A Structural Review of the Main Topics of Srimad-Bhagavatam. Lecture 6

0:00Omnamo Bhavate Vasudevaya, Omnamo Vasudamo. Omnamo bhagavate vasudevaya, bagavate vasudeva, Omnamo Bhavate vasudeva, narayanamastriti, namamastriti, naramcheva narottamaratamam Devim Saraswati Vyasam, Devi Saraswati Yasam,

0:48Tatojayamudiray, nashtchstapraja Shwa Bhrišu, Nitam Bhagavad Svayan, Bhagavatam. Bhakti Bhavatina Stiki, Bhakti Bhavatina Stiki, Yamprajanta Manapeta Mapeta Krityam Dwaipayana, virakatara Jhava putreitamyus,

Overview of Srimad-Bhagavatam study methodology

1:28tam sarva butakriam unimanatos So again, thank you very much for attending these classes. Wherever you are, please feel free to ask any questions. Today I will continue with our series of

1:51lectures where I'm trying to give another view of the topics of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam with more or less general understanding Bhagavatam with more or less general understanding why these topics are there.

2:07I'm not going very deeply into the topics themselves, but I'm trying to show how the whole design of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam works and what it is supposed to bring about within our heart,

2:24which is most important because even though it is an automatic action of the transcendental vibration of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, that it will purify the heart.

2:37Nasta prayes vadres unitim Bhagavat Sevaya, Bhagavat, Tamash Loki, Bhakti Bhavati, Nastiki. It acts without our knowledge. Still, nevertheless, if we understand how it acts and we will pay

2:53specific attention to certain topics of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, knowing what they're supposed to do within our hearts. It will enhance our hearing of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam or studying of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam

3:07and ultimately will bring us closer to understanding the real message of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Otherwise, we can be bewildered by the varieties of topics. We can be distracted by different topics, not understanding how these

3:25different topics ultimately describing one topic. Because as we already mentioned, the book has to have only one topic, not many topics. If the book has many topics, it's a bad book because it's only bewildering the reader.

3:44So the topic, the message should be one, and we know that this one single message of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is to help us to understand Krishna, to help us understand the ultimate reality, shelter, the background

4:03of the whole creation background and the support of the whole creation the ground and support of kreation So I will read one verse from the 26th chapter of the third canto to introduce my talk today, which

4:25probably will again only speak one canto, even though I wanted to go quickly, but uh you can actually tell me what you want.

4:38If you want a very quick overview of the whole design of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, that can be done within a few minutes or within one session. Going from canto to canto and uh explaining

4:54the logical connection between the cantos and how they work ultimately to reveal Krishna, which is the subject matter, specific subject matter of the 10th canto of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.

5:06Or we can go in a little slow pace and take one, two, maybe three cantos at once and explain in more detail how it works. How how it brings us closer to understanding of the main topic of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.

Reading on living entities covered by illusion

5:27Anyway, I will read the verse. This is the fifth verse from the 26th chapter of third canto of Śrīmad Bhāgavatam to introduce this topic. It's a very important and beautiful verse with very substantial and long

5:44purport by Śrīla Prabhupāda. So please listen very attentively. Gunarvi Chitra Sri Jatim Sarupah Prakriti Prajaha Vilokya Mumuhe Sadyah Saiva Jñāna Guhaya.

6:04This verse is explaining how the consciousness of a living entity, Prajaha, living entities are being bewildered by the contact with material nature.

6:21How immediately, by contact with material nature, the consciousness of pure knowledge of the living entities are being covered by Jñāna-guhāya. Their consciousness is guhāya, is covered or perverted.

6:42So translation by Śrīla Prabhupāda. Divided into varieties by her threefold modes, the material nature creates the forms of the living entities.

6:54And the living entities seeing this are illusioned by the knowledge covering feature of the illusory energy. Purport. Material energy has the power to cover knowledge. Jñāna-guhāya.

7:14But this covering cannot be applied to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. It is applicable only to the prajaha, or those who are born with material bodies, the conditioned souls.

7:29The different kinds of living entities vary according to the modes of material

7:35nature as explained in Bhagavad-gītā and other Vedic literatures. In Bhagavad-gītā, it is very nicely explained that although the modes of goodness, passion, and ignorance are born of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, He is not subject to them.

7:54In other words, the energy emanating from the Supreme Personality of Godhead cannot act on him. It acts on the conditioned souls who are covered by the material energy.

8:09The Lord is the Father of all living entities because He impregnates material energy with the conditioned souls.

8:18Therefore, the conditioned souls get bodies created by the material energy, whereas the father of the living entities is aloof from the three modes.

8:30It is stated in the previous verse that the material energy was accepted by the Supreme Personality of Godhead in order that He might exhibit pastimes for the living entities who wanted to enjoy and lord it over the material energy.

8:46This world was created through the material energy of the Lord for the so-called enjoyment of such living entities.

8:57Why this material world was created for the sufferings of the conditioned souls is a very intricate question. There is a hint in the previous verse in the word līlā or līlayā, which means for the pastimes of the Lord.

9:16The Lord wants to rectify the enjoying temperament of the conditioned souls. It is stated in Bhagavad-gītā that no one is the enjoyer but the supreme Personality of Godhead.

9:30This material energy is created therefore for anyone who pretends to enjoy. So it's for pretenders. This world is for us who are trying to fake the enjoyment in this material world.

9:52An example can be cited here that there is no necessity for the government's creation of a separate police department.

10:03But because it is a fact that some of the citizens will not accept the state laws, a department to deal with criminals is necessary. A department to deal with criminals is necessary.

10:15There is no necessity, but at the same time there is a necessity. Similarly, there was no necessity to create this material world for the sufferings of the conditioned soul, but at the same time there are certain living

10:30entities known as nitya-baddha who are eternally conditioned.

10:36We say that they have been conditioned from time immemorial because no one can trace out when the living entity, the part and parcel of the Supreme Lord, became rebellious against the supremacy of the Lord.

10:54It is a fact that there are two classes of men. Those who are obedient to the laws of the Supreme Lord and those who are atheists or agnostics, who do not accept the existence of God and who want to create their own laws.

11:13They want to establish that everyone can create his own laws or his own religious paths without tracing out the beginning of the existence of these two classes, we can take it for granted that some of the living entities revolted against the laws of the Lord. Such entities are called conditioned souls, for they are conditioned by the three modes of material nature.

11:41Therefore, the words guṇair vicitrāḥ are useful there. Guṇair vicitrāḥ means the variety of the material creation of the guṇas. In this material world, there are 8,400,000 species of life.

12:00As spirit souls, they are all transcendental to this material world. Why then do they exhibit themselves in different stages of life? The answer is given here. They are under the spell of the three modes of material nature.

12:18Because they are created by the material energy, their bodies are made of material elements. They were created.

12:27Covered by the material body, the spiritual entity is lost, and therefore the word mumuhe is used here, indicating that they have forgotten their spiritual identity.

12:41This forgetfulness of spiritual identity is present in the jīvas, souls who are conditioned, being subject to be covered by the energy of material nature. Jñāna-guhyā is another word used here.

12:59Guha means covering, because the knowledge of the minute conditioned souls is covered, they are exhibited in so many species of life.

13:10It is said in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, 7th chapter, 1st Kanto, the living entities are illusioned by the material energy.

13:25In the Vedas, it is also stated that the eternal living entities are covered by the different modes and that they are called three colored red, white and blue living entities. Red is the representation of the mode of passion, white is the representation of the mode of goodness, and the blue is the representation of the mode of ignorance.

13:52These modes of material nature belong to the material energy, and therefore the living entities under these different modes of material nature have different kinds of material bodies.

14:05Because they are forgetful of their spiritual identities, they seek the material bodies to be themselves, to the conditioned soul. Me means the material body. This is called moha or bewilderment.

14:20It is repeatedly said in the Katha Upanishad that the Supreme Personality of Godhead is never affected by the influence of material nature.

14:29It is rather the conditioned souls or minute infinitesimal parts and parcels of the Supreme who are affected by the influence of material nature and who appear in different bodies under the material modes.

14:46Guṇair vicitrāḥ sṛjatiṁ svarūpaḥ prakṛtiṁ prajaḥ vilokya mumuhe sadyaḥ sa iha jñāna-guhyām divided into varieties by her threefold modes the material nature creates the forms of the living entities and the living entities seeing this.

15:09It's very important seeing this. Vilokya are illusioned by the knowledge covering feature of the illusory energy.

Purpose of third canto and sarga

15:24Namah om visnu-padaya krsna-presthaya bhu-tale srimate bhaktivedanta-swami iti namine Namaste sarasvate deve gaura-vani-pracarine nirvisesa-sunyavadi-pascatya-desa-tarine Vancha-kalpatarubhyas ca krpa-sindhubhya eva ca patitanam pavanebhyo vaisnavebhyo namo namah Jaya sri-krsna-caitanya prabhu-nityananda sri-advaita gadadhara srivasadi-gaura-bhakta-vrnda Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Krishna Krishna Hare Hare Hari Rama Hari Rama Rama Rama Hari Hari.

16:01Okay, so I will uh start uh describing the overview or explaining the overview of the third canto of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. We explain that the nine topics of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam are there to properly give us understanding of the tense topic? And but to give us the understanding of the 10th topic, we have to describe the nine topics also very correctly. Everyone is very much interested in these nine topics.

16:42Everyone is asking the questions: how the material nature works, how the creation took place, what's going on after creation, how the maintenance of the living entities take place, what are the structure of the universe?

16:59Geography of this world. What are the proper laws which everyone should follow? Everyone is more or less interested in all these topics which are described: tatra sarga vi sarga shiastana, poushanam mutaya.

17:17Everyone is very much interested in the psychology. You know why some people are more inclined to certain way of action, and other people are more inclined to very destructive way of action.

17:32Why what is this psychology which keeps us bound in this material world. Everyone is discussing these topics.

17:41Stanamposanmutai Manmanta Reshnu Katha yes I already said that everyone is talking about the proper laws, how to live in this material world. That's also a very big subject matter.

17:55And of course, Isha Nukatha is not so common, but nevertheless, some people speak about avatāras who are coming in this world.

18:08Niroda, everyone is very much interested how to stop this ultimate destruction of the l. of the material nature or of this body.

18:21Everyone is very much interested how to stop this destructive or disintegrating processes, how to become young again, how not to become old. Mukti.

18:34Many people are very much interested in mukti. But the point is that we may describe all these topics, but if we describe them out of the context or improperly or incorrectly, they will not reveal the tenth topic ashraya.

18:54And Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, the glory of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, is that it describes all these different topics in very close connection, in very direct relation with the Supreme Personality of Godhead, āśraya.

Comparing intrinsic and indirect characteristics of God

19:09So that's one point which I wanted to reiterate why Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is designed like this. Then another very important point to understand is that you

19:23know you may rightly say that why don't we start by directly approaching the description of the Supreme Shelter. Why don't we start by directly describing different beautiful qualities of the Supreme Lord?

19:43Very attractive qualities.

19:45Why should we go through all this hassle and headache by describing all these material elements, how they are being created, this and that? So it's a very important question, and we have to know very clearly the answer to this question.

20:03So, the answer to this question is that yes, there are two kinds of characteristics: any uh any object of this world or another world is defined by two types of characteristics.

20:19One is called svarūpa-lakṣaṇa, and another one is called taṭastha-lakṣaṇa. Svarūpa-lakṣaṇa is the intrinsic characteristic which is always there.

20:31So the methodology of Srimad Bhagavatam is to weight with the description of the svarūpa-lakṣaṇa of the Lord, and before that, describe the extrinsing characteristics of the Supreme Lord. Taṭastha-lakṣaṇa. Why?

20:52The answer is uh as follows because the Lord is not perceivable by us. And when we hear the scription of his qualities, we may very easily mistake these descriptions with the material descriptions.

21:13And oftentimes people think that you know Krishna was a very great human being, he was a great yogi, he created some miracles, and therefore foolish people worship him as God.

21:27So Srimad Bhagavatam does not want mercifully does not want us to make this very common mistake.

21:35Therefore, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is describing the taṭastha-lakṣaṇa of the Lord, which we can perceive by describing this material nature and the condition of the living entity within the material nature in connection with the Lord.

21:52We can understand or deduce so how you say this into it the qualities of the Lord. Only when we understand how this material world works in connection with the Lord, we will be able to appreciate his svarūpa-lakṣaṇa.

22:14So, therefore, I already mentioned it several times. Therefore, this method is there. Yes, there are secondary qualities of the Lord, Tatashtalaksana. They're not describing his innate permanent nature.

22:33Because sometimes this world is not there.

22:35But nevertheless, it's important lakshanas, important significators of the Supreme Absolute Truths for us, because they are available to our knowledge and we can relate to it, and we can understand how it works, and we can really And we can appreciate the beauty of the picture which Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam gives.

22:58So that's another thing which I wanted to say before we get into the subject matter of the third canto.

Dual revealing and covering functions of maya

23:07And the third thing which I wanted to say from the very beginning is that

23:12yes, we are, I mentioned in uh in the last class That there are in uh Chatur-shloki of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam and the four core verses of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, the four main subject matters of Śrīmad- Bhāgavatam are described, and this is explained by Lord Krishna Himself as jñāna, vijñāna, rahasya, and sāṅga together with Angas, with Anga.

23:43So Jnana means the knowledge of the Lord who is not perceivable. He is a doxaja, he is not available to our senses. We cannot experience the Lord in our conditioned state.

23:58But Vijnana is called Vijnana or realized knowledge, is the knowledge of his energy because we can relate or we can understand how his energy works. And in any case, we are very much interested in how his energy works.

24:16You know, we are very much interested in all these events in this material world. Ultimately, it's all the movements of his energy.

24:25What is more important, it is explained in the second canto of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam in this section, that his energy, please do listen very carefully Because otherwise his energy as māyā can cover your consciousness. And you will be bewildered.

24:47So please listen very carefully. It is said about the energy in the second verse of catur-ślokī of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. That the energy of the Lord, māyā, works in two ways. Sometimes it reveals something.

25:12Yat abhāsaḥ. Abhāsa means uh reflection or some dim uh dim light reflected somewhere. It's more or less the revealing capacity. So one function of the energy of the Lord is to reveal to us something.

25:37Another function of the energy of the Lord is to cover. So, like this material energy, it reveals us something and it covers something. Like this material energy, if we study this, it will reveal to us certain aspects.

25:57It reveals to us the material elements and sense objects which we can exploit or enjoy by interacting our senses with the sense objects. So this energy reveals material objects. And at the same time it covers.

26:18What does it cover? It covers the Lord. It covers his participation in this material world, we don't see it, we don't understand it. So, yathā bhā, so, yathā tamaha, it has two functions.

26:33In the same way, the spiritual energy also reveals something and covers something.

26:38Like in Vaikuṇṭha, the spiritual energy covers the material energy and reveals the opulence of the Lord, but at the same time it covers the sweetness of the Lord.

26:51And in Goloka of Vṛndāvana, it covers the opulence of the Lord and uh uh and reveals the sweetness of the Lord. So in any phase of creation this is the mode the two modes of

27:07the of the energy to work, like electricity, electricity can heat and electricity can cool down. Like now, luckily we're using electricity to cool down through the air conditioning.

27:25But this, in the winter, the same electricity will heat. So this double function of the energy we have to understand very clearly to really understand what's going on.

27:39So basically when we're studying the material energy, we have to understand how it works, how it covers our knowledge, as explained in this particular verse, how it covers our consciousness and how it reveals to us something which we want.

28:01Ultimately the energy reveals to us something which we want.

28:06This māyā also has two functions, vidyā and avidyā. And vidyā function of māyā will reveal to us the proper knowledge of the soul, to a certain extent, the proper knowledge of our nature.

28:22And avidyā function will cover it. So that's what I wanted to say from the very beginning, because we are starting this first subject,

28:38very important first subject of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, which is beautifully described specifically in the third canto. Of course, it's described in other cantos, but the third

28:51canto of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is devoted specifically to this sarga, to the primordial creation, the creation of the elements, and also by explaining how it works.

29:09Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam explains how by creating all these elements and all these bodies and everything, the material energy covers our knowledge and how it can reveal our knowledge.

29:22By which means? By understanding this third canto of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, we really have to understand these two things.

29:32How the knowledge of the living entity is covered, and how the knowledge of the living entity can be uncovered or enlightened

29:44or consciousness of the living entity can be enlightened by understanding this this mechanism of of the creation. So again I restate that the main topic of the third canto is sarga and visarga.

30:06These two subject matters are very much prominent in the third canto. And the specific function, as I already said, of this description.

30:22We spoke with you last time that by hearing again and again how māyā works, we can be free from the influence of māyā.

30:32That was the exact verse from the second canto of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, last verse from the seventh chapter of the second canto. How hearing about māyā helps us to become free from the bewilderment of māyā.

30:50So that's exactly the design of the third canto. We're hearing again and again here how the material energy of the Lord works

31:00because we know how it works, but uh the third canto gives us the proper perspective of its working.

Refuting independent scientific and materialistic mentality

31:09And ultimately, I will now please again listen very carefully. I will now try to encapsulate what is supposed to take place within our heart.

31:22Ultimately, if we go very thoroughly through the third canto through the topics of the third canto of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, very deeply rooted anartha, which is there within the heart of every living entity, will be uprooted.

31:40This anartha is called scientific mentality.

31:45Actually the main purpose of the third canto of this topic of sarga and visarga is to uproot us from the scientific mentality, which has many, many varieties, and which attributes the independent action or at least partial independence to the material nature.

32:18Ultimately, what is scientific mentality or Sāṅkhya mentality? Or actually, as I said, there are so many different varieties of this misconception. All these misconceptions are there within our heart.

32:35And we see the world around us, which is the product of this misconception. The whole modern civilization is the product of this particular misconception that the material energy can be studied independently,

32:54it has an independent nature, and it's more or less a mechanical arrangement. Why do people want to separate the energy of the Lord from the Lord? To make it exploitable?

33:17If we remember about the connection between the energy and the owner of the energy, the spirit of exploitation will be hampered. Instead, the spirit of service will be awakened within our heart.

33:38But if we forget it, if we cover it, and we all, you know, we already we don't need to cover it. It's already covered within our consciousness.

33:49And the science is basically this enterprise, this very beautiful, I mean, creation of the human mind, this modern science, has this premise. Therefore, the scientists, they're not allowed to speak about God.

34:14Some scientists do believe to a certain extent, and maybe some God.

34:17I will explain, you know, these partial beliefs of the scientists, which may be there, but they're not allowed to speak about this about God. It's unscientific.

34:31Scientific method, scientific, the most important scientific premise is that the nature is independent. It doesn't matter whether God exists or not. He may exist, let him exist. But the nature is independent.

34:47And the science proves it again and again and again by studying the nature, by conquering it over, by showing how this method works by you know going on with its triumph over the material nature and by ultimately destroying everything and destroying the fine sentiments within the human soul by igniting or reinforcing this spirit of enjoyment, which is very destructive ultimately.

35:24So this scientific mentality, it's very clearly, for example, Darwin. Darwin is more or less the father, well, first Newton. Newton was more or less the first great scientist in our era.

35:49And both Darwin and Newton, they had the same philosophy in regard to the material nature.

35:57Darwin to a lesser extent, Newton to a greater extent believed in God. But even though they believed in God, their ultimate understanding was that God has created this nature, and it made it, it made a mechanical arrangement of this nature, and ultimately he has nothing to do with this nature.

36:29Yes, he created it. But from that time on, this nature is going on on its own.

36:39And therefore, we can easily study this material nature without constantly referring to the involvement of God who is not involved in this material nature.

36:51That's a very strong premise of the scientist and be victorious and be right and understand the truth, quote unquote.

37:03So that's uh how it is when uh this the The main premise of the material science which is diametrically opposed to the science described in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. The third canto of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is describing the spiritual science. Of course, other cantos of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam explain other aspects of spiritual science, but this is specifically in regard to the material nature, to the working of material nature.

37:39So what is the difference? The difference is this that according to the science, God, God or whatever, whoever, it doesn't matter. It actually doesn't matter. Created this mechanical arrangement for us to exploit.

37:58And that's implied uh understanding which is behind this. So uh and this this is a very handy philosophy because you know it justifies our exploitation of material nature.

God as both material and efficient cause

38:16You know, by this philosophy we make the energy of the Lord exploitable and go on with this exploitation or the spirit of enjoyment, which we can see, you know, can see very clearly.

38:34So the spiritual science of creation, primary and secondary creation, explained in the third canto of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, is diametrically opposed to this premise, and it says that God is involved in any minute act of creation.

39:04It's his energy. It's moreover, this energy is uh uh is him, it's his energy and it's him. He is both Upadana Karana and Nimitakarana.

39:24Efficient course or instrumental course Nimitakarana, or material cause, or upadana karana. That's in two words the philosophy of the third canto of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.

39:40God is cause of all causes, and it means that He is the matter from which this creation is done, and he is the brain or consciousness or the desire behind this, the living entity behind this creation.

40:02So when we look at any other philosophy, we will see that they will disagree with this point. They will not agree with this. They will give different versions of causality. What is the cause? Some will say that like Sankhya.

40:28Basically, it's the third canto refutes the Nirishvara Sankhya of Ishwarakna or this classical Sankhya, so to speak. And what Sankhya means? Sankhya means Pradhan is the independent cause. It's on its own.

40:51It's both efficient and Upadhana Karana and Nimita Karana. These two causes is Pradhan. Pradhan means material energy. Material energy is the independent of Lord, it's independent cause.

41:06The science more or less says the same thing. Buddhism says that ultimately nothing is the cause. Everything came from nothing. Very nice philosophy. But you know that there are Pashupatas.

41:26Pashupatas say that you know, Surya is the cause, or Shiva is the cause, or Ganesh is the cause. They say that they are efficient cause and everything is effect of their creation.

41:41The Vaisheshakas, they say that atoms is the cause. This is atomistic philosophy. Nyay says that yeah, God is there, but ultimately, there are those principles which work independently.

41:58And if we attribute the partial or full independence to the material nature, we can explore the material nature, and we can hope that by explore and study the material nature, we will be free from sufferings.

42:16That's the underlying idea. You know, the scientists, why do they study this material nature? To become free from sufferings and to make everyone free from sufferings, medicine, biology, chemistry, and physics,

42:37they all ultimately aim at liberation. Liberation means freedom from suffering. How they do this? By properly manipulating this material energy. And why the scientists are, you know, I'm I have a

42:55scientific background, so I'm speaking with some authority here. Why are scientists so important in the modern society? Now, they are actually the pundits, they have the ultimate answers to all the questions.

43:16You know, come to us. And we will free you from all sufferings. And ultimately we will make you deathless, immortal. You will become immortal. We will free you from all the diseases. COVID-19, no problem.

43:34Vaccine will be there. Any vaccine we will do. Anything you want, we will ultimately do. We will free you from all the sufferings by independently studying of the material nature.

43:48But what happens and, we will see it very clearly, and it's becoming more and more clear that this approach is ultimately counterproductive. It doesn't work because they don't take into consideration the reality.

44:10Their initial premise, which they don't even bother to prove. Because they know they cannot prove it. They cannot prove that there is no God. Nobody can prove there is no God.

44:25So, but they say, you know, why should we bother about it? We don't need it. You know, whether he is there or not, he has nothing to do with this world. That's the initial premise, which is incorrect.

44:38And the philosophy or the science, actually science, which is described in the third canto of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, is totally opposite. The Lord is involved in this creation at every

44:55step, and nothing will happen in this creation unless the Lord's will is there. So yeah, as I said, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is the explanation or the natural commentary to Vedānta-sūtra.

45:14And if we take Vedānta-sūtra, then the second pāda, the second chapter of Vedānta-sūtra, already refutes all these different philosophies about the causation, about this particular point.

Time as the divine agent in creation

45:29And another topic, very important topic of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, of the third canto of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, is the nature of time. Because time,

45:44the eternal time is the form in which the Lord enters this material nature and influences this material nature and ultimately rules this material nature. And nobody knows what is the time.

46:01And nobody will ever know what is the time unless they understand that this is the glance of the Lord who glances over material nature and starts all the processes within the material nature.

46:16And it's time who is ultimately directing this material nature. It's very interesting to know. Speaking about the psychology of the conditioned living entity, is that

46:33and that's why no matter how many proofs good astrologers will provide that astrology works, astrology will never be accepted by the science as the real science.

46:52Because astrology or the spiritual science of time, how the Lord works through all these influences, it will always be rejected without any scientific proof. You know, the astrologers can make very solid case.

47:12They can look at the chart and they can see, you know, how it works, but it will never be accepted by the science because they don't want ultimately to accept that there is a supreme ruler in this world in the form of time.

47:31So regarding this human psychology, which actually rejects, doesn't want to, you know, because if the time is there, if God is there, in the form of time, who ends everything, who rules everything, who is everything is if everything is predestined or to a certain extent is predestined, then you know you cannot really enjoy. Your whole life is spoiled.

48:01You cannot do anything. You can't enjoy. You know, your whole enjoy, your spirit of enjoyment it's totally hampered and battered down. You know, it's it's not possible.

48:14So I wanted to tell you a little story, little anekdot from the Roman history: there was this uh great emperor Caesar Tiberius. And Tiberius he was a dictator as all of them. And what it means to be dictator?

48:35It means to manifest to the greater ext to the greatest extent you know your lording over propensities. I'm the enjoyer. I'm the only enjoyer.

48:49And therefore they, you know, they exploit, they kill others, they do whatever, you know. The poor conditioned living entity gets this opportunity to manifest his spirit of enjoyment to the fullest extent.

49:07He does crazy things. And he was he he was a demon. You know, these demonic tendencies he manifested to the fullest extent. But he specifically hated astrologers.

49:24He really hated because but at the same time he was very much enamored by the astrologers. He. It's like this: you know, within the any the psychology of enjoyer in this material world there is always a fear.

49:46What if it's what if I'm not right? What if there is God? What if I will have to suffer because of my misdeeds?

49:57So he would always invite astrologers, any astrologer who would be prominent, he would invite him to his palace, he would ask him about the destiny and speak about this, and ultimately he would kill him.

50:15So he would feed him a good feast and then kill him. Because he was hating, you know, this this very idea that astrologers can be right was. was repulsive to him.

50:33And then you know he would what he would do after after the feast, after the encounter with him, interview with him, the astrologer would be taken out. And while he was taken out, he was living in an island in a Capri, he would be pushed to the sea from the mountain.

50:57So he made one exception to one astrologer. He didn't kill one astrologer because he asked this astrologer before giving farewell to this astrologer.

51:13He asked him can you look in your own chart and see what is there in your faith. In the closest future.

51:28And this astrologer made Praśna or whatever it is, and his eyes became big and round, and he said, Oh, I am in a very precarious condition, some imminent danger is there, I may die very soon, and Tiberius to make the astrology wrong didn't kill him because he didn't want to confirm his prediction.

Natural evolution versus divine entry in creation

51:57So what I want to say is that this is a very important point of the whole, this whole canto of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, that the Lord is involved in the form of time.

52:11And there are many descriptions in this third canto of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam how the evolution take place. I will try to explain if I have time the evolution of the matter which is described here in the third canto,

52:34but uh It is said that you know according to Sankhya, and that's a very important premise of Sankhya, and their Satkaryavada theory, which we partially agree with, that the effect is there in the cause.

52:58But anyway, but they say that the process of evolution, which we can see in this material world, is natural. The same way as Darwin says the process of evolution, this is a natural selection. He says, natural selection.

53:14Nobody is involved. It's a natural process. So the same way Sāṅkhya says that the primordial elements which are there naturally evolve one from another.

53:29From Mahatattva ahaṅkāra naturally evolves from ahaṅkāra, uh, the in goodness—anyway, I will explain this, uh, all the demigods involved from, uh, well, they don't speak about demigods. The mind in, uh, evolves from, uh, ahaṅkāra in passion, the senses, uh, evolved, and, uh, and from ahaṅkāra in ignorance the Mahābhūtas, pañca-mahābhūtas evolved and the sense objects, pañca tanmātras.

54:00But they say it's a natural process of evolution because of the presence of jīva.

54:08They say that jīva disturbs the equilibrium of prakṛti and prakṛti naturally evolves. But jīva has nothing to do with this process of evolution.

54:21But when we see the description of the same evolution in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, it is said that in every stage of the evolution, on this primordial stage, when the elements are created, the creation takes place only when the Lord's will

54:42or Lord's energy enters into this element, and because of the involvement of the conscious energy of the Lord in the form of time, the next stage of creation takes place.

54:57So that's why the time and the evolution of the energy or material energy, sarga and visarga, the secondary creation, is so elaborately described in this canto. So basically, that's the essence.

55:20Because otherwise, we will be worshiping the material nature, we will be worshiping scientists. Scientists, as I say, they are priests, they are priests of the modern world. I can tell a little anecdote from my own life.

55:38My father was an atheist and he was a scientist. And he wanted me to be an atheist and scientist. And when I all of a sudden, by some good luck, became a devotee, He was very disturbed.

55:54And once we had some argument with him, and he was saying that, you know, what what your religion will give to you? What did it give to the humanity over the thousands of years? It didn't give anything.

56:12But scientists, and he took the pen, this, how you call this pen with ball point pen? Bowl. Bowl pen. Ball pen? Yeah.

56:24He took the ball pen and he said the scientists, they created this ball pen, and I will worship them because they did this. So, I mean that was uh that was his way to uh to

56:39illustrate uh that that why should we worship scientists? Because they do everything which we need. So this mentality is very prevalent. It's very deeply rooted. It's in everyone.

56:55And we all think that you know science ultimately will make me happy, will free me from diseases, and uh will you know because of the science they can interchange my heart to another heart, my stomach to another stomach, my head to another head, and I will remain happy living in this world with all these spare parts taken from other bodies.

57:19And ultimately you know I will freeze my body and then they will resurrect me or s somehow rather revive me from my slumber and so on so forth.

57:33So this mentality is very deep and the third canto of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is defeating this mentality directly by describing the process of creation and indirectly by different stories.

57:52So, I will just give an example how Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam works because we already heard this that Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam describes ultimately the shelter, the Ashra, the Supreme Personality of Godhead directly and indirectly, directly through different prayers and through different descriptions which are there and indirectly.

Meeting between Vidura and Uddhava at Vrindavan

58:18So I will explain how the stories of the third canto of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam defeat or depict this mentality and ultimately show the bad consequences of this mentality in an indirect way.

58:39The third canto of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam actually starts from in the second Kanto, it is said that Maitreya, Rishi and Vidura and Uddhava they met with each other.

58:52And Maharaja Parikshit asked, please explain to me about Vidura and Uddhava. So the third canto of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam starts from this meeting between Uddhava and Vidura. Vidura was doing pilgrimage.

59:07He left Hastināpura being totally frustrated with Dhṛtarāṣṭra. He was really pained in the heart. And he started wondering, he didn't want to see this war.

59:22Because he knew that this exploitive spirit, which is there in the heart of Dhritarashtra, in the heart of Duryodhana will ultimately bring about the destruction of the whole dynasty.

59:34And he didn't want to be the eyewitness of this gruesome event. So he went on pilgrimage and ultimately he came here to Vṛndāvana. Still in Vṛndāvana, there is a place which is called Gyanagudri.

59:53It's a beautiful place, place near Yamuna River, near the bank of Yamuna, Gyanagudri. This is the meeting place between Vidura and Udava. This is where Vidura and Udava exchanged the news.

1:00:11Vedura, who was absent for a long time and didn't know what happened, didn't know about the results of the war, and didn't even know what happened after the war.

1:00:23He started asking different questions of Udava, and Udava ultimately had to tell him that the Supreme Personality of God had left this world, that the whole Yadu dynasty was destroyed, and the Korava dynasty was destroyed.

1:00:41So that's more or less the subject matter of first three chapters of the Third Kanto. And beautiful description of Vrindavan is there. It's like, you know, it's very interesting, this introduction to the third canto.

1:00:59After that, there is so much dry topics. Not really dry, but still relatively speaking. But to give us a little solace from the very beginning, Shukadev Gaswami is describing beautiful past times of the Lord in Vrindavan.

1:01:17And the meaning is that the implied meaning is that ultimately this whole scene of material creation, the Sarga, which is the main topic of third kanto, is only for Krishna to come and to perform his beautiful līlās.

1:01:36So even before describing how the stage is created, he Udava uh describes the beautiful past times of the Lord in Vrindavan and outside of Vrindavan. It's a long, beautiful description.

1:01:53And Vidura asked him, can you please tell me the philosophy which the Lord explained to you before his departure. It must be very important.

1:02:06He must have said to you something very important because yeah and actually Vidur is very much touched because Udava kind of hints to him that the Lord while living from this world He was remembering him.

1:02:25And Vidura his heart melts when he hears this. He thinks, you know, it's it's amazing. The Lord thought about me at the time of departure and spoke about me.

1:02:41And Vidura asks, can you please explain to me what is this philosophy which he told you before uh leaving this world?

1:02:52And uh Uddhava humbly says, No, no, I cannot tell you because there was somebody else who was present there. He is much more senior than me.

1:03:02It's Maitreya Muni, please. He's close by, please find him, and he will explain to you everything. And I will proceed to Badarikashrama according to the order of the Supreme Lord.

Vidura inquires on the root cause of suffering

1:03:14And Vidura goes on to Haridwar, and in Haridwar he meets Maitreya Muni. And he asked a very interesting question. The very first question from which the whole description of the third canto evolves or unfolds.

1:03:37The question of Vidura, who is a great devotee of the Lord, who has traveled all over the place, who has seen everything, who is very wise.

1:03:53His first question to Maitreya, he doesn't want him to ask the sensitive questions about the Lord and everything. He asked the first question: please tell me why everyone is suffering in this world.

1:04:06Why, even though everyone is trying to become happy, everyone without an exception. Nobody gets happiness, but that's. that's that maybe not so bad. Everyone is trying hard to become happy.

1:04:22Nobody becomes happy, okay, fine. But on the contrary, everyone becomes miserable.

1:04:31So he asked this question, and ultimately, the answer to this question: the third canto is the answer to this question because if we understand how the living entity gets entangled in this creation.

1:04:48And that's exactly what is described in the verse which we read, then we will be free from the sufferings. We will be able to disentangle ourselves to free from this. we will become amumuhe. We will not become muddha.

1:05:13We will become free from this bewilderment of māyā. So that's the question from which the third canto starts, and immediately there Maitreya Muni starts describing the creation

1:05:34Sāṅkhya philosophy. The theistic Sāṅkhya philosophy. The theistic science of this creation from the point of view of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam and it it is being repeated three or four times.

1:05:49Partially, sometimes partially, sometimes completely, last time in the teachings of Lord Kapil, in a very elaborate way, in the chapter which we from which we read.

1:06:02So, but I wanted to tell about the stories, how the stories of uh of the third canto describes. One interesting story which describes this.

Brahma's search for his origin through empirical effort

1:06:17I believe in the fifth chapter of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, no, uh in the sixth, I believe in the sixth chapter. I don't exactly remember which chapter. That's the story about Lord Brahmā. His appearance on the lotus flower.

1:06:39It's very interesting because this story more or less depicts no actually it's in the eighth chapter, yeah, that's before the ninth chapter, in the eighth chapter of the third canto of Śrīmad Bhāgavatam.

1:06:56When the Lord Brahmā appeared, He couldn't understand on the on the lotus flower in this dark universe yet.

1:07:11It is said in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam here. Here, Lord Brahmā in his ignorance contemplated who am I that am situ who am I that am situated on the top of this lotus? Where from has it sprouted?

1:07:27There must be something downwards, and that from which this lotus has grown must be within the water. And so, what Lord Brahma did, we all know, he dove deep into this water of Garbadaka Ocean.

1:07:45And for many many years he was a good diver. He was the original diver. He spent diving and trying to track down the source, his own source. So this is the scientific mentality.

1:08:06By this story, the scientific mentality is very beautifully or experiential mentality, empiric mentality is very beautifully depicted because we all you know we are all born in ignorance. Omagyana Timirandasya.

1:08:26We are born in this darkness of ignorance. So, what we do? We study science. We take MA, BA, PhD, and we try to experiment with the source. So, but what is explained in the third canto of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam?

1:08:49Yes, Lord Brahma did it, but he was unsuccessful. And he had four heads.

1:08:54It specifically said that there he was looking in all directions, he could look in all directions, so he was much more brainy than any other scientist. He was much more brainy than Einstein or Newton or whoever was there.

1:09:10He had four heads. Didn't work. And he was really diving deep. Diving deep means very deep investigation of the loss of material nature. But the more he was diving, the more he was bewildered.

1:09:26And that's exactly what we are what we have as a result of all this glorious enterprise of living entities the more we are diving and the more we're becoming uh we are being bewildered and therefore uh he came back he sat down and he concentrated his mind, he put his mind into concentration.

1:09:53He understood that the way to obtain the real knowledge is not through the senses which are ignorant and this process can only fructify in ignorance can only increase our ignorance and that's what it is.

1:10:13The interaction of the senses with the sense objects only increases ignorance. There is nothing else. That's what it is.

1:10:23When the senses are interacting with the sense objects, the ignorance avidyā becoming thicker and sicker and sicker within our heart. And we're becoming more and more bewildered.

1:10:38So the story depicts this and Lord Brahma he starts contemplating. He became, you know, introspective. He heard this tapa and he started meditating on tapa on his source. He didn't know what is his source.

1:10:59He didn't know who is the Lord. But the Lord revealed himself to him due to his endeavors, due to his attempts to be concentrated inside.

1:11:15So the proper way to understand the reality is not from out not from inside outside, it's vice versa, it's from outside inside. It's within the heart when we will be able to And

1:11:34bewildered, even though he saw the Lord and he asked the Lord how bewildered, even though he saw the Lord and he asked the Lord how to perform his task.

1:11:47And 9th chapter describes this his prayers and how the Lord explains to him. So, more or less the secondary creation is depicted in this story as totally dependent on the Lord.

Allegorical lessons from Varaha and Hiranyaksha

1:12:01The secondary creator couldn't do anything, he couldn't mix all these elements together without the help of the Lord.

1:12:10But even more important story: in the Third Canto of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, there's very few stories, there's not many stories. It's mostly uh philosophy, mostly Sankhya. But there is this story of Varaha and Hiranyaksha.

1:12:31And uh in the contrapunct, uh in the contraposition to this story, there is a story of Kardama Muni and uh uh Devahuti and Kapila Muni. So, these two stories they are very much interrelated with each other.

1:12:56In the story of Hiranyaksha and Varaha's appearance, and before that, the story of Kumaras who traveled to Vaikuṇṭha is described. It's a very instructive story because this is a story about offense.

1:13:19Actually, from now on, starting from the third canto, every

1:13:24other canto of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam will describe some story of offense, some story of fall-down of the living entity with offensive mentality and how his mentality becomes degraded due to the power of offense committed by him.

1:13:46And especially the fourth canto. When we probably next time when we come to the fourth canto, I will explain. There are so many offenses in the fourth canto to teach us to avoid offenses.

1:13:59But in the third canto, there is a and in every other story, in every other canto, there is a story of offenses.

1:14:06In the third canto, the offense is there and this offense, this offensive mentality is exactly this. This offensive mentality is the attempt to understand the Lord by one's own endeavors, to understand the truth by one's own endeavors.

1:14:28To declare that I can independently understand either material nature or the truth, of course, they're not interested in knowing the Lord. But even for Kumaras, they committed an offense.

1:14:43Ultimately, they committed an offense. They offended by cursing Jaya and Vijaya. They committed an offense. And what was their offense, or what was their mistake?

1:14:54The same experiential mentality. They wanted to know the Lord by their own endeavors. And of course, Hiranyaksha is a very bright example of this mentality. Hiranyaksha is the result of offense.

1:15:16Offense of Diti towards Kaśyapa, towards Lord Śiva. Diti in her spirit of enjoyment couldn't control her senses and therefore she more or less seduced her husband Kaśyapa Muni, sorry, not Kaśyapa, Kaśyapa Muni. And as a result of the spirit of enjoyment,

1:15:44what happened here and Hiraṇyākṣa appeared. And that's a very interesting name. Because Hiranyaksim means golden eyes. Why Kasyapamuni gave his son such a name? Because his eyes only see gold.

1:16:01Iranyaksha is the metaphor or the symbol of the greed, the primordial quality which is there in everyone's heart, greed for enjoyment. He is the Adi Daitya.

1:16:18And this demonic quality which is original original demonic quality is this greed, greed for sensual enjoyment. And he was Hiranyaksi, he had this, you know, gold in his eyes. He could only see gold.

1:16:39And therefore, what he did, you know, because of him, it is said that the earth was uh was deeply down in the mud.

1:16:50And that's basically again the description of the mentality, scientific mentality, so to speak, scientific mentality. Because what scientists do, they exploit the material nature.

1:17:03As a result, the status of Earth becoming lower and lower and lower. We can see that there is a degradation of consciousness.

1:17:13Even though the scientists they proudly proclaim that there is a progress, but ultimately there is no progress.

1:17:20There is a very rapid degradation in every country where the science has become the ultimate religion and the scientists have become the ultimate priests of the religion and the Nobel Prize laureates became the you know Mahajans of this religion.

1:17:44So we see the degradation, moral degradation, the degradation of consciousness, the complete you know shrinking down the consciousness of living entities, of human beings who live there.

1:17:59So and it's it's actually very interesting because Hiraṇyākṣa Yaksha is described in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam in the third canto that he had golden not only golden eyes but he also had golden hairs.

1:18:16So it's a very clear hint on the Europeans because there is no people with golden hairs here in India. They only have black hairs.

1:18:30But here in Yaksha, the original demon, he had golden hairs and because of him the earth was down and he he was he was ultimately he was laughing and mocking at

1:18:47the Supreme Lord when the Supreme Lord came in this form of Varaha and said, You are an amphibious creature who is always in this waters looking for something, sniffing for something in the waters.

1:19:05Anyway, you know, I'm not going to describe this beautiful story. You should read Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. But then actually the lesson of this story again it is very clearly said who is Varaha. Varaha is the manifestation of

1:19:26sacrifice. Of the Vedic science. There is a Vedic science to make you prosperous. This is the science of sacrifice. And Varaha is the manifestation of this. Who is Hiranyaksha? Who is fighting with him?

1:19:43He is the manifestation of the mentality that I can exploit the material nature, I don't need to do sacrifice to the Supreme Lord.

1:19:53I can exploit independently the material nature, and therefore which causes the degradation, and ultimately the Supreme Lord kills Hiranyākṣa. So these stories teach us that this is not correct approach.

1:20:11By the story of Lord Brahmā, he teaches us that we should be contemplative and should look inside and try to please the Lord inside.

1:20:21By the story of Lord Varaha and Hiranyākṣa, he teaches us that if we want prosperity, then prosperity is based on sacrifice.

1:20:31And saṅkīrtana-yajña you should perform, yeah, saṅkīrtana-yajña, or some other prescribed yajñas, you should serve other people, you should feed people. And this is the way to be prosperous.

1:20:46There is no need to be afraid that the earth will not be able to feed so many living entities. The earth will be able to feed so many living entities. Krishna is not a poor man. He can feed everyone.

1:21:02If you understand the method. And what is the method? The method is sacrifice. The Vedic science, as opposed to the uh to the materialistic science or atheistic science which denies the presence of God.

1:21:18And therefore, the story of uh Kardama Muni and Devahūti is as I said in contrapunto. I I don't know how it is. There is this musical term that in a contrast to this story, because Devahuti was trying to serve Kardama Muni.

1:21:44Diti wanted to enjoy by Kardama Muni. -> Diti wanted to enjoy with Kardama Muni. And as a result of this enjoying spirit, Hiranyaksha appeared. Devahuti wanted to serve, and she was serving for many many years,

1:21:59and ultimately, Kardama Muni gave her all enjoyments. He gave her this beautiful castle which could fly in the sky. He was he was satisfying her senses. He made her young and healthy. He did everything.

1:22:17But and as a result Kardama Muni was oh sorry, Kapila Muni was born. So this is again this is a very important teaching of the third canto. You want to be prosperous, no problem.

1:22:34There is a Vedic science how to be prosperous. Don't try to be prosperous illegally by the scientific, so-called scientific method.

1:22:43Try to already science over, science of sacrifice, and in this way you will get your material desires, but at the same time you will get liberated. Whereas if you do it in the opposite way, you will be degraded.

1:23:03This is how this idea is being explained by the stories of the third Canto of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Few stories of the third Canto of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.

1:23:18And ultimately, I'll probably let me very quickly explain the creation, the evolution which is there.

1:23:31In a very quick way, I'm sure you know this Sankhya, but there are essential points of this Sankhya philosophy which we have to remember all the time.

1:23:45Because ultimately Sankhya philosophy, Bhagavatam Sankhy philosophy, explains the workings of our mind. Very importantly, it explains the workings of our mind.

1:24:04And by explaining this, it explains how material energy covers our mind or our consciousness, or how it can uncover it and reveal the truth.

1:24:17Again, as I said, this is two functions of any energy of the Lord including the material energy. So the covering of material energy is explained, you know, the whole, we know the whole scheme of Sankhya. Oh.

1:24:42So I'm talking too long. No, I I can I can say a few words. Okay.

Cosmological evolution of material elements in Sankhya

1:24:53So yes, I will I will explain a few important things to finish this whole uh overview of the third canto. So we know that there is this Pradhan.

1:25:08Pradhan is an uh in other words of Pradhan is a Vyakta. It's an unmanifest balanced state of material energy.

1:25:22And then the Lord looks at this material energy and material energy becomes manifest and from Pradhan it becomes prakriti. But prakriti is still in a balanced state. All the gunas are balanced. It manifests.

1:25:40It's a very important point. As I said, that the living entity becomes bewildered when they look. Vilokya. Velokya means they looked at the material energy, and by looking at the material energy, uh, they become bewildered.

1:25:56The Lord also looks in the material energy. He doesn't become bewildered. Śrīla Prabhupāda explains this in the purport, that's his līlā, but by looking at something we express our desire.

1:26:12The Upaniṣads say how the creation takes place: sa aikṣata. He desired. First, the Lord wanted to activate the material energy.

1:26:26It is also explained in the third canto of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam in the fifth chapter, where Maitreya explains this to Vidura that the Lord wanted to accept material energy, wanted to unite with material energy.

1:26:40So He looked at the material energy. That's a very important point for us also. We have to understand that our desire manifests first through the eyes. Where do I look?

1:26:55You know, I should look inside, I should look for the Lord inside myself. If I too much look in the material world, then I will be bewildered because by

1:27:05looking in this vicitra-guṇair creations of this variegated guṇas, I become muhye. I become bewildered by all these beautiful creations. So that's very important.

1:27:21Through desire, the desire forces us to look in a certain direction. And when the Lord looked in the direction of Pradhan, Pradhan manifested, became Prakriti.

1:27:35And when the Lord's glance in a form of Śambhu, and this is not explained in the Skandha, but it's explained, uh, that's Sadāśiva, original Śambhu, uh, Kṛṣṇa's glance, it's explained in Brahma-saṁhitā, Samhita, united with the material energy because the Lord Himself is never in touch with the material energy.

1:28:00It's just it's not for Him. He's not touching it. That's for us, for the conditioned living entities to be in touch. So and then when this primordial

1:28:18sexual intercourse took place between Śambhu and Prakṛti-śakti Kālī as it is explained somewhere here in the third canto. When the shambu uh is the glance of the Lord who is Kalapurus? The energy of time is united with the material energy.

1:28:51Through this union, the seeds of the condition jivas with their suspended karmas, they were suspended in the previous act of pralaya of destruction, are being impregnated in the material nature.

1:29:08And Krishna explains this in the 14th chapter of Bhagavad-gītā. When he says that I am the seed-giving father. He means this particular process of the impregnation of the material nature.

1:29:27And so, what is very important to understand that when the gunas of material nature who were in complete balance are agitated by the time. Time is called in the third canto kṣobhaka. Kshobaka means agitator.

1:29:51He throws it out of balance. Then the gunas start evolving through the energy of time.

1:30:01As I already explained, that every act of evolution, including the so-called natural selection of whatever, is governed by the time, by the energy of the Lord, but it's invisible. The Lord is not visible.

1:30:16The time, you cannot see the time. Nobody has seen the time. Nobody knows what it is. Everyone knows that the time is there. But that's the will of the Lord acting in this material world in every act of evolution.

1:30:33So the very important point to understand is that the gunas of material nature were completely merged together in this primordial state of prakṛti, but then they started differentiating.

1:30:50And ultimately, it means that in any stage of material evolution, all the three gunas are present. There is no pure sattva in this material world. There is no pure sattva. There is no pure rajas, there is no pure tamas.

1:31:10All the gunas are mixed together because that's that's how goodness works they always together so the maybe sattva pradhan uh the predominant sattva or Raja Prad Rajas Pradana or Tamapradhan certain states where they are predominant but nevertheless they're always there

1:31:37and uh from uh from prakriti mahatattva appeared. And this mahatattva is the original state of consciousness. In our mind it is chitta.

1:31:56And it's very interesting that Mahatattva, this is the element in the mode of goodness where the sattvagun is predominant.

1:32:05Therefore, it is described in this twenty-sixth chapter of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam as svatha, very translucent and shanta, very peaceful and avikari uh it's not undergoing any transformation.

1:32:27It's basically what it means is that uh deep down within our heart, beyond our ahaṅkāra, very important point, there is the ability to understand the reality through this element of Mahatattva Chitta.

1:32:50And that's vidya portion of maya.

1:32:55If we somehow or other reach this level of consciousness which is translucent, which is very peaceful and which is undisturbed by Rajas, which is predominantly Satvik, we will understand the nature of our soul.

1:33:18But for that, we have to go beyond ahaṅkāra. Because ahaṅkāra is the next stage of creation. So from Pradhan Prakriti, from Prakriti through the glance of the Lord, from Prakriti Mahatattva, by the glance of the Lord.

1:33:35In any stage, the glance of the Lord is there. So this Mahatattva, it's basically the stage where people who are meditating, they're reaching it, they're not really reaching the transcendental stage.

1:33:50All this bright light or whatever. In most cases, of course I cannot, I'm not in a position to judge.

1:33:58But in most cases, it is uh when the yogi or meditator is really serious, he reaches the stage behind ego, beyond ego, uh, where he can understand reality and he becomes very peaceful, he has very clear vision of reality and he's not disturbed, he's not agitated, his mind is completely peaceful. So that's Mahatattva.

1:34:30And then ego, the black black shadow or black cloud covers over this Mahatattva. Because this is how it works. If the predominance of sattva is there, then the pendulum will go in the opposite direction.

1:34:54And the predominance of sattva in the material nature will give rise to predominance of tamas.

1:35:02So from this sattvic element which is there in our consciousness our chitta, which we are supposed to purify by chanting the holy name, ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanam. When Lord Chaitanya says in Śikṣāṣṭakam that that's the main purpose, he says, yes,

1:35:24first of all, you have to reach to this stage of consciousness beyond ego. Ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanam.

1:35:31And then Ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanam, chitta becomes translucent, but ego uh he moddels uh this uh state of consciousness, uh, of our citta, ahaṅkāra, because ahaṅkāra is tamasic,

1:35:48so everything else which goes from there is tamasic by nature. Some people say that mind is sattvik. Mind is, is tamasic, uh, predominantly but little sattvik. Relatively speaking, sattvik. Mind is tamasic.

1:36:10Senses are tamasic. Objects of the senses are tamasic. Everything is tamasic because everything is coming from ego. Of course, when ego is predominantly influenced by sattva-guṇa Vaikārika ahaṅkāra.

1:36:26Vaikārika ahaṅkāra gives this mind. And the demigods.

1:36:33The demigods which are rulers, ten demigods which are rulers of our senses, which actually provides us the sensory capacity to see, to hear. It's all done through these primordial demigods who are the

1:36:52elements and they are praying there. They are not independent. They're praying to the Lord to be able to perform their functions. They're dependent on the Lord. It's all ultimately Lord. It's his energies, his stuff.

1:37:08But Sāṅkhya just describes the transformation under the influence of the Lord. So, yeah, from sāttvika ahaṅkāra, the demigods and the mind come. And what is mind? Mind is.

1:37:27Mind is this so-called objective consciousness which we may have. It's still not objective because after ahaṅkāra, it's very subjective, but we can see the law the world around us, we look at it.

1:37:46You know, Śrīla Prabhupāda says that the function of the mind is thinking. So it's a philosophical sort of thinking, feeling, and feeling. So we feel something. And you know it's originally peaceful.

1:38:04And it's originally happy because sattva-guṇa is in charge of happiness. Sattva-guṇa gives happiness.

1:38:14So you know in the when the little children they don't have too much, you know, they they only have mind, they don't have developed other faculties. So they are happy, they're more or less happy. They kind of see the world in a very funny way.

1:38:37So that's that's mind, this philosophizing ability in our consciousness.

1:38:46And then from taijasāhaṅkāra, from rājasika ahaṅkāra, predominantly rājasik false ego, the ten senses come about, the jñānendriya and karmendriya and buddhi come about.

1:39:05And this buddhi, Sāṅkhya, doesn't have this element buddhi. It's interesting. The original Sāṅkhya philosophy. This buddhi element is a specific feature of Bhāgavata Sāṅkhya. Sāṅkhya from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.

1:39:21And this buddha, what is this buddhi? The buddhi is the judging or the ability to perceive the world and to understand the world. To create the structure, to create, you know, when we say that somebody is very

1:39:38intelligent, it basically means that he has very developed this rājasic buddhi.

1:39:44It means that he sees the structures, he sees this is lower, this is higher, this is how they are connected. He sees this internal connection and everything.

1:39:56So it's basically the perception, the ability to perceive, which is perfected in human beings. Every the ability to discriminate which is perfected in human beings as opposed to other living entities.

1:40:13Other living entities also discriminate. Little worm or ant crawling in the land discriminates.

1:40:21This is good, this is sugar, this is bad, this is some you know stool or whatever. Or you know, you know, he has some discrimination, he has some power to discriminate.

1:40:33The senses perceive something, and the body discriminates. This is good, this is bad, this is how it is connected, this is what we should do. The buddhi, this learning ability in human beings and also in animals as well.

1:40:50So that's buddhi. This is rajas. Learn how to maximize our enjoyment in this material world. This is what Buddhi is all about. And by interacting with the senses and, then

1:41:11Tamasāhaṅkāra creates first tanmātrās, the object of the senses, the subtle objects of the senses. And it's important to understand that the senses which are created by rājasika ahaṅkāra are not these gross senses.

1:41:29It's not the eyes. Eyes is just the lump of matter. Eyes is just seat of the original sense.

1:41:40So the tan-matras, the something which the senses are measuring the objects of the senses are created, and the elements are created by the agitated by the energy of time, and ultimately, everything is there because of the will of the Lord.

1:42:03So, this is how evolution takes place, and the whole creation is bewildering and covering us because by looking in

1:42:13this material creation, what we do? We interact with this material creation by our senses. And by interacting, by our rajasic passionate senses with tamasic objects, we make the covering of ignorance more and more.

1:42:31As explained here. This is how jñāna-guhya takes place, how jñāna becomes covered. Just because of this process of interaction. Therefore, any spiritual practice implies some restriction in this interaction.

1:42:54And any spiritual practice implies certain regulation because regulation is sāttvika. What is sattva? Sattva is a... Sattva is a dynamic stability. Sattva is stable but it's dynamically stable, it's rhythmic.

1:43:21Sāttvika consciousness is moving, but it's moving in a very harmonious and rhythmic way. And therefore, it's stable.

1:43:32Rajas is totally unstable, it's chaotic, and tamas is stable in a different way, in a very tāmasika way. It's in a very stable and a very static way, so to speak.

Regulated lifestyle for elevating consciousness beyond ego

1:43:46In a very... it's inertia. So any spiritual discipline, you know, now I'm explaining how the material energy, if we understand how it works, how it covers the consciousness, and how it can uncover the consciousness.

1:44:07By chaotically interacting with this material energy, by passionately interacting with this material energy in the spirit of enjoyment,

1:44:20by this understanding that my interaction with the material energy is the process of knowledge. This is how I'm knowing it. This is how I'm increasing knowledge, one becomes more and more ignorant, more and more tāmasika.

1:44:38One becomes more and more ahaṅkārika.

1:44:43This, in the third canto of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, it is explained how Lord Brahmā first created five coverings of ignorance: Tāmisra, Andhatāmisra, Moha, Mahāmoha, and Tāmas. And they're all creations of this ignorance.

1:45:06So through this chaotic process of interaction with the material energy in the spirit of enjoyment, in the spirit of exploitation, one becomes more and more entangled and less and less capable of understanding the reality.

1:45:25More and more bewildered by the vicitra-guṇa, the creation, citra-vicitra, all these variegated creations of this material world.

1:45:36And one is being punished by raja-guṇa, which creates a lot of suffering to the living entity. And tama-guṇa putting it in unconscious state. So this is what we have to understand.

1:45:53But if we understand that uh the material energy has another feature which is vidyā-śakti, and this vidyā-śakti is predominantly sattvic. And if we try to go beyond ahaṅkāra, the false

1:46:12ego, beyond this bewilderment that I'm this body and I have to enjoy this world. If we try to regulate our life in a very harmonious way, you know what is time? When we see the time, we see time is cyclic. It means rhythmic.

1:46:38Originally, the time is rhythmic. So, what is spiritual practice? How do we uncover our covered consciousness by coming close to this sattva-guṇa?

1:46:52By trying to come in harmony or in contact in the same rhythm with the material energy. You know, we wake when the sun is up or ideally one and a half hour before the sun is up.

1:47:13We go to bed when the sun is down, we don't dance during the night, we don't sleep during the day, which only increases the ta-, the ignorance of the living entity and covers up.

1:47:33Seasons like right now there is a rainy season, so those who are in India they should follow the limitations or restrictions, dietary restrictions. More or less we come to this harmonious union with this nature.

1:47:51We try to bring our consciousness into the harmony with this. That will increase sattva and that will help us to go beyond ego. Because we will never be able to understand that I'm not this body

1:48:09we live chaotic life, chaotic rājasika life, even if we mumble something or some mantra or whatever.

1:48:18But if we try to rhythmically live in a very regulated life, eating at the same time, sleeping at the same time, and regulating our life according to the time, to the will of the Lord, manifested as the time.

1:48:36You know, respecting the will of the Lord, you know, and Friday there is a certain influence and Saturday certain influence. The Sunday certain influence.

1:48:47And if we do this, you know we come beyond ahaṅkāra, we get to our citta, which is the reflection of Mahat-tattva, uh which is the micro cosmic element of mahat-tattva.

1:49:07And mahat-tattva, as Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura explains, Śrīla Prabhupāda explains, in fact, in this 26th chapter, is capable of giving us some reflection of the Lord.

1:49:21Not only will we be able to perceive our own soul but we will also see reflection of the Lord.

1:49:31And uh ideally if we study Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, this purification will take place, will go beyond our ahaṅkāra, and we will be able to reach this state of peacefulness,

1:49:48non-agitation, beyond tamas and rajas, beyond tāmasika ahaṅkāra, which is like mud, the original uh mahat-tattva o citta is like clear water.

1:50:06So we will be able to reach this stage of clear mind beyond all the sufferings and will be able to get the reflection of the Lord and understand our relationship with the Lord.

1:50:22So that's the message of the third canto of Śrīmad- Bhāgavatam.

1:50:28Either we make through our philosophy natural philosophy of nature, the nature exploitable and try to exploit it beyond the limit and suffer as a result and destroy destroy our consciousness and make it more tāmasika and bring it down to the level of the animals or we elevate our consciousness through the cultivating this vidyā element of māyā and understanding that God is beyond, that He is connected and He is regulating the movements of Maya at every moment of time through the energy of time.

1:51:20That's it.

Questions on free will sacrifice and science

1:51:22And I'm really too long. Hare Kṛṣṇa. Hare Kṛṣṇa Mahārāja. So we actually have some questions too. It was uh indeed a wonderful session and so we will ask a few questions.

1:51:43You know, there are two or three very compelling questions.

1:51:50The last part that you explained there's a request from a devotee that if the same could be presented, if it is a part, if there's some kind of a power point or you know where they can get a snapshot of what you explained the last bit particularly. So that's just one comment.

1:52:15And the other is also a request on the 10th subject of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.

1:52:21This is a question from Raj Kishol Prabhu from Iran, whether there is material that we could possibly go to study that uh particularly the focus matter of tense.

1:52:35The tenth subject matters of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam are described by Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī in Tattva-sandarbha. At the end of Tattva Sandarbha, there are two lists of 10 subject matters.

1:52:50One list from the second canto which I explained. The other list is from the 12th canto where Shaunakar Sutta Goswami explains the 10 subject matters.

1:53:03They are on a superficial level somewhat different, but ultimately, these are the same questions.

1:53:10So Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī deals with this subject matter quite elaborately at the end of Tattva-sandarbha, and Gopī-parāṇadhana Prabhu wrote very brief comment, so you can consult his work on Tattva-sandarbha in this regard. Thank you, Mahārāja.

1:53:35So the two questions we will take. One comes from Anupama Rādhārāṇī dāsī.

1:53:44The question is: For the events to be predestined to a certain mix of souls in sattva, rajas and tamas inhabiting this planet, how are those in these three guṇas moved to action?

1:54:03What part does the free will of the living entity play if everything is predestined? So the whole the question is, what part does free will of the living entity play if everything is predestined?

1:54:21Not everything is predestined. Yes, when we are tamasic and rajasic, predominantly tamasic and rajasic, and even in a sattvic way, there is a lot of predestination, but nevertheless, we can change at

1:54:44the basis of everything is desire. As I said, the basis of this creation is desire of the Lord, but ultimately the Lord fulfills the desire of the living entities.

1:54:55So the foundation of this creation is desire, and we can change our desire. We cannot change our destiny or the events which are supposed to take place due to our previous karma.

1:55:11But we can change our desire, and the process of changing our desire, especially if we talk about the very constructive process of changing our desire, takes place when we meet with the devotees. Because when we meet with the devotees, their desires come to us.

1:55:33That's actually why sādhu-saṅga is supposed to be there, because ourselves we never desired to be with the Lord, being conditioned living entities, as Śrīla Prabhupāda says, and we are quite satisfied to be in this world. We can be a pig, a hog in the mud, and be very happy. But we can change our desires through association and when we understand through association with the devotees, how it works, then we can very carefully choose how we associate with the modes of material nature.

1:56:20Because we know that the modes of material nature still condition us and still influences us. Therefore it will be our free will in that we are choosing what we want to associate with or who we want to associate with.

1:56:39That we are free. We are not free in the sense that our preconditioning gives us some inclination, some proclivity to associate with certain modes.

1:56:57If I cultivate a certain mode of nature, certain guṇa, tamas or rajas, or certain combination of these modes of nature in previous life, I will carry on the same tendency in this life.

1:57:13But if we meet with the devotees and we understand how it works, we really achieve the freedom and we can carefully avoid contact with the lower modes of nature, associate with the higher modes of nature and especially associate with the devotees who are transcendental to this world, who can teach us.

1:57:36So this is where our free will lies, our free will lies in, um, in the freedom to choose our association. Thank you. So the next question. Uh, it's a follow-up question, uh, which is that, uh, about sacrifice.

1:58:01What does sacrifice mean and why does it satisfy the law? Because sacrifice is called setu or the bridge between the material world and the spiritual world.

1:58:24Because in the material world we are egocentric and egocentricity means that we want everything for ourselves. And sacrifice teaches us to give, teaches us to serve. What is sacrifice?

1:58:40Sacrifice—the yaj-dhātu. Yajña is derived from yaj-dhātu, and yaj-dhātu has three meanings in Sanskrit. It's, uh, yaj-saṅgati, association, yaj- dātu or no, yaj-dāyati or whatever.

1:59:11yaj-saṅgati, yaj-dātu to give, and yaj—the third one is also very important. To give, to associate. Forget the third meaning. Anyway, what is the process of yajña? The process of yajña is that, uh, we, uh,

1:59:41uh give something away we donate we serve and uh we associate with elevated people during this process of yaja. We invite some Brahmanas or some priests for this ceremony.

2:00:01And this is how our consciousness is in a natural way being elevated. And it is said there's yeah, worship. The uh the the third uh meaning of uh yach uh of the root uh dhatu yach is worship.

2:00:25So this is the way to worship the Lord. This is a certain always Yagya is a way to worship the Lord. We put Lord in the center. We give something.

2:00:38Therefore, it is said that any yagya should be uh should be accompanied by feeding prasādam. Otherwise, it's tāmasa yagya.

2:00:47We should feed other people, we should invite other people and uh give some prasādam. Or give some Dakshina. Very important. If yagya is there, you should give some dakṣiṇā.

2:01:00Here in Vrindavan, of course, now it's not there, but before the Bandaras were there when you know in the memory of some saint. So everyone was fed, whoever is coming, and then everyone was given some donation.

2:01:18You come, you eat, and you take some money. You know, sometimes it's a huge amount of money, 100 rupees to a person or something like this. And there are many, many hundreds of people coming to Bandara.

2:01:33So these three three things together, and you associate. You you give, you associate with elevated people, you worship, and the Lord is pleased.

2:01:44The Lord is pleased when you give because you are not in the center, you're giving. The Lord is pleased when you worship Him because He is in the center and His proper position.

2:01:55And the Lord is pleased when you associate with elevated people and your consciousness becomes more clear. Thank you, Marat. There's a very interesting question from J. Prabhu.

2:02:12Um says Hare Krishna Maharajama today's lecture was at a very highly scientific in a positive way expressing intellectual uh scientific level giving explanation about law, type, actors.

2:02:27So the question is, as all individual souls are born with a mix of three basic modes of guṇas,,

2:02:36As the child grows and the environment in which he grows, the education against its childhood plays a vital role in the kind of character he or she will have in this world.

2:02:48So the spiritual education since childhood like that we had a guruful system will result in a better world to a large extent.

2:02:58Will pre-conditioning of souls, you know, right from childhood with will will be helpful for a better world with the question. Absolutely, absolutely, because you know the

2:03:15previous saṁskāras, pūrva saṁskāras, saṁskāras from the previous life is a very powerful factor of our of our in our life. You know, there is this factors which are there. So pūrva-saṁskāras are one of them.

2:03:38So we understand we should understand that what is con is doing uh by the genius and amazing design and will of Śrīla Prabhupāda is ISKCON is not only working now, but ISKCON is also creating some future.

2:03:57And of course, as much sāttvik social interaction we will be able to produce in our communities, as much as we will be able to produce some sāttvic environment for people and for children to grow, the better saṁskāras they will have, the better psychology they will have.

2:04:22So definitely, there is uh I mean it's a it's a big question are supposed to be done to produce the proper child. The Garbhādāna-saṁskāra specifically is a special saṁskāra which purifies

2:04:38The Garbadan samskar specifically is a special samskar which purifies the semen of the father and ovum of the mother to produce the good child.

2:04:56And the more good progenies are there, the more good people are there, the better world is, the more sane it is, because now it's insane, it's mad, it's crazy, and it's becoming more and more crazy. Thank you, Maharaj.

2:05:14Is there a possibility for one last question? Yes, please. There is few other questions here. I will see if it's important.

2:05:24So the the last question uh is baj, how can we get rid of manifestation of greed which leads to exploitative mentality Well, just read the story of Hiranyaksha: the greed will go away. Read Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.

2:05:47All these things, you know, if you read Third Canto of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, you will be protected from all these vices and problems. So there is a couple of questions.

2:06:03What is the best way to be a devotee and material scientist nowadays without committing offense? Could be just doing good sadhana seeing to Krishna in the nature he is studying and offering the work. Yes.

2:06:17I mean the Śrīla Prabhupāda wanted us, those who are capable, to be scientists and to preach the science of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam and to reveal the deficiencies and uh the flaws of the science of the material science.

2:06:38So if we maintain good sadhana and

2:06:43associate with devotees, especially scientifically minded devotees, now Bhaktivedanta Institute is being revived. Sadaputa Prabhu was the and of course, Bhaktisvarūpa Dāsa Gosvāmī were the founding ācāryas of this institute, founding members.

2:07:07But now it's being revived and there is a lot of young people who are joining. So there is a good association.

2:07:14People who are describing the science from the Bhāgavatam point of view, which is by the way the biological science, the evolution, the theory of evolution, is there in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.

2:07:30In a couple of places in the third canto this evolutionary ladder, so to speak, of different entities, how it works.

2:07:44So there is a lot of scientific basis, and Prabhupāda, in one purport to this 26th chapter, he says this verse where he speaks about ether and śabda. He says this verse is the foundation for the very

2:08:00scientific exploration. So it can be done no problem. In Bhagavad-gītā, Krishna uses different words for intelligence, buddhi and medhā. Could you kindly explain the difference between the two?

2:08:23Uh I will have to look in the dictionary more carefully what is the difference in them? Particularly synonymous, but there may be some subtle difference. I don't really know.

2:08:38Uh, is there a tissue, could you other comments maybe if the nature of God has these two qualities, not the nature of God, it's the nature of the energy of God, of māyā, has two qualities of covering and manifesting.

2:09:02Then who are these nitya-baddha? Nitya-baddha, those people who prefer to deal with the covering part of the energy of the Lord. They don't want the revealing part of this energy. Very simple.

2:09:17They just want to interact with this. Where did scientists get the stubbornness in insisting on the idea of independence?

2:09:27It's like chopping off the branch you are sitting on. They take the stubbornness from the same source as everyone else from God Himself. God provides them with their stubbornness. Anyway, thank you very much.

2:09:49I guess that's it. Thank you. Thank you very much, Maharaj, for yet another wonderful session. We're very, very fortunate to have your association and we look forward to our next session uh two weeks from now.

2:10:08If it will not coincide with Janmastami because Janmastami is approaching. So 31st 7. Oh it should not. Today is Friday the 31st or 7th and 14th no it won? If one does para do communicate that.

2:10:27Janmashtim is on the 12th, right? 11th or 12th? Twelve. So thirteenth is Prabhupada's disappearance day. Oh, appearance day. I guess I will be too exhausted next Friday. Anyway, we'll Yes.

2:10:57We didn't talk about Rūpa Gosvāmī's teachings, but it's a very still very significant day. And ultimately, yes, we talked about Bhagavatam. It's good. Yes, my bad. Okay, thank you very much.

2:11:13Thank you very much, Mahārāja, and thank you all for uh um attending today's session and we will certainly communicate to every one of you uh the next session in the next

2:11:24two weeks depending upon gets so thank you again for uh please accept yeah