Шримад-Бхагаватам 9.18.22

Reading Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam Ninth Canto

0:00Om namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. Om namo bhagavate tara juhava putreti tamaya thayot taragoghvi nedu sam sarva bho takridaya nimana to smi. Alokешtan. So today we're reading, ah, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.

1:36Canto nine, chapter eighteen, King Yayāti regains his youth. Text number 22. Yat. Yat. Idam. Cupomagnaya. Babataha. Shapatyam Asapampura. Shapatyam Asapampura. Yadidam Kupamagnaya. Babato Darsanam Mama. Yad. Yad.

3:50Because of. Because of. Idam. This. This. Kupa Magnayaha. Fallen in the well. Babataha. Babataha. Of your good self. Darshanam. Darshanam. Meeting. Meeting. Mama. With me. With me. Na, na. Not. Not.

4:20brāhmaṇa. A qualified Brahmana. A qualified Brahmana. Me. My. My. Bhavitabh will become. Will become. Hastagraha. Hastagraha. Husband. Husband. Mahabuja. Mahabuja. Great, mighty armed one. Great, mighty armed one.

4:47Kachasya. Kachasya. Of Kachasya. Of Kachasya. Kachasya. Of Bṛhaspatisya. The The son of the learned brāhmaṇa and celestial priest, Bṛhaspati. The son of the learned brāhmaṇa, who is a celestial priest, Bṛhaspati.

5:06Shapat. Shapat. Of the curse. Because of the curse. Yam. Yam. Whom? Whom? Ashapam. Ashapam. Cursed. I cursed. Pura. Pura. In the past. In the past. Translation. Because of falling in the well, I met you.

5:31Indeed, this has been arranged by providence. After I cursed Kaca, the son of a learned scholar, Bṛhaspati, he cursed me by saying that I would not have a brāhmaṇa for a husband.

5:47Therefore, mighty-armed one, there is no possibility of my becoming the wife of a brāhmaṇa.

Story of Kaca and Mṛta-sañjīvanī

5:56Purport. Kaca, the son of the learned celestial priest Bṛhaspati, had been a student of Śukrācārya, from whom he had learned the art of reviving a man who has died untimely.

6:15This art is called Mṛta-sañjīvanī and was especially used during wartime. When there was a war, soldiers would certainly die untimely.

6:32But if a soldier's body was intact, he could be brought to life again by this art of Mṛta-sañjīvanī.

6:41This art was known to Śukrācārya and many others, and Kaca, the son of Bṛhaspati, became Śukrācārya's student to learn it.

6:52Devayānī desired to have Kaca as her husband, but Kaca, out of regard for Śukrācārya, looked upon the guru's daughter as a respectable superior and therefore refused to marry her.

7:07Devayānī angrily cursed Kaca by saying that although he had learned the art of Mṛta-sañjīvanī from her father, it would be useless.

7:20When cursed in this way, Kaca retaliated by cursing Devayānī never to have a husband who was a brāhmaṇa. Because Devayānī liked Yayāti, who was a kṣatriya, she requested him to accept her as his bona fide wife, although this would be pratiloma-vivāha, a marriage between the daughter of a high family and the son of a lower family. She explained that this arrangement was made by providence. Shila Praupadhiki Jakar.

7:57Yaddedam kupamagnaya babatodarshanamamaana brahma no mi bhavi tahastagraha maha bujah kacha sya barhapat Because of falling in the well, I met you. Indeed, this was, this has been arranged by providence. After a cursed catcher, the son of a learned scholar Brihaspati, he cursed me by saying that I would not have a Brahmana for a husband. Therefore, almighty armed one, there is no possibility of my becoming the wife of a Brahmana.

10:01So we're reading Shimad Bhagavatam Mahapuranam, and we're approaching the tenth candle, which will describe the Krishna's pastimes. But before that, Sukha Dev Gaswami is explaining to us what are the relatives of Krishna and from which lineage Krishna took place. This sort of consideration, this genealogy was very important in Vedic culture. Because everyone in Vedic culture was feeling a great pride of being a descendant of a very famous and noble lineage. No matter who they were.

11:00This part of Vedic culture is called Kulab Gaurava. When somebody belonging to a very great family was entitled to the heritage of the family. In the shape of the noble qualities which his ancestors would possess.

11:25And therefore it was very important for Maharaja Pariksu to understand from which lineage Lord Krishna has come.

11:35And therefore this whole narration about King Pyaiti is there in Shimabhagvatam and all the details because besides being a very instructive story, King Yaiti is the direct ancestor of Lord Krishna.

11:53Because Lord Krishna is from the Yadavas clan and Yadavas were descendants of King Yaity.

12:04And being of atmost importance, this lineage consideration and so on and so forth, especially for people in the ancient time when Varnasrama was still quite prominent and it definitely was very prominent during the time of Mahabharata's narration by Sukhadeva Gaswami.

12:31Maharaja Pariksit asked how come there is this completely despicable proteoloma marriage took place? Because King Yaity took as his good wife Devayani. Devayani was from Brahmana cast and King Yaity was a very powerful Kshatri. And that was completely, totally, absolutely prohibited in very culture. That was practically unheard of especially among very noble people.

13:14Noble people would not allow this sort of proteoloma marriages to take place. Because of very important reasons.

Events leading to Devayānī's curse

13:27And I will touch these reasons a little later, but now the story which is behind this is being described by Shilo Praupat and we will describe it in little more details.

13:45Now, Sukha Dev Gazwami explains this story. Why this took place?

13:50And this took place because of very unfortunate event that once during the war between demons and demigods the demigods were suffered too much because Brehaspati didn't know this art of Vrityo Sanjivani. He didn't know the special secret mantras which would help to revive the dead bodies of the warriors killed in the war.

14:28And on the contrary, the teacher or receptor of the demons, Sukhrashari, knew this heart very well. Therefore, demons would kill demigods left and right, and demigods would definitely kill demons. But demons were revived.

14:55So therefore demigods, they were in a very precarious condition and therefore ultimately they approached the elder son of Brehuspati.

15:08And they said to the elder son of Brihaspati, you please go to Sukracarya and somehow rather learn this art.

15:18Your great Brahmana and demigods, they worshipped Kachar, the elder son of Brihaspati, made a special puja and also a promise to him.

15:31If you do this, then we will give you the sacrificial share. You will be entitled to get the sacrificial share. In any sacrifice which would be performed, you will get something.

15:44So, Katya being a very selfless Brahmana, he kind of was little seduced by this lucrative offering. And it was indeed very very generous offering. Then we got said for the rest of, you know, the existence of the universe you will get some soma.

16:07And Katya said it's a good deal! So he went to Shukracharya and he said I will become your disciple and it basically means I will become your servant. Because when somebody comes to you, at least this is implied.

16:28I don't know how much is in the mind of modern people. But if somebody comes to a guru and says I want to become your disciple, it's good because you you get another servant.

16:44And Sukracharya, even though he definitely perfectly knew the intentions of Kacha, he readily agreed to have a good brahmacārī servant. Because brahmacārī means a servant, means menial servant. Basically means that you're nobody. And you will have to do whatever your guru tells you.

17:08And Kacha said I will be your brahmacārī disciple for one thousand years. So, Shukracharya taught a little bit and you know, thousand years is a long time. And he thought, yeah, it's a good deal. Whenever he gets it, it's okay. But for thousand years I have a good servant in my house.

17:32And he had his household, he had his favorite daughter Devayani, who was his pet daughter. And Kachya started serving very diligently and very conscientiously to his spiritual master.

17:49And basically it would mean that he would tend his cows. It would mean that he would bring firewood from the forest. It would mean that he would tend the sacrificial fire every morning.

18:06Every morning he would be the first one to get up, to lead the sacrificial fire and to help in all the activities of Shukracharya, cook the breakfast.

18:18And not only this, it is specifically set in Matsya Purāṇa and Mahābhārata where this story is described in all details. He was very strict brahmacārī, but despite being very strict brahmacārī he would follow the orders of his spiritual master and that would mean that he would dance in front of Devayānī. That was his special service. He would dance for Devayani and sing for Devayani. Being along with her.

18:55So somebody may ask you know how is it perfect brahmacarya? It's a perfect brahmacarya because he was following strictly the orders of his spiritual master. So, for a long time he would dance and sing for her pleasure.

19:14And Devayānī, sure enough, she fell in love with Kacha. And for five hundred years Devayānī was still young. So, she was very Because it was happening on the higher planes of existence. Five hundred years that was going on.

19:40Before one day Kacha saw half of his allotted time which he was supposed to serve his guru past. But demons, you know, slow as they are and deluded as they are. After five hundred years they figured out why Kacha is there. And they didn't like this arrangement.

20:07So once while Kacha was with the cows, tending the cows and he was sitting under the tree, demons approached him and asked him: Who are you? And Kacha said very honestly I'm the son of Bṛhaspati, great guru of the demigods. And they said Oh, you're wanted!

20:33And they killed him. They mercilessly killed him. Not only did they kill him, because they knew that Sukracarya knows this art of Mṛta-sañjīvanī. So they not only killed him, they cut his body into pieces.

20:51And by cutting his body just quite thoroughly into pieces they gave this body to the jackals and to the wolves.

21:01And the body of Kacha was eaten by the jackals and the wolves in the higher planes of existence. So in the higher planets there are jackals and wolves. Anyways, the body of Kacha was mercilessly killed and Kacha himself watched everything because he knew what's going on. He will tell this later to Devayānī. And when the cows came back from the pastures, they came back without cowherd. And the time was already very late.

21:49There was a time for evening sacrifice and Śukrācārya started evening sacrifice, but Devayānī said: My father, something is wrong! He said: What is wrong? You know, Kaca is not back! Don't you notice it?

22:06And he said: Yeah, sometimes something happens, you know. Śukrācārya knew what happened. He was a powerful brāhmaṇa, but he didn't want to, you know, kind of stand in the way through demons.

22:20He said, you know, whatever happened happened. No problem. But it was not so for Devayānī, because for five hundred years Kaca was dancing for her. So it was long enough to enter deep into her heart.

22:39He was right there in her heart and despite, you know, the very detached attitude of her father, Devayānī started insisting: You should do something about it! You should call by your mystic power, you should call Kaca. And I know how powerful you are.

23:03If you call Kaca with all your brāhmaṇical power, Kaca will come. And you know, Śukrācārya had to obey the order of his daughter. And he called: Hey Kaca, come here! Kacha, come here!

23:20And sure enough, all the bellies of the wolves and jackals burst, and all of a sudden Kaca, like a lego, you know, he was assembled again. The body of Kaca was assembled again.

23:39Prabhupāda writes that, you know, this saṁjīvanī art was only for those soldiers whose bodies were intact. But actually this Mṛta-saṁjīvanī art was also for the bodies which were chopped to small pieces.

23:59Anyway, so that happened and Kaca came back and Devayānī asked what happened. And he said: Yeah, happened, you know, the demons didn't like me serving you.

24:13And Kaca, you know, Devayānī was very pleased. And they killed me and they chopped my body and wolves ate me. And then he said: Okay, so please be careful next time. So again, a few hundred years passed by.

24:38But demons were very insistent. They wanted by all means to stop this vicious plan of Bṛhaspati or demigods. They want to completely destroy this plan.

24:52And therefore next time, because they knew what happened, next time they decided to make sure that Kaca will not survive, will not be the object of this Mṛta-saṁjīvanī art. Therefore they killed Kaca, they burned his body, and moreover they very cleverly put the ashes of Kaca's body into the nice wine, which Śukrācārya drank for lunch. So, it was quite a clever arrangement.

25:37Probably took them some time to figure out what to do. Because they knew if he calls him back, hey, Kaca comeback, then, you know, something wrong happens with his body.

25:56So this happened and again cows came back without Kaca. And again, Devayānī became hysterical. Devayānī started telling her father: Please do something about it. Kaca has to come back! Kaccha has to come back!

26:18And her father, he started in meditation trying to find out where is Kaca. And sure enough he found out that Kaca is in his belly! And he very, you know, gently asked Kaca: How come you are in my belly?

26:45And Kaca, in his subtle form, being attached to the body of Śukrācārya, he said: Yes, somehow or other, I probably I wanted to become your son, therefore I'm your body now. And you drank my, you know, my ashes with your little wine, which you took after lunch for better digestion.

27:15So Śukrācārya was in a fix. He thought what to do? What to do now? And he started preaching to Devayani, be detached, you know, whoever is born he will die, no problem. You know, so what's the big deal? Kacha is dead now.

27:42And Devayani, she said: No! By all means you have to revive Kacha! And you know, Shukracharya said: But I will have to die for this! And Devayani said, I don't care!

28:01It's better for you to die than I will make hell to you every day of your life! So then Shukracharya he thought little bit and he said, Okay. And he figured out a plan. He said, Okay, Kacha.

28:18Now I will teach you this Mrita Sanjivani art. And the deal is that yes, I will revive you, I will be dead, but you will revive me. And in this way we will solve the problem.

28:35And so the whole purpose of Kacha was actually achieved by this quite a dramatic event which took place in his life. But Kacha was very happy.

28:48Kacha said, Okay, just teach me this Sanjivani, Mrita Sanjivani and I will definitely revive you. And moreover, not only I revive you, I'll become your son now. I will be twice-born in the real sense of the word.

29:06I will become your son. Not only the son of my father, I will also become your son because I will be born from your body.

29:15So, Shukracharya he chanted the very secret mantra and sure enough his stomach burst and Kacha happily jumped out of his stomach. Devayani said: Oh Kacha, I'm very happy to see you!

29:38And then Kacha diligently performed this Mrita Sanjivani and revived Shukracharya. So basically the whole purpose was achieved. And for thousand years, again very beautifully Kacha served his Guru.

29:59But when the thousand years was over he approached his Guru and took his permission to go back to the heavenly planets, to the planets of demigods. And his guru, very pleased with him, he said: Yes, you may go. No problem.

30:16You made your part of the deal, so please go back. And when he was about to depart, Devayani said: Wait a second! Wait a second! You know, you're a very powerful Brahmana and you know that you owe your life to me.

30:39Aren't you? You know, it's because of me you're still, you know, alive. And because of me you know this art of Mrita Sanjivani, so why don't you take me as your wife? And it's a good match!

30:57You're a Brahmana, I'm a Brahmani, we'll have a good life together! And he said: No, I cannot do this! Because you are the daughter of my preceptor, my guru. And I always looked at you, you know, looked up at you.

31:15This is an amazing thing because she got attached to Kacha. And he didn't get attached to Kacha, to Devayani.

31:24Why? Even though, you know, they were associating quite intimately. He was dancing her. But she was a worshipable object for him. And therefore the attachment didn't take place. Lust didn't enter his mind and his heart.

31:45Because when you worship somebody, then there is no question of lust. You know, the lust only take place if you look down at somebody. If you want to exploit somebody.

31:59So — it basically means this very beautiful story actually teaches us how to be free from lust. If you looked at everyone as the object of your worship, if you really adore somebody, then the lust will not enter. Then the lustful thoughts will not come to you.

32:19Therefore, Chanakya Pandit, he says that you know, you should look at every woman besides your wife as your mother.

32:31And not only as your mother, because modern people, they will look at every woman as mother and then they will still have this also, incest, basically. Because this is the crazy minds of Western people or degraded people of Kali Yuga, not only Western people, everywhere in India as well.

32:54But looking to every woman as the mother means looking at them as the worshipable objects. As the objects of one's worship. Then only the lust will not develop. So Kaccha said: I cannot do this!

33:12In the same way like Arjuna, he also refused to cohabit with Urvashi in heavenly planets because she said: No, you're my mother, you're wife of Pururava. One of my ancestors. How can I do this? I cannot do this!

33:34It's unimaginable! So Kaccha said: No! And Devayani, she became very impassioned and she said: If you don't marry me, then all the art of Sanjivani will be wasted. You will never be able to use it. I'm cursing you.

33:54And Kacce was very calm. And he said: Okay, I'm taking your curse, with gratitude.

34:02But because your curse is against Dharma — please listen, it's a very important part of this whole story. Because you know the curse of Devayani was effective. Because she was a powerful lady. But still it was against Dharma.

34:25There was no reason for her to curse Kaccha because Kaccha gave a very solid reason why he could not marry her.

34:34But still, because of the anger, she cursed him and he said: Okay, you know, I'll accept gratefully your curse and I have to curse you back. Because this is according to Dharma.

34:53You did something wrong and therefore I will also curse you because you did something wrong. Not because of my enmity. Not because of my envy. But because you did something wrong. You have to meet the consequences of it.

35:16You have to really, you know, because if you do something wrong, you have to understand that you're responsible for this. So Kaccha says: You have to be more responsible next time.

35:29Therefore I also curse you and you will not get a good husband. You will not get Brahman as your husband. So that's the reason behind this story. And then he said: as far as I'm concerned, there's no problem.

35:44You cursed me that I will not be able to use this Mritti No problem! I will teach somebody else to use it!

35:52So there are plenty of brāhmaṇas there. They have my brothers and everyone else. They will use Mṛta-sañjīvanī. I'm happy anyway.

36:04So this is the story which is there in Mahābhārata and Matsya Purāṇa describing this whole event. And by the way, Śukrācārya said, from now on brāhmaṇas should not take wine.

36:22Before that, brāhmaṇas could take some sacrificial wine, but from now on brāhmaṇas unfortunately cannot drink wine. Too bad for us. Otherwise we're all brāhmaṇas.

36:41But anyway, but again, coming back to the whole idea which is behind this question of Mahārāja Parīkṣit. And why?

Scientific basis of the Varna system

36:58Because it's a very powerful also part of this story and a powerful message which is there. In Vedic culture the science of genetics was very well known.

37:18Modern people proudly say that genetics started with Mendel, who was cross breeding different plants in his monastery.

37:33But actually, even before Mendel, long before Mendel, in Manu-saṁhitā the whole genetics is being described very carefully applicable to the human species. Because it's very important for the human beings to follow these signs.

38:02Because both father and mother contribute to the qualities of the progeny of their sons and daughters.

38:12And because ancient Vedic sages, they knew perfectly well that the whole atmosphere in the human society very much depend on the quality of the people.

38:23They were extremely careful how to cross breed and how to arrange these marriages.

38:33This caste system, even though we sometimes condemn caste system, but it was very scientific. It was extremely scientific and therefore the only recommended marriages were among the same caste or among the same varṇa.

38:52Brāhmaṇas are supposed to take brāhmaṇas as the wife, kṣatriyas, kṣatriyas as the wife because the natures are compatible.

39:01And Śrīla Prabhupāda in the next purport he says that ultimately this is to make boy and a girl happy together. Because when you have people with incompatible natures living together, they just make hell to each other.

39:22And therefore, one consideration was to make marriages very stable. Nowadays nobody cares. In fact, there is no brāhmaṇas, there is no Of course, you know, everyone is a śūdra, so no problem. So, you can marry anyone.

39:40But the idea is to have somebody who is compatible with you, who has compatible nature and therefore having compatible nature. You have nice relationship, but not only this.

40:00Another very important consideration is that if you have compatible nature, then the son or specifically the son but also daughters, they will also have very strongly developed nature.

40:17Whereas if you have different variegated mixtures of different qualities then the people will be confused. The idea behind this varṇa is to make people very clear in their mind what they are supposed to do.

40:40And in Kali Yuga everyone is confused. Nobody knows his nature. Why? Because there is so much mixture. Because we're all varṇa-saṅkara. You know, like in America Indians they have a joke.

40:57That the Indians, the children of the Indians who live in America, they're called ABC. ABCD. Why they're called ABCD? Because they're American-born confused desis. They're completely confused. Dishes means Indians, you know,

41:24the locals. They're completely confused because, again, because of this mixture, this Kali Yuga, Everyone is just mixed. Fusion. Like you know, people proudly say there is a fusion of culture.

41:42Fusion of culture means no culture. Basically, that's what it means. People completely confused, people don't know their nature and therefore people do all kinds of abominable acts because their minds are not engaged.

42:01If you're very clear in your mind what you're supposed to do, what you're not supposed to do.

42:05If you're clear in the mind what is your nature, then your mind will be very peacefully engaged according to your nature and you will not have time to do all kinds of sinful activities.

42:16But if you're confused, then all these idle thoughts come to you and just don't know what to do. You cannot concentrate your mind. That's the science behind it.

42:30If you are very clear in your mind who you are, you will have very focused mind and your whole life will be very focused.

42:40Whereas if you have confused nature, if you have mixture of the nature, then you will just, you will have completely different contradictory tendencies.

42:54And one tendency, you know, like sometimes modern people, you know, you look in the charts of modern people and you see completely incompatible nature in one person.

43:09He has brāhmaṇa inclination and he has śūdra inclination. And because these two incompatible nature, totally incompatible nature, śūdra inclination and brāhmaṇa inclination are totally incompatible.

43:24So this person what he will do? He will just He will have little brāhmaṇa tendency, little śūdra tendency and ultimately he will just lay down on the He will not do neither! He will not do either!

43:41He will not be engaged as a brāhmaṇa. He will not be engaged as a śūdra. At least if somebody has very pronounced śūdra nature, he will just work hard as a śūdra and he will be happy.

43:54And if you have these contradictory natures which are there fighting inside your heart, you don't know what to do. And you prefer just to do all kinds of sinful activities. And you know just enjoy yourself.

44:11Because you cannot really do something productive. That's why Arjuna was so horrified. He said what will happen if this varṇa-saṅkara will take place? Everyone will be sinful because of the idle minds.

44:29The minds which are not focused. And therefore in Vedic culture, pratyloma marriages were completely prohibited. Anuloma marriages to a certain extent, to a certain extent were allowed.

44:48Anuloma marriage means that father is of the higher caste and the mother is of a lower caste. It was acceptable, especially if the difference between father and mother was just one step down.

45:06If mother was just one step down, then the father. Then even though the progeny, the son would not be happy, because still of the contradictory tendencies. But he would be accepted as the father's caste.

45:24He would not be ostracized from the Vedic society. But, you know, if the difference would be already two steps down, that's already not so good. That's already And if it's pratyloma, it was totally prohibited.

45:44So much so that the Chandalas, we sometimes hear this very denigrating comments of Vedic scriptures about Chandalas. Chandalas are supposed to be the lowest of the human being. Because it's a specific nature.

46:03Who is Chandala? Chandala is a result of Pratyloma marriage when the father is Shudra and mother is Brahmani. Because of so much difference and because the father is higher, sorry, lower than the mother.

46:19And because of this, you know, for example, if the father was shudra and mother was kshatriya, then the son would be would become ugra. Ugra means ugra. Ugra means very cruel. Ugra means also very rough.

46:40You know, the whole society which we have we're dealing now. They're just ugras and chandalas and lords and this. Just because of this not understanding the science behind Varnasrama system.

46:59And we see here that therefore Maharaja Pariksit was so surprised and so unpleasantly surprised that Krishna is coming actually from this Pratiloma marriage.

47:19Even though Devayani was one step higher, still she was one step higher. And people who were born from these marriages, they were Sutas. They were not the Brahmanas, not the Kshatriyas.

47:34Of course, they had some Brahminical engagement. They were chariot drivers and they were telling Puranas. But still they were quite, I mean, looked down in the society. Therefore Karna was looked down.

Supremacy of devotion over social caste

47:50And I wanted to say something, but I have to finish now. So, can I say something more? Basically, it's actually very amazing because it's not without a reason that Mahārāja Parīkṣit asked this question.

48:11He asked this question because he understands that Yadu Mahārāja is a result of this pratiloma marriage.

48:21Technically speaking Yadu Mahārāja from where Krishna is taking his birth, the whole clan of Yādavas, they're not even kṣatriyas. They're sūtas, technically speaking.

48:35Because Devayānī was from brāhmaṇa family and the powerful Yayāti was from kṣatriya. So they're sūtas. And therefore they're lower kings.

48:48Sometimes when Arjuna in Eleventh Canto of Bhagavad-gītā he was calling begging forgiveness from Krishna. I called you Yādava. Basically he means that I called you Yādava saying that you're from this lower caste. Basically.

49:11That's why Arjuna is begging forgiveness. Kurus were very high in the hierarchy. But Yādavas were basically according to Vedic standards they were not very high in the hierarchy. Because of this reason.

49:29And you know Krishna took place from Yadu Mahārāja who was the result of this marriage. And moreover he went to Nanda Mahārāja. And Nanda Mahārāja was also of a mixed caste.

49:50Because, of course, technically he was a kṣatriya, because he was the son of Mahārāja Śūrasena and his wife, Vasudeva's wife. But still, you know, sorry. Anyway, so he was from this mixture.

50:08And Yaśodā was also from the mixed caste. So Krishna from both sides he was from mixed caste. And there is a very powerful message which Krishna is giving to us.

50:28You know, even though varṇāśrama considerations are very important, Krishna still decided to take place, to take birth from all this mixed caste. Why? Because there is much more important consideration. That is the level of bhakti. So that's the message behind it.

50:52Yes, we have to respect varṇāśrama culture. Yes, we have to as much as possible in our context to follow varṇāśrama culture. Even though it's not possible completely.

51:09But still we have to give prominence to bhakti. We have to understand that bhakti is much more important consideration. And this is the difficulty.

51:25Because to judge people according to their externals is simple. It's very clear. You know, somebody is more senior, somebody is a sannyāsī. Sure enough you have to respect him.

51:39Because he's senior according to varṇāśrama consideration, this and that. You know, somebody has brahminical initiation. Sure enough, you have to respect him.

51:49But if we want to create the real society of the devotees, we also have to learn how to appreciate devotion. Which is much more difficult. Because it's not external, it's internal.

52:05But still, this art of learning, appreciating the devotion of other people, no matter who they are, they may be women. They may be very new bhaktas. If they have greater devotion, they have to be given respect.

52:22That's the powerful message which is behind this story. Yes, we have to be very careful as far as all this science is concerned. Sure enough, yes, we have to respect Vedic culture.

52:38It's very scientific and we have to follow Vedic culture as much as possible. But above every sick we have to respect devotion. We have to respect bhakti.

52:51And bhakti is beyond all these considerations. It's completely beyond all these considerations. And anyone can become a great devotee. It's just a question of his sincerity.

53:05And that's a very powerful message which Krishna sends to us.

53:09Which is there implied by this question of Mahārāja Parīkṣit and the answer which is given by Śukadeva Gosvāmī and I will not continue any longer. Thank you very much. Why I wanted to say this?

53:34Because in our society we have now conflict among these staunch followers of varṇāśrama system, conservative followers of varṇāśrama system who are trying. And those liberals who are trying to make, but you know, bhakti actually reconciles all the differences.

54:02If I understand this, yes, we have to respect the considerations of varṇāśrama. But we at the same time have to understand the inner message of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, which is about bhakti. Then there will be no problem.

54:20Yes, external respect should be according to the considerations of varṇāśrama. Internal respect should be entirely according to development of one's bhakti.

54:31That's a very powerful thing which we have to remember all the time. Then there will be no conflict because bhakti reconciles all the differences, synthesizes all the differences.

54:46Only if we are blind to this synthesizing power of bhakti, we will enter into these arguments between each other and it will ultimately destroy our society. Okay, thank you very much. So I guess we should stop now.

55:11Somebody will guide me. Shall I ask some questions? Yes. Prolong the bhakti for some time? Does it make the nature clear?

55:37And how does it influence bhakti? A person's will help one to understand one's nature more clearly. One's tendency more clearly.

55:52And moreover, bhakti being this synthesizing power will help also to reconcile these tendencies. And to help you to engage productively.

56:05Why this scientific system of our varṇa was there? Because people who have very clear nature would be very productive and will be doing very constructive work.

56:18So, bhakti will do this internally. If you practice bhakti, then will help you to reconcile these tendencies and to engage these tendencies productively. No doubt about it. Thank you very much.