So, so far Pāṇḍavas are concerned, their son. Saubhadra... Saubhadra means Abhimanyu, Subhadrā's son. Because he was Subhadrā's son, his name was Saubhadra. Draupadī's sons, they are called Draupadeya. In Sanskrit, just like bhaginī, sister, bhaginī, her son is called bhāgineya, nephews. So there is link. As soon as we speak Saubhadra, that means Subhadrā's son. Subhadrā's son, he was only sixteen years old at that time. He was married with Uttarā, the daughter of Mahārāja Virāṭa. So they were all mahā-rathas, ordinary, not ordinary fighters. This Abhimanyu was killed by conspiracy by seven commander-in-chief. Bhīṣma, Karṇa, Droṇācārya, Aśvatthāmā, they all surrounded him, and they did not allow him to come out. They were very experienced commanders. So this is kṣatriya spirit. He was simply a boy, sixteen years old and he had to be killed by the combined efforts of very, very, big commander-in-chiefs. He was so great fighter, Abhimanyu. Abhimanyu-vāda (?). So Saubhadra, Draupadī... Similarly, Draupadī's sons also there. Sarva eva mahā-rathāḥ (BG 1.6). Mahā-ratha means one who could fight with one thousand chariots on the other side. They were called mahā-rathāḥ.
Surrounded (Lectures)
Lectures
Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures
He is very much adhered to His cows. Surabhīr abhipālayantam. And He's surrounded by hundreds and thousands of goddesses of fortune, these gopīs. He is surrounded. Lakṣmī-sahasra-śata-sambhrama-sevyamānam (Bs. 5.29). We are, we are praying goddess of fortune to have some favor, but in the spiritual world, Kṛṣṇa is served by hundreds and thousands of goddess of fortune. This is Kṛṣṇa's position.
So anyway, Kṛṣṇa appears in four colors—red, black, yellow, and white—in different ages. So in this age, Kali Yuga, Kṛṣṇa appears as Caitanya Mahāprabhu, yellow color. Kṛṣṇa-varṇaṁ tviṣā akṛṣṇam. Akṛṣṇa may be red. Akṛṣṇa may be white. But this akṛṣṇa means pīta, yellow. Because other akṛṣṇa, red and white, was in the Satya-yuga and Tretā-yuga. Therefore here akṛṣṇa means the yellow. Kṛṣṇa-varṇaṁ tviṣākṛṣṇaṁ sāṅgopāṅgāstra-pārṣadam (SB 11.5.32). He's always surrounded by His intimate devotees. He's surrounded by many devotees. Caitanya Mahāprabhu, wherever He was going, thousands and thousands of people were following His saṅkīrtana, but especially He, He was always surrounded by five special devotees: śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanya prabhu nityānanda, śrī-advaita gadādhara, śrīvāsādi-gaura-bhakta-vṛnda. He's Himself, Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya; His expansion, Nityānanda; His incarnation, Śrī Advaita Prabhu; His internal energy, Gadādhara; and His external, marginal energy, Advaita Prabhu, er, Śrīvāsa. But He has got another energy, which is called external energy. External energy cannot come in front of God, Kṛṣṇa. This is māyā. Just like darkness cannot come in front of the sun.
Now, we are in practical life. Now, if we say that "I am not this body," so what is the use of working for this body? The whole world is moving under the bodily conception of life. Because I am born in this land, my body is born out of this land, American land, therefore I am thinking "American." Because I am born in India, therefore I am thinking "Indian." Because I am born of a certain family, therefore I am identifying myself with that family. Because my father has given me some name, so I am identifying with that name. So my position is that I am all around surrounded by this bodily conception of life.
Somehow or other you have to engage your mind at the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa. Therefore so many paraphernalia how to engage your mind. Śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ: hearing about Kṛṣṇa, chanting about Kṛṣṇa, thinking of Kṛṣṇa, worshiping Kṛṣṇa, talking about Kṛṣṇa, writing about Kṛṣṇa, selling the books about Kṛṣṇa, eating Kṛṣṇa prasādam. In this way you become Kṛṣṇaized. All-around Kṛṣṇa. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. This is called bhakti-yoga. This is called bhakti. Somehow or other, you become surrounded by Kṛṣṇa atmosphere. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha yogaṁ yuñjan, this is yoga, mad-āśrayaḥ, not... Mad-āśrayaḥ means "taking shelter of Me." So, "taking shelter of Me" through beginning teaching. Understanding of Kṛṣṇa, taking shelter of Kṛṣṇa's representative. Guru-kṛṣṇa-kṛpāya pāya bhakti-latā-bīja. By Kṛṣṇa's mercy one gets guru, and guru's mercy one gets Kṛṣṇa.
You haven't got to manufacture something. The instruction is there; you simply repeat and let them hear—you become guru. It is not difficult at all. So that is our preaching. We do not want to become alone guru, but we want to preach in such a way that every, the chief man, or any man, he can become guru in his surroundings. Anyone can do that. Even a coolie, he can also, he has got family, he has got friends, so even though he is illiterate, he can hear the instruction of Kṛṣṇa, and he can preach the same. This we want. And we invite all respectable gentlemen, leaders, to learn this, it is very simple: man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru (BG 18.65), and by executing this order of Kṛṣṇa, he assures, mām evaiṣyasi, "You come to Me." Yad gatvā na nivartante tad dhāma paramaṁ mama (BG 15.6). Tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti mām eti kaunteya (BG 4.9). Very easy thing.
So Caitanya Mahāprabhu, tviṣā akṛṣṇam. He is not blackish. Then He must be other form, śukla, rakta, or pīta. So He assumed the pīta, yellowish color. Therefore tviṣā akṛṣṇam. Tviṣā means by complexion. So kṛṣṇa-varṇam, kṛṣṇaṁ varṇayati, iti kṛṣṇa-varṇam, or kṛṣṇa iti kṛṣṇa-varṇam, and tviṣā, by complexion, akṛṣṇa, pīta, idānīṁ pīta-varṇam. Pīta-varṇa gaura, golden avatāra. And sāṅgopāṅgāstra-pārṣadam. He is always surrounded by associates, specially by Śrī Advaita, Gadādhara, Śrīvāsādi. Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya, He is Kṛṣṇa, then Nityānanda, then Advaita, then Gadādhara, then Śrīvāsa, and many other devotees always followed. That is the life of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Wherever He went, many followers chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, plus these principal associates were with Him. Therefore sāṅgopāṅgāstra-pārṣa... And these sāṅga upāṅga were His astra. Astra, astra means weapon.
First of all, because we have no information of God but practically we see the vast land, the vast water, ocean, the vast sky, then fire, so many things, material things, material things also mind... Mind is also material. And then ego. Everyone is thinking that "I am something. I am..." Kartāham iti manyate. Ahaṅkāra-vimūḍhātmā. This false ego. This ego means false ego. And there is pure ego. That pure ego is ahaṁ brahmāsmi, and the false ego: "I am Indian," "I am American," "I am African," "I am brāhmaṇa," "I am kṣatriya," "I am this," "I am that." This is false ego, ahaṅkāra. So at the present moment... Not at the present, always, we are surrounded by all these things. That is our beginning of philosophy: wherefrom this land came? Wherefrom this water came? Wherefrom the fire came? That is natural inquiry. Wherefrom the sky came? How the stars are situated, so many millions and millions? So these are the inquiries of the intelligent person. That is the beginning of philosophical life. Therefore those who are thoughtful human being, gradually they are inquisitive of understanding the Supreme Lord, Kṛṣṇa.
At night, we forget all this body. Although in daytime I identify myself that "I am American," "I am Indian," "I am brāhmaṇa," at night, when I sleep, I forget whether I am American, Indian, or brāhmaṇa, and kṣatriya. This is our daily experience. I am in different atmosphere. I am dreaming something. But again at daytime I forget what I dreamt at night. So sometimes we go very unknown place, very nice place, nice building, nice atmosphere. And at, as soon as the dream is over, then again I am on my bed. You see. And when I dream, I forget. I'm not in my bed, but I'm in the surrounding of palaces, of gardens. So this is our daily experience.
Sthāvarā lakṣa-viṁśati. Sthāvarāḥ means the living entities who cannot move. That means trees, plants, like that. They cannot move. Here by the side of wall, this house, there is a tree. It has grown. Just see that tree is not even within the jungle. In a small space it has grown all sides surrounded by house, and it is alone. Just see how much condemned life. Other trees, they are at least in the jungle in the society of trees. (laughter) But this tree is alone. We have to consider this, how this tree has been so much condemned. Tree is condemned life because... You are human beings. You are sitting here. If you like, you can move immediately. But the tree cannot move. "Stand up there." By whose order? By whose order? By God's order. "You must stand up." Don't take it, I mean to say, neglectfully. It is very serious. According to Vedic calculation, this tree which is grown here, that living entity was sometimes owner or occupier of this house, and it had so much attachment that it cannot go out of this house. Therefore he has been given this body, tree. "All right, you live here and stand up."
Every one of you can become a guru. He says that. Āmāra ājñāya guru hañā tāra' ei deśa (CC Madhya 7.128). Wherever you are, you can deliver the persons, surrounding persons in your neighborhood. "How can I become guru? I have no qualification." No. There is no need of qualification. Simply repeat. Yāre dekha tāre kaha kṛṣṇa-upadeśa (CC Madhya 7.128). Very simple thing. Anyone you meet, "My dear friend, just hear little." "What is that?" "Now, Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. You kindly think of Kṛṣṇa. Just offer your obeisances to Kṛṣṇa, just become a bhakta and chant His holy name." Bas. Your guru duty is finished. So it is not very difficult task. Anyone can do this. And then everyone will be benefited. And that is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement.
Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures
Renunciation-try to understand what is renunciation—just like we, the members of the Kṛṣṇa society, we have renounced all material activities. That's all. That is renouncement. Our activities are surrounding only about Kṛṣṇa. We do not do anything except Kṛṣṇa business. We are publishing magazine, that is Kṛṣṇa. We are publishing books, that is Kṛṣṇa. We are going to the press, that is for Kṛṣṇa. We are going to the market, that is for Kṛṣṇa. We are cooking, that is for Kṛṣṇa. We are living, only for Kṛṣṇa. We are dancing for Kṛṣṇa. We are chanting for Kṛṣṇa. So we have renounced... The same things are there in the material life, publishing book or going to the press, typing, or microphone, or dancing, chanting, these are... But they are not for Kṛṣṇa, that is for sense gratification.
After many, many births, understanding the Brahman... Brahman understanding is certainly transcendental, but because Brahman is only partial realization of the Absolute Truth, only the eternity... The Absolute Truth is eternal, blissful, knowledgeable, cognizant. So Brahman realization means realization of the eternity portion. Paramātmā-realization is knowledgeable. Paramātmā knows everything. Paramātmā is present in everyone's heart, and He knows everyone's activities. But actual realization, complete realization, means ānanda, sac-cid-ānanda. That ānanda-realization is in Kṛṣṇa-realization. Ānandamayo 'bhyāsāt (Vedānta-sūtra 1.1.12). Kṛṣṇa is by nature jolly, always full of bliss. You have seen the picture of Kṛṣṇa. He's always tri-bhaṅga-murāri, with two hands, with, playing on flute, surrounded by the gopīs, enjoying. That is blissfulness.
Another example is: just like if you see a mountain. Just like surrounding your this place, Tirupati, there are so many hills. From the distant place, your vision is not clear. You simply see something like cloudy, the same mountain. But if you make little further progress, you see the same mountain or hill greenish. And if you actually go in the same hill, you will find there are so many animals, so many men and so many houses. So object is the same, but from different angle vision, it appears differently. Similarly, unless one can understand Kṛṣṇa perfectly, he realizes the Absolute Truth as impersonal, nirākāra Brahman. Unless one understands Kṛṣṇa perfectly well, he cannot understand what is Paramātmā, which is realized by yogic principles. But when you understand Kṛṣṇa, then you understand Paramātmā and Brahman also. This is the verdict of the śāstra. Just like if you have got one lakh of rupees, your possession of few thousands of rupees or few hundred of rupees are already there.
In the Bhagavad-gītā it is said that they are part and parcel of God sanātana, eternally, not that they have been cut off. Just like the sky within the pot is walled by the wall of the pot, but actually we are not walled. We are individual. Every, every one of us are individual. We are not surrounded by some material wall. This material wall is supposed to be this body. Actually, we are individual, and therefore, because we are individual, according to our individual karma, we have got different types of body. So these are the doubts. When one become completely, I mean to say, cognizant with the Kṛṣṇa consciousness science, his all doubts are removed.
So when one becomes completely separated from all these material desires, even if you offer him some profit, he'll not accept. It is the test. Na yatra haṁsā niramanty uśik-kṣayāḥ (SB 1.5.10). Because his mind is absorbed in greater things. Uśik-kṣayāḥ. Brahman. Uśik-kṣayāḥ means Brahman. Uśika kamanīyam brahman kṣayo nivaso yeṣāṁ te, tathā prasiddha haṁsa mānasi sarasi carantaḥ.(?) Śrīdhara Svāmī explains, just like swans, they take pleasure in the mānasa-sarovara, in a place where transparent water, lily and very nice garden. They take pleasure. Yathā prasiddha haṁsa mānasi sarasi carantaḥ kamanīya-padma-khanda-nivāsaḥ.(?) You'll find swans, they will gather near the lotus flower and dive there and entangle them with the stem. That is their pleasure, to remain surrounding the lotus flower.
There is a place, Śamyāprāsa, above Haridvāra, there Vyāsadeva's āśrama was situated on the river Brahmanadī, Sarasvatī, on the western side, paścime taṭe. Ṛṣīṇāṁ satra-vardhanaḥ, there all the great sages and saintly persons used to perform sacrifice. Tasmin āśrame, tasmin sva āśrame vyāso badarī-ṣaṇḍa-maṇḍite (SB 1.7.3), the āśrama was surrounded by berry trees, badarī-ṣaṇḍa. Ṣaṇḍa means trees. Āsīno 'pa upaspṛśya praṇidadhyau manaḥ svayam. So in that āśrama... Formerly, big, big saintly persons, they used to live in forest āśrama. Now they have to come far away from āśrama to South Africa because people have forgotten. Formerly, big, big persons, they used to visit the āśrama, but nowadays people are not interested. Anartha. They are captivated by the material, external energy. It is said that... Not only now, formerly also, but formerly the number of people who were not interested were very, very small. At the present moment, the number of interested people are very, very small. That is the difference.
The scientists, the philosophers, everyone is searching out what is the original cause. Just like modern scientists. They are searching out what is the original cause of life. That is good enquiry. But because they are surrounded by anarthas, they cannot know it. That is called māyā. So long one is illusioned by the māyā he cannot have perfect knowledge. This subject matter has been discussed in the previous verse. It is said, yayā sammohito jīvaḥ. Before that, the one verse is that Vyāsadeva, the vidvān... Vyāsadeva is addressed here as vidvān, full knowledge. So he was unhappy even after compiling Vedānta-sūtra. He was not very happy. So under the instruction of his guru, Nārada Muni, he wanted to compile the last contribution to the human society, a commentary on the Vedānta-sūtra. That is Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Bhāṣyāyāṁ brahma-sūtrāṇāṁ vedārtha-paribṛṁhitam. This, in every chapter, at the end, it is said, brahma-sūtra-bhāṣye: "The Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is the commentary on the Brahma-sūtra or Vedānta-sūtra." Vedānta means the ultimate knowledge.
So anartha-nivṛtti, that is required because we are surrounded by so many anarthas, unwanted things. They are all impediments, stumbling blocks on our progressive journey to Kṛṣṇa realization. Here it is said anartha-nivṛttiḥ syāt bhakti-yogam adhokṣaje lokasyājānataḥ. People do not know it. Therefore vidvān, Vedavyāsa, he has compiled this Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Sātvata-saṁhitā. It is Vedic version, and directly to understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead and become free from all contamination of the material nature. Because we are now under the contamination of material nature.
So in the previous verse it has been described that nature was favorable. The river, the hills, the mountains, forests, vegetables, creepers, these are our natural surroundings. Animals... Everyone was complete. It is a cooperation. So many living entities, according to karma, we have got different bodies. Some has got the human form of body, some has got the body of an animal, some has got the body of a tree, creeper. Sometimes hills, mountains, also. Everyone. Their business is cooperation. We can study from our own body. There are different parts of the body, but it is a business of cooperation. Hand, legs, eyes, ears, nose, they are all cooperating for the upkeep of the body. Similarly, all living entities—may be in different types of bodies—they are meant for cooperating in the matter of serving the Supreme Lord, central point.
Yasya prabhā, by expansion of the bodily effulgence, the brahmajyoti... In that brahmajyoti there are many universes, in that brahmajyoti, jagad-aṇḍa-koṭi. The sky's bluish effulgence is there. Above this material sky there is another sky whose reflection you simply can see little. Just like outside there is a brilliant light, so you can get little reflection within your room, similarly, this universe is dark and covered. It is covered, round, surrounded. But outside that universe... Or this universe is floating in that effulgence. It is reflected. The sky is reflected bluish. This is the... Let the so-called scientist challenge it. Here is a description from the Bhāgavata: yasya prabhā (Bs. 5.40).
So śrī-vigraha-darśanam. This temple is situated to give people the facility as it is described here. Tair darśanīya avayavaiḥ udāra. We have to see the Deity beginning from the lotus feet, not jumping over the smiling face. That is the way. First of all you try to see. And when you are practiced... Try to see the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa, and when you are practiced to this habit, even after visiting the temple if you go home, if you are practice to see the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa, that is meditation. So darśanīya avayavaiḥ: "Different limbs." First of all feet, then the thighs, then the belt, then the chest, then you reach the smiling face. Kṛṣṇa and Kṛṣṇa's form... If you meditate on Kṛṣṇa's form, that is Kṛṣṇa. So we associate with Kṛṣṇa, His smiling face, His flute, His hand, His dress, His consort, Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī, or any other, gopīs, surrounded by. In this way, practice this habit of observing the Supreme Lord. Therefore He has appeared, arcā-vigraha, so that we can see Him.
Sometimes a person is dying, he is attacked with coma, and he is lying unconscious. Big, big politicians, "Mr. such and such," prime minister, and this and that, but he is lying unconscious in coma for seven days. And we do not know, but he is going very fierceful test. He is dreaming so many things that sometimes he is crying. He cannot express. Especially those who are very sinful, they die in that way. So this is not finished. Then, after death, you have to enter in the womb of the mother. That is another fierceful stage. You become packed up in a bag, and the bag is filled up or surrounded by stool, urine, worms. And you have to remain there, airtight packed, for ten months.
Kṛṣṇa, just like if I say the president is coming, so one should know the president is not coming alone. He must be accompanied by his secretaries, by his military aide-de-camp, and so many other people, cabinet members. At least one dozen persons are coming with him, or with some soldiers, bodyguards. So similarly when you mean Kṛṣṇa or God, you should immediately know that He is not alone. He is not impersonal boy. He is full with opulence, full with associates. Therefore this description is of the spiritual world in the Brahma-saṁhitā, Vedic literature, cintāmaṇi-prakara-sadmasu kalpa-vṛkṣa lakṣāvṛteṣu surabhīr abhipālayantam (Bs. 5.29). This is the trees, plants, and animals. Then lakṣmī-sahasra-śata-sambhrama-sevyamānaṁ govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi. He is not only in this surrounding of cintāmaṇi bricks, houses, and desire trees, many, many cowherd, not only the cows, surabhī, and the river, but also many thousands of Lakṣmī, Goddess of fortune. That is Kṛṣṇa. That is the essence.
So we should utilize the result of pious activities to become more pure. That is called svaccha. We have discussed this verse, svaccha. Yat tat sattva-guṇaṁ svaccham. That is... Just like you have got by, on account of pious activities you have got very nice surroundings, aristocratic family, wealth, beauty, education, but it may be polluted again by the other two qualities, means tamo-guṇa and rajo-guṇa. Then you are finished again. Naturally they become polluted. But they do not know that "By dint of pious activities, I have got this position" and misuse the position by tamo-guṇa and rajo-guṇa, and therefore they again go to hell. This way we are wandering all over the universes, ei rūpe brahmāṇḍa bhramite (CC Madhya 19.151). We are sometimes rich man, sometimes poor man, sometimes demigod, sometimes dog, sometimes this, sometimes that. This is going on. That is called māyā-sukhāya bharam udvahato vimūḍhān (SB 7.9.43). They do not know the ultimate happiness is Kṛṣṇa consciousness, but wandering in this way.
Just like we are controlled by the government. So we have got some obligation also, to pay tax to the government, the income tax. So similarly, we have got obligation to the devatās, the demigods, the ṛṣis, the saintly sages, because we are receiving knowledge from them. Just like Vyāsadeva. He has given us this Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. We are reading. We are getting knowledge, perfect knowledge. Then we are obliged to our surrounding living entities, neighbors, countrymen, and others. Devarṣi-bhūtāpta, the animals also. We are taking service from the animals. The cow is giving milk. The camel is carrying our load. The ass is carrying our load. So many animals... Devarṣi-bhūtāpta-nṛṇām, general, people in general, we are obliged. So obligations, there are so many. Devarṣi-bhūtāpta-nṛṇāṁ pitṟṇām (SB 11.5.41). Pitṛs, our forefathers, the dynasty or the family in which we have taken birth.
So this Hare Kṛṣṇa movement is very authentic movement from the śāstra, and Caitanya Mahāprabhu practiced it, Nārada Muni practiced it. All the great sages, they practice it. The śāstra says, kīrtanād eva kṛṣṇasya mukta-saṅgaḥ paraṁ vrajet (SB 12.3.51). In this age, Kali-yuga, we are surrounded by so many faulty things checking our spiritual advancement of life. That is the only necessity of human being, the spiritual advancement of life. So far eating, sleeping, sex life, and defense, everyone is doing in his own capacity. That is not the business. That is there. Even the birds, beasts, they are doing that. The only business of human life: athāto brahma jijñāsā, to inquire about the Supreme, the same Brahman. Brahmaṇaḥ sthānam, bhāvanaṁ brahmaṇaḥ sthānam. Always think of brahma. Sarvaṁ khalv idaṁ brahma.
First of all, what is the conception of God? Conception of God is "God is great. Nobody is greater than Him, and nobody is equal to Him." That is God. Asama-ūrdhva. The exact Sanskrit word is asama-ūrdhva. Asama means "not equal." Nobody can be equal to God. This is analyzed by great ācāryas. They have analyzed the characteristics of God. They have characterized the characteristic are sixty-four. And out of that sixty-four, we have, we living entities, we have got fifty only. And that is also in very minute quantity. Fifty qualities of God we have got, but that is in minute quantity. Take, for example, just like God has got also the tendency to love young girl. Take it for a crude example. Just like God is dancing with young girls. But we have also the same tendency. We also want to be surrounded by young girls and dance, we enjoy. But the thing is that you can enjoy in the company of a few girls. That is minute quantity. But God can dance with unlimited number of girls. That you cannot. These are crude examples.
So if you actually want to execute tapasya, then you must approach a person who has already executed tapasya, tapo divyam (SB 5.5.1). Then you'll get the things. Mahat-sevām. And there you have to render your service. In humbleness, service, sevayā. You can question mahātmā not by challenging but surrounded by praṇipāt and sevā. Otherwise, you have no right to question. Just like this man went to Rūpa Gosvāmī. He has no right to waste time. So actually this discussion, instructions, are to be executed amongst the guru and the disciples, where there is submission. Otherwise there is no need of. Nowadays we hold some meeting. Some ordinary people they come to hear. But that kind of discussion Caitanya Mahāprabhu never did. Never did. Because these outsiders, they are not submissive. They come to see the fun. They do not come to learn something. Therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu never made any big meeting.
And next business was gambling, dice playing, bandy-akṣaiḥ. Everything was there. It was... Of course, these historical incidences, and, some thousands and thousands of years ago happened. But because it is material world, these things were there at that time also. Now it has increased. Kali-yuga means it has increased. The same thieves, cheater, everything were there at that time. It was rare incidences. But now it has become daily affair due to the Kali-yuga. So his business was kaitavaiḥ. Kaitavaiḥ means cheating. Cheating. Now what kind of cheating? The cheaters will round, surround one man, and he says, "Have you seen some gold lump falling down? I have seen. One is lost." Then another man will come, "Sir, I have got this gold lump. If you pay me something, I will give you." But that is not gold, actually, but he creates a situation that "Somebody lost his gold lump. Now he has got. He wants to sell me. All right, I give you ten rupees. Give me." (laughter) This is called kaitavaiḥ. I know some things. (laughter) So bandy-akṣaiḥ kaitavaiś cauryaiḥ, and then direct stealing.
If anyone can go there, he can live there for ten thousands of years. Ten thousand of years means according to the demigods' years. Their duration and our duration is: our one day, our six months, their one day. That is admitted by scientists that you go higher, the relative time is different. Just like when the Russians first of all sent that sputnik, in one hour, twenty-five minutes, they surrounded all over the world. Now it is relative. You have got a speedy vehicle. So generally, the 25,000 miles, this earth, it takes long, long time, even you go by aeroplane But when you have got a better machine, it is finished within one hour, twenty-five minutes. So as you go higher, higher, the time duration becomes different. This is called relativity. We hear from the Bhagavad-gītā the duration of life of Brahmā, sahasra-yuga-paryantam ahar yad brahmaṇo viduḥ (BG 8.17). Our some millions of years is equal to twelve hours of Brahmā.
We have got different description of the moon planet. The moon planet is situated 1,600,000's of miles above the sun. We have got this description: 1,600,000 miles above the... And there is also blazing fire like the sun planet. Sun planet is very hot, and the moon planet is surrounded by very cool atmosphere. Just like when there is cold and heat together, you enjoy it, so moon planet is like that. And those who are in the karma-kāṇḍīya, means fruitive activities, those who are actually acting very piously, they are allowed to enter into the moon planet. And there you get life, ten thousands of years' duration of life. And that year is very, very big than our years. Our six months equal to one day in the moon planet. Now, such ten thousands of years you can get your duration of life, and very cold. Therefore you can drink there soma-rasa.
Just like this is also vasudhā, this planet here. We can see there are so many millions of planets, at night you can see, and each of them is peculiar, different from the others. Why they have failed to utilize the moon planet? It is a different atmosphere. It is different atmosphere. These rascals cannot go there. It is not possible. They have simply made false propaganda. They cannot go there. So because the atmosphere is different... There is also blazing fire surrounded by ice. That is the description. I am speaking from the description. And therefore at night it is so pleasing. You have got experience. Fire coming through ice, the rays, that is very pleasing. Therefore sunshine is making the whole thing very hot, and the moonshine making it pleasing.
So Kṛṣṇa explains in the Bhagavad-gītā: ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavo mattaḥ sarvaṁ pravartate (BG 10.8). So Nārāyaṇa... In the Vedic mantra also, the same thing: eko nārāyaṇa āsīt. In the beginning, Nārāyaṇa was there. So Nārāyaṇa is not alone. When you say the king is coming, it does not mean that king is coming alone. King is coming with his ministers, with his secretaries, with his military forces, bodyguards, many thousands. Similarly, when we speak eko nārāyaṇa āsīt, nārāyaṇa paraḥ avyaktāt, it does not mean that Nārāyaṇa is alone. Nārāyaṇa is always... If a king can be surrounded by so many officers and ministers, and Nārāyaṇa is the supreme king, so how He is surrounded by paraphernalia we can just think over.
So the nature of this world is envious, enviousness. Therefore, in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, in the beginning it is said, nirmatsarāṇāṁ satām. Dharmaḥ projjhita-kaitavo 'tra paramo nirmatsarāṇām: (SB 1.1.2) "This is understandable by persons who are freed from this quality of enviousness." Here is a quality in the material world. Anyone who is here, he will be envious of his... Para utkarṣa asahanam. They cannot tolerate that his friend or his brother is very much, I mean to say, advancing either material or spiritual. They cannot tolerate. This is the society. Therefore my Guru Mahārāja used to say that "This is not the place for a gentleman to live," because surrounded by envious persons, especially to the devotees. Especially when a man becomes devoted to the Lord, he creates... He does not create, but the atmosphere is such—many enemies.
This morning there was press representative. So they came to take some information. Our first information is that we are trying to bring human being to the standard of human being from the standard of cats' and dogs' life. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness... Cats' and dogs' life means these adānta-go, uncontrolled senses. That is cats' and dogs' life. Just like one dog, one female dog, is surrounded by one dozen male dogs. Why? Adānta-gobhiḥ: they cannot control their senses. On the street they are having sex. They cannot control the senses. Adānta-gobhiḥ. So human life means control the senses. That is human life.
Just like the sun globe. The sun globe is fiery. The moon, moon planet, it is very pleasing. There is also fire, but it is surrounded by cold atmosphere; therefore it is very pleasing. So vibhūti-bhinnam. Each every planet has got different atmosphere. And each and every planet, there are different kinds of living entities just suitable for that atmosphere. Don't think that in the sun planet there is no life. There is also life. If there is no life, how Kṛṣṇa says that imaṁ vivasvate yogaṁ proktavān aham avyayam (BG 4.1)? Vivasvate means... The king of sun planet is known as Vivasvān. So Kṛṣṇa spoke with him, so how you can say there is no life? This is material world, many millions of universes. In another place it is said, yasyaika-niśvasita-kālam athāvalambya jīvanti loma-bilajā jagad-aṇḍa-nāthāḥ (Bs. 5.48).
Now we heard in Europe they were contemplating importing water. Was not that? Yes. In England they were thinking of importing. Is that possible? But these rascal scientists think like that. They'll import. Why not? The England is surrounded by water. Why don't you take water? No. Nire kari bas na me tilo piyas. "I'm living in water, but I'm dying of thirst." (laughter) These rascals' philosophy... Or in... I think in our childhood we read one book, a Moral Class book, said there was a story that shipwrecked, and they took the shelter of one boat, but some of them died of thirst because they could not drink water. So in the water they were living, but they died of thirst.
Just like sunlight, expansion of the sun. And in the sunlight... It is very easy to understand. In the sunlight there are so many planets, and each and every planet have varieties of production, mountains, seas, ocean, trees, or trees. There are varieties of trees, animals, each and every planet. So nothing is void or impersonal. Everything is full of varieties, personalities. So you can understand. And what are these planets? These planets are called dvīpa. Dvīpa means island. Just like this is an island. We are sitting in this Kauai island. Why it is island? Because all around water. Similarly, all these planets are called also islands. Why? Because all around the space, space water. As this is surrounded by water, the planets are surrounded by space. So if you take the space, ethereal ocean, then it is island. Every planet is an island.
In the higher planetary system, everyone has got hundred years maximum period of life, but as I was explaining, everything is relative. The ant's hundred years of life is not equal to my hundred years of life. It is relative. Similarly, the demigods' hundred years of life is not equal to our hundred years of life. Everything relative—speed. Just like when the sputniks... In the beginning the sput, sputniks were in the outer space. Generally, to go around the world, it takes twenty-five hours. But because the speed was greater, so the sputnik surrounded the whole world in one hour, twenty-five minutes.
So evaṁ janaṁ nipatitaṁ prabhavāhi-kūpe. Ahi kūpa. Ahi means the serpent. So we have got these serpents surrounded by us, surrounded, all round. What are the serpents? The senses. Everyone, we are in the dark well surrounded by serpents, this body. Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura has sung this song, śarīra avidyā-jāl, jaḍendriya tāhe kāla. Kāla means serpents, kāla-sarpa. Kāla-sarpa, it can bite at any moment and finish you. We are being bitten every moment. It is Kṛṣṇa's grace that we are living. Otherwise our senses are so dangerous that it can bring me down at any moment, kāla-sarpa. There are many places, kāla-sarpa-paṭalī protkhāta-daṁstrāyate. One devotee says, "Yes, I am surrounded by kāla-sarpa, the serpent, that's nice, but I can break the teeth." But if kāla-sarpa is the... What is called, that? Fangs? If they are broken—they are taken out—they are no more dangerous.
Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures
Dehāpatya-kalatrādiṣu. This body, deha, apatya, children; kalatra, wife; ādiṣu, with all these things... Then again extend. From children, you get... You get them married. Then again extension—daughter-in-law, son-in-law, grandson. In this way, we are increasing our so-called happiness. Ātma-sainyeṣu. And we are thinking that "These surrounding friends—society, friends and love, nation—will give me protection." In our country, we have seen. Gandhi struggled so, mean, hard for getting independence, thinking that "We'll be happy." But Gandhi himself was killed.
The sun planet is very, very big, fourteen hundred thousand times bigger than this earth. So it is all congested with population. And because they are all fiery, everything made there fiery, therefore it is a blazing fire, and the illumination is coming all over the universe. But they cannot understand this, the so-called scientists. It is not... Beyond their conception. But this is a fact. And the moon planet is also fiery, exactly like the sun. Therefore that illumination is distributed. But the difference is, so far I can remember, that the moon planet fire is surrounded by cool atmosphere. Because the heat is coming through some cool atmosphere, it is at night so pleasing. It is not vacant. There is also living entities. This is one of the heavenly planets. Heavenly planet begins from the sun, then moon, then Mars, Jupiter, like that.
Although He is Kṛṣṇa, His complexion is not kṛṣṇa. Then next? Kṛṣṇa-varṇaṁ tviṣākṛṣṇaṁ sāṅgopāṅgāstra-pārṣadam. He is always accompanied by His associates. You will see in the picture. There is Nityānanda Prabhu, there is Advaita Prabhu, there is Śrīvāsa, and always He was... From the beginning, when He was a child... Not child. When He was a boy, He started the saṅkīrtana movement. You see the picture: He is surrounded. And throughout whole, so long He lived, He was present on this world, that was... He was surrounded by this Hare Kṛṣṇa party. Sāṅgopāṅgāstra-pārṣadam. This is the yugāvatāra of this age.
Rājasūya-yajña means one who performs that sacrifice in that assembly, all the princes of the world are invited, and they select him as the emperor of the world. That is called Rājasūya-yajña. So in that yajña, there were all princes present, and Kṛṣṇa was proposed to become the president of that assembly, although He was young man. So Kṛṣṇa had many... Not many, especially two, Śiśupāla and Dantavakra, they were very much against Kṛṣṇa. So they objected: "Oh, Kṛṣṇa cannot be... There are many others." He wanted that he become president. The protest meeting. At that time, Bhīṣma recommended that "Nobody is present here spotless character as Kṛṣṇa." He recommended like that. "Kṛṣṇa, when He was sixteen years old, He was surrounded by girls, but He had never sex desire. I am brahmacārī from my birth. I think I could not be such restrained personality as Kṛṣṇa." He recommended like that. That is mentioned in Mahābhārata. So this is character.
Although Kṛṣṇa is two-handed and, I mean to say, busy with His flute-playing, but we do not know, many do not know, that He is, has expanded as Nārāyaṇa and Viṣṇu. He is the predominating Deity all over the spiritual world.
- ananta vaikuṇṭha yāhāṅ bhāṇḍāra-koṭhari
- pāriṣada-gaṇe ṣaḍ-aiśvarye āche bhari'
And in each and every planet there are innumerable devotees. He's surrounded by the innumerable devotees.
Sri Brahma-samhita Lectures
Cintāmaṇi-prakara-sadmasu kalpa-vṛkṣa (Bs. 5.29). There are also trees, but those trees are not like this tree. The trees are kalpa-vṛkṣa. Here you can take one kind of fruit from one tree, but there, from the trees you can ask anything, and you get it because those trees are all spiritual. That is the difference between matter and spirit. Cintāmaṇi-prakara-sadmasu kalpa-vṛkṣa lakṣā-vṛteṣu (Bs. 5.29). Such kind of trees, there are many, not one or two. All the places are covered by all those trees. Cintāmaṇi-prakara-sadmasu kalpa-vṛkṣa-lakṣāvṛteṣu surabhīr abhipālayantam. And the Lord is very much fond of cowherding. And the cows there, they are called surabhīs. Surabhī cow means you can milk as many times and as much as you like. Surabhīr abhipālayantam. And lakṣmī-sahasra-śata-sambhrama-sevyamānaṁ (Bs. 5.29). And the Lord is always surrounded by the goddesses of fortune, lakṣmī-sahasra-śata, not one or two, but hundreds and thousands, hundreds and thousands of goddesses of fortune, they are always serving the Lord. And in this way, eternally, blissfully, the Lord is staying in His abode, which is called cintāmaṇi-dhāma.
Festival Lectures
So Caitanya Mahāprabhu's color is yellowish golden color. Therefore it is said, "He is Kṛṣṇa, but now He has appeared in golden complexion." Kṛṣṇa-varṇaṁ tviṣā akṛṣṇam. And sāṅgopāṅgāstra-pārṣadam. "He is always surrounded by His associates." Aṅga, upāṅga. Aṅga means personal, and upāṅga means expansion of the expansion, which is called kalā. The first expansion is called avatāra, and when there is another avatāra from avatāra, that is called kalā. Rāmādi-mūrtiṣu kalā-niyamena tiṣṭhan (Bs. 5.39). Very scientific analysis in the śāstra. Not that any rascal comes, "I am God." This is not acceptable. We have to understand śāstra-vidhi, as śāstra it is said. So about Śrī Cai... Because Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu appeared, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, so many rascals have imitated: "Well, this Nimāi Paṇḍita, if He can become avatāra, then why not Gadādhara Paṇḍita?" This Ramakrishna, his name was Gadadhar Chatterjee. So he was also imitation of Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Where is the reference in the śāstra? So far Caitanya Mahāprabhu is concerned, there are so many innumerable references, in Mahābhārata, in Bhāgavata, in Purāṇa, in Upaniṣad. Therefore we accept Him as the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Arrival Addresses and Talks
Kṛṣṇa in Vṛndāvana has got a great family. He has got His father. He has got His mother, mother Yaśodā, Nanda Mahārāja. He has got so many friends, hundreds and thousands-boyfriends, girlfriends. The trees, the plants, the flowers, the fruits, the land, the water, the cows, the calves—He is surrounded by a great family. He is not a single person. Suppose if we say, "Now the president is coming." So president means he is not only coming alone; he is coming with secretaries, his ministers, his military secretary and so many other people, some soldiers and bodyguards. He is not alone. So if a material president, insignificant, is always surrounded by his associates, so the Supreme Being, how He is associated with His surroundings, you can just imagine. He cannot be alone. That is Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is not zero, śūnyavādi, as they say that "Everything zero after this," or nirviśeṣa, "Everything like sky." No. He is individual, person. And He says in the Bhagavad-gītā in the Second Chapter, "My dear Arjuna, you, you are a person. Me, I am also a person, and all these soldiers and kings who are assembled here, they are also person. So don't think that we were not person in the past, and we are not person at present, and in future also we shall not become person. We are all person, eternally person." And whenever there is person, there is associates, there is family, there is exchange of love. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
Initiation Lectures
One yogi used to come to our house. He was my father's... My father used to respect him. So he told us that within a few minutes they will go several hundreds of miles. Simply he will touch his Guru Mahārāja and sit down, and he will see in another place within few seconds some thousands of miles away. The yogis can perform this. So one yogi, he came to his village, and all the people, relatives, surrounded him: "What you have learned, please?" He said that "I have learned this mystic power; I can walk on the water." This is called laghimā-siddhi, to become so light that one can fly in the air or one can walk on the water. So everyone became inquisitive. "Oh, please show me. Please show us one day." So he agreed, "All right. I shall show on that day." Then one old man said, "My dear friend, you have been so long with the yogis, but you have learned only two-cent-worth power." "What is that?" "Now you will walk over the water, and I shall pay two cent to the boatman. He will take me to the other side. (laughter) So what you have gained? You have so much labored, but you have gained only two-cent-worth thing." You see? So these yogis are after two cent. (laughter) Even they are perfection. There is no... If they are perfect... Without being perfect, they are nothing, simply rascals. But even they are perfect, that is two-cent worth. You see? But here is a yoga system—we are going to Kṛṣṇa. Just always remember this.
General Lectures
Govinda is another name of Kṛṣṇa. Go means cows and go means land and go means senses. There are three meanings of go. So... And vinda means pleasure-giving. So He gives pleasure to the senses, He gives pleasure to the cows, and He gives pleasure to the land. That means whenever Kṛṣṇa appears, the land becomes very pleasing. The production, the situation, everything becomes very pleasing. So Govinda means one who gives pleasure to the senses and to the cows. Kṛṣṇa in His abode, Kṛṣṇaloka, is always busy as a cowherd's boy. Surabhīr abhipālayantam (Bs. 5.29). He's always nursing the cows. He's always surrounded by cows. Surabhīr abhipālayantam. You see here is the picture. It is a cow. Govinda means the cowherd's boy, or one who gives pleasure to the senses. Gopāla. Go means cows and pāla means herds. So one who keeps the cowherds, that is also Gopāla.
Just like the sputnik. The sputnik surrounded, circumambulated the earth in one hour, twenty-five minutes, three times. That means by the sputnik speed, the three days... To circumambulate the earth three times means three day and night. That means according to our calculation, seventy-two hours. That seventy-two hours was finished in one hour and twenty-five minutes. How? Because the thing is relative. If you accelerate your speed, the whole thing becomes relative. So what is seventy-two hours on this planet, just above this planet, say about a few thousand miles up it becomes one hour twenty-five minutes. Similarly, when we speak of that in other planet the life is ten thousand years, that ten thousand years is in our calculation on this planet. But on their calculation, the same hundred years. Similarly, in the Bhagavad-gītā you'll learn, sahasra-yuga-paryantam ahar yad brahmaṇo viduḥ (BG 8.17). Kṛṣṇa is instructing Arjuna that our one thousand yugas... One yuga, one aggregate of yuga, according to our, this planet's calculation, it is forty-three hundred thousands of years. So that multiplied by one thousand becomes twelve hours of that planet.
Philosophy Discussions
Śyāmasundara: "So if men came from monkeys, why don't we see it still happening?" That's what you said.
Prabhupāda: Yes. That is our argument.
Śyāmasundara: So if you accept that there is an evolution, do you accept that the bodies change because of changing conditions of the natural surroundings?
Prabhupāda: Body is not changing. The body is already there. The soul is changing bodies, transmigrating from one body to another.
Hayagrīva: ...composed of the conscious and also the subconscious.
Prabhupāda: Yes. Everything is depending on the personality, and he is surrounded by so many conceptions. When the en..., what is called, (indistinct), we see different types of dreams, but when we are purified, then, just like Caitanya Mahāprabhu was dreaming Kṛṣṇa's pastime. So similarly, when we are completely purified we dream also about Kṛṣṇa, His activities, His preaching, so many in connection with reference to Kṛṣṇa. So persona is permanent, but when we apply this persona in the material activities, that is temporary, false, false ego, and when the same persona is engaged as servant of Kṛṣṇa, that is self-realization.
Śyāmasundara: Anyway, the philosophy is that the Christian idea that inside the body there is a person is outmoded, because the science has discovered that a person's behavior and his reactions are simply a product of his environment, his conditioning; so he can make a fool out of a wise man or a wise man out of a fool simply by changing the surroundings and the conditions.
Prabhupāda: Why the man has not been able to change the surroundings of death, birth? What is his philosophy?
Śyāmasundara: Well, he said that problem can be never be solved.
Prabhupāda: Then how he says it can be explained by surroundings?
Śyāmasundara: He only talks about behavior.
Prabhupāda: Behavior, that's all right. Whatever behavior, in the ultimate, goal, everyone is dying so how man can change this condition? Then he can say that there is no God, there is no soul.
| Page Title: | Surrounded (Lectures) |
| Compiler: | Visnu Murti, Serene |
| Created: | 18 of Dec, 2011 |
| Totals by Section: | BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=59, Con=0, Let=0 |
| No. of Quotes: | 59 |