Srimad-Bhagavatam 10.17.4
Bhakti Vijnana Goswami · San Diego · 2005
Chapters
Recitation of verses on Garuda Kaliya
Madama avistā Kadravyas, Kadas. Turokani, Kadarthi, Kritya, Garudam, Swambuje balim, Virya Madavistam Vera Madhavista, Kadraveyastukalyas Mayamambuje, Vishavirya Madhavistā, Savira Madavista, Kadravya Sukaliya, Kadravas,
Kadarti Kritya Garudam Cadrave a stuka di artikram, svoja, Vishamada ishtha Padravaya Sukaliya Padayashi Kitja Garudam Mayom Tambu Vishaviryamandavishta Vishamishta Because of his poison and his strength
and his strength madha in intoxication avishha absorbed absorbed Kadraveya Kadrave the son of Kadru Kadru Tu on the other hand Kaliya Kaliya Kaliya Kadarti Kritya Disregarding Garuda Garuda Swayam Self.
Tam that that buje eight eight
Kaliya defying Garuda by taking offerings
balim the offering the offering translation Although all the other serpents were dutifully making offerings to
Garuda, one serpent, the serpent Kaliya, son of Kadru, would eat all these offerings before Garuda could claim them. Laskali directly defied the carrier of Lord Viṣṇu. I will read a few more verses to the substantial
footport. Just read English. O king, the greatly powerful Garuda, who is very dear to the Supreme Lord, became angry when he heard of this. Desiring to kill Kali, he rushed toward the serpent with tremendous speed.
Śrīla Sanātana Gosvāmī explains that the word mahā-vega indicates that the great speed of Garuda cannot be checked by anyone. Text number six.
As Garuda swiftly fell upon him, Kali, who had the weapon of poison raised his numerous heads in count to counterattack.
Following his ferocious tongues and explaining his horrible and expanding his horrible eyes, Kaledan beat Garuda with the weapons of his fangs.
Tacharis explained that Kali used his weapon of poison at a distance by spitting weapon venom upon his enemy and at a short range by beating him, biting him with his terrible fangs. Text number seven.
The angry son of Tārksya moved with overwhelming speed in repelling Kali's attack. That terribly powerful carrier of Lord Madhusūdana struck the son of Kadru with his left wing, which shone like gold. Text eight.
Beaten by Garuda's wing, Kalia was extremely distraught. And thus he took shelter of the lake adjoining the river Yamuna. Garuda could not enter this lake. Indeed, he could not even approach it. Text number nine.
In that very lake, Garuda had once desired to eat fish. Fish being after all his normal food.
Although forbidden by the sage Sobari, who was meditating there within the water, Garuda took courage and feeling hungry, seized the fish.
Śukadeva Gosvāmī is now explaining why Garuda could not approach the lake in the Yamuna River. It is the nature of birds to eat fish, and thus by the arrangement of the law,
the great bird Garuda does not commit any offence by nourishing himself as fish. On the other hand, Saubari Muni's forbidding a much greater personality to eat his normal food did not constitute an offense.
According to Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura, Saubari committed two offences. First, he dared to give an order to a supremely exalted soul, namely Garuda, and secondly, abstracted Garuda from satisfying his desire.
Śrīla Prabhupāda —, although all the other serpents were dutifully making offerings to Garuda, one serpent, the arrogant Kali, son of Kadru, would eat all these offerings before Garuda could claim them.
Thus Kāliya directly defied उthe carrier of Lord Ananta
Impact of offenses on material desires
Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Prabhu Nityānanda Śrī Advaita Gadādhara Śrīvāsādi Gaura-bhakta-vṛnda Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare Ram Ram Ram Hare Hare. So
this particular story the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam explains, as was explained in the purport of the offence. Basically, the lesson from this story, very important for all of us, is that when we commit offense,
when we commit a parada, then the material desires become so strong that we are not able to control them anymore. The story here is that Saubari Muni, a great sage, a great ascetic, was meditating under the water.
So much was his power of meditation and so much of his desire to attain liberation, that he was able to control himself for many many years, for thousands of years.
Actually, when you go to Vrindavan on the Parikram Road, when you reach the old bed of Yamuna, and then if you take to the left if you
old bed of Yamuna, and then if you take to the left, if you take to the right then it's Parikram Road, but if you take a little to the left, there is a village. Saubari Muni was meditating. filled with his energy.
So he was sitting under the water for many many years. But then we know the story from the ninth canto of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam: he saw just little fishes, you know, playfully engaged in sexual intercourse.
And then he thought, what am I doing here under the water? I'm wasting my life. There are much more interesting things to do in this world. So he rose from the water, went to the palace of King Mandata, and married
his 50 daughters all together because the 50 daughters were so enamored by this youthful muni who used all his trends and all his austerities which he accumulated during these all years just to become a you know lustful living entity.
And he based it all this in his so-called family life, 50 wives fulfilling all their desires, serving them like a dog. So, and here is the explanation that this all happened to him because of the offense.
Because of the offense, he who could control his breathing, he who could control all his desires for a long time, couldn't do it anymore. He was overwhelmed by these desires. And the same thing is with Kāliya.
And so many stories are there in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam and so many stories are there around us.
When we see when somebody is committing offense, then the first effect of his offense is that material desires become so strong he cannot control them.
He cannot really do any anything. Even though before that he was controlling his desires, before that he was he could have been engaging in some austerities and so on and so forth.
Distinction between sins and offenses
But the power of offense within our psyche is so great then even unwillingly we start committing sinful activities again and again and again.
So it is being dealt with great elaboration or with great in great details by Jīva Gosvāmī's Bhakti Sandarbha. His bhakti sandarbha he basically deals with this subject at a great length.
He explains how the offenses actually, is the main impediment to our spiritual progress. He explains the difference between the sinful activities and the offenses. He says, sins is not so bad.
There are so many passages in Vedic literature which says that if you commit sinful activities, but if you're not offensive, then all these sins are being burnt away by even little spiritual activity which you do, like a heap of cotton, immediately.
It is said if you commit sinful activities and the definition of sin is given there in Bhakti Sandarbha. Jīva Gosvāmī says that the sin is that it's just the activity which you perform by your mind or the activity which you perform by your body for the sake of enjoying your mind or your body.
This is the sin. But an aparadh or offense is much deeper or a much graver crime on the path of bhakti because an aparadh touches your heart. Aparadh touches the soul.
Aparadh is the attitude when you place yourself higher than Vaishnavas, God, your spiritual master or holy dhama.
It specifically says that an aparadh is an attitude of arrogance or attitude of neglect towards those vehicles of spiritual energy which are still there in this material world.
Because in this material world there are certain agencies of the spiritual world, like the Holy name, the spiritual master, arcā-vigraha, who comes to us to give us the opportunity to serve, and the Holy dhama.
Basically, this is four main agencies or the main manifestation of the spiritual energy, the main means of salvation.
And if we take an offensive attitude towards those agencies, this is the offense, this is an aparadh and the result of this offense is that it really perverts our mind.
It really perverts the whole, you know, the heart is being changed because of these offenses. We may have a very sincere desire to achieve the Lord, we may have a very, very sincere desire to obtain the love of God.
But if we commit offenses then viparīta buddhi takes place. Viparīta buddhi or viparyaya buddhi means the perverted intelligence. The intelligence becomes perverted and you act contrary to these desires.
This is the main result or the main effect of the offenses. And therefore offenses are so powerful and therefore the offenses we should avoid by all means.
Etymological meaning of the word aparadha
Therefore the scriptures say again and again and again that we should avoid offenses. Jīva Gosvāmī, he explains, first of all, there is a very deep meaning in this word aparādha, etymological meaning from Sanskrit.
The verbal root rādh means to satisfy, and aparādha means basically to act contrary to the satisfaction. Sometimes we underestimate. We think that aparādha is something really gross.
But aparādha means to act contrary to the satisfaction of the Supreme Lord, of spiritual master, of the holy name, to act something to act in a contrary way. And then there is again another very important etymological
explanation of this word aparādha, I believe it's from Viśvakoṣa or from other etymological dictionaries, Sanskrit dictionary, but it is said apagata, radha, use matha. Which means that apagata radha.
Here, Rādhā means of course Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī, and Rādhā means also love. Because Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī is the manifestation of love, pretty. It's the manifestation of this soft feeling within the heart.
And the very important explanation of this word aparādha here means apagatarādhā. It means that the action which drives away this feeling of love from your heart.
If you commit aparādha, the first effect within your heart is that love which should be there within the heart. Because actually our heart is the sitting place for love. It's given by us to us by the Lord for love.
This feeling is very natural. This feeling of love is very natural within the heart. But if the person commits aparādha, apagatarādhā, it goes away from the heart. The heart becomes stone-like.
The heart becomes like a piece of stone and the person is being is depriving himself of this, the most sublime and glorious feeling within the heart and therefore we see that people who commit
and glorious feeling within the heart, and therefore we see that people who commit aparādhas, they become stone-hearted. They become very cruel.
And after this aparādha, they can commit aparādha after aparādha after aparādha, offense This is the result of Aparada. This is the result of aparādha.
And therefore Jīva Gosvāmī explains that aparādha is the cause why, despite of doing all these spiritual practices which are glorified activities. In different Vedic scriptures there are so many glorifications,
and sometimes we even think that this is exaggeration. And one of the most important effects of the spiritual activities like chanting of the holy name is that it has to purify our heart from all the sinful desires.
Jīva Gosvāmī cites an example, I believe, from Viṣṇu Purāṇa or from Padma Purāṇa, from one of the Puranas. And this is a very funny example.
The story goes like this: that there was a Rākṣasa, a maneating Rākṣasa. He was a cruel, he was a sinful demon. And once he attacked the brāhmaṇa. And the brāhmaṇa was there.
And you know, this huge guy is running to eat him. So the brāhmaṇa, he became very fearful, and the brāhmaṇa, to protect himself, he chanted the holy name.
He chanted the name of Krishna with a great feeling because in such a situation you cannot help but chant the holy name with the feeling. And when this sound of the Holy Name touched the ears
of this huge demon Raksasa, the demon became powerless. He said, I don't have any more desire within my heart to eat you.
What kind of mantra did you pronounce? This mantra, the effect of this mantra is so powerful that this desire is gone. Just second before I was all eager to eat you up, but now I don't want it anymore.
So and Jiva Goswami explains that this is, see, look, this is the effect, this is how it should be.
The power of the holy name is so great that when it touches even the ears, if it's pronounced uh properly with a pure heart, then all the sinful desires are driven away just by the sound of the holy name.
But then Jiva Goswami says, you know, but look, so many practitioners are there, so many sadhus are there, who are chanting the holy name and still sinful desires are there. Why? And the explanation is only one, aparadha.
He says, and he quotes Vedānta-sūtra. In one of the sutras in Vedānta-sūtra, Bādarāyaṇa ṛṣi or Vyāsadeva, he says, āvṛttis sakṛd-upadeśāt, what is it? Āvṛttis sakṛd-upadeśāt. He said that the
explanation why, in the scriptures, despite the fact that the Holy Name is so powerful, still it is said that you should chant the Holy Name again and again and again. The explanation to this is that because you don't chant it properly.
Dordaiva Madrisha Mahajan in Anrabag. Otherwise, just once to pronounce the Holy Name is enough. But still, it is set in the scriptures, you should repeat it. Repeat it again and again and again.
Because again, even though you're committing the offenses against the holy name, and while chanting repeatedly, there is a hope.
But still, Jiva Goswami goes on to explain or to warn that we should avoid offenses as much as possible because of their powerful effect within our heart.
And he gives or he lists the five results of the offensive chanting. He says if you chant with offenses, then you can see that you are chanting offensively because of the results being produced by this offensive chanting.
Hypocrisy as first result of offense
And he lists these offenses and then he gives examples and explains these effects of the offensive chanting. He gives examples from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Mahābhārata, and other scriptures to illustrate this fact.
He says offensive chanting, the first result of offensive chanting is kauṭilya, means hypocrisy. The first result of the offensive chanting is that your heart becomes crooked.
The crookedness within the heart is the first psychological effect of the offensive chanting, kautilyam. And he gives an example of this, Duryodhana. He says, look at Duryodhana.
Duryodhana, he got the good fortune of seeing Krishna himself. He was just in front of Krishna. Moreover, he wanted to serve the Lord.
And this is the most amazing thing because when Lord Krishna came to Hastināpura to talk with Duryodhana, Duryodhana made elaborate, elaborate arrangements to receive the Lord. He made the best feast ever.
He employed the best cooks, he made the beautiful palace to put a right at the red carpet in front of the palace, you know, please welcome dear Lord Krishna.
And then, you know, he made a pūjā. He seated the Lord on the throne and started making pūjā.
And then when the time came and the Lord wanted to go away, Duryodhana said, No, no, no, there is a great feast offered for you. And Krishna said, No, no, I don't want your feast. He said, how come?
You have to eat. We cooked it for you. Sometimes we also think we do it for you, Krishna. But Krishna is not obliged to accept our offerings.
An example of this is Duryodhana. Duryodhana says, please, you have to take this feast. We were cooking it for you specifically, you know, it's such a nice feast. And Krishna says, no, no, I'm not obliged to do it.
I'm going to eat banana peels in the house of Vidura. It's much more tasty for me. Because he says, you know, you can only eat of two reasons. There are only two reasons why people eat. First of all is hunger.
Krishna says, I'm not hungry. And second of all is the love of somebody who is offering you the feast. And you don't like me, therefore I'm not taking your food. You're not doing it because of love.
So, Jīva Gosvāmī says this kautilyam or crookedness is exemplified by Duryodhana because look at Duryodhana.
He is seemingly outwardly, he is serving the Lord. Outwardly he is doing all this great grandiose arrangement for the Lord.
But within the heart, he hates the Lord and the devotees. And specifically, Krishna says in this episode in Mahābhārata, he says that I am not accepting any service from you because you hate my devotees. Because you offended my devotees, Pandavas. Therefore, no way for you to serve me. Your service will not be accepted.
Faithlessness as second result of offense
So this is the first example of a paradox of this offensive mentality. It becomes you still continue so-called serving or service to the Lord, but actually, within the heart, uh you're very offensive towards the Lord and towards the devotees. This is cautious.
And then Jivagaswami says that the next offense or the next effect, the next result of the offensive chanting of the holy name is Ashrada.
And this is perhaps the most amazing result of this offensive chanting because asradha means faithlessness. Ashradha means when you lose the faith. And he again quotes or cites the example of Duryodhana.
He explains what Ashrada means. And while hearing about this, we really have to carefully examine our heart, because all these effects are there within our heart as well. We can see them.
Some kind of crookedness or some kind of duplicity is there within the heart when we serve outwardly but inwardly we don't really want to serve.
But the next result, faithlessness, is even more interesting because Jiva Goswami explains that faithlessness or āśrāddhā means that if you chant offensively, then you hear the description of the glory of the Lord. Or even you see the glory of the Lord, the manifestation of the glory of the Lord and you don't believe it.
You don't really you don't really you don't really feel like believing it. Or he says Ashrada may manifest in two different ways.
He says, one is Vishwas Abhav, which means that you don't have the trust, you don't have the faith. You hear the description of glory of the Lord from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam from other scriptures, and you kind of doubt it.
Is he that great? You know, is it is it really so? Is it really true?
And then he says the next manifestation of this ashradha of facelessness is that you hear the glory of the Lord, or somebody glorifies the Lord, or you see the manifestation of the glory of the Lord, and the opposite feeling viparaya bhavana enters your heart.
Instead of being amazed overwhelmed instead of being elated overjoyed by seeing these glories by hearing these glories you feel like you know so what you know yeah right of course So this is, he said, this is, this is the definition according to Jiva Goswami of aśraddhā, of this facelessness.
And we definitely, at least I can very honestly confess to all of you that sometimes I do have this kind of psychological reaction when I hear some glorification of the Lord.
And Jivaswami, he again cites the example of Duryodhana when Lord Krishna showed his universal form to Duryodhana, the, his glory in the full bloom, you know, the the the glory of the Lord was there in front of everyone.
And everyone in the assembly was kind of overwhelmed by this manifestation. Everyone but Duryodhana. Duryodhana said, oh, so what? You know, who cares? You know, yeah, right, universal form. Okay, we've seen it, no problem.
You know, just a trick. He's just a trickster, you know. We have seen it, you know, yeah, yeah, yeah, right, right, right.
So again, uh, Jiva Goswami says this is the second result of the second manifestation of this offensive spiritual practices, aśraddhā.
Detrimental attachment as third result
And then the next third one that I only five, please bear with me. It's not so long to go.
So the third one is when somebody is practicing spiritual life with offenses, then the result, the psychological effect of this uh offensive uh spiritual life or spiritual practices sadhana, is that you become attached to the things which are detrimental to your spiritual practice?
And of course, the most striking example in the scriptures is Bharata Maharaj, who left, Jiva Goswami says, look at Bharata Maharaj. He left his beautiful wife. He left his obedient, intelligent son. He left his palace.
He left his kingdom as if it was a stool. He left everything. He didn't even turn around to look at them, to go to the forest, to engage in the spiritual practices. So much was his power of renunciation.
Actually, Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī in Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu cites this verse from Srimad Bhagavatam, where the description of Maharaja Bharata leaving his palace is given as an example of virakti. Virakti is one of the manifestations of bhāva, the highest stage of one of the most elevated stages of spiritual development. So virakti, complete detachment, was definitely there within the heart of Maharaja Bharata. So what happened to him?
He became attached to a deer. He left his wife. Why do you leave your wife to get attached to a deer? Why do you leave your beautiful son, your kingdom, everything.
And still you get attached to deer, and deer stands between you and God. And deer stands between you and the ultimate goal of your life.
And you know, you he became so helplessly, so ridiculously attached to the deer that wherever he would look, he would see this deer. He would look in the moon and he would see the deer in the moon.
He really became totally completely, passionately in love with this deer.
And Jiva Goswami says, this is again, this is the effect of aparadha. And he cites the explanation from the fifth canto of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, where the story is described, and there it is said that some past activity, some past karma must have been which resulted in this attachment.
It's not just by chance. It's not just because the deer happened to be there, you know.
Such a great Muni, he became so helplessly in love, fell in love with this deer, so ridiculously fell in love with this deer because of some offenses in the past. And this is the analysis which Jiva Goswami gives.
And of course, another another example of this in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is Indradyumna Mahārāja. Not our Indradyumna Mahārāja, but Indradyumna Mahārāja from the past.
Who just jokingly offended some sage by swimming in the oh no anyway that was another one anyway so oh yeah again uh
the story goes like this that Indradyumna Mahārāja was in his palace and a devotee came to his palace, Muni sage came to his palace, and Indradyumna Mahārāja, he really was engaged in the meditation. He was serving the Lord within his mind.
And of course, he wanted to show the sage how great devotee he is. And he didn't care about this devotee. The devotee showed up in front of his door and he was sitting there just doing his mānasa seva.
And because of this he became Gajendra the elephant because the the n because of this offense to a devotee of the Lord, because he disregarded
the devotee, because it is said also in Skanda Purana, there is a famous verse which says that there are six kinds of offenses against the devotees of the Lord, which leads to fall down.
And the first offense, of course, if you kill the devotee of the Lord, but the last offense is if you don't smile, then you see the devotee of the Lord. And all six are listed there.
If you don't if you see a devotee of the Lord, who is so rare, and if you don't smile, you know, it's specifically said that there is no harsh. Harsha means a big smile on your face. If there is no joy within your heart, this is an offense. And in Skandal Purana, it is said this is the six causes of fall down.
So this Maharajra Dyumna he didn't smile when because he was so absorbed, he was so you know so serious in his devotion was service. So therefore he became Gajendra the elephant.
And this Gajendra the elephant he had wife, he had children, he had so many other engagements, you know, he became so helplessly attached to all this, you know. He was an elevated devotee. He was Maharajindra Dhyumna.
And then he became he became attached to Shi elephants. So many Shi elephants.
This is again this is the uh hilarious explanation of how uh lowly the state of consciousness will become if you are offensive, if you're not careful, if you are not guarding against the offenses.
So this is the third result of our offenses is that we become attached to the things which are detrimental to spiritual practices. And we cannot control ourselves.
That's the most amazing thing, is that you know, sometimes we think, no, no, no, I'm I'm I'm cool, you know, I'm I'm very strong in my devotional practices. Forget it. All these passions will overwhelm you.
You know, this passion towards the deer totally overwhelmed Maharajabharata. You couldn't do anything about it.
Spiritual laziness as fourth result
And then he says that the fourth thing, the fourth result of the offenses is Bhakti Shaithiliam. Bhakti, of course, is the spiritual sadhana practice of our bhakti, bhakti yoga, and shaithiliam means laziness.
And again, Jivagaswami explains in a very genius and brilliant way, what it means, laziness, the lack of enthusiasm.
Because initially, when we come to devotional service, when the faith, Shraddha, aroused in our heart, we are very enthusiastic. The new light is there within our life, the new perspective, the new ways.
But then he says, Bhakti Shaithelium, as a result of our paradas, is the absorption in our own happiness and our own sufferings. That's what comes.
When you first come to Krishna consciousness, initially you have this great enthusiasm, you know, the great variable of enthusiasm you you uh you have the new light in your life.
You know, you know the goal, you know the the the finally the boring life becomes meaningful. And because of this, there is so much enthusiasm. But then this enthusiasm vanishes. And Jivagatami explains why it vanishes.
It vanishes only because of our offenses. And as a result of this, we again become absorbed in our petty happiness and petty sufferings.
Jiva Goswami cites by explaining this effect, he says that devotees they are so you know they're so overwhelmed by this feeling of bhakti that they're not even afraid of death they cannot care less about death they cannot care less about their own sufferings because they are not absorbed in themselves.
This power of bhakti is so high that it elevates their consciousness high up over their bodies. They don't really care.
They don't care, you know, the little happiness and little sufferings which are there in the bodies. It's not so much. This is the great blessings of bhakti.
You don't have to suffer anymore with the sufferings of your body, and you don't have to be happy with the happiness of your body, which is ridiculous ultimately.
This is such a great effect of real bhakti, but then it vanishes. Why bhakti-phalam comes? Why bhakti-phalam comes? Why laziness comes? Why lack of enthusiasm comes again?
Because of our inattentiveness and our devotional service, because we don't guard against the offenses. And ultimately, and again this is perhaps the most amazing.
Result of this offensive sudden or offensive spiritual practices is that you become proud of your spiritual practices.
He specifically says, Jiva Goswami specifically while describing this result of offenses, he says, you become proud by your achievements in bhakti and other achievements. You know, and we have seen this.
You know, we don't need to quote Shastras to illustrate this particular point.
When somebody is offensive in his devotional service, he becomes a bhikacharya, great, great, great, great, great, great somebody, and then he falls down.
Because and of course, Jiva Goswami he explains about this effect at great length. He gives so much attention to this particular effect of offensive devotional service.
He says that because of the pride which comes to your heart and the pride comes to your heart inevitably if you are offensive if you are execute devotional service properly, then the proper result of the devotional service is humility.
The humility is a very natural feeling which comes to your heart.
You don't have to really, you know, imitate being humble. It just naturally comes. If if you chant the holy name properly, if you understand the glory of the Lord, how great He is and how small and insignificant and stupid you are, you become you become very humble.
It's a natural effect. But if you don't do it properly, then you become puffed up. You become so big in your own eyes and your own mind that you know you're probably bigger than than the Lord himself.
Gopal Krishnamara told me an interesting story and this is of course you know from our from our Purana, from Iskon Purana. Somebody should write this Purana about one of the great Acharyas of the past. Recent past.
And Gabad Vishnu Maharaj was there and he was preaching there in this temple. And when he was leaving this place, the Acharya at that time, he approached him
and he whispered in his ear, Gopāl, don't think that the disciple cannot be bigger than his spiritual master. He meant of course Śrīla Prabhupāda. And that's the mentality which comes because of the offenses.
Instead of remaining the servant, servant of the Lord, servant of your spiritual master, you become greater than your spiritual mastery. You become the master of your spiritual master.
You become, and ultimately you become the master of the Lord or of the whole universe or whatever. So, and again, this is the this is the result of the offenses.
This pride, uncontrollable pride, natural pride, comes to your heart and you become proud. And you will always find a reason to become proud. There is no doubt about it. It' nots difficult, you know.
So many reasons, so many achievements are there. I did this and I did this. We don't do anything. Karta ham iti manyate, ahaṅkāra-vimūḍhātmā, you know Krishna says you are a great fool who thinks that you are doing.
Everything is being done by the Lord. Everything is being done by the mercy of your spiritual master. But when you become offensive, you again become enter into this mode, you know.
Kartā ham iti manyate, that's me, this is my achievement. This is because of my intelligence, my strengths, my power, my this, my that, and so on and so forth.
So and of course, Jīva Gosvāmī he gives an example of Daksha to illustrate this and to illustrate the danger of this pride which comes as a result of offense.
He says when the pride comes, the pride is not finished within one life. The pride breeds pride. The pride breeds more offenses. And he gives an example of Daksa, and Daksha he offended Shiva. And as a result of this offense, his head was cut off.
And instead of his beautiful, handsome head was a beautiful head of the god you know and this is the you know this is a very appropriate punishment for somebody who is so much into sex life, all of a sudden to have a head of a goat, it's a very great humiliation.
And he was outwardly uh he was apologetic and he was kind of you know confessing and saying, I I will not do this please please and he was b bleeding, you know, with his god mouse. But then what happened the next?
The next life he again became Daksha and he again offended Nārada Muni. Because the pride continues many lifetimes. And the pride breeds new offenses and new offenses.
And Jīva Gosvāmī explains, explaining this story, that when Daksha was born again as Daksha, as the son of Prācetas, and when he offended Nārada Muni, that Nārada Muni wanted to save him.
Narada Muni came to him because he was hoping that the association of a saint, of a saintly person, of a bhakta, will change the heart of Daksha.
But when Daksha saw Narada Muni in front of his eyes, he became even more offensive. He started cursing him and cursing him.
Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura actually explains in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam and that the thinking of Narada Muni, Narada Muni thought, you know. I was the spiritual master of his grand-grandfather, Uttanapada.
I was the spiritual master of his grandfather Dhruva Mahārāja, I was the spiritual master of Prachinabarhi, I was the spiritual master of his father's prachetas. You know, I'm I'm his family guru.
I have to come and save this guy you know and here is the time to save him because he was deprived of his sons and usually when in this moment when somebody loses somebody who is very dear to him, he is very receptive to Bhakti.
So Narada Muni marches just in front of Daksha, hoping to save, to change his heart. But because of the pride, because his heart becomes so hard and so stone-like.
Uh and Dakshit became so proud, he started cursing and cursing and cursing Nārada Muni just in front of him.
And Jīva Gosvāmī says, look, this is again, this is this is the result of offensive chanting of the holy name or offensive spiritual practices. And this leads to fall down.
Cultivating reverence to avoid offenses
This leads You commit horrible things without even being able to control yourself. You know that it's bad, but still you do it because of the offences.
And therefore, Jiva Goswami concludes this section of Bhakti Sandarbha saying that this is the most important duty of every sadaka is to guard against these offenses.
Is to really be very, very careful and not to allow oneself to commit these offenses against the devotees of the Lord, against the spiritual master, against the Lord Himself, arcā-vigraha, against the Holy Name, against the holy dhāma.
You know the reverential attitude should be instilled deeply within our heart. When we see these agencies of the spiritual world who are capable of saving us, who are the manifestation of Krishna's grace?
This is Krishna's mercy concentrated, manifested in front of our eyes when He sends the holy Dhamma, Holy Name, Spiritual Master, devotees of the Lord, or His divine form in front of us.
And therefore the attitude which we should train ourselves in towards all these agencies of the spiritual world should be utmost reverence and respect.
We have to understand that this is not just material sound, not just material form, not just material person in front of me. Not just a piece of land somewhere in India, you know, God knows what is going on there.
You know, we have to understand that this is agencies of the spiritual world, which Krishna specifically sends to help us.
And if we don't really understand that our attitude should be of utmost reverence and respect towards all these things, we will be doomed.
We will be we will be uh we will we will commit some offenses and because of these offenses all these effects of offenses will take place within our heart.
aśraddhā, cāṭūriyam, crookedness, faultfinding, attachment to the things which are detrimental to devotional service and uh bhakti-śaithilyam, laziness or lack of enthusiasm, kind of slackness in devotional service and finally pride, great pride of our own achievements in devotional service and ultimately it will lead to fall down which
is exemplified here in the, by Śaubhari Muni.
Remedies and questions on overcoming offenses
Okay. Yes. Um just a for my own information, is it you presented these as a progression?
And they're progression or they occur simultaneously, or some may appear, some may others not appear. I have a follow-up question, but I just wanted to ask that first. Well, I was thinking about it.
Jiva Goswami doesn't mention it as a progression. But it really may be considered as a progression. Jīva Gosvāmī doesn't explain it as a progression.
He says this is the effect, and he uh he cites different examples from different scriptures to illustrate these points.
But you know, observing my own heart, I can see that there is a particular progression, or it could be particular progression, uh in all these effects uh that it it could be like this that you become a little uh hypocritical in your devotional service, you lose your face, you become attached to you know to TV again and you know you, gave up all these TVs, now you're watching, you know, the stupid videos.
And then uh you get attached you you you become totally, you know, uh senior devotee without any enthusiasm whatsoever.
And then and now ultimately and finally you become very proud by your achievements. That's that's possible to see it like this as well, I I believe. And if you don't mind. Excellent class. Excellent.
I mean that's another thing but uh And this may be another class, I think there's a chance of your spending another night. So it's such a dangerous ground and speaking for myself as someone who's prone to commit offenses.
Not that I'm walking away from this class hopeless at all, rather I'm taking it as you know uh uh uh shot across the bow, you know, or you know, a warning.
But um inevitably one will commit offenses, offenses are so powerful. Um can you say a little something about the remedy or alternative or the rectification or the counterbalance something. Yeah.
The remedy, and Jīva Gosvāmī says about this, he explains about this, the remedy is remorse.
The remedy is the remorseful attitude when you really within deep within your heart feel that you know something is wrong with me.
And by taking this very seriously, you're trying to rectify this by being remorseful basically, by being by crying. He specifically says he quotes one scripture, I can I don't remember it exactly which one.
He says if one cries, uh Uh uh with a remorseful heart.
Uh after committing offenses, then offences are washed away. The the results of offenses are washed away and the heart's the heart is being cleansed from these offenses.
So that's that's the only remedy which he would give. Well there is hope.
Uh well seems like a perpetual loop because uh very uh characteristic of a condition life is that one is offensive uh yeah so how do you get out of the loop yeah it's a vicious it it could be a vicious circle
but that's exactly what Jīva Gosvāmī explains he says there are certain agencies in this world and even though you you are you may be offensive but if you are remorseful we are offensive uh he quotes actually a verse
from Aparādha-bhañjana-stotra. This is a section of Padma Purāṇa. Aparādha-bhañjana-stotra. Bhañjana means breaking away of fences. The stotra, the glorification of this process of breaking the offenses.
And it's particularly this section of Padma Purāṇa where the ten offenses against the holy name are listed and being explained. And he quotes another verse where he says that this offensive attitude is Pashandhata.
Pāṣaṇḍatā, this verse is by the way quoted also by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu in Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Kṛṣṇa-dāsa Kavirāja. This pāṣaṇḍatā is a certain attitude, is a certain materialistic outlook.
Basically, pāṣaṇḍī, Śrīla Prabhupāda very consistently translates this verse pāṣaṇḍī being materialist. And it means offensiveness, it means atheism.
Pāṣaṇḍatā, what what actually this is the cause which leads us to offenses. Pāṣaṇḍatā is a materialistic outlook. When we don't when we see devotees of the Lord, the spiritual master, the form of the Lord, the holy name, the holy Dham as something material. Because we have material vision, because we have material kind of understanding and material intelligence.
So how to break away from this vicious
circle of offenses is basically to instill deeply within our understanding, within our body, within our intelligence, that this is not material. That this is something, you know, and we can see in reality that this is not material.
So many miracles have been created by the holy name, by the vaisnavas of the Lord, by the spiritual master, within our lives.
You know, we can see some really things which are not explainable from the strictly material point of view.
So we have to drive away this attitude of pāṣaṇḍatā, of materialism, of atheism from the heart by understanding very deeply that there are certain real manifestations within this world of the spiritual energy.
That God Himself can manifest and will manifest and chooses Him to manifest Himself through certain things in this world. And these things are listed.
And we really have to understand that this is not and therefore therefore this warnings are there throughout the scriptures and in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam as well.
Naavamanyeta karhicit, you shouldn't look on your spiritual master as a you shouldn't not envy the spiritual master as a ordinary being because the Lord himself who is acting through him within your life. You should not consider the Holy Name as a material sound. This is not a material sound, this is a sound of the Holy Name.
Coming from the, uh, higher spheres of existence. And we can, you know, if if if we really understand this and if we read the scriptures then we will develop the reverential attitude. But this requires some kind of work.
Otherwise, if we just let it go, so to speak, if it just you know goes as it is, then uh inevitably we will commit offenses. And uh we will we will, you know, follow the footsteps of the previous offenders. Yes.
First of all, a wonderful class. Thank you. Can you please summarize each argument like a sentence or two? I didn't summarize those five or two. Yeah, it's it's simple. One is the crookedness.
When you outwardly perform the devotional service but inwardly you are kind of neglectful towards the devotees or towards the Lord or kind of you know have this attitude of uh how you call it, uh, uh, contempt, contemptuous, contemptuous. This is the quote, uh, the first one.
The second one is aśraddhā. Aśraddhā, when you hear the glory of the Lord, but you don't really. You don't really believe it.
You either don't believe it, or, uh, the contrary feeling appears within your heart. Uh you you don't really, you know, open your heart towards this description of the glory of the Lord.
And the fourth one is the attachment to the things which are detrimental to devotional service. The third one. The fourth one is bhakti-śaithilya when you become lazy or slack in your devotional practices.
When, uh, when you don't do it with the vigor, when you just do it, just you know, how you shouldn't you face that at all, right? Very well expressed. Well, I, uh, I have a great experience of this.
You know what it means. And, and the fifth one is the pride, pride of one's own achievement, especially specifically achievements in so-called achievements in devotional service. Thank you. Yeah.
Uh, I've heard on a number of occasions devotees say, I'm staying away from either the temple or the association because I have an offensive mentality.
I don't want to commit offenses, so therefore I'm staying away, but it seems like it's just a trick of mine to keep you from getting purified. There's no validity in saying I should stay away from this. How you can get rid of the offensive attitude unless you associate with devotees and learn how to be respectful and be humble and you know.
Of course we're all offensive, there's no doubt about it, but the only remedy is to remain in the association of devotees and and uh and you know the association of devotees is a very powerful tool, you know.
Sooner or later you become very humble if you s If you stick to if you stay with the devotees. So it's it's a learning experience.
It's uh it's sadhana, sadhana means we learn by sometimes by hard ways, by committing some mistakes.
But if you really if if we really value the spiritual practices and the spiritual goal, if we really want to attain the spiritual goal, then we will know what to do.
We will remain an association of devotees, that's for sure. This is not the solution to stay away. The solution is to get rid of the offensive offensive attitude. This is kind of backwards thing.
I am offensive therefore I stay away from the devotees. I'm offensive therefore I have to get rid of my offensiveness. This is logical. Yeah.
That's exactly what uh what uh Jīva Gosvāmī says that uh the pride breeds more offenses and more offenses and therefore, this is the most dangerous effect of the offenses.
It's really become because when you become proud, you have to really kind of justify your own pride. And the way to justify your own pride is to offend others, to say that they're bad and you know to pull them down.
So this is this is how the mind, tricky mind works. Yes. Thank you. I have a simple question. Um you know sometimes it's we talk about like this after um
So somehow connecting this you know sometimes we take prasāda at people's homes and they only want to feed you, you know. Well, if they do it for sincere hearts. Yeah. Yeah.
Śrīla Prabhupāda said, you know, when uh when he took first devotees in India they were going from home to home.
Sometimes once I heard this, I don't know if it's how how bona fide the story is that sometimes Śrīla Prabhupāda ate some prasāda with onion and forced all his disciples to eat this with onion.
Because onion is no onions in Well it doesn't mean that next time when somebody gives you meat. But still we have to really, you know, respect their attitude and uh really, you know, respect their desire to feed you.
And Prabhupada said this is your devotional service, to eat in the homes of people. Because this is again, this is exchange of love. Ultimately bhakti is all about love.
And when you come to people, you know, this is an exchange. Exchange should take place, should take place. Whatever we do is it's just a means of exchanging love.
You know, when we come to the temple, when we associate with devotees. It's just a means of our exchanging this nice feeling which is called bhakti. Okay, thank you very very much.
Śrīla Prabhupāda ki jaya! Śrīla Gurudeva ki jaya!