So the whole thing is tāni sarvāṇi saṁyamya yukta āsīta mat-paraḥ. We should always remember that, that to attain to the spiritual life, it is a great penance. It is a great penance. But although it is very difficult, although it is very difficult... Perhaps you know that in, in the Purāṇas, in the Vedic literature, we have got information that there are sages who underwent penance for so many, many years. Why in the history or the Purāṇas? You can see from the examples of Lord Buddha, Lord Jesus Christ, Lord Caitanya, Śaṅkarācārya, who were recently within the limit of our historical knowledge. They attained spiritual perfection after undergoing penances for many, many years. So spiritual perfection is not very easy thing, that simply by attending a, a, in either of the so many groups and hearing something, nice lectures from a person. No. It is practical. It is practical. If we are ac..., if we are actually serious about attaining, so we must be in a spirit of sacrifice. In this age, by the grace of Lord Caitanya, the matter has been simplified. Matter has been simplified.
Underwent (Lectures)
Lectures
Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures
"Here is a thing, these boys, these boys who are playing with Kṛṣṇa, that for many, many lives they undergone penances to have Kṛṣṇa as their playmate. Now they are enjoying life." So the playmates of Kṛṣṇa, they are not ordinary persons. They underwent many, many births' tapasya, or penances. Just like one has to seek the favor of the Supreme Lord by penances, by tapasya, so they desired like that, and Kṛṣṇa has accepted, "All right. Come on. Let us play." And what is that play? Kṛṣṇa is playing with the boys just like boys play. They say, sometimes make some one body's defeated. So when the, he became, he has to carry the other boy on his shoulder, so many manufactured playing things.
Not that we give liberty, that "Whatever you like, you do, and at the same time you make progress, spiritual life." That is not possible.
Because spiritual life means tapasya. Formerly great, great saintly persons, they underwent very, very severe tapasya for thousands of years, hundreds of years. Then they attained success. In the Kali-yuga it is not possible to undergo such severe tapasya. There is concession. The concession is that you live a pure life and chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. This will make sufficient. A pure life: no illicit sex, no intoxication, no meat-eating, no gambling. This is pure life. These boys and girls who have joined this movement, they have given up. They are not dying. Nobody will die if he lives a pure life. Anyone will make progress. Tapasā brahmacaryeṇa (SB 6.1.13). These are the injunction of the śāstra. If you want to be happy, this is the.... Tapo divyaṁ putrakā yena śuddhyet sattvam (SB 5.5.1).
What can I do?" "No, I want my father's kingdom. Tell me how can I get it." Mother said, "My dear boy, if Kṛṣṇa, God, blesses you, you can get." "Where is God?" She said, "Oh, we have heard God is in the forest. Great sages go there and find out." So he went to the forest and underwent severe penances and he saw God. But when he saw God, Nārāyaṇa, he was no more anxious for the kingdom of his father. No more anxious. He said, "My dear Lord, I am satisfied, fully satisfied. I do not want anymore, my kingdom, the kingdom of my father." He gave the comparison that "I was searching out some pebbles, but I have got valuable jewels." So that means he is more satisfied.
Ṛṣabhadeva advised his sons, "My dear sons," tapo divyam, "just undergo austerities." This life, human life is for austerities, penance. Therefore you'll find in the Vedic civilization, big big saintly persons, big, big brāhmaṇas, kṣatriyas, rājarṣis, they are engaged. Just like Lord Buddha. Lord Buddha was the prince, royal family, but still he left everything and underwent meditation to understand himself. There are many others. Bharata Mahārāja, under whose name this country is called Bhāratavarṣa, at the twenty-fourth years of his age, he left his kingdom, his wife, little children, and went for austerity, penance. This is meant for.
Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures
Just like the parents and a small child. Nobody can love the small child better than his parents. Similarly, one who wants to love God, he prays to God, "Kindly you become my child." So God is so kind, He becomes child of a devotee. Although God is the original Father, but this is a process of loving God. Just like Kṛṣṇa appeared as the son of Mother Yaśodā, because they underwent severe penance in their previous life, both the husband and wife. They underwent severe penance, and Kṛṣṇa appeared before them, "What do you want?" They said, "My dear Lord, we want a child like You." So God said, "That, where shall I find a child like Me? I shall become your child". (laughter) That's it.
So he remained sixteen years within the mother. Just like Prahlāda Mahārāja. He learned all about God consciousness from the, within the womb of his mother. Nārada Muni was teaching Prahlāda Mahārāja's mother. Because she was pregnant and she was being taken away by Indra and others, Nārada Muni rescued her, and because her husband was defeated and he fled away... He underwent severe austerities, "How to defeat these demigods?" So Nārada Muni took compassion upon this lady, and he told, "My dear daughter, you come with me. You live in my hermitage until your husband comes back."
Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā, aham ādir hi devānām (Bg 10.2). Devānām, the demigods. The first demigod is Lord Brahmā, the first living creature within this universe. Then Viṣṇu, then Lord Śiva, then other demigods, Indra, Candra, Sūrya-many, some millions. So how Vāsudeva can become His father so that His name is famous as Vāsudeva, "son of Vāsudeva"? The thing is that Vāsudeva formerly underwent severe austerities, and he wanted a son like Kṛṣṇa. So Kṛṣṇa agreed, that "Like Me, there is nobody else." Kṛṣṇa is asamordhva. Nobody is equal to Him; nobody is above Him. Therefore Vāsudeva, in his previous birth, he wanted like..., a son like Kṛṣṇa. So he could not find anyone like Him. Therefore He agreed Himself to become his son.
Even as Brahmā you will be not allowed. Brahmā has got his one day millions of years. He will also not be allowed. The ant will not be allowed, a cat will not be allowed, an elephant will not be allowed, a man will not be allowed, a demigod will not be allowed—to live forever. Hiraṇyakaśipu tried to live forever. He underwent severe penances to become immortal. It was not possible. That is not. Of course, the lunatic scientist says that "By scientific advancement we shall become immortal." They are lunatic. It is not possible. Because in the past there is no such incident, so in the present there is no such incident, how you can expect in the future such incident? That is not possible.
We should not execute dharma for some material gain, arthāya. Just like people are very busy to give in charity, because he'll get some exalted post. Yajña dāna tapa kriyā. These are karma-kāṇḍīyas, yajña, performing sacrifices, giving in charity, dāna, tapa, austerity. Just like Hiraṇyakaśipu underwent severe austerities, Rāvaṇa underwent severe austerity. What for? For material gain. That's all.
So actually dharma does not mean that. Dharma means to come to the point to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. When He says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66), this is dharma, real dharma. Dharmaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītam (SB 6.3.19). Sākṣād Bhagavān, Kṛṣṇa, is ordering like that. That is dharma. Na arthāya. Not for material gain. People generally execute religious principles for some material gain. That is warning.
Formerly, the kṣatriya class, they were being trained. Just like I am now writing notes on Bhāgavatam of the four princes. They were to be given in charge of the kingdom. Before giving charge, they were sent for austerity. And they met Lord Śiva, and Lord Śiva gave them instruction, and for ten thousand of years within water standing, they underwent austerity. Then they came back and took charge of the kingdom. This is kṣatriya.
Just like Dhruva Mahārāja. Dhruva Mahārāja, at the age of five years old, he left his father's home, went to the forest, and with determination he saw God, Kṛṣṇa, within six months. But after coming back, when he was older, when he became king, oh, he was so powerful that there was some mischief done by the sons of Kuvera, he killed them like anything. You see? He killed them like anything, so that the Kuvera personally requested that "Mahārāja Dhruva, I know that they are criminals, you are doing your duty as king, but I request...
"As soon as people are misled in their occupational duty, I will take my incarnation." So Nara-nārāyaṇa, They are incarnation of God, but They underwent severe penances. The Nara-nārāyaṇa temple is there in Badarikāśrama in the Himalayas. People still go there to show their respects to Nara-nārāyaṇa Ṛṣi. So God or His representative comes always to help us, to deliver us from the wrong path of sense gratification. They executed very difficult...
Just like Dhruva Mahārāja, a five-year-old boy. He also executed very severe types of penances. For the first six months, he was eating only the dry foliage that had fallen on the ground, then water..., no. Altogether he underwent penances for six months, so the first month, second, third, like that. So first he used to eat the leaves of the tree, then dried leaves, then simply water, then simply air, then no eating at all. Within six months he was successful to see the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Nārāyaṇa, face to face.
So don't misuse this human form of life; don't give way to the sense gratification. Have a little tapasya. Not severe tapasya, not like Nara-nārāyaṇa. They went to the Himalayas and underwent severe, very severe, just like Dhruva Mahārāja. In this age it is not possible; therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu has given you a concession. You take these sixteen words, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare. Chant these sixteen rounds. If you can increase, all right, or these sixteen rounds. And observe these four principles—no illicit sex, no gambling, no meat-eating, no intoxication. Is it very difficult?
No, although I have got my wife, I am implicated with others' wives; I have got husband, I am implicated with others' husbands. No tapasya. They are not prepared for any kind of tapasya. They want cats' and dogs' lives. Therefore their next life is waiting, cats and dogs.
So this is the position. Nara-nārāyaṇa, They underwent severe penances just like Dhruva Mahārāja. But in this age it is not possible. But at least observe these short penances, little penances, and chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, and make your life successful. What is the difficulty? But we are not still prepared. And still we do not take it very seriously, because our past life is so sinful that even coming to Kṛṣṇa consciousness we are being disturbed. Our sinful activities are so strong that even coming to the point of Kṛṣṇa consciousness we are falling down, again falling down. So be careful, be cautious, and execute your duty as Kṛṣṇa conscious people. You will be happy.
Pradyumna:
- harer guṇākṣipta-matir
- bhagavān bādarāyaṇiḥ
- adhyagān mahad ākhyānaṁ
- nityaṁ viṣṇu-jana-priyaḥ
- (SB 1.7.11)
"Śrīla Śukadeva Gosvāmī, son of Śrīla Vyāsadeva, was not only transcendentally powerful. He was also very dear to the devotees of the Lord. Thus he underwent the study of this great narration Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam."
Prabhupāda:
- harer guṇākṣipta-matir
- bhagavān bādarāyaṇiḥ
- adhyagān mahad ākhyānaṁ
- nityaṁ viṣṇu-jana-priyaḥ
- (SB 1.7.11)
This Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, mahā-purāṇam, it is called mahā-purāṇam. Mahad ākhyānam. Ākhyānam, narration, history. It is not fictitious; it is history. The activities of the Kauravas, Pāṇḍavas, many other activities mentioned here. Dhruva Mahārāja, Prahlāda Mahārāja, Ambarīṣa Mahārāja... Many, many devotees and their activities, their history. It is not mythology. The rascals, they say mythology. No. It is history. Mahābhārata. Mahā means greater and bhārata means this planet. So Mahābhārata means the history of this planet. Now it is minimized, "India." India is given the name given by the Britishers or the Europeans. Real name is Bhārata, Bhārata-varṣa, according to the name of Mahārāja Bharata. So this greater India, Mahābhārata, this is also history. Itihāsa. Itihāsa-purāṇa. Purāṇa means old history. Purāṇa means old. It is not mythology. Purāṇa.
Because that is the perfectional stage. If you live in Kṛṣṇa, always loving... Just like the gopīs. The gopīs, they learned how to love Kṛṣṇa. That's all. They never underwent any severe austerities like the great saintly persons going to Himalaya and pressing their nose and something like that. No, never did. Their only business was how to love Kṛṣṇa. Automatically. Without any... Of course, that stage is not easily obtained, but the śāstra says if you come to that stage, simply to love Kṛṣṇa, then you are on the highest platform of blissful life. Premāñjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena santaḥ sadaiva hṛdayeṣu (Bs. 5.38). Santaḥ, those who are devotees, they are twenty-four hours seeing God. That is to be... That is the highest stage of perfection. And by Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, one can be brought to the platform, how to love Kṛṣṇa twenty-four hours without any cessation.
So this is the position of devotees, that Devakī who happens to be the mother of Kṛṣṇa... She's not ordinary woman. Who can become the mother of the Supreme Personality of Godhead? The most advanced devotee, so that Kṛṣṇa has agreed to become her son. In his previous life, the husband and wife, they underwent severe austerities, and when Kṛṣṇa appeared before them and wanted to give them benediction, they wanted a son like God. So where can be another person who is equal to God? That is not possible. God means there is no equal, there is no greater. Asamordhva. That is God. God, there cannot be any competition, that "You are God, I am God, he is God, he is God." No. These are dogs. They are not God. God means without competition: one. God is one. Nobody is great... asamordhva. Nobody is greater than Him. Nobody is equal to Him. Everyone is lower. Ekale īśvara kṛṣṇa āra saba bhṛtya (CC Adi 5.142). The only master is Kṛṣṇa, God; and everyone, servant. Never mind.
These boys, cowherd boys, now who are playing with Kṛṣṇa, they're also not ordinary. They have got now the highest perfection, that they have been able to play with the Supreme Personality of Godhead. How they have achieved this position? Kṛta-puṇya-puñjāḥ. Many, many lives pious activities. Because these boys for many, many lives underwent austerities, penances to achieve the highest perfection of life. Now they have got the opportunity-playing with Kṛṣṇa personally on equal level. They do not know that Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. That is vṛndāvana-līlā. The cowherd boys, they simply love Kṛṣṇa. Their love is unending. Everyone in Vṛndāvana.
So these people, these Māyāvādī people, they are trying to become one with the God. But a devotee doesn't like to be one with God but better than God or higher than God. That is devotee's position. Devotee's so powerful that Kṛṣṇa, a devotee can claim to become higher than God. They can produce God. Just like Yaśodā-mātā, Devakī. He (she) produced God. And God agrees. These Devakī and Vasudeva, they underwent severe penances, austerities. Without any conjugal union, they undergone tapasya. And Kṛṣṇa came to them, that "What do you want?" "Now I, we want a son like You." So Kṛṣṇa said, "Who can be equal to Me? That is not possible. I shall become your son." This is the reason that Kṛṣṇa took birth as the son of Devakī, because they become... Kṛṣṇa... Vasudeva and Devakī or Mother Yaśodā or Nanda, they became the father and mother of Kṛṣṇa, and now they are chastising Kṛṣṇa. It is not so easy thing. They had to undergo thousands of years in penances to take this position of chastising Kṛṣṇa. It is not... (end)
And why He agreed? Yācitaḥ, yācitaḥ: "requested." Requested as Sutapā and Pṛśni. Vasudeva was Pṛśni in his former life, and Devakī was Sutapā. Sutapā. Sutapā means one who can perform austerities and penance very nicely. Su means nicely, and tapaḥ. So they underwent austerities and penance to get a son like Kṛṣṇa.
So when Kṛṣṇa was pleased with their tapasya, they wanted: "My Lord, we want a, a son like You." "So where is like Me?" Kṛṣṇa is asamordhva. There is nobody equal to Kṛṣṇa; nobody is greater than... Otherwise, how He can be great? If somebody is greater than Him, then how He can be great? Nobody can be greater than Him. That is greatness, either you say in English language or Muhammadan language. Allah akbar: "Allah, the Supreme Being, is the great." We also say, paraṁ brahma. So nobody can be greater than Him or equal. Asamordhva. So they wanted "a son like You."
Just like Dhruva Mahārāja. There are so many examples. Dhruva Mahārāja so severely underwent austerities, penances, meditation, to see the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The purpose was that "When I will see Lord Viṣṇu, I will ask some benediction so that I can get better kingdom than my father." He was insulted by his stepmother. So ambition was how to get a better kingdom than his father or his grandfather, Lord Brahmā. That was his ambition. But when he actually saw Lord Viṣṇu, and He was ready to give him any benediction, he said, "Oh, my dear Lord, I am quite satisfied. I don't want any benediction." Svāmin kṛtārtho 'smi varaṁ na yāce: (CC Madhya 22.42) "My dear Lord, I am so satisfied that I have no more need of asking any benediction." This is perfection of Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
Otherwise, there are many men, they're also undergoing austerities for some material purpose. There are many men who wants to accumulate some money, begins business from low standard, works very hard day and night. In your country, there are many examples. Just like Mr. Henry Ford. So that is also tapasya. They underwent severe conditions of life to accumulate some money. After death or at the end of life, they'll be called: "Oh, here is a millionaire. He started his business with a farthing. Now he's millionaire." He wants that credit. No. Not that kind of tapasya. Because that accumulation of wealth, millions of dollars, will be finished after this body is finished. After death, he cannot take away the millions of dollars with him next life.
But they do not know that there is next life. Next life he may become a dog, and what this millions of dollars will help him? That he does not know. Therefore tapo divyam (SB 5.5.1). Take austerity, penances, for reviving your original consciousness, Kṛṣṇa consciousness. For that purpose, you undergo austerity.
Take austerity, penances, for reviving your original consciousness, Kṛṣṇa consciousness. For that purpose, you undergo austerity. Otherwise, if you simply undergo austerities, penances, hardship, for some material gain, then it is waste of time, defeat, parābhava. Parābhavas tāvad abodha-jātaḥ. Because he's a fool, rascal, he does not know what for hardship should be taken. Just like Hiraṇyakaśipu. He also underwent tapasya. The whole universe became trembled. Brahmā came: "Why you are undergoing such severe tapasya?" On one finger he stood up, and undergoing tapasya. Brahmā came: "What is your purpose of this tapasya?" "Sir, I want to be immortal." "So that is not possible. You cannot become immortal." Then in so many ways he wanted to become immortal. What is the purpose of becoming immortal? There are many trees standing for ten thousands of years. That is very successful life, to stand in a place for ten thousands of years without any movement? Or prolonging life for many thousands of years? Brahmā lives also for many millions of years.
So in this way he very strongly criticized his brother, and then he surrendered, "My dear brother, what do you want me to do?" So he said that "You immediately come with me. Don't remain here." So immediately he left home, and then he underwent tapasya, and then he got salvation.
So here when Vidura came, returned back, so Yudhiṣṭhira is receiving the uncle. He was also... He knew that "Our uncle Vidura was always in our side and tried to protect us." So he was very pleased. So Vidura, during the time of war between the two section, he was traveling in the holy places of pilgrimage and talking with his spiritual master, Maitreya. So therefore because he was traveling in holy place, Yudhiṣṭhira Mahārāja wanted to inform him that "My dear uncle, you are so exalted devotee, you do not require even to travel in the holy places of pilgrimage, because wherever you stay, that will turn into pilgrimage."
The jñānīs, they are accepting mind, intelligence, as ātmā. But ātmā is above. Therefore we have to purify the idea of ātma-tattvam. Ātma-tattva-viśuddhy-artham. Ātma-tattva-viśuddhy-artham. Yad āha. So we have to hear from authorities, from Bhagavān. Brahmaṇe darśayan rūpam avyalīka-vratādṛtaḥ. Because Brahmā underwent great tapasya for hundreds of years, so, being pleased upon Brahmā, Kṛṣṇa, Lord Kṛṣṇa, explained to him this ātma-tattva.
So Kṛṣṇa is within. In the beginning of Bhāgavata, tene brahma hṛdā... The... Darśayan. When Brahmā saw the form of the Lord—not exactly outside but from within. And He educated him from within. Tene brahma hṛdā. Hṛdā means through the heart He transmitted the knowledge, bhagavat-tattva. And after understanding the bhagavat-tattva instructed by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, he wrote this Brahma-saṁhitā. Cintāmaṇi-prakara-sadmasu kalpa-vṛkṣa-lakṣāvṛteṣu surabhīr abhipālayantam (Bs. 5.29). There are hundred chapters of Brahma-saṁhitā.
If simply we remain like hogs and cats and dogs, then how it is possible to realize God? Paraṁ pavitram. If I do not become pavitra myself, pure, how I can see the supreme pure? It is impossible. Tapasya must be there. But for this age the tapasya has been minimized. Brahmā is the most important person within this universe. He underwent tapasya for a hundred years. Then he could see God and realize God. You cannot go such tapasya, undergo such tapasya. That is not possible in this age.
He has simply asked, Caitanya Mahāprabhu, very kindly. He is God. He is giving His own prescription: harer nāma harer nāma harer nāmaiva kevalam, kalau nāsty eva nāsty eva nāsty eva: (CC Adi 17.21) "Simply you chant." Because in this age it is very difficult... Every process... The yoga system, that is also tapasya.
Avyalīka means without any cheating. Where is avyalīka? "Without any deceptive motive." So those who have realized impersonal form, not form, impersonal feature, they are cheated. They do not know actually what is God, what is the Absolute Truth. Avyalīka-vrata. And why Brahmā was favored to see the form of the Lord? Because he underwent severe tapasya, vow, worship. So God, or the Absolute Truth, is not formless. He has his form, sac-cid-ānanda-vigraha (Bs. 5.1). But that can be seen only by persons who underwent severe austerities, penances, or engaged in devotion. Bhaktyā mām abhijānāti (BG 18.55). Otherwise, they will remain impersonal. The conclusion is, those who are impersonalists, their knowledge is imperfect. They have still to go forward.
Pradyumna: "Translation: Lord Brahmā underwent penances for one thousand years by the calculations of the demigods. He heard this transcendental vibration from the sky and he accepted it as divine. Thus he controlled his mind and senses and the penances which he executed were a great lesson for the living entities. Thus he is known as the greatest of all ascetics."
Prabhupāda: So one has to become ascetic and therefore penance. Then these things will be learned. Not with imperfect senses, imperfect conclusion we can understand. No. Then?
The Vasudeva and Devakī, in their previous life they underwent severe austerities. After their marriage, they immediately were not anxious to beget child. They went to the forest and began practicing austerity and penances, severe, some hundreds of years. Then Kṛṣṇa appeared that "What do you want? Why you are undergoing so much severe...?" "No, we want a son like You. Then we enter into the family life." So Kṛṣṇa said that "Where is another Kṛṣṇa?" Because God is one. "So if you want a son like Me, then I will have to become your son. There is no competitor." God has no competitor. God is one. Ekaṁ brahma dvitīyaṁ nāsti. This is the... Kṛṣṇa therefore says, mām ekam. Mām ekam. Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekam (BG 18.66).
Otherwise how He says janmani, janmani? Mukti means no more janma. But Caitanya Mahāprabhu says mama janmani janmani. It doesn't matter. Mama janmani janmanīśvare bhavatād ahaitukī bhakti. That's all. Therefore if you want to become praśāntā, fully satisfied... Just like Dhruva Mahārāja, he went to the forest and underwent severe tapasya to see the Supreme Personality of Godhead. But when he actually saw Him, he said, svamin kṛtārtho 'smi varaṁ na yāce: (CC Madhya 22.42) "I don't want any benediction." This is praśāntā, no one disturbing Kṛṣṇa for any personal, material benefits. That is called praśāntā. That is stated here, mahānta. This is mahānta, sama-cittāḥ praśāntā vimanyavaḥ. Vimanyavaḥ, because a devotee has to suffer so many tribulations. That is the history of all devotees. But he's never angry. He's never angry. Then he falls down. Vimanyavaḥ. Just like Lord Jesus Christ. He was being crucified; He still, He was praying, "God, these people they do not know what they are doing." Vimanyavaḥ, never angry.
This is Dhruva Mahārāja said. He had desires, very, very great desires that "I shall have, I shall possess a kingdom greater than Brahmā, greater than my father." He was insulted by his stepmother. This is desire. This is We are Action and reaction. So he desired that "I shall have a great kingdom—greater kingdom than my father." He went to the forest and he underwent very severe austerities, a five-years-old boy. He saw, Kṛṣṇa came. So when He wanted to give him, fulfill his desires, he said, svāmin kṛtārtho 'smi varaṁ na yāce: "No, no, no, no. I have nothing to ask from You." This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. No more desires. Otherwise, karmī, jñānī, yogi, and bhakta. Akāmaḥ sarva-kāmo vā mokṣa-kāma udāra-dhīḥ (SB 2.3.10). Mokṣa-kāma, the jñānīs they want mokṣa, to merge into the existence of Brahman. The yogis, they want siddhis, some perfection, material perfection, to show some magic. And the karmīs, they want sense gratification.
So the physician, the doctor, surgeon, he wanted to give him anaesthetic, chloroform. He refused: "There is no need of. Let the operation go on. I shall see what is there within the belly." Strong-minded, here, even in material conception, he was, he undergo, underwent the surgical operation without any chloroform. So that is possible. If one is fully absorbed in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then he has no more bodily conception of life. That is not to be imitated. It is on the highest stage it is possible to forget completely, and he is liberated. Deha-smṛti nāhi yāra saṁsāra bandhana kāhāṅ tāra. He is no more conditioned by the material nature.
So how it can be possible? It can be possible. I have given already one crude example. Similarly, why Mr. Stalin could tolerate without any trouble? Because he was a leader. He was always absorbed in the thought of how he could advance the Communist cause. This is the real reason.
If there is no such inquiry, then it is animal. Animals are satisfied if they can eat something and sleep and have some sex life and some defense. That's all. There is no defense, actually, because nobody can protect himself from the hands of the cruel death. Therefore Hiraṇyakaśipu wanted to live forever, and he underwent severe austerities. The so-called scientists are also saying that "By scientific method we shall stop death." This is also another crazy utterances. That is not possible. You may make very much advance in scientific knowledge, but there is no solution, by your so-called science, of these four problems: birth, death, old age and disease. There is no solution. Therefore, one who is intelligent, he'll be eager, how to solve these four prime problems. That is intelligence. Because nobody wants to die. "Why shall I die?" But there is no remedy. I have to die. The... Everyone is very much anxious to stop increase of population by so many contraceptive methods. But still, birth is going on. So there is no stoppage of death. There is no stoppage of birth.
That is not possible. It is simply humbug. You have to
Therefore śāstra gives us the instruction, kṛte yad dhyāyato viṣṇum (SB 12.3.52). Kṛte mean in the Satya-yuga, when man used to live for one hundred thousands of years. Just like Valmiki Muni, he underwent meditation for sixty thousands of years, and he attained success. So it was possible, kṛte, in the Satya-yuga. Satya-yuga was the first, beginning of millennium. Satya-yuga exists for eighteen hundred thousand years, and then Treta-yuga, for twelve hundred thousand years, then Dvāpara-yuga, eight hundred thousands of years. Now it is Kali-yuga, it is four hundred thousands of years. And the duration of life in Satya-yuga was hundred thousands of years, and in the Treta-yuga it was one thousands of years. No? Ten thousands of years. And in the Dvāpara-yuga one thousand years. And now it is one hundred. That is also not all.
We have discussed. He says that one cannot be completely purified by executing these process of purificatory methods. Na tathā. Maybe. Just like there are many examples. There are Dhruva, Viśvāmitra Muni. He underwent all this tapasya. He was a kṣatriya. He wanted to become a brāhmaṇa. There was a quarrel between him and a ṛṣi. So he saw the extraordinary power of the ṛṣi, and he wanted to become a brāhmaṇa. So he began austerity. But he became also a victim of Menakā, the society girl of heavenly planet. And being entangled, he begot a child. In this way he became implicated, because he was not pure.
What is this death? Death means a sound sleep for seven months. That's all. A sound sleep for seven months. As soon as I give up this body, I enter into another body in sound sleep. And sound sleep, just like you are sleeping sound, somebody is taking you away to another place. You do not know. I have got experience. I have got, underwent some, some surgical operation. So I was under chloroform. So I did not know when I was operated, when I was in the operation table, then who brought me again to my bed. And in this way I did not... But when gradually I got my consciousness, I remember still, that I am sleeping, and then I am dreaming. Then I come to consciousness, active consciousness. This is the position.
They struggle to become prime minister and Birla and this and that. And again, for the next life, they make provision. Therefore they want to give some charity, yajña-dāna-ta... Yajña, performing yajña. Yajña-dāna-ta... Tapasya. Hiraṇyakaśipu also underwent severe type of austerity, and he got benediction from Brahmā that "You'll not be killed by any man, any demigod, any animal. You'll not be killed in the sky or the water or the land," so many ways. But Brahmā did not give him the benediction of becoming immortal. He first of all wanted, "Make me immortal." So "That is not possible because I am... Myself is not immortal. How can I give you?" So he took indirectly how to become immortal. And by austerity he got all these powers so that even the demigods were afraid of him.
Just like in your country so many people are trying to become the President. Everywhere, everyone is trying to become master. It doesn't matter it is a small circle or big circle. This is material disease. So Brahmā is also trying to become the master of this universe. The same mentality is there. Hiraṇyakaśipu underwent severe penances. Why? To become the master of the world. This is the material disease. Kṛṣṇa bhuliya jīva bhoga-vāñchā kare. So this bhoga-vāñchā are different degrees. One man is satisfied having a family, three, four men. He thinks, "I have become master." But other is not satisfied. Other wants, "No, no. Why a family? I must be master of a society or a community or a nation." So Brahmā is also the same thing, same degree—not same degree; different degree—but the desire is how to become master. That disease is there. We are trying to be... Disease is disease.
So we should always remember that without... Tapo divyaṁ putrakā yena śuddhyet sattva (SB 5.5.1). Ṛṣabhadeva advised His sons, "My dear sons, this human form of life, don't live like cats and dogs. Don't spoil your life." Then what to do? Now, tapaḥ: "Undergo..." Just like Brahmā was advised. Brahmā is the son of Viṣṇu, so when he was perplexed, the same advice was given, tapaḥ. So he underwent. He underwent tapasā, tīvra-tapasā. Tīvra means very severe.
Nectar of Devotion Lectures
We may admit or not admit, but this frustration of love affair is going on. So if we... That same thing we repose in Kṛṣṇa. If I want to love my son, if I accept Kṛṣṇa as my son... Just like Yaśodāmayī accepted. Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, but by devotional service, He agrees to become a son. Just like Yaśodāmayī and Nanda Mahārāja, in their previous lives they underwent severe austerities, and their aim was that "We shall have a son like God, like Kṛṣṇa." So after their performance of austerities for many thousands of years, when Kṛṣṇa appeared before them, "What benediction you want?" so they proposed that "We want a son like You. Then we enter into family life. Otherwise not." So Kṛṣṇa said that "Why shall I get a son like Me? I shall become your son." This is the fact. Therefore, although Kṛṣṇa took His birth as the son and, sons of Devakī and Vasudeva, immediately ordered Vasudeva to transfer Him to Vṛndāvana to Yaśodā.
Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures
And he represented the sacrifice of renouncement. He..., you may remember that the Supreme Personality of Godhead, out of His six opulences, one opulence is renouncement. So Lord Buddha's life is renouncement. He was prince. He, he was in a very young time. He renounced the world and underwent severe penances. These are the symptoms by which we can understand that he's also śaktyāveśa avatāra. And the Bhagavad-gītā you'll find, yad yad vibhūtimat sattvaṁ mama tejo-'ṁśa-sambhavam. Anyone, not only Lord Buddha or others, but anyone, Lord, in the Bhagavad-gītā it is stated, anyone who has got some extraordinary power, uncommon power, he's to be considered vibhu. Śaktyāveśa avatāra, there are two kinds, one directly empowered for particular mission, comes from the transcendental spiritual sky, and others, those who are in this material world, but they have got some specific power, uncommon power, not found in ordinary man. They are called vibhūti.
Festival Lectures
Āhlāda means transcendental bliss. Ānanda-cinmaya-rasa-pratibhāvitābhiḥ (Bs. 5.37). Living entities' real identification is prahlāda, blissfulness. But on account of material association, we are in miserable condition of life. So... (aside:) Stop these children.
So this Hiraṇyakaśipu wanted to become immortal, and he underwent penances, severe penances, so much so, the whole universe became trembled. So that Brahmā, Lord Brahmā, had to come to pacify him, "What do you want?" So he wanted to become immortal. Lord Brahmā said that "Although I have got very long duration of life,..." The duration of life of Brahmājī is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā, sahasra-yuga-paryantam arhad yad brahmaṇo viduḥ (BG 8.17). Sahasra-yuga, one group of yugas-Satya, Treta, Dvāpara, Kali—it becomes about forty-three lakhs of years.
So this is the feeling of a devotee. Generally, those who are followers of speculative process, or jñāna-mārga, they finally reach to understand that he is one with the Supreme Absolute Truth. Ahaṁ brahmāsmi. But the devotional service is so nice that a devotee is not satisfied that "I am one with the Supreme," but by his service he becomes greater than the Supreme. Just like Nanda Mahārāja. He is not anxious to become one with God, but he underwent so great penances that he became the father of God. That is possible. A devotee is so great that he can pray the Supreme Lord as his son. Of course, it is a very subtle science for understanding of spiritual knowledge. So today Nanda-mahotsava is celebrated because the father of Kṛṣṇa... Ajo 'pi sann avyayātmā bhūtānām īśvaro 'pi san, in the Bhagavad-gītā it is said. Although God is unborn and He is the Supreme, still, by love, He accepts one of His devotees as His father and appears as his son. So today is very nice day, that Kṛṣṇa has appeared. The Supreme Lord has appeared as the son of Nanda Mahārāja. So there is some arrangement of prasādam on account of Nanda Mahārāja. So you can distribute and enjoy.
So in his life he was akhaṇḍa brahmacārī. Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura had many other sons, and he was the fifth son. And some of his other brother also, they did not marry. And my Guru Mahārāja, he also did not marry. From the childhood he is strict brahmacārī, Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Gosvāmī Mahārāja. And he underwent very severe penances for starting this movement, worldwide movement. That was his mission. Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura wanted do this. He, 1896, Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura wanted to introduce this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement by sending this book, Shree Chaitanya Mahāprabhu, His Life and Precepts. Fortunately, that year was my birth year, and by Kṛṣṇa's arrangement, we came in contact. I was born in a different family, my Guru Mahārāja was born in a different family. Who knew that I will come to his protection? Who knew that I would come in America? Who knew that you American boys will come to me? These are all Kṛṣṇa's arrangement.
General Lectures
"There are millions, 8,400,000 species of life, and I am the father of all these living entities." So who is going to be His father? Nobody is father, but a devotee, when likes, "My dear Lord, I want a son like You," so Kṛṣṇa accepts, "Where is another son like Me? I'll become your son." That's all. Just like Vasudeva and Devakī. In their previous life they underwent severe austerities. They were married couples, but they had no sex. They were determined that "Unless we get the Lord as our son, we are not having any son." So they went on for many years, many thousands years' austerity. Then the Lord appeared: "What do you want?" "Sir, I want a son like You." "Where can I get another son like Me? I'll become your son." So Kṛṣṇa, or the Lord, is father of everyone, but He voluntarily accepts to become a son to His devotee. Otherwise His position is always father. Yes.
Therefore our prayer should be how we shall be twenty-four hours engaged in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Bhavantam evānucaran nirantaraḥ praśānta-niḥśeṣa. I'm just trying to explain the word praśānta, pacifism, how one can be pacified, fully satisfied. Just like Dhruva Mahārāja, a boy. He wanted the kingdom of his father and he underwent severe penances to see God, Nārāyaṇa, so that he may ask His benediction to be, I mean to say, seated on the throne of his father. That was his desire. He went to forest to undertake severe penances to see Nārāyaṇa so that he can ask from Him the benediction that he should have..., seated on the throne of his father. Because by the intrigue of his stepmother, he was rejected by his father. He wanted... That material desire we, every one of us in conditioned state, we want. Sometimes we compete. We become very much obstinate, that "I must have this," and we work very hard.
So Prahlāda Mahārāja's recommendation is very genuine. That is the Vedic system. But he was unfortunately born in an asura family. His father was a great asura. Asura means godless. He had also undergone severe austerity to achieve the power. He was defeated by the demigods. So he left his home and underwent severe austerities so that the whole universe became trembled and Brahmājī came to appease him, "What do you want?" He said, "I want to become immortal." So Brahmājī said, "How can I give you the benediction of immortality, because myself I am not immortal?" Everyone has to die in this material world, either one may be Brahmā or a small ant. Janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi-duḥkha-doṣānudarśanam (BG 13.9). "So this is not possible. I cannot make you immortal."
"That's all right." In this way, he thought that "I am very intelligent and I am cheating Brahmājī. Indirectly, by different way, I have now become immortal."
So he also underwent great austerities, but for material enjoyment. He wanted to live forever in this material world. So he was never interested to teach his children about Kṛṣṇa consciousness. But Prahlāda Mahārāja, fortunately, when he was in the womb of his mother, at the care of Nārada Muni, he understood the Kṛṣṇa consciousness, because if you associate with a sādhu, the saintly person, then saintly person has nothing to do but simply deliver the knowledge, transcendental knowledge of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. They have no other duty. Just like Ambarīṣa Mahārāja, he was king but a great Vaiṣṇava. So about him it is stated, sa vai manaḥ kṛṣṇa-pādāravindayor vacāṁsi vaikuṇṭha-guṇānuvarṇane (SB 9.4.18).
Vaiṣṇava, devotee of Lord, can give you everything, whatever you desire, fulfilled, because a Vaiṣṇava can deliver Kṛṣṇa. So when Kṛṣṇa is achieved, so there is no more any desire. Just like Dhruva Mahārāja. He underwent severe austerities, penances, meditation. His purpose was that "When I shall see God, Nārāyaṇa, I shall take benediction that I must have a kingdom better than my father or my grandfather achieved." That was his determination. Because he was a child, so his stepmother refused to allow him to sit on the lap of his father. He became insulted, so he decided that "I shall take from Kṛṣṇa such a kingdom which even my father or grandfather could not imagine." It is childish determination, but it was a determination. He was a kṣatriya. His determination... And Kṛṣṇa fulfilled it. But from his part, when he saw Kṛṣṇa, Nārāyaṇa, he said, svāmin kṛtārtho 'smi varaṁ na yāce:
Ye 'nye 'ravindakṣa. Ye aravindakṣa. Aravindakṣa is Kṛṣṇa. "Persons who are thinking that 'I have become liberated,' vimukta-mānina, they're actually... They're not mukta. Therefore," āruhya kṛcchreṇa paraṁ padam, "although they underwent very severe austerities and achieved the position in nirviśeṣa-brahma," āruhya kṛcchreṇa paraṁ padam (SB 10.2.32), "but because they could not understand, my Lord, Your lotus feet, they," patanty adho, "they fall down." Just like in the modern age they are going very high by aeroplane or sputnik, but because they do not get a shelter in either the moon planet or Mars planet, they again come down. So simply speculative knowledge, philosophical knowledge, will not give us actual shelter in the nirviśeṣa, nirākāra-brahman. Absolute Truth we can realize in three stages.
Philosophy Discussions
Prabhupāda: Yes, according to our philosophy, just like Brahmā. Brahmā, he created another universe in his previous birth, but in this birth he forgot. So therefore he underwent tapasya for one hundred years, is it not? It is stated. So it is called... Just like you know something, so you think (indistinct). This is like that.
Śyāmasundara: If I invent a new invention...
Prabhupāda: It is not invention. That I am seeking where I have kept a thing, that means it is there, I have not forgot.
Śyāmasundara: In other words it existed before.
Prabhupāda: Yes.
Devotee (2): (indistinct) the fire is extinguished.
Prabhupāda: (indistinct) taken him out of the fire, then he is ...
Devotee: But his one point is that Freud's theory underwent many changes. In the beginning...
Prabhupāda: Then (indistinct) because that is imperfect.
Devotee: His first doctrine was that we should indulge the senses, that this would help, but later he reformed that idea, that instead of indulging the gross senses we should sublimate our natural instincts to some higher cause. So his idea was that instead of actually indulging in gross sex life, we should channel this sexual impulse to some higher cause, such as for developing the culture.
| Page Title: | Underwent (Lectures) |
| Compiler: | Visnu Murti, RupaManjari |
| Created: | 23 of May, 2012 |
| Totals by Section: | BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=53, Con=0, Let=0 |
| No. of Quotes: | 53 |