Category:Srimad-Bhagavatam, Canto 08 Chapter 19 Purports - Lord Vamanadeva Begs Charity from Bali Maharaja
Pages in category "Srimad-Bhagavatam, Canto 08 Chapter 19 Purports - Lord Vamanadeva Begs Charity from Bali Maharaja"
The following 116 pages are in this category, out of 116 total.
A
- A brahmana or sannyasi is qualified to ask charity from others, but if he takes more than necessary he is punishable. No one can use more of the Supreme Lord's property than necessary
- A ksatriya does not refuse to give charity when requested by a brahmana, nor can he refuse to fight another ksatriya. A king who does refuse is called low-minded. In the dynasty of Bali Maharaja there were no such low-minded kings
- According to brahminical culture, one should be content with whatever he obtains without special endeavor and should cultivate spiritual consciousness. Then he will be happy
- According to Rsabhadeva the human beings in this material world are just like madmen engaged in activities which they should not perform but which they do perform only for sense gratification
- According to Vedic understanding, the entire universe is regarded as an ocean of space. In that ocean there are innumerable planets, and each planet is called a dvipa, or island
- Activities performed with the help of the body for the satisfaction of the Absolute Truth (om tat sat) are never temporary, although performed by the temporary body. Indeed, such activities are everlasting
- Actually the word om is meant for om tat sat, the Absolute Truth. Omkara is meant for freedom from all attachment to money because money should be spent for the purpose of the Supreme
- All property belongs to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and all living beings, who are sons of the Supreme Lord, have the right to use the Supreme Father's property, but one cannot take more than necessary
- Although Bali Maharaja was a devotee, he was attached to material possessions, and therefore the Lord, being very kind to him, showed him special favor by appearing as Lord Vamana to take away all his material possessions, and his mind as well
- Although He (Lord Vamanadeva) pretended to be an ordinary human child, He actually wanted the land comprising the upper, middle and lower planetary systems. This was just to show the prowess of the Supreme Personality of Godhead
- Any person who goes back home, back to Godhead, does not return to this material world
- Anyone completely aware of the science of Krsna, regardless of his status in life, is a guru. Thus Prahlada Maharaja is a guru in all circumstances
- Anyone who is in this material world is extremely anxious to get more and more things for sense gratification. Actually, however, the purpose of life is not sense gratification but self-realization
- As indicated by the words yato navartate puman, there is certainly a spiritual kingdom, and if the living entity goes there, he never returns to this material world
- As long as the body exists one can thoroughly study the Vedic instructions, and thus at the end of life one can achieve perfection. This is explained in Bhagavad-gita (BG 8.6): yam yam vapi smaran bhavam tyajaty ante kalevaram
- As soon as he (the living being) gets another material body, he is put into repeated suffering in material existence. Therefore the Vedic culture or brahminical culture teaches one how to be satisfied with possessing the minimum necessities in life
- As stated in Bhagavad-gita (BG 5.29), bhoktaram yajna-tapasam sarva-loka-mahesvaram. The Lord is the proprietor of all planets, in both the material and spiritual worlds. Why should He be in want of land?
- As stated in SB (10.88.8), yasyaham anugrhnami harisye tad-dhanam sanaih. The Lord said to Maharaja Yudhisthira - The first installment of My mercy toward a devotee is that I take away all his possessions, especially his material opulence, his money
- At the present because people are bereft of all knowledge, they spend all their money for the satisfaction of their family
- Atheists generally follow the Bauddha philosophical conclusion that at death everything is finished. Hiranyakasipu, being an atheist, thought this way. Because Lord Visnu was not visible to him, he thought that the Lord was dead
B
- Bali Maharaja might argue that he had promised only three steps of land. But Sukracarya, being a very learned brahmana, immediately understood that this was a plan of Hari, who had falsely appeared there as a brahmacari
- Bali Maharaja rightly said that Lord Vamanadeva was not at all prudent in regard to His own personal interests. Lord Vamanadeva had approached Bali not for His personal welfare but for the welfare of His devotees
- Bali Maharaja was very pleased to see the features of Vamanadeva and was ready to give Him as much land as He could ask, but because Lord Vamanadeva asked only three paces of land, Bali Maharaja considered Him not very intelligent
- Beggars always present themselves as possessing nothing, and this may be very good for them because in this way they are assured of not losing their money and of always drawing the attention and compassion of others for the sake of collection
- Both the Lord and the living entity exist as unborn and inexhaustible personalities. Thus Hiranyakasipu's conclusion that Visnu was dead was wrong
- By materialistic calculations, Sukracarya thought that Bali Maharaja would under no circumstances be able to keep his promise to the brahmacari, Lord Vamanadeva
E
- Even if a devotee remains in grhastha life and does not renounce material possessions, he should still be understood to be prasanta, sober, because of his pure devotion to the Lord
- Even if for the sake of argument the material world is accepted as untruth, the living entity entangled in the illusory energy cannot come out of it without the help of the body
- Even the ordinary living entity never takes birth or dies. What then is to be said of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is the chief of all living entities? He certainly never takes birth or dies
- Even though there are so many charitable institutions, poverty has not been driven from human society
- Even today, many people follow the philosophy that God is dead. But God is never dead. Even the living entity, who is part of God, never dies
- Every one of us is a spiritual being (aham brahmasmi), and every one of us is an individual person. Our senses are now covered by material elements, and because of ignorance we consider the material senses that cover us to be our real senses
- Everything is examined at the time of death. Therefore, although the body is temporary, not eternal, one can take from it the best service and make one's life perfect
H
- Here (in SB 8.19.32) Sukracarya says that this dwarf brahmacari would take away everything. Thus he indicates that the Lord will take away all one's material possessions and also one's mind
- Here Lord Vamanadeva, as an ideal brahmacari, refuses Bali Maharaja's offer to give Him anything He might want. He says that without contentment one could not be happy even if he possessed the property of the entire world or the entire universe
- Hiranyakasipu maintained his enmity and his anger against Lord Visnu until the point of death. He never forgot his vengeful attitude toward Visnu for having killed his brother, Hiranyaks
- His Lordship Vamanadeva also teaches sannyasis and brahmacaris that one should not ask more than necessary. He wanted only three paces of land, although Bali Maharaja wanted to give Him anything He wanted
I
- If a bhakta is not completely perfect he takes birth in the material world again, but in a very exalted position, either in a rich family or a family of the purest brahmanas, just to finish his development in spiritual consciousness
- If a sincere devotee wants Krsna above everything but at the same time is attached to material possessions, which hinder his advancement in Krsna consciousness, by tactics the Lord takes away all his possessions
- If happiness is the ultimate goal of life, one must be satisfied with the position in which he is placed by providence
- If one connects himself with Hari, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the Lord takes away all his miseries, and in the beginning the Lord also superficially appears to take away all his material possessions, reputation, education and beauty
- If one continuously poses himself as possessing nothing and collects money by begging, he should be killed - sainam tatraiva hanyat
- If one delivers his mind to the lotus feet of Krsna (sa vai manah krsna-padaravindayoh (SB 9.4.18)), one can naturally sacrifice everything to satisfy Him
- If one has money one should divide all that he has accumulated into five divisions - one part for religion, one part for reputation, one part for opulence, one part for sense gratification and one part to maintain the members of his family
- If one has money, it should not be squandered away on nothing. It should be used to push forward the Krsna consciousness movement so that all of human society will become happy, prosperous and hopeful of being promoted back home, back to Godhead
- If one purposely continues this professional begging, he is supposed to be dead while breathing, or, according to another interpretation, such a man of falsity should be killed while still breathing
- If the body is not properly maintained, it falls down and dries up like an uprooted tree, from which flowers and fruit can no longer be obtained
- In fact, we are engaged in real activities for obtaining the ultimate happiness in life. If one is not trained to satisfy the spiritual senses and continues in material sense gratification, he will never obtain happiness that is eternal and blissful
- In human society, the brahminical culture, ksatriya culture and vaisya culture must be maintained, and people must be taught how to be satisfied with only what they need
- In modern civilization there is no such education (where people are taught how to be satisfied with only what they need); everyone tries to possess more and more, and everyone is dissatisfied and unhappy
- In the material world, all distresses are due to extravagance. One acquires money extravagantly and also spends it extravagantly. Such activities are sinful
- In the spiritually joyous state, one is situated in boundless transcendental happiness and enjoys himself through transcendental senses. Established thus, one never departs from the truth
- In this regard (SB 8.19.40), Srila Rupa Gosvami says: "One who rejects things without knowledge of their relationship to Krsna is incomplete in his renunciation" - Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu 1.2.66
- It is recommended here (in SB 8.19.41), bhiksave sarvam om kurvan nalam kamena catmane. One should not give everything to the beggars among the poor
L
M
- Maharaja Bali wanted to give everything to Vamanadeva, who had appeared as a beggar, but Sukracarya, being Maharaja Bali's familial spiritual master in the line of seminal succession, could not appreciate Maharaja Bali's promise
- Maharaja Virocana, Bali's father, was so pleased with the brahmana community that even though he knew that those approaching him for charity were the demigods in the dress of brahmanas, he nonetheless agreed to give it
- Materially speaking, every living entity dies; death is inevitable. But those who are karmis, jnanis and yogis return to this material world after death, whereas bhaktas do not
- My dear friends born of demoniac families, the happiness perceived with reference to the sense objects by contact with the body can be obtained in any form of life, according to one's past fruitive activities
O
- One has to perceive happiness by the supersenses. The supersenses are not the senses of the material elements
- One may increase his ambition for sense gratification and even achieve what he desires for the gratification of his senses, but because this is on the material platform, he will never achieve satisfaction and contentment
- One's main purpose should be to advance in Krsna consciousness. This will include dharma, artha and kama. However, because one's family members expect some profit, one should also satisfy them by giving them a portion of one's accumulated wealth
- Others in the bodily concept of life are angry at their enemies but not at Lord Visnu. Hiranyakasipu, however, was everlastingly angry. He was angry not only because of false prestige but also because of continuous enmity toward Visnu
S
- Sarvopadhi-vinirmuktam tat-paratvena nirmalam: (CC Madhya 19.170) when the spiritual senses are uncovered, by these senses we can be happy. Satisfaction of the spiritual senses is thus described: hrsikena hrsikesa-sevanam bhaktir ucyate
- Srila Rupa Gosvami instructs, prapancikataya buddhya hari-sambandhi-vastunah. The body fully engaged in Krsna's service should not be neglected as material. One who does neglect it is false in his renunciation
- Srila Rupa Gosvami taught us by his own example by using fifty percent of his accumulated wealth for Krsna, twenty-five percent for his own self, and twenty-five percent for the members of his family
- Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura explains in this regard (SB 8.19.32) that the very word harih means - one who takes away
- Srimad-Bhagavatam (SB 5.5.1) recommends: One must practice austerity so that his existential position will be purified and he will achieve unlimited blissful life
- Such activities (for sense gratification) are not good because in this way one creates another body for his next life, as punishment for his nefarious activities
- Sukracarya did not know how the Lord protects His devotee. The devotee must risk everything in his possession for the service of the Lord, but he is always protected and never defeated
- Sukracarya gave Vedic evidence that one should not give everything to a poor man. Rather, when a poor man comes for charity one should untruthfully say, "Whatever I have, I have given you. I have no more." It is not that one should give everything to him
- Sukracarya wanted to tell Bali Maharaja how he would be cheated by Lord Vamana. "You have promised three steps," he said. "But with only two steps, all your possessions will be finished. How then will you give Him a place for His third step"
T
- The aim of the varnasrama divisions - brahmana, ksatriya, vaisya, sudra, brahmacarya, grhastha, vanaprastha and sannyasa - is to train one to control the senses and be content with the bare necessities
- The best solution is that of the Krsna consciousness movement. This movement is always kind to the poor, not only because it feeds them but also because it gives them enlightenment by teaching them how to become Krsna conscious
- The best way to use money is to open such a center, where all may come live and reform their character
- The body should be properly cared for. Because the body is temporary, not permanent, one cannot expose the body to being devoured by a tiger or killed by an enemy. All precautions should be taken to protect the body
- The difference between a Vaisnava and a smarta-brahmana. A smarta-brahmana is always interested in material profit, whereas a Vaisnava is interested only in satisfying the Supreme Personality of Godhead
- The Krsna consciousness movement is establishing various farms, especially in America, to show how to be happy and content with minimum necessities of life & to save time for self-realization, which one can very easily achieve by chanting the maha-mantra
- The material world is an illusory energy to deviate the living entities from the path of self-realization
- The Mayavadis say, brahma satyam jagan mithya: "The spirit soul is truth, and the external energy is untruth." The Vaisnava philosophers, however, do not agree with the Mayavada philosophy
- The purpose of controlling the senses is to stop one's implication in the cycle of birth and death
- The purpose of the Krsna consciousness movement is to spread this understanding. People who do not have scientific spiritual knowledge mistakenly think that the members of the Krsna consciousness movement are escapists trying to avoid material activities
- The real senses, are within the material covering. Dehino'smin yatha dehe: (BG 2.13) within the covering of the material elements are the spiritual senses
- The Supreme Personality of Godhead is already in the core of everyone's heart. Isvarah sarva-bhutanam hrd-dese 'rjuna tisthati (BG 18.61). Logically, therefore, it was not at all difficult for Lord Visnu to enter Hiranyakasipu's body
- The Supreme Personality of Godhead, being full in Himself, actually has nothing to want for His self-interest. Lord Vamanadeva, therefore, had not gone to Bali Maharaja for His own self-interest
- The Supreme Personality of Godhead, by His inconceivable prowess, can occupy the entire universe, including the upper, lower and middle planetary systems, by the unlimited measurement of His footsteps
- The symptoms of a ksatriya are given in Bhagavad-gita. One of the qualifications is the willingness to give charity (dana)
- The tendency of modern civilization is to give money in charity to the poor. Such charity has no spiritual value
- The Vaisnava philosophy recommends yukta-vairagya. It is not that all attention should be diverted for the maintenance of the body, but at the same time one's bodily maintenance should not be neglected
- The Vedic injunction in this regard (SB 8.19.42) is as follows: athaitat purnam abhyatmam yan neti sa yat sarvam neti bruyat papikasya kirtir jayate. sainam tatraiva hanyat
- The Vedic mantra in this regard (SB 8.19.41) reads as follows: parag va etad riktam aksaram yad etad om iti tad yat kincid om iti ahatraivasmai tad ricyate; sa yat sarvam om kuryad ricyad atmanam sa kamebhyo nalam syat
- The word vivigna-cetah, "very anxious," is significant. It is not that Lord Visnu was afraid of Hiranyakasipu; rather, because of compassion, Lord Visnu was in anxiety about how to act for his welfare
- The words mudha vartisyase katham reveal that Sukracarya was a brahmana of the priestly class. Such priestly brahmanas are mostly interested in receiving remuneration from their disciples
- They (the poor) may live very comfortably, without denial of any of the body's necessities, but they live under spiritual control, and thus they live happily and save time for advancement in Krsna consciousness
- This is the special favor of the Lord toward a sincere devotee - taking away all his possessions, especially his material opulence, his money
- This principle (one cannot take more than necessary) should especially be followed by brahmanas and sannyasis who live at the cost of others
- This sloka (SB 8.19.39) explains that in relation to the material body even the factual truth cannot exist without a touch of untruth
- This verse uses the word prasantah. A devotee is always sober. He is never disturbed by any conditions
- Those who are too addicted to sense gratification are advised to practice the mystic yoga system, or astanga-yoga system, consisting of yama, niyama, asana, pranayama, pratyhara and so on. In this way, one can control the senses
- Those who have completed the course of Krsna consciousness and are free from material desire return to the abode of the Supreme Personality of Godhead (yad gatva na nivartante tad dhama paramam mama (BG 15.6))
- To enlighten them (the poor, we are opening centers) in KC & reform their character by teaching them how to avoid illicit sex, intoxication, meat-eating and gambling, which are the most sinful activities and which cause people to suffer, life after life
W
- We actually see that although there are so many hospitals and other foundations and institutions for the poor, according to the three modes of material nature a class of poor men is always destined to continue
- We are opening hundreds and thousands of centers for those who are poor, both in money and in knowledge
- When approached by Lord Vamanadeva, Bali Maharaja was actually in possession of all the dvipas, or islands in space
- When Sukracarya saw that Bali Maharaja had risked all of his possessions, he understood that this would cause havoc not only to the King but also to the family of Sukracarya, who was dependent on Maharaja Bali's mercy
- When the body is engaged in the service of the Lord, one should not consider the body material. Sometimes the spiritual body of the spiritual master is misunderstood
- When the senses are engaged in devotional service to Hrsikesa, then the senses are completely satisfied. Without this superior knowledge of sense gratification, one may try to satisfy his material senses, but happiness will never be possible
- Whether one is a brahmana, a sannyasi or a sudra-regardless of what he is-he can become a spiritual master if he knows the science of Krsna
- Without the help of the body, one cannot follow a system of religion, nor can one speculate on philosophical perfection. Therefore, the flower & fruit have to be obtained as a result of the body. Without the help of the body, that fruit cannot be gained