A Structural Review of the Main Topics of Srimad-Bhagavatam. Lecture 11
Bhakti Vijnana Goswami · 2020
Chapters
Purpose of studying Srimad Bhagavatam cantos
Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya Śivas. Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya
Nārāyaṇaṁ namaskṛtya naraṁ caiva narottamam, devīṁ sarasvīṁ vyāsaṁ tato jayam udīrayet. Naṣṭa-prāyeṣv abhadreṣu nityṁ bhāgavat-sevayā, bhagavaty uttama-śloke bhaktir bhavati naiṣṭhikī.
Yāṁ pravrajantam anupetam apeta-kṛtyaṁ dvaipāyanō viraha-kātara ājuhāva, putreti tan-mayatayā taravo 'bhinedus, taṁ sarva-bhūta-hṛdayaṁ munim nato 'smi.
Bhagavat Sevaya Bhagavat tamosh Lokebhakti Bhavatina stiki. Yamprava Jantamanopeta Mapetakrityam Dwaipay no Virahakatara Juhava, putre titan Mayatayota Ravobinedus, Tam sarva Buta Hridayam Muni Tosmi So as we uh as you I
I hope remember. We are studying Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam with some review of the cantos of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam in connection with the general design of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, which is to prepare us to understand the tenth canto or Krishna Charity properly.
The tenth canto of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is the essence of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, culmination of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. But to understand the tenth canto properly is not so easy due to different problems, anarthas within our heart.
These anarthas create certain doubts within us. This connection between the anarthas and doubts are very, very important to understand.
Whenever we have doubts, it's a result of certain attachments which may not be even known to us. Most of the attachments are like the down part of the iceberg.
We can only see the conscious part of our problems, but there are much more problems within our subconsciousness.
And in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam Śrīla Śukadeva Gosvāmī, while describing different stories, helps us to understand or to overcome all these unwanted problems
which are there within our heart and ultimately give the space within our heart which will help us to understand the tenth canto of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.
So in this scheme of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, the sixth canto of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam plays a very special role because most of the Purāṇas define Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam by saying that this is the story, this is the Purana
which contains the story of Vṛtrāsura, which is within the sixth canto. And uh out of all the stories, uh it's not Krishna's story uh which is uh taken as the definition of Shrimad Bhagavatam.
Ironically, or you know, it's not so easily understandable because we all know when we speak about Śrīmad Bhāgavatam that it's the story of Lord Krishna in the 10th Canto.
But all the Purāṇas which give definition of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam Purāna, they are unanimous by giving Vṛtrāsura story or Vṛtrāsura-vadha story rather the story of killing Vṛtrāsura as the hallmark of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam as the characteristic lakṣaṇa, specific distinguishing characteristic of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.
So that's why understanding of this tenth canto and the essence of, or sorry, not 10th canto, sixth canto is very important. Anyway, I will read two verses from this
section of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam about killing of the demon Vritrasura. And these two verses are immediately preceding the prayers of Vṛtrāsura which constitute the essence of this story
Reading Srimad Bhagavatam verses on opulence
of Vṛtrāsura vada story so I will read 22nd and 23rd verses from the eleventh chapter of the sixth canto The Transcendental
Qualities of Vṛtrāsura. Puṁsaḥ kilaikānta-priyaṁ svakānāṁ yaḥ sampado bhūmivi-padmasu ramyaḥ rasāyaneṣu na ratir viṣāḍvya-udvega-ādhir-mahataś ca liḥ vyasanam samprāyasaḥ. Rasaayyanan naratya visha udvega Adhir, mahat calir Vyasanam samprayasa.
Puṁsaḥ — to persons; kila — certainly; ekānta-priyam — who are advanced in Krishna consciousness, who are recognized by the Supreme Personality of Godhead as his own.
Yaha, which sampada hopulances devi in the upper planetary system, Bhumo, in the middle planetary system, Rasayam and the lower planetary system, na — not; ratiḥ — attachment; yataḥ — from which;
envy, udvegaḥ — anxiety; ādiḥ — mental agitation; madaḥ — pride; kaliḥ — quarrel; vyasanam — distress due to loss. samprāyāsaḥ — great endeavor. Translation.
Persons who have fully surrendered at the lotus feet of the Supreme Personality of Godhead and always think of his lotus feet, are accepted and recognized by the Lord as His own personal assistant or servants.
The Lord never bestows upon such servants the brilliant opulences of the upper, lower, and middle planetary system of this material world.
When one possesses material opulence, in many of these three divisions universe, his possessions naturally increase his enmity, anxiety, mental agitation, pride and belligerence.
Thus one goes through much endeavor to increase and maintain his possessions, and he suffers great unhappiness when he loses them.
In Bhagavad-gītā, the Lord says, As devotees surrender unto me, I reward them accordingly. Everyone follows my path in all respects, O son of Pritha.
Both Indra and Vritrasura were certainly devotees of the Lord. Although Indra took instructions from Vishnu to kill Vritrasura, the Lord was actually more favorable to Vritrasura because after being killed by Indra's thunderbolt Vritrasura would go back to Godhead. Whereas the victorious Indra would rot in this material world.
Because both of them were devotees, Lord awarded them the respective benedictions they wanted. Vritrasura never wanted material possessions, for he knew very well the nature of such possessions.
To accumulate material possessions, one must labor very hard, and when he gets them, he creates many enemies because this material world is always full of rivalry.
If one becomes rich, his friends or relatives are envious. For unalloyed bhaktas, unalloyed devotees, Krishna therefore never provides material possessions.
A devotee sometimes needs some material possessions for preaching, but the possessions of a preacher are not like those of a karmi.
A karmi's possessions are achieved as a result of karma, but those who are devotees, those of a devotee are arranged by the Supreme Personality of Godhead just to facilitate his devotional service.
Because a devotee never uses material possessions for any purpose other than the service of the Lord, the possessions of a devotee are not to be compared to those who have faith.
And the next verse Trivari Kayasha Vigatam Asmat Patir Vidhate Purusasya Shakra, Tato na yo bhavad-prasādo yo durlabho 'kiñcana- go-go-raih.
O Lord, O Lord, the Supreme Personality of God, it forbids his devotee to endeavor uselessly for religion, economic development and sense gratification. O Indra, one can thus infer how kind the Lord is.
Such mercy is obtainable only by unalloyed devotees, not by persons who aspire for material gain. Purport.
There are four objectives in human life, namely religiosity, dharma, economic development, artha, sense gratification, kama, and liberation for the bondage from the bondage of material existence.
People generally aspire for religiosity, economic development, and sense gratification, but a devotee has no other desire than to serve the Supreme Personality of God both in this life and in the next.
The special mercy for the unalloyed devotees is that the Lord saves him from hard labor to achieve the results of religion, economic development, and sense gratification. Of course, if one wants such benefits, the Lord certainly awards them. Indra, for example, although a devotee was not much interested in release from material bondage.
Instead, he desired sense gratification and the high standard of material happiness in the heavenly planets.
Vritrasura, however, being an unalloyed devotee, inspired only to serve, aspired only to serve the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Therefore, the Lord arranged for him to go back to Godhead after his bodily bondage was destroyed by Indra.
Vritasuri requested Indra to release his thunderbolt against him as soon as possible, so that both he and Indra would benefit according to their proportionate advancement in devotional service.
Śrīla Prabhupāda ki jaya! Nama oṁ viṣṇu-pādāya kṛṣṇa- pṛṣṭhāya bhū-tale śrīmate bhaktivedānta-svāmin iti nāmine. Namaste sārasvate deve gaura-vāṇī- प्रचारिне (prācāriṇe) nirviśeṣa-śūnyavādi-pāścātya-deśa-tārine. Vāñchā-kalpatarubhyaś ca kṛpā-sindhubhya eva ca patitānāṁ pāvanebhyo vaiṣṇavebhyo namo namaḥ. Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Prabhu Nityānanda Śrī Advaita Gadādhara Śrīvāsādi-gaura- bhakta-vṛnda Hare Kṛṣṇa Hare Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Hare Hare Hare Rāma Hare Rāma Rāma Rāma Hare Hare
Lambita Bujokana Kavadata Sankirtanaika Pitarokamalaya Taksa Viswambaro Dviavaro Yugdharma Palu, Vandeja Gat Priya Karokarunavatara, Yantah Pravishamamchimu Mampra Suptam, Sanji Vayata Kila Shakti Darah Swadamna, Anjam Shahasta Cherana, Shravana Twa Gadim, Pranannamu Bhagavatam.
Vritrasura story as the hallmark feature
Swasyastu Vishwasakalah Prasidatam Dyantu, Budani Shivam Mithodiya Manascha Badramba Jatata Doksaj, Avesitam Nau Matir atya to ki.
So, we will try to give the essence of the teachings of the sixth canto of Srimad Bhagavatam, because as I said, it constitutes the lakshana special feature of Shrimad Bhagavatam according to the Puranas which give the definitions of different Puranas.
Like in Matsya Purana it is said that in the beginning of one of the Puranas, the Gayatri mantra is the focus of this course.
In it, all the ramifications of true religion are delineated and the killing of demon Vritra is described. The Purana, which has these characteristics, is known as Srimad Bhagavatam.
Skanda Purana more or less repeats the same thing.
The Purana knows as known and as Shimad Bhagavatam recounts the deeds of human and demigods in the Sarasvata Kalpa explains the Supreme Religion in terms of Gayatri and narrates the slaying of Ritrasura. It has 18,000 verses.
So So in these two verses and a couple more verses from Puranas, this Vritrasura Vadha is being described as the essence of Shimad Bhagavatam. Why?
It's a very interesting question because the story of Vṛtrāsura, or the killing of Vṛtrāsura, is being described in many other places. Like in Mahābhārata, this story is being described.
And even in Rigveda, the story of Vṛtrāsura, the killing of Vṛtrāsura, is described in great details, and Indra is famous in Rigveda as the killer of Vṛtra.
So, what is so special about Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam story in this regard? First of all, in the other Purāṇas, and in particular in Mahābhārata, this story is told in a different way, in a different manner.
The story which is being told in Mahābhārata is that Vṛtrāsura is a powerful demon, and Indra is pondering how to kill him.
And Lord Viṣṇu appears to Lord Indra and says, You know, you become his friend, and you betray his friendship and you kill him by using the foam from the ocean.
So it's basically if we study carefully this story, this story is the story of treachery as it is told in Mahābhārata. But in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, there is a completely different twist of this story.
And therefore, Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī explains in Prīti-sandarbha why it is the lakṣaṇa of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, the story of Vṛtrāsura.
He says, because in the story of Vṛtrāsura, the purity of love is depicted in the most graphic way. The message of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is the message of love.
And it is described, love of Godhead, and it is described in many different ways, in many different stories. But there is a special flavor about description which is given in this Vṛtrāsura-vadha. Why?
Because, first of all, Vṛtrāsura is a demon. Second of all, because he is expressing his love right there in the middle of the battle, which is not a very common place to express love.
Usually the battlefield is the place to express hatred. And he's about to kill, oh, whatever, he's about to be killed by Lord Indra.
But at this very tragic moment of his life, the innermost feelings which are there within the heart, very sincere feelings, come out as his prayers. And these prayers is the essence of the message of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.
What is the purity of love? One can ask legitimately the question, why it is not the love of gopīs which is being described as the most pure? As we know the the ideal of purity of love is the love of gopis.
So Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī explains in Prīti-sandarbha that the love of gopis is more or less it's it's already made. It's eternal. It's already there within the heart.
Whereas the story of Vṛtrāsura describes how to obtain this purity of love, despite of all the difficulties, despite of all the problems which he had to undergo. And therefore, it's very instructive for us.
It's extremely instructive for us because it teaches us how we can obtain the same level of purity of love.
That's the difference and that's why this particular story and the sixth canto in particular are being chosen as the hallmark of the message of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.
So having said this, by defining the specialty of the sixth canto,
Conflict between pure and mixed devotion
Let's consider all other stories which are not less important to convey the message of this canto. So what is the essence of the story? As I tried to explain in my previous lectures,
all the stories they teach us by certain conflict.
Like in the third canto of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, there is definitely a conflict between Hiraṇyākṣa and and Hiraṇyākṣa and Varāhadeva, they symbolically represent certain mentality. can you mute your microphone?
Otherwise, I only hear my name, which is of course very pleasing, but not the topic of this discussion. So as I explained, that Śrīmad Bhāgavatam is conveying certain message through these conflicting stories.
In the third canto, it's the conflict between Hiraṇyākṣa, the greedy mentality, exploitative mentality of human beings and the mentality of sacrifice, the spirit of sacrifice which is symbolized by Lord Varāhadeva.
And there are so many conflicting stories in the fourth canto of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, but specifically the conflict between Daksha and Lord Shiva,
the spirit of attachment represented by Dakṣa, this Vedic attachment, vedic way of life which makes one attached to opulences and to well being in this material world and the spirit of renunciation.
So this clash is there in the fourth canto of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.
And the fifth canto of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, we studied last time; in the fifth canto of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, there are external borders or margins which are delineated or defined according to our psychophysiological conditions and how to be within these boundaries and at the same time develop internally.
And there is also some sort of conflict. Conflict In case of Maharaja Bharata, who is engaged in renunciation but internally becoming attached.
So this fourth, uh, the this sixth canto of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is also uh a depiction uh or description of different of different conflict uh or different mentality, that is the mentality of a pure devotee with the mentality of a mixed devotee.
So it's a very and therefore also it's a very important topic
in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam in Padma Purāṇa with the metaphor of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam with the human being, or the body of a human being is, or the body of the Lord, the form of the Lord is being described?
The sixth canto is the heart. It's the chest, and the chest is the place where the heart is.
So the essential point of this sixth canto of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam and that's why I have chosen these two particular verses and purports, is the conflict between the pure devotion and mixed devotion.
Because oftentimes our mentality is like this that we think that you know well you know pure devotion is nice uh but mixed devotion is not bad either uh so and we kind of lean or have the tendency towards this mixed devotion because we do want to have devotion, we are devotees, but at the same time we do not want to lose the opulences and niceties of this world and the good things of this world.
So the very important message of the sixth canto of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is that these two positions in the world are incompatible. And therefore, they're being depicted as Indra and Vṛtrāsura and how they're fighting.
And from the very beginning, they're being depicted as the conflict between Yamadūtas and Viṣṇudūtas. So, and that's what we have to really try to understand: how this mixed devotion, which we consider not so bad.
I mean, after all, you know, you know who we are, to aspire for the pure devotion, who we think we are, you know, let's let's settle for a for something not so bad. Mixed devotion is not so bad.
But Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam says, categorically, no, it's bad. Don't settle for it. Don't go for it.
It will be a tragic mistake if you somehow or other mix pure devotion with the mixed devotion or try to you know to practice devotion which is not so pure. So that's why again this message of the sixth canto is extremely important.
Clash between Yamadutas and Vishnudutas
Again, because the tendency, the very strong tendency within a heart is there to settle for some sort of mixture when it comes to devotion.
So when we take this sixth canto of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, of course, the first story of the story of Aja-mila, as we habitually say. But in reality if we study deeply this story, this story is not the story of Aja-mila.
It's the story of Aja-mila, yes. But in reality this story is the story which occupies three first chapters of the sixth canto of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is the story of Viṣṇu Dūtas and Yamadūtas, their conflict.
And Viṣṇu Dūtas they represent pure devotional service. And Yamadūtas they represent mixed devotional service.
Yamadūtas they are servants of Yamarāja, they are you know they are great knowers of dharma, they are followers of dharma, and they are not only followers, they are proponents, they are protectors of dharma. Their job in this world is to protect dharma from all the transgressions and deviations, from all the sinful reactions to award punishment for those who are violating dharma.
And in the very first chapter, we see the clash between Yamadūtas and Viṣṇu Dūtas. And Yamadūtas they have their right, they have their position, they they try to prove uh very solidly that they are correct,
but Viṣṇu Dūtas couldn't care less.
Viṣṇu Dūtas uh they represent symbolically represent not symbolically, they actually they translate or transmit, they express the philosophy of pure devotional service: how pure devotional service is much more powerful than any sinful reactions within this world.
So, and therefore this three first chapters are there. In the first chapter we see the story of Aja-mila and of course the story of Yamadūtas, when Yamadūtas they explain why they are right and why they have come to
to take this soul of Aja-mila. In the second chapter we hear how Viṣṇu Dūtas they actually glorify the pure devotional service, how they say that this is that you are talking nonsense actually.
That all your description they are not applied in case of Aja-mila, because Aja-mila somehow or other at the end of his life he performed pure devotional service and therefore all his sins were absolved immediately, completely.
And then of course Yamadutas they go back to Yamaraj and they have a conversation, they are very bewildered. They are completely, you know, they are flabbergasted. They don't know what happened. How that happened?
Who dared to challenge their authority and the authority of Yamaraja on behalf of whom they were doing this, and uh Yamaraja is explaining to them the glory of devotional service. So So when we study this sixth canto,
what is most important, which we should really understand, is the psychology, because as I said, each and every canto of
Shimad Bhagavatam describes certain clash of psychology, which is the clash within us, within our heart. So if we go deeply within our heart, we will see the same sort of conflict. We will find out this conflict.
Because one part of us are completely with is completely with Vishnu, with Yamadutas.
This part of us says, yes, we have to be very careful, we have to lead very pure life, and you know, devotional service is nice, but you know, just in case we shouldn't commit any sinful activities.
And we kind of subconsciously, how to say, how to say, subconsciously we're lowering the position of pure devotional service. We do not have this complete faith in pure devotional service that
just by saying Nārāyaṇa at the end of the life everything is finished. No atonement, nothing else. You know, it's um it's quite unbelievable.
If we uh really go deep within our heart, we will understand that there is some doubt within our heart. Is it really enough just to chant the Holy Name, to chant the Holy Name purely? So, and that's the essence.
And if we study carefully this position, two positions,
Mentality of pure versus mixed devotees
positions of Viṣṇudūtas and Yamadūtas, we will see a very glaring difference between these two positions or between these two mentalities. First of all, let's take, let's compare this.
If we take Yamadutas, the first thing which is there, they believe in karma. They think that following karma, following some piety is necessary and ultimately is necessary to success to be successful in bhakti.
It's very interesting that Viṣṇudūtas, both Viṣṇudūtas and Yamadutas, they believe in bhakti.
Yamadutas they are not karmis in the proper sense of the word, they are mixed devotees, but they think that to achieve success in bhakti one has to follow some pious rituals and some protective measures and this and that, only then one can achieve success in bhakti.
So that's a very, very important mentality. And Vishnu Dutas they say, forget it, you're wrong. This is a mistake. Don't put, don't place your face into all these karmic rituals, because ultimately they will fail you.
And this is one of the topics of the sixth canto of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. How the performance of all these karmic rituals ultimately will have no effect, whereas the pure devotional service is very powerful.
So Vishnu Dutas don't believe in karma. They only have faith in bhakti. Yamadutas they believe in karma, and they think it's necessary to mix certain karmas, certain piety with the bhakti to achieve success in bhakti.
So, and ultimately, this is very clearly follows from this initial chapters of the sixth canto of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Yamadutas they don't know real Dharma.
They uh don't know the law of dharma, they don't know Bhagavad Dharma. Their understanding of Dharma is very mixed. And therefore, their understanding of Dharma, they have certain understanding of Dharma.
Mixed devotees they have some understanding of Dharma, but their understanding of Dharma was in the modes of material nature.
Very often we can see this contamination within our heart when we rely on sattva-guṇa and we say that it is sattva which will save us, the sattva which will purify us, and so on and so forth.
So it's very important internally within our heart to understand the power of devotional service not formally, not theoretically, but on the level of the level of Ajamila.
Ajamila was actually the recipient of the mercy of Vishnu Dutas because he heard their stories. And it's interesting also, there is another very
interesting mentality is that Yamadutas they think that Yamaraj is the supreme ruler. And everything is being under his command or under his control.
But you know, Vishnudutas of course they know that his sphere of control is limited. And another yeah, and of course there is another important trait in mentality whether we should depend on atonement or not.
You know, of course, Yamadut is the great proponents of this atonement theory that, you can only be purified if you atone.
And we can see in the same sixth canto of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam: Indra atones for his sins, makes prayaschita, makes atonement for his sins, to purify himself from the sins.
And here from the other side we see Vishnu Dutas who can clearly say that the there is it's ridiculous you know you cannot just mix the atonement uh prayaschita with bhakti bhakti itself uh uh is enough atonement.
You shouldn't rely on atonement. You shouldn't even think about atonement.
So again and again and again we see this very, very important difference in mentality which we can also again distinguish within ourselves or see the traits of this tendency to towards the mixed devotional service.
And of course, the most important difference between the mixed devotee and and the most probably sad difference between the mixed devotee and the pure devotee is that mixed devotee will remain here in this world.
Whereas the pure devotee will go back to Godhead. So that's why this mixed mentality is so dangerous. You know, even though sometimes we kind of think that it's uh innocent. It's not so bad as I said in the beginning.
But and actually the message of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is very very clear. It's bad. It's not only bad, it's very bad. And therefore, the main anti-hero of this sixth canto is Indra.
Again and again and again, Indra is showing the ugly face. How what are the problems of the mixed devotion? But before we come to this Indra story, which is as I said, is the main story of the sixth canto.
Daksha's prayers and conflict with Narada
Before that, there is a very interesting story after these first three chapters which depict the clash between Yamadutas and Vishnu Dutas, between the pure devotional service, or understanding of pure devotional service and understanding of mixed devotion and subsequent results.
Before we come to the story of Indra, which is only coming in the seventh chapter, before that, there are two very important chapters describing the history of Prajapati Daksha and Nārada Muni.
In the first chapter, chapter number four, Daksha Maharaj offers beautiful prayers. Beautiful Hamsa Guchya prayers, which are ancient prayers. Again, why these prayers are there in the sixth canto of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam?
To show how mixed devotees can have a very deep theoretical understanding of the nature of the Supreme Lord, Daksha Maharaj he shows, he demonstrates a very
deep sorrow understanding of the Supreme Lord and this Hamsa Guhyaka prayers. So much so that the Supreme Lord is apparently very pleased with him.
He appears in front of him, gives him benedictions, says, Yes, very nice, very nice. Please get a nice wife and get a lot of progeny. This is your service.
So that is to say that the self-identity of a mixed devotee is: I'm a devotee. As much as we have this self-identity, as much as we say I am a devotee.
But Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam wants to really distinguish between the mixed devotion and the pure devotion. And basically, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam wants to say that if you're a mixed devotee, don't call yourself a devotee.
You think you are a devotee, but actually you are not. And therefore, after this Hamsa Guhyaka prayers, where Dakṣa Mahārāja is expressing his understanding of the Lord and the Lord gives benediction,
now the real clash again comes into the Śrīmad- Bhāgavatam, clash between Nārada Muni, who is the representative of pure devotion, and Dakṣa Mahārāja.
So again, let's not underestimate the depths, the very deep roots of this mixed devotion within our heart. And the most interesting part
of it, we of course know the story that Dakṣa Mahārāja produces 10,000 sons and they go perform austerities and, uh, Nārada Muni comes and says, nice boys, completely being spoiled by all this mixed devotional mentality of his father. And their whole life will be spoiled.
These nice boys, they will spoil their life because they inherit from their ancestors, from their family traditions, all this mixed thing.
And he of course preaches to them, he tells them allegorical story, and they understand that what I'm what we're doing. We're going into deep hole, deep hole in the earth from where there is actually no coming out.
This whole story is very interesting because Narada Muni is explaining how one can easily get entangled into karma.
And how by getting entangled into karma with all the karmic rituals and all the desires to purify from this karma and that karma.
How this is actually completely vicious circle, and there is no coming out from this vicious circle. You cannot really break this karma.
Even though you may be in illusion that you're progressing spiritually, you're doing this, you're doing that, in reality, you're not.
And Nārada Muni, by this sad story, he tells them, you know, that there is this hole in the earth, and you will enter into this hole, and there is no way out.
And therefore, these nice boys, sons of Dakṣa Mahārāja, they decide, no, no, we're not going to enter into this hole. Why should we? What is the use? And And they're being released.
And of course Dakṣa Mahārāja is very tolerant, he's a devotee, he's very magnanimous, and he kind of swallows this first offense by Nārada Muni and he very diligently produces the second set of sons.
Again, nine boys, and again the same thing happens to them. And you know, this is this is already too much for Dakṣa Mahārāja.
And then on the top of it, Nārada Muni, who is very compassionate, goes directly to him after committing
this aparādha against Dakṣa Mahārāja and his gṛhamedhī mentality, his gṛhavrata mentality, against his ideals, against his values, very important values. So he goes right to Dakṣa Mahārāja.
Daksha's curse and criticism of devotion
And so now Dakṣa Mahārāja he doesn't have any limitations within himself, he just bursts.
And I really recommend you to carefully study the curse of Dakṣa Mahārāja because if we see the most graphic conflict between the two mentalities. It's being depicted by the words of Dakṣa Mahārāja.
Of course, Nārada Muni is silent. He doesn't answer anything. It's just Dakṣa Mahārāja, he is just you know he's trembling and he's spitting out very cruel words and
he's offending Nārada Muni but by the way of offending him, he by the way depicts how the mixed devotees look at the pure devotion. And he says, You're a hypocrite, your you create enemies, enmity, your uh your impostor.
You know, doesn't it sound very familiar when we see a pure devotee? Sometimes we can hear this voice of Mahārāja Dakṣa within our heart.
You know, when we see somebody who is a pure devotee and then we get this irritation within and we say he's a pretender. He's dressed in this saffron and he's doing all kinds of nonsense. And I'm a real sadhu.
It's amazing how Daksha Maharaj, he says that I am the real sadhu, I am grhastha, I'm living very pure life, I'm following everything, and all this renunciation is just nonsense.
So again, in a beautiful way, Śrīmad- Bhagavatam depicts this conflict between the mixed devotion and the pure devotion. How there is a resistance within our heart against pure devotion.
We shouldn't think that this cruel world of Daksha Maharaj is just his offences, his problems, it's our problem.
We have to really identify and relate to this sort of attitude towards pure devotion because sometimes it's painful for us. Oftentimes it's painful for us when we see some manifestation of a higher level of devotion.
And we see and we understand that I cannot really follow this higher level of devotion, and therefore, you know, there is an easy way to kind of solve this problem.
Instead of trying to follow this higher standard of devotion, it's easy just to offend this particular devotee and say he's useless, he's good for nothing, he couldn't make it in this material world.
He just cannot maintain his family and therefore he's hiding away from this family responsibility under the dress of a devotee and this and that and, so on so forth. And this is all.
This is all what we see in very kind verses of Daksha Maharaj towards Nārada Muni. And you know he says that devotees are cruel.
He looks at Nārada Muni and says, the devotees are very cruel. Devotees defame the Supreme Lord. Daksha Maharaj protects the reputation of the Supreme Lord.
And he says, all these useless devotees who are traveling around preaching and converting other people and you know bewildering other people. They're just defaming the fame of the Supreme Lord.
I am protecting the fame of the Supreme Lord being such a pure pakṣa devotee. And they're shameless and they break friendship and they create
enmity, and then a very interesting argument again to to get deep within our heart and to understand what's going on there.
It's that he says, Daksha Maharaj says that knowledge itself brings detachment, not the changing of the dress.
Isn't that also a very familiar argument which we hear that you shouldn't change your position, you shouldn't change your dress, you know, just develop your knowledge, and the detachment will be there.
Yes, detachment will definitely be there, but it will also manifest externally. Narada Muni gave knowledge to the sons of Daksha and they develop detachment. So again, as I said, it's it's quite a painful uh
painful exercise to read uh this sixth canto of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam and to see what's going on. And then, of course, at the end, Daksha-rāja he says, if you offend me just once, you may be forgiven.
I'm so tolerant, I didn't curse you first, but now I'm cursing you. You will be uh always uh in this position.
So, anyway, uh again, as I said, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam very instructively gives us understanding about our internal problems.
And then this is two chapters, the chapter five and chapter four and five, and then the sixth chapter is the progeny of the daughters of Daksa, and in the seventh chapter
Indra's offense against Brihaspati
of the sixth canto of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, the real story, the main story of this sixth canto starts. And again, it's a story not only of Vritasura, it's mostly a story of Indra.
Even though we say that the Sixth Canto is the story of Aja-mila, it's the story of Yamadutis.
We sometimes say, oftentimes say that the Sixth Canto is the story of Vṛtrāsura. It is a story of Vṛtrāsura, but it's more a story of Indra. How this attachment is not actually beneficial.
And one very important beginning lesson of this story of Indra in the seventh chapter of the sixth canto of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, this is the beginning of the whole story when Indra offends his guru.
That's a very grave element or grave important story of this sixth canto, why? Because again, it betrays the psychology of mixed devotion.
You know, for a pure devotee relationship with the spiritual master is of utmost importance and they are value in itself. Śrīla Prabhupāda often would depict this pragmatic mentality towards Guru.
In case of Mayavadis, you know there was this there is this little story when Prabhupāda was walking in Juhu beach and he had some difficulty in climbing over some you know sand dune or whatever.
And one of his disciples gave him the hand and dragged him up.
And when he was ultimately up, he kind of you know beat the disciple by hand and say, you don't I I don't need you anymore. And then Prabhupada said that this is how he depicts the mentality that, yes, I need Guru.
For what I need Guru to achieve my ends.
It's not relationship with the devotion with the spiritual master for the sake of the relationship. It's relationship for the sake of getting something, of extracting something from the spiritual master.
And therefore, when this whole story about Indra is being described in the sixth canto of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. It starts with this.
Because you know if you achieve something from your spiritual master, you don't need him anymore.
And Indra, he achieved, he is opulent, he is being glorified, you know, and having spiritual master in the midst of glorification, and that's the beginning of this whole story.
Indra is sitting there in the heavenly planets and everyone is glorifying him and he is enjoying this. And all of a sudden his spiritual master comes and spoils his fun.
Indra is so happy, you know, he's in the in the pinnacle, experiencing the pinnacle of his glory, and then somebody superior comes and spoils the whole the whole fun.
You know, because if superior comes, you have to bow down, you have to become humble, and who wants to be humble? You know, definitely not us. Definitely not mixed devotion.
Yes, we try to use the devotion, we try to use the devotional service for our own end.
And then at one point the spiritual master and the relationship with the spiritual master becomes impotent, becomes some obstacle in this regard.
And we don't need spiritual master in this regard anymore. So we remove him because he's an obstacle. So that's a very important trait, character trait of mixed devotee.
The pure devotion, the characteristic of pure devotion is that we want relationship with the spiritual master for the sake of this relationship, for the sake of service. And this relationship are eternal.
Guru Mukha Padma Vakya Chitatekoriya Kya Djanme Janme Prabhu Sei. He is my master, Lord and Master, life after life. That's a very important thing, that's a very important part of pure devotional service.
And then, not only this, what we will see of, course, Indra immediately becomes remorseful. It's not that the devotee doesn't know how he is supposed to behave. Devotee knows this.
But at the same time, he cannot really do anything, he cannot really overcome this tendency. This tendency is very strong. I want to enjoy independently.
And therefore, you know, the relationship with spiritual master doesn't help in this regard. You know, he's just, you know, it's it's counterproductive to what I want to achieve.
But what is most important if we take this message of Sixth Kanto very carefully, it starts with this envy, deeply rooted and hidden envy towards spiritual master, and this envy grows and grows and grows without limit.
Devolution of Indra's consciousness
That's the problem. If you don't check it, if you don't kill it in the inception, if you see this mentality within yourself and you don't kill this mentality, what will happen?
First you offend your spiritual master who is Brihaspati, then you accept another spiritual master, Vishwarupa, and then you kill another spiritual master, Vishwarupa. And that's exactly what we see.
Sometimes we see devotees, they accept spiritual master, then reject spiritual master, they accept somebody else as a spiritual master, they reject somebody else as a spiritual master. And it goes on and on and on.
So that's the that's the mentality which is being described here in the sixth canto of Shrimad Bhagavatam, how this envy grows without any limits within the heart, if it's being unchecked and how this uh how this mentality manifests and uh you know what
happens with Indra. Indra first offends Brihaspati, then he kills Vishvarupa, then he kills Vritrasura. And he knows Vritrasura is a pure devotee. He kills Vritrasura.
And then before that, he—before that, he kills basically Dadhici Muni. Of course, Dadhici Muni commits suicide. But on request of Indra. This is how it goes. This is this development or devolution of consciousness.
You achieve a very high position. Position of a mixed devotee is a very high position. It's a very fortunate position in one sense. But if you're if you keep this mixture unchecked, then this is what's going to happen.
You know, you will develop first of all envy or jealousy within your heart towards the spiritual master, then you develop cruelty.
You really, you know, Indra doesn't think twice by killing Vishwarup. Vishwarup is his spiritual master. Vishwarup gave him Narayan Kavacha, Viswarup gave him mantra, Viswarup gave him everything.
You know, for slight offense, for hint of an offense, for some little threat that his position as enjoyer will be somehow or other compromised, Indra kills Vishwarup. And then you know he suffers the reactions of this.
And as I said again, instead of devoting himself to pure devotional service completely, he goes undergoes atonement. He undergoes different purificatory purificatory ceremonies to get rid of all these sinful reactions.
And it's very interesting, this sinful reactions are being described in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam how Mahā-Viṣṇu's four great elements within his body were contaminated. Why they were contaminated?
Because of the contaminated mentality. This contaminated mentality, sinful mentality by Indra, which forced him to kill Vishwarup, went into the physical level.
And on the physical level the earth within his body became contaminated and was stinking, the water within his body was contaminated and he couldn't feel the uh taste. Like now we're uh undergoing this COVID and uh COVID, one of the signs of COVID is the loss of taste.
It's basically contaminated water within the body. And loss of smell, it's the contaminated earth within the body. It's how it manifests. And the fire within his body was contaminated.
The four elements were contaminated because of the sinful mentality. You know again what I want to say is that Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is very cruel. It's very black and white. It's very uncompromising.
And Shimad Bhagavatam wants to say to us: don't go for the mixed devotion. Mixed devotion is not a solution of your problem. Mixed devotion is the root cause of your problems. There will be so many problems and that's what we read in these verses, you know,
Meaning of Narayana-kavaca and rituals
that how the mixed devotion is ultimately the cause of uh all kinds of problems.
So uh what we see after that the uh you know, Nārāyaṇa Kavacha is being described. Nārāyaṇa-kavaca in the eighth chapter of the sixth canto of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. And again, uh what is the idea of this Nārāyaṇa-kavaca?
Sometimes devotees they glorify this Nārāyaṇa-kavaca, and that's definitely a very beautiful protective mantra. Shield. But what is the meaning? What is the teachings of this Nārāyaṇa-kavaca in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam?
Does Śukadeva Gosvāmī teaches us this Nārāyaṇa-kavaca to tell us that we should chant this Nārāyaṇa-kavaca? No.
Śukadeva Gosvāmī says this is the mixed mixed devotion. When you want only protection from the Lord. You don't want the Lord. You don't want the Lord Himself.
You only want to exploit the Lord by protecting you, by giving you protection. So again, this Nārāyaṇa-kavaca, and then the last chapter of this sixth canto is this Pumvasana Pumvasana ritualistic ceremony.
Describes what people who have mixed devotion do. They they worship the Lord.
They worship the Lord with this Nārāyaṇa-kavaca, they worship the Lord with this Pumvasana ceremony, uh but what is the use, what is the purpose of it? Just to achieve their own end. And ultimately it's not glorious.
Ultimately you will remain here and you will rot here in this material world. If you don't change this mentality, which is the main teaching of this sixth canto of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.
And then chapter 9's demon Vṛtrāsura appears, and again, as I said, and Indra accepts all the sinful reactions.
And as I said, one of the very important teachings is that yes, there is all these recommendations in the Vedic literature, Nārāyaṇa-kavaca, Pumvasana, all these atonements which Shiva underwent, the sacrifice
which Tvaṣṭā did to create Vṛtrāsura. But what is the result? Result is nothing, zero. That's the result.
All these glorious rituals which are glorified all over Vedic literature, ultimately Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam wants to say, they're useless. They don't work. They really don't work.
You know, Tvaṣṭā committed little mistake in pronunciation, little not even in pronunciation, accent. Little you know this Indra Shatru he pronounced not like Tat-puruṣa Samāsa but like Bahuvrīhi Samāsa. And that's it.
You know, little mistake if you don't know exactly totally completely Sanskrit grammar and you try to do all these rituals, zero.
And at the same time, Ajamila, he was sinful till the end of his life, and then he said Nara, and then he went back to God. Of course, after performing some devotional service and harer and everything else.
So that's the that's the beautiful message of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. And then you know Vritrasura comes and there is this battle between Vritrasura in the Sixth Canto when uh Indra.
Dadhichi Muni's sacrifice and divine mercy
Yeah, of course, I I forget to tell about this that Dadhīci muni is also very important part of it. Yes, let's go a little back into the story. When the demigods they come to Lord Vishnu
and they say, please protect us from Vritrasura, then Lord Vishnu says, no problem, I will protect you. No problem. It's actually very interesting. That's another important topic or important teachings
of the Sixth Canto of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. As we know from our studies of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Sixth Canto of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is Pōṣaṇam. Sargaś ca sthānaṁ poṣaṇaṁ ūtayaḥ. Poṣaṇaṁ means tad-anugraha, the mercy of the Lord.
Poṣaṇaṁ means nourishment, the mercy of the Lord. And basically this Sixth Canto of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is explaining how the Lord is merciful both towards mixed devotees and pure devotees.
But how his mercy manifests differently. Tad-anugraha.
Yes, he is merciful towards Vritrasura, he's merciful towards Citraketu, and therefore he arranges the whole story of Citraketu and cursing of Mother Parvati, which we will describe a little later, to arrange his speedy return to the spiritual world.
He's merciful towards Indra, too. He gives everything which Indra wants.
Indra comes to him and Indra says: Please protect us, the Lord, there's this huge demon Vritra, which is the personification of foul sinful reactions. Please the Lord protect us from sinful reactions. And the Lord says, Yes, yes, I protect you.
You go to the Dadhīci Muni and you come to Dadhīci Muni and you fold your hands, and Dadhīci Muni he is a great saint, and you say, Oh dear Dadhīci, please give us your body. And from your body, from the bones of your body Viśvakarmā will create vajra and this vajra will kill Vritrāsura.
Later in Bṛhad-bhāgavatāmṛta of Śrīla Sanātana Gosvāmī when Nārada Muni goes to Indra and glorifies Indra and says, Indra, you're such a great devotee. You're such a great devotee.
Lord comes Himself personally to protect you and you know always whenever you pray for Him, gives you protection. Lord Indra says, this is not so. He humiliates me.
Every time when I ask him for protection, he comes and he humiliates me. He humiliated me when he came as Vamanadev, when I asked him for protection from Bali Maharaj.
But even more so he humiliated me when I came to him and I asked him, please protect me from Vritrasura. And what did he do? He sent me to Dadhīci Muni, who is my enemy, whom before that I cut the head of.
That's another Another feat, heroic feat of Lord Indra.
He became very jealous and very envious, and when Dadhīci Muni wanted to teach brahma-vidyā, madhu-vidyā to Aśvinī- kumāras, he just cut his hand, his head off, as he did with Viśvarūpa.
Luckily, you know, Aśvinī-kumāras they made some arrangement and they put some horse head in Dadhīci Muni.
But then the Lord Himself comes and says, you go to this same Dadhīci Muni whom you offended, and you beg his body from him. And Lord Indra he stands there flabbergasted. You know, that's probably the last thing which he expected.
And he says, How will he give me this body? I already offended him.
And the Lord says, no, no, you put in front Aśvinī-kumāras. And Aśvinī-kumāras, they are disciples of Dadhīci Muni. The Dadhīci Muni likes them very much. If Aśvinī-kumāras will be there, he's he will He's generous, he will say, yeah, ultimately take my body, no problem. So, and that's exactly what happened.
Lord Indra comes to Dadhīci Muni, and the Dadhīci muni first teases him. And he says, you know, you know, who you think you are? You're coming to me and you're saying, you know, give your body. And now our body is so dear to us. And the demigod start preaching to him, don't be attached to your body. You know? Isn't it? It's hilarious, it's absolutely hilarious. You know.
Lord Viṣṇu really humiliates Lord Indra. He says you go to him and you preach, give the sermon to Dadhīci Muni, which is very hypocritical. You attach to your own body. You're afraid to lose your own body.
You go to the Dadhīci muni and you say, you know, you're great, say, so you're not supposed to be attached to your body. Give up your body. This is the most glorious thing which you can do.
This is how uh Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam describes to us the problems of uh mixed devotion. Mixed devotion ultimately brings about humiliation. Because the Lord reveals our attachments to the world.
You know, we may be uh it's interesting, you know, as I said, uh Vishnu
Viṣṇu-dūtas they're preaching some devotional service, Dadhīci is preaching glorious devotional service, Indra, he's preaching devotional service, but they cannot really walk what they preach.
They, you know, and I I I'm talking about myself. I'm not talking about Indra. What is the use of talking about Indra? We really have to see this problem within ourselves.
It's uh we all know the theory of pure devotional service. We all preach that glory of pure devotional service, but when it comes to practice, that's a completely different story. It could be a completely different story.
And Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam says to us, before it's too late, before it's too late, you better realize what you're preaching to others. Don't remain within yourself as a mixed devotee,
try to purify your devotion because there's no use, because it's actually a very pitiful condition to uh remain in this uh condition. And of course uh you know this uh
Analysis of Vritrasura's prayers of devotion
let me repeat uh this um uh verses which Vṛtrāsura It's actually very interesting. This is what Vritrasura says. Because in these two verses he explains The difference between the pure devotion and the mixed devotion.
Person who fully surrenders at the lotus feet of the Supreme Personality of God and always thinks of his lotus feet are accepted and recognized by the Lord as his own personal assistant or servants.
In other words those who are trying to be pure, the Lord recognizes them. You are mine. There is no difference between you and me, and I will protect you. I will be for you all the time.
Lord never bestows upon such servants, the brilliant opulences of upper, lower, and middle planetary system of this material world.
When one possesses material opulences in any of these three divisions of the universe, his possessions naturally increase: enmity, anxiety, mental agitation, pride, and belligerence.
So this is exactly what uh this sixth canto is teaching us. If you want to be mixed devotee, no problem. Krishna will reciprocate with your desire.
He will give you whatever you want, but you please know what you are asking for. You are asking for enmity, anxiety, mental agitation, pride, and belligerence. This is what is coming.
Dvesha, envy, udvega, anxiety, adhig, mental agitation, Madhak, pride, Kalik, quarrel, Vyasanam, distress due to the loss.
So that's an inevitable result uh which you know the sixth canto is explaining to us this is what you get you'll get you know mercy quote unquote mercy of the Lord, you'll get his portionam, his anugraha, you'll get what you want, but with it you will get anxiety, pride, cruelty in the heart, so many other things, unwanted things which will come together with it.
And therefore, you know, don't ask for this. Please ask for pure devotional service.
And therefore, the essence of the sixth canto of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is in these four verses which Vritrasura Pronounces on this battlefield. And that's the essence of the purity of love.
Aham Haritawa Padaika Mulada Sanu dasoba vitasmi buyach manach smaritasu patergun ste Grini twa karma karoto kaya. Aham Hare oh Hari Tawa Padaikamula da Sanuda so.
I'm I'm Dasanu Dasa of uh let me become Dasa Nudasa of your Padamullah. Manachs Maritasu let my mind always remember about About your qualities.
Sparitasupater gunamste, asupater, or lord of my life, or somebody who is completely ruling my life. Let me always remember about your qualities. Grinitivak and glorify this by my words.
Karma Karotu Kayah and let my body will do some service to you, Nanaka Prishamnachaparameshtyam, Nasarvabham, Narasadhi Padyam, Na Yoga Sidhi Rapunarbhavamva, Samanjasa Tva Viraha Kanshi He says, I don't want anything.
I don't want Nakapristam. I don't want this position on the higher planetis paramesham on the planet of Lord Brahma Nakapristam. I don't want the position in the heavenly planets Nasarva Bhum.
I don't want the power over the whole earth, na Rasadi Padyam, I don't want the lower planetary Siddh system, Na Yoga Siddhir, Apunarbavamba, I don't want even liberation.
Samanjas Satva Virahaya kan say the only thing which I want I want I won't to be serving as your to your lotter's feet. And then the main verse, the main verse of these four verses are Jata Paksha Iva Mataram Kagah.
What's happening in this verse?
It's very important for us to understand because again, this is how Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Sukadev Goswami, reveals what was in the heart of Fritrasura, Bhagavatam, Sukadev Goswami, reveals what was in the heart of Fritrasura, the purity of his love.
He says, I don't want anything. I only want to serve. I want not even to serve you. I want to become the servant of the servant, Dasanu Dasoba Vitasmi Buya.
And then he' trsying to express in this 26 verse to find the words how to express the purity of his love. What is his love. And he does not come to the ideal expression immediately.
He just feels this attachment within the heart and he gives three consecutive comparisons, metaphors: how I love you, Ajatapaksha. Not even how I love you, how I want to love you.
Manora Vindaksa Didriksha Tetvam. How my mind wants to love you. So he doesn't say myself, he says my mind.
Mano Ravindaksha Didriksha Tetvam, How I Want to See You, because he says, when he says my mind, why he says my mind? Why he doesn't say I want to love you?
Because when I say I want to love you, there is certain artificiality in it. This is more or less intellectual position. I want to love you in this and that way. But he says my mind wants to see you in this way.
It basically means he says that there is a natural affection within my mind. This is what is happening within my mind. It is attached. How it is attached? Ajatapaksaiva Mataram Kaga.
It is attached as much as a little baby bird is attached to a mother bird, Ajatapaksha. Ajatapaksha means the bird which doesn't have the wings to fly. Therefore his Ajatapaksha.
His Paksha, his wings is not really born yet. And he's completely helpless.
And Vritrasura says, Ajata Pakshaiva Mataram Kaga, how this little helpless bird, baby bird, is waiting for his mother, completely dependent on the mother and waiting for little worm which mother will bring in her beak and give to her.
And by saying that this is what it is. I'm, you know, I'm a huge Vritrasura. In Mahābhārata, it's said that Vritrasura was 500 yojanas high and 300 Yogenus in his waist. So he was huge.
And he says: Here I am, my dear Lord. I am a little little, baby bird, and I'm totally dependent on you. But then he says, no, it's not a very good comparison.
Because you know, this baby bird only wants the worm, not the mother herself. And therefore, he gives the second comparison: Stanyam Yatha Vatsa Vatsatarah
Sudartak, like little Vatsa, little uh Kalf, little baby kalf, is uh uh wants to have Stanyam the other of his mother Kaum, Stanyam Yatha Watsatarah Ksudar Tah to uh nourish himself to give.
And you know that's a better comparison because mother may go out on the fields for long, long, long hours and then the baby calf is waiting for her and always thinks only about her, not about anyone else.
And he just wants to reciprocate with her and to taste her love. But then he says: no, no, this is not a good comparison either. Because when the calf grows up, he more or less forgets his mother.
I want to depict my relationship with the Lord on a level of complete purity, and therefore he gives the third comparison.
Priya-priyā-viyuṣitām viṣṇo, how the young bride or young wife is waiting at home and her husband is far away and she's waiting and waiting and waiting and she can't she cannot find solace in anyone else.
She always thinks about the Lord. So basically what Vritrasuri is describing, how he always thinks about the Lord. And that's the description of love. What love means. Love means. I always think about the one whom I love.
And I always think about how we meet with each other and what I will do. And ultimately he's satisfied with this third comparison.
You know, the husband will come home after long, long travels, and I will come and I will embrace him and I will serve him and I will feed him and I will caress him and massage his feet and everything else.
And that's how he is, how Śukadeva Gosvāmī is describing his love. And that's in the middle, as I as I said, in the middle of the battle, when Indra is about to kill him. And he preaches to Indra first.
And he says, Oh Indra, you know, why you don't believe in the words of Lord Vishnu? Lord Vishnu wants you to kill me. He gave you this vajra. Kill me, kill me, kill me.
And then all of a sudden he forgets about Indra. He forgets about everything else. It's the moment of complete silence.
And in this silence he tells these stories, the these prayers, these four prayers, and in the last prayers he says that actually I don't even deserve to be with you.
If I want to ask you something, give me the friendship of your devotees. Mām ottama-śloka-janeṣu sakhyam, saṁsāra-cakre 'bhramataḥ sva-karma- bhiḥ, tvan-māyayā te
my mind will be only uh attached to your devotees uh and uh I don't want to have anything else, any other attachment, attachment to my body, to wife, to children, to anything else. I just want to be attached to you and to the service of your devotees. So that's the culmination and that's exactly why this is the characteristic of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.
Because Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, in this very graphic example, shows what does it mean to have pure love. What and how glorious it is to have pure love.
And how rare it is to have pure love and how inglorious it is to have some sort of mixed relationship with the Lord and how many problems it creates.
And then, of course, naturally, after that, you know, then the 6th canto is glorious death of Vṛtrāsura. For one year, Indra is working hard to cut off his arm and head. And you know, it's really.
But Vṛtrāsura is already long before he is in the spiritual world. And then Lord Indra is afflicted by sinful reactions, how this personified sin is chasing him and he's hiding.
And trying to understand how how he's fallen.
King Citraketu and Diti's rivalry
You know, it started from little offense of his guru and went to this mahā- aparādha, to the pure devotee of Vṛtrāsura. And then the King Citraketu story is there.
And in one sense, King Citraketu's story to a greater extent belongs to the next Canto. I will explain this when we will describe the summary of the seventh canto.
But the essence of the story is how pure devotion can come within our heart because it's not enough to glorify the pure devotion it's also very important to understand how the pure devotion, where it's taken from, where it's coming from, and how one can develop the pure devotion.
And then of course Mother Pārvatī curses King Citraketu to become Vṛtrāsura and he accepts very um nonchalantly, very uh peacefully this curse of Mother Pārvatī and uh Lord Shiva glorifies the pure devotion of Citraketu.
And then the last two chapters are also very instructive, as I said,
because the 18th chapter, Diti Vows to kill King Indra and the 19th chapter performing the puṁsavana ritualistic ceremony is again futility of all this rituals which are based on devotion but at the same time not constitute pure devotion.
But also there is another very important teaching in this chapter, especially in the chapter number 18, Diti vows to kill King Indra, that's the rivalry which is always there between the mixed devotees.
Mixed devotees, and this is what we unfortunately can see within ISKCON. We have so much rivalry. You know, I'm better, not I'm better, my guru is better, not my guru is better, this and that.
So that is depicted in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam itself. If you are pure devotee, no envy, no rivalry. You just, you know, the only thing which you want, you just encourage others.
You know, like Vṛtrāsura encourages Indra, do your devotional service, kill me. Do it. You know no rivalry. They're right there in the battlefield, one wants to kill. Vṛtrāsura feels absolutely no envy, no rivalry.
He's just happy and he says: just remember: Lord Viṣṇu Himself gave you this benediction. So remember about this benediction and kill me.
But then when it comes to relationship with other mixed devotees, oh no, it's not so it's not so peachy. It's not so nice. So there is some live rivalry here. And Diti wants to kill Indra.
Indra wants to kill the fetus in her womb, and ultimately, you know, he cuts the fetus into 49 kinds and there are 49 Maruts, different demigods which will ultimately help Indra.
Importance of striving for pure bhakti
It's a has ultimately a good end, happy end, but nevertheless the thing is that you know the mixed devotion does not bring you peacefulness and does not bring you even friendship. Mixed devotion will never end up in cooperation.
Therefore, Śrīla Prabhupāda said, your love towards me will be proven by the way you cooperate with each other, because cooperation means love. Cooperation means pure love.
And when there is no pure love, there will be rivalry, there will be all kinds of competition, there will be all kinds of problems. And that's the message of the Sixth Canto.
Therefore, Sixth Canto is extremely important for us to understand that the pure devotional service is something which we should strive for, strive for and we should be very careful about this different sprouts of mixed tendencies which we will try to remove from the very beginning.
So that's my little little little message today, uh, in our seminar, the Sixth Canto of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, what is the point of it? Thank you very much. Śrīla Prabhupāda ki jaya!