rich aristocratic family, nor is it unusual for one to have a good education and a very beautiful body, but this does not mean that Westerners are free from the distresses of life. Although at the present moment the younger generation in Western countries has sufficient education, beauty and wealth, and although there is enough food, clothing, and facilities for sense gratification, they are in distress.
In this material world there is a great illusion which covers real intelligence. A man in the mode of passion wants to work very hard to derive some benefit, but he does not know that time will never allow him to enjoy anything permanently. Compared with the work one expends, the gain is not so profitable. Even if it is profitable, it is not without its distresses.
Nārada Muni took compassion upon King Prācīnabarhiṣat when he saw the King engaged in fruitive activity. In comparison to mundane workers, those who are trying to be elevated to the higher planetary systems by performing yajñas are undoubtedly superior. In pure devotional service, however, both karma and jñāna are considered bewildering features of the illusory energy.
If we persistently engage in devotional service, certainly all our desires will be fulfilled in due course of time.
Śrīmad Bhāgavatam class on Wed 2nd October 2019 by His Grace Aniruddha Prabhu 4.24.78-79 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
When Dhruva Mahārāja became perfect by austerity and saw the Supreme Personality of Godhead face to face, he was offered any kind of benediction he wanted. However, Dhruva replied that he did not want anything, for he was perfectly satisfied with the benediction of seeing the Lord.
Devotional service is a special attainment which can be acquired only by a person who has surrendered unto a pure devotee.
Actually everyone is suffering within this material world due to ignorance. Every day we see that a person without knowledge commits some criminal act and is later arrested and punished, despite the fact that he actually may not have been conscious of his sinful activity. Such ignorance prevails throughout the world.
From the beginning of creation it can be seen that the first creature is the most intelligent. It is not that so-called modern intelligence has developed by the gradual process of evolution.
The conclusion is that even if one is busy executing his occupational duty, his business in Kṛṣṇa consciousness need not be hampered. He has simply to execute the devotional service of śravaṇaṁ kīrtanam — hearing, chanting and remembering. One need not abandon his occupational duty.
The topmost yogī is he who constantly thinks of Kṛṣṇa within himself and chants the glories of the Lord. In other words, this system of bhakti-yoga has been existing from time immemorial and is now continuing in this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement.
Lord Śiva personally offered his prayers to the Supreme Personality of Godhead just as he was taught by his father, Lord Brahmā. Similarly, he was also preaching to the princes according to the paramparā system. One not only should practice the instructions received from the spiritual master but should also distribute this knowledge to one’s disciples.
One may remain situated in his own place or in his own occupational duty and still lend his ear to receive the message of the Lord from realized souls. The Kṛṣṇa conscious movement is based on this principle, and we are opening centers all over the world to give everyone a chance to hear the message of Lord Kṛṣṇa in order to go back home, back to Godhead.
If one strictly follows the process of devotional service, he has no fear of death, for he is predestined to go back home, back to Godhead. The nondevotees are fearful of death because they have no guarantee of where they are going or of the type of body they are going to get in their next life.
When one is engaged in devotional service, he is often surrounded by envious people, and often many enemies come to try to defeat him or stop him. This is not new in this present age, for even in the days of yore Prahlāda Mahārāja, who was engaged in the devotional service of the Lord, was harassed by his demoniac father, Hiraṇyakaśipu. The atheists are always prepared to harass a devotee; therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu suggested that one be very tolerant of these people.
Everything is enacted by the laws of nature, and these laws are under the direction of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The atheists, or unintelligent men, do not know this. They are busy making their own plans, and big nations are busy expanding their empires. And yet we know that in due course of time many empires have come into existence and been destroyed.
Some so-called scientists are also trying to manufacture living entities within the laboratory. Thus in one way or another everyone is busy denying the existence of the Supreme Personality of Godhead and rejecting the supreme authority of the Lord.
Remaining within the hearts of all living entities, the Lord bestows remembrance by which the living entities can enjoy certain things. Thus the living entities create their enjoyable honeycombs and then enjoy them.
There is only a material world for those who want to imitate the Lord and become enjoyers. Indeed, the material world is nothing but forgetfulness of the original Supreme Personality of Godhead, the creator of everything. The distinction between matter and spirit is created by the sleeping energy of the Lord when the Lord wants to give some facility to those living entities who want to imitate the Lord in His enjoyment.
The devotees, the jñānīs, who are known as mokṣa-kāma, and the karmīs, who are known as sarva-kāma, are all aspiring to worship the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Viṣṇu. Even when one performs yajñas, as stated here (kriyā-kalāpaiḥ), he should always remember that the demigods are but agents of the Supreme Lord. Actually the worshipful Lord is Viṣṇu, Yajñeśvara.
It is clearly explained that Lord Kṛṣṇa has multienergies, which can be grouped into three, namely the external energy, the internal energy and the marginal energy. There are also different cosmic manifestations — namely the spiritual world and the material world — as well as different types of living entities. Some living entities are conditioned, and others are eternally free.
In Vedic literature it is said that everything is Brahman and nothing else. The whole cosmic manifestation rests on the Brahman effulgence. The impersonalists, however, cannot understand how such a huge cosmic manifestation can rest on a person. Thus this inconceivable power of the Supreme Personality of Godhead is not understood by the impersonalists; therefore they are puzzled and always denying that the Absolute Truth is a person.
One who is pure in heart is never attracted by the external energy, which urges the individual soul to try to dominate material nature. The pure heart of a devotee is never disturbed when he executes devotional service in the form of hearing, chanting, remembering, etc. In all, there are nine processes one can follow in the execution of devotional service. In any case, a purehearted devotee is never disturbed.
Śrīla BhaktiVinod Thakur appearance day class on Thu 12th Sep 2019 by Yamuna Lila Devi Dāsi by Hare Krishna Melbourne
The Ganges water is celebrated as being able to eradicate all kinds of sinful reactions. In other words, when a person takes his bath in the Ganges, he becomes freed from all life’s contaminations. The Ganges water is celebrated in this way because it emanates from the lotus feet of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Similarly, those who are directly in touch with the lotus feet of the Supreme Personality of Godhead and who are absorbed in the chanting of His glories are freed from all material contamination.
Temporary, material happiness holds no value for a devotee. The devotee is in such an exalted position that he is not interested in the actions of karma or jñāna. The resultant actions of karma and jñāna are so insignificant to a devotee situated on the transcendental platform that he is not in the least interested in them. Bhakti-yoga is sufficient to give the bhakta all happiness.
A devotee’s achievement, is never lost by the influence of time. Even if a devotee cannot completely execute devotional service, in his next life he begins from the point where he left off. Such an opportunity is not given to the karmīs and jñānīs, whose achievements are destroyed.
Śrīmad Bhāgavatam class on Sun 8th September 2019 by Nanda Mandir Dāsa 4.24.55 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
The Lord is very difficult for the karma-yogīs, jñāna-yogīs and dhyāna-yogīs to attain. Those who are bhakti-yogīs, however, have no difficulty at all. In the word svārājyasya, svar refers to Svargaloka, the heavenly planet, and svārājya refers to the ruler of the heavenly planet, Indra. Generally, karmīs desire elevation to heavenly planets, but King Indra desires to become perfect in bhakti-yoga.
Śrī Kṛṣṇa cannot enjoy anything that is internally different from Him. Therefore Rādhā and Śrī Kṛṣṇa are identical. The sandhinī portion of Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s internal potency has manifested the all-attractive form of Śrī Kṛṣṇa, and the same internal potency, in the hlādinī feature, has presented Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī, who is the attraction for the all-attractive. No one can match Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī in the transcendental pastimes of Śrī Kṛṣṇa.
The word “meditation” is very popular in this age amongst the common people, but they do not know the actual meaning of meditation. However, from Vedic literature we learn that the yogīs are always absorbed in meditation upon the lotus feet of the Lord: dhyānāvasthita-tad-gatena manasā paśyanti yaṁ yoginaḥ (Bhāg. 12.13.1). This is the real business of the yogīs — to think of the lotus feet of the Lord.
The beauty of the lotus feet of the Lord is compared to the petals of a lotus flower which grows in the autumn season. By nature’s law, in autumn the dirty or muddy waters of rivers and lakes become very clean. At that time the lotus flowers growing in the lakes appear very bright and beautiful.
The impersonalists, who generally worship Lord Śiva, should learn of the transcendental sac-cid-ānanda-vigraha of the Lord. Here Lord Śiva kindly describes the details of the Lord’s bodily features. Thus the impersonalists’ argument that the Lord has no form cannot be accepted under any circumstance.
he Lord’s navel and the ripples on His belly always increase the beauty of His bodily features. The details of the bodily features of the Lord especially indicate the Personality of Godhead. Impersonalists cannot appreciate the beautiful body of the Lord, which is described in these prayers by Lord Śiva.
The curling hair on the shoulders of a lion always appears very, very beautiful. Similarly, the shoulders of the Lord were just like a lion’s, and the necklace and garlands, along with the Kaustubha pearl necklace, combined to excel the beauty of a lion.
The word prahasitāpāṅga, referring to Kṛṣṇa’s smile and sidelong glances at His devotees, specifically applies to His dealings with the gopīs. Kṛṣṇa is always in a joking mood when He increases the feelings of conjugal rasa in the hearts of the gopīs. The conchshell, club, disc and lotus flower can be either held in His hands or seen on the palms of His hands. According to palmistry, the signs of a conchshell, club, lotus flower and disc mark the palms of great personalities and especially indicate the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
The Lord’s form as Viṣṇu is decorated in all opulence; therefore Lord Śiva is trying to see that most opulent form of Nārāyaṇa, or Viṣṇu. Generally the worship of the Lord begins with the worship of Nārāyaṇa, or Viṣṇu, whereas the worship of Lord Kṛṣṇa and Rādhā is most confidential.
The conclusion is that Lord Śiva wants to see Him in complete perfection and not in the impersonalist or voidist way. Although the Lord is one in His various forms (advaitam acyutam anādim), still His form as the young enjoyer of the gopīs and companion of the cowherd boys (kiśora-mūrti) is the most perfect form. Thus Vaiṣṇavas accept the form of the Lord in His Vṛndāvana pastimes as the chief form.
Everyone acts under the dictation of the ego. Therefore Lord Śiva is trying to purify false egotism through the mercy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Since Lord Śiva, or Rudra, is himself the controller of egotism, he indirectly wants to be purified by the mercy of the Lord so that his real egotism can be awakened.
The great saintly personalities, sages and demigods are able to offer benedictions to ordinary living entities, but they in turn are benedicted by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Without being benedicted by Kṛṣṇa, one cannot offer benediction to anyone else.
Although the asuras oppose devotional service, it is to be understood that they are inclined that way due to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Because the asuras do not like to engage in the Lord’s devotional service, the Lord within gives them the intelligence to forget.
Śrīla Prabhupāda Vyasa Puja class on Sun 25th Aug 2019 by GopaVrndesa Dāsa 4.24.40 by Hare Krishna Melbourne
Even though one may desire to engage in the service of the Lord, without sanction one cannot do so. Lord Śiva is offering his prayers in so many different ways in order to show living entities how to engage in the devotional service of the Lord.
If one can control the tongue, he can easily control the other senses. The tongue can be controlled only by eating prasāda offered to the Deity. Lord Śiva’s prayer to Lord Aniruddha is meant for this purpose (tṛpti-dāya); he prays to Lord Aniruddha to help him be satisfied by eating only prasāda offered to the Lord.
The best mukti is engagement in the devotional service of the Supreme Lord. Not only does Lord Aniruddha help fruitive actors by elevating them to the higher planetary systems, but He also helps the devotee engage in devotional service by dint of His inexhaustible energy. Just as heat is the source of material energy, the inspiration of Lord Aniruddha is the energy by which one can engage in executing devotional service.
The sun-god evaporates water from the seas and oceans and then forms the water into clouds and distributes it over land. When there is sufficient rainfall grains are produced, and these grains maintain living entities in each and every planet. The sun-god is also addressed herein as pūrṇa, or complete, because the rays emanating from the sun have no end. For millions and millions of years since the creation of this universe, the sun-god has been supplying heat and light without diminution.
The whole universe is maintained by the integrating power of the Supreme Lord, who is known in that capacity by the name Saṅkarṣaṇa. The material scientists may have discovered the law of gravity, which maintains the integration of objects within the material energy, yet the master of all integration can create devastation by the disintegrating blazing fire emanating from His mouth.
The Lord, is not subject to such conditioning; therefore He is described as self-illuminated. Consequently, any conditioned soul within this material universe can remain completely perfect when he is under the protection of Vāsudeva, or when he is engaged in devotional service.
The Lord is always ready to give instructions to the paramahaṁsas, or the topmost devotees of the Lord, who are completely liberated from all contaminations of the material world. The Lord always gives instructions to such exalted devotees to inform them how they can remain fixed in devotional service.
No one should think of the prayers recited by Lord Śiva as being sectarian. Rather, they are very confidential, so much so that anyone desiring the ultimate prosperity or auspicious goal of life must take the instructions of Lord Śiva and pray to and glorify the Supreme Personality of Godhead as Lord Śiva himself did.
In Vṛndāvana there is Lord Śiva’s temple called Gopīśvara. The gopīs used to worship not only Lord Śiva but Kātyāyanī, or Durgā, as well, but their aim was to attain the favor of Lord Kṛṣṇa. A devotee of Lord Kṛṣṇa does not disrespect Lord Śiva, but worships Lord Śiva as the most exalted devotee of Lord Kṛṣṇa. Consequently whenever a devotee worships Lord Śiva, he prays to Lord Śiva to achieve the favor of Kṛṣṇa, and he does not request material profit.
In civilized human society there must be the divisions of brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya and śūdra, and everyone must properly execute his occupational duty in accordance with his division. Here it is described (sva-dharma-niṣṭhaḥ) that it does not matter whether one is a brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya or śūdra. If one sticks to his position and properly executes his particular duty, he is considered a civilized human being.
By endeavoring to dominate material nature, the living entity simply struggles hard for existence. Indeed, he struggles so hard to enjoy himself that he cannot even enjoy the material resources. Thus he is sometimes called prakṛti, or jīva, for he is situated in the marginal potency.
Simply by worshiping the Supreme Lord, a devotee can please all of them. Nor does he have to ask the demigods for material benedictions, for the demigods, being pleased with the devotee, automatically offer him everything that he needs. The demigods are servants of the Lord, and they are always prepared to help a devotee in all circumstances.
Sometimes Lord Śiva has to deal with persons who are in the modes of passion and ignorance. Such persons are not always very much religious and pious in their activities, but since they worship Lord Śiva for some material profit, they sometimes obey the religious principles. As soon as Lord Śiva sees that his devotees are following religious principles, he blesses them.
Generally those who are very fond of material prosperity approach Lord Śiva for such benediction. The lord, being very merciful, quickly awards all the blessings the devotee asks of him. The demons take advantage of this leniency and sometimes take benedictions from Lord Śiva which can be very dangerous to others.
In addition to the various flowers and living entities about the lake, there were also many musical vibrations. The void of the impersonalists, which has no variegatedness, is not at all pleasing compared with such a scene. Actually one has to attain the perfection of sac-cid-ānanda — eternity, bliss and knowledge.
Trees and creepers are also different types of living beings. When bumblebees come upon trees and creepers to collect honey, certainly such plants become very happy. On such an occasion the wind also takes advantage of the situation by throwing pollen or saffron contained in the lotus flowers.
Everything is divided according to the three qualities of material nature. Birds like swans and cranes, who enjoy clear waters and lotus flowers, are different from crows, who enjoy filthy places. Similarly, there are persons who are controlled by the modes of ignorance and passion and those who are controlled by the mode of goodness.
This material world is often described as an ocean of nescience. In such an ocean, everything is agitated. The mind of a great devotee is also like an ocean or a very large lake, but there is no agitation. As stated in Bhagavad-gītā (2.41), vyavasāyātmikā buddhir ekeha kuru-nandana: those who are fixed in the service of the Lord are not agitated by anything.