Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam Recitation and Commentary

А. Ч. Бхактиведанта Свами Прабхупада · Торонто · 1976

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Pradyumna: Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. [leads devotees in chanting etc.] [break] SB 7.6.2यथा हि पुरुषस्येह विष्णोः पादोपसर्पणम् ।यदेष सर्वभूतानां प्रिय आत्मेश्वरः सुहृत् ॥२॥yathā hi puruṣasyehaviṣṇoḥ pādopasarpaṇamyad eṣa sarva-bhūtānāṁpriya ātmeśvaraḥ suhṛtThe human form of life affords one a chance to return home, back to Godhead. Therefore every living entity, especially in the human form of life, must engage in devotional service to the lotus feet of Lord Viṣṇu. This devotional service is natural because Lord Viṣṇu, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is the most beloved, the master of the soul, and the well-wisher of all other living beings.

Human life and devotional service

**Translation = "The human form of life affords one a chance to return home, back to Godhead.

Therefore every living entity, especially in the human form of life, must engage in devotional service to the lotus feet of Lord Viṣṇu.

This devotional service is natural because Lord Viṣṇu, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is the most beloved, the master of the soul, and the well-wisher of all other living beings."**

SB 7.6.2यथा हि पुरुषस्येह विष्णोः पादोपसर्पणम् ।यदेष सर्वभूतानां प्रिय आत्मेश्वरः सुहृत् ॥२॥yathā hi puruṣasyehaviṣṇoḥ pādopasarpaṇamyad eṣa sarva-bhūtānāṁpriya ātmeśvaraḥ suhṛtThe human form of life affords one a chance to return home, back to Godhead. Therefore every living entity, especially in the human form of life, must engage in devotional service to the lotus feet of Lord Viṣṇu. This devotional service is natural because Lord Viṣṇu, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is the most beloved, the master of the soul, and the well-wisher of all other living beings.

Jayādvaita: Could all the ladies please take their children outside, outside of earshot.

Prabhupāda: Bhāgavata-dharma, yesterday we discussed, dharmān bhāgavatān iha. Kaumāra ācaret prājño dharmān bhāgavatān iha

From the beginning of life, from childhood, they should be given lessons on bhāgavata-dharma. The bhāgavata-dharma is very clearly indicated in the Bhagavad-gītā. Therefore Bhagavad-gītā should be read very carefully, attentively, from the beginning of life, childhood.

Not that Bhagavad-gītā should be read in old age. No. From the very beginning of life.

And whole Bhagavad-gītā is bhāgavata-dharma. And when one is well conversant with the Bhagavad-gītā or the lessons of Bhagavad-gītā, then the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam begins.

Bhāgavata-dharma means, as we have discussed yesterday morning, that Kṛṣṇa Himself is explaining bhāgavata-dharma. Man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru mām evaiṣyasi

The real aim of life is how to go back to home, back to Godhead. They do not know it. Na te viduḥ. Generally, people do not know what is the aim of life. Na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇum All the Vedic mantra says.

Meditation practices in different ages

The Ṛg Veda mantra says, om tad viṣṇoḥ paramaṁ padam. That is the... Everyone must meditate upon Lord Viṣṇu. Meditation means to think of Lord Viṣṇu within the heart.

I think you have seen many pictures that īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe 'rjuna tiṣṭhati the Supreme Lord is sitting in everyone's heart, and that Lord's mūrti form is Viṣṇu-mūrti.

So dhyāna, yoga, all this means to concentrate the mind in Viṣṇu-mūrti. Dhyānāvasthita-tad-gatena manasā paśyanti yaṁ yoginaḥ Yogī, what is their business?

Dhyānāvasthita-tad-gatena manasā. Concentrating the mind, meditating upon the Viṣṇu-mūrti. Nowadays, they have invented some system of yoga, some light, something like that. But that is not the śāstric injunction.

Śāstric injunction is to think of Lord Viṣṇu within the heart. He's already there, and we have to search out. That is called meditation. That is called dhyāna. But in this Kali-yuga it is little difficult. Why little?

It is very, very difficult to sit down in one place and meditate upon Lord Viṣṇu within the heart. Not only sit down in one place—it is recommended that we should sit down in a sacred place and in a secluded place.

Not that it is a fashion, some hundreds of men sitting together and meditating. What meditating? That is not the process. You'll find in the Bhagavad-gītā it is recommended to sit down in a sacred and secluded place.

That is called dhyāna. And sitting in a right-angle posture and the eyes half-closed, not fully closed. If you fully close then you will sleep. I have seen so many yogīs snoring, sleeping. Yes.

Naturally, if you close your eyes and you have no subject matter to think what will be this, you will sleep, that's all. That is not yoga system.

You have to sit down in a secluded place, in what is called yoga-āsana, straight body and not sleeping, half-open eyes and looking over the tip of the nose. There are so many methods. That is called meditation.

But this kind of meditation is very, very difficult in this age. If one can perform, it is welcome, but it is very difficult.

In the Kali-yuga, if I sit down to meditate upon, then I shall think of my family, my business, my friend, so many things. It is not possible. Therefore śāstra recommends,

SB 12.3.52कृते यद्ध्यायतो विष्णुं त्रेतायां यजतो मखै: ।द्वापरे परिचर्यायां कलौ तद्धरिकीर्तनात् ॥ ५२ ॥kṛte yad dhyāyato viṣṇuṁtretāyāṁ yajato makhaiḥdvāpare paricaryāyāṁkalau tad dhari-kīrtanātWhatever result was obtained in Satya-yuga by meditating on Viṣṇu, in Tretā-yuga by performing sacrifices, and in Dvāpara-yuga by serving the Lord’s lotus feet can be obtained in Kali-yuga simply by chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra.

In the kṛte, means Satya-yuga, when people used to live for one hundred thousands of years, at that time it was possible. Just like Valmiki Muni meditated for sixty thousands of years.

So actually this meditation, dhyāna, dhāraṇā, prāṇāyāma, pratyāhāra, the yogic system, it is recommended in the śāstras, the Bhagavad-gītā also it is there, but in this age it is not possible. Even Arjuna denied.

"Kṛṣṇa, You are recommending me to undergo the process of yoga, but it is not possible." Tasyāhaṁ nigrahaṁ manye vāyor iva suduṣkaram "It is not possible." But Arjuna was a pure devotee.

He was always thinking of Kṛṣṇa. He had no other business. Therefore Kṛṣṇa, to encourage Arjuna, He said that "Don't be disappointed.

Because you are thinking that you are unfit to meditate upon Lord Viṣṇu, don't be disappointed.

Qualities of a successful yogi

The first-class yogī... You are first-class yogī." Why? Because, BG 6.47योगिनामपि सर्वेषां मद्गतेनान्तरात्मना ।श्रद्धावान् भजते यो मां स मे युक्ततमो मतः ॥४७॥yoginām api sarveṣāṁmad-gatenāntar-ātmanāśraddhāvān bhajate yo māṁsa me yuktatamo mataḥAnd of all yogīs, the one with great faith who always abides in Me, thinks of Me within himself and renders transcendental loving service to Me – he is the most intimately united with Me in yoga and is the highest of all. That is My opinion.

Anyone who is thinking of Kṛṣṇa always within the heart, he's first-class yogī. Therefore kalau tad dhari-kīrtanāt. This is first-class yoga system.

In this age, Caitanya Mahāprabhu recommended, in the śāstra also it is recommended, that harer nāma harer nāma harer nāma eva kevalam kalau nāsty eva nāsty eva nāsty eva

So we have to follow the injunction of the śāstra. We cannot manufacture our own ways of spiritual advancement. That is not possible.

BG 16.23यः शास्त्रविधिमुत्सृज्य वर्तते कामकारतः ।न स सिद्धिमवाप्नोति न सुखं न परां गतिम् ॥२३॥yaḥ śāstra-vidhim utsṛjyavartate kāma-kārataḥna sa siddhim avāpnotina sukhaṁ na parāṁ gatimHe who discards scriptural injunctions and acts according to his own whims attains neither perfection, nor happiness, nor the supreme destination.

Anyone who transgresses the regulative principles recommended in the śāstra, śāstra-vidhi, yaḥ śāstra-vidhim utsṛjya, giving up śāstra-vidhi, vartate kāma-kārataḥ, whimsically does something, na siddhiṁ sa avāpnoti, he never gets success.

He'll never be successful. Na siddhiṁ na parāṁ gati: neither he gets salvation. Na siddhim, na sukham: neither even any material happiness.

So we must accept the śāstra vidhi. Śāstra-vidhi, as in the śāstra it is said, I have already quoted, kalau tad dhari-kīrtanāt.

In this age the śāstra-vidhi is hari-kīrtana. The more you chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra, the more you become perfect. This is śāstra-vidhi. And Caitanya Mahāprabhu confirmed it.

The authority of spiritual masters

Sādhu-śāstra-guru-vākya. We have to be fixed up, first of all, what is the injunction of the śāstra. Then what the sādhus, those who are devotees, what they are doing.

What they are doing, sādhu, śāstra, and guru. And what guru is asking. We have to follow these three principles.

Sādhu-guru-śāstra-vākya tīnete koriyā aikya. Who is sādhu? Who is abiding by the injunction of the śāstra. Or guru? Guru means he's also abiding by the injunction of the śāstra. Then he's guru, he's sādhu. He's sādhu. And if one, śāstra vidhim, yaḥ śāstra-vidhim utsṛjya... If śāstra-vidhi you give up, then where is the question of guru and sādhu? Na siddhim. He's not siddha. He has not attained the perfection, because he has rejected the principles of śāstra. So he's bogus.

We have to test like that, who is guru. SB 11.3.21तस्माद् गुरुं प्रपद्येत जिज्ञासु: श्रेय उत्तमम् ।शाब्दे परे च निष्णातं ब्रह्मण्युपशमाश्रयम् ॥ २१ ॥tasmād guruṁ prapadyetajijñāsuḥ śreya uttamamśābde pare ca niṣṇātaṁbrahmaṇy upaśamāśrayamTherefore any person who seriously desires real happiness must seek a bona fide spiritual master and take shelter of him by initiation. The qualification of the bona fide guru is that he has realized the conclusions of the scriptures by deliberation and is able to convince others of these conclusions. Such great personalities, who have taken shelter of the Supreme Godhead, leaving aside all material considerations, should be understood to be bona fide spiritual masters.

The śāstra says who is guru. Tasmād guruṁ prapadyeta. One has to surrender to guru. That is, tad vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum evābhigacchet

One must approach guru. This is vidhiliṅ. Not that it is optional, I may accept the guru or not accept guru. No. Must. Gacchet. Gacchet means he must.

It is vidhiliṅ. This verb is used where the purport is "one must." Otherwise, it is not possible.

Tasmād guruṁ prapadyeta. And who will go to guru? It is not a fashion, that we make some guru and we are engaged in our own business, and I can say in the society, "Oh, I have got a big guru who can show magic." No.

Guru is necessary for him who is inquisitive of transcendental subject matter. He requires a guru. Not ordinary man. Just like somebody keeps some cats and dogs as fashion. Guru is not like that. Guru means one...

First of all, who requires a guru? Tasmād guruṁ prapadyeta jijñāsuḥ śreya uttamam = one who is inquisitive to know about the spiritual world. Uttamam. Uttamam means ud-gata tamam: transcendental to this darkness.

This material world is called darkness, ignorance. Actually it is dark. Because it is dark, material world, therefore we require the sun. By the grace of Kṛṣṇa, we have got the sun. Yac-cakṣur eṣa savitā sakala-grahāṇāṁ

He is the light of all the planets. Yac-cakṣur eṣa savitā. Savitā means sun. Oṁ bhūr bhuvaḥ svaḥ tat savitur vareṇyam. This is Gāyatrī-mantra. So who requires a guru? Jijñāsuḥ śreyaḥ uttamam

One who wants to go beyond this world of darkness. Tamasi mā jyotir gama. This is Vedic injunction. Don't remain in this darkness. Jyotir gama: go to the world where light is there.

BS 5.40यस्य प्रभा प्रभवतो जगदण्ड् कोटिकोटिषु अशेष वसुधा आदि विभूति भिन्नम् |तत् ब्रह्म निष्कलम् अनन्तम् अशेष भूतंगोविन्दम् आदि पुरुषं तमहं भजामि ॥ ४०॥yasya prabhā prabhavato jagad-aṇḍa-koṭi-koṭiṣv aśeṣa-vasudhādi vibhūti-bhinnamtad brahma niṣkalam anantam aśeṣa-bhūtaṁgovindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmiI worship Govinda, the primeval Lord, whose effulgence is the source of the nondifferentiated Brahman mentioned in the Upaniṣads, being differentiated from the infinity of glories of the mundane universe appears as the indivisible, infinite, limitless, truth.

Spiritual versus material happiness

Yasya prabhā, that spiritual world is full of effulgence. Just like we have got example = the sun planet, sun globe, there is no darkness. There is always light.

On account of presence of the sun, we are getting so much light and heat; just imagine what is the position in the sun globe, sun planet. It is always light. This is the example.

Similarly, in the spiritual world, it is only light. Not only this light, but the light of knowledge. Therefore śāstra says, tamasi mā: "Don't remain in the darkness." Jyotir gama. Jyotir gama: "Come into the light."

So one who requires to go to the world of light, he requires a guru. Tasmād guruṁ prapadyeta jijñāsuḥ Jijñāsuḥ means inquisitive.

Everyone is jijñāsuḥ. We go to the market to purchase something, we are also jijñāsuḥ there = "What is the price of this? What is the price of that?" That is also inquiry.

But not..., inquiry is not like that, as we go to the market and inquire about the price, or sometimes we go to the share[?] market and other material markets. That is also... Inquiry is the life—but not material inquiry.

Jijñāsuḥ śreya uttamam. Śreya, śreya means ultimate goal of life.

In the material world, there is no question of śreya; it is all preya. There are two things = preya and śreya. Immediate benefit, that is called preya. Just like child.

If you ask child to sit down and read book, he would not like. If you offer one lugḍu, he will immediately accept.

A small child, we see, you have seen = we distribute biscuits, and immediately, the small child, immediately he knows how to take it and put it in the mouth. This is called preya, "dear." They do not know anything else.

If you give him poison, he will like to eat. This is child's nature. So if you ask the child, "Now you sit down and read books and write," he would not like.

That is called śreya. To become educated is good for him for future, but he doesn't like. But if we give him one lugḍu, immediately he'll accept. This is the distinction between śreya and preya.

So we must be interested in śreya, not preya. Preya is sense gratification. The material life, sense gratification is only required. This is material world. Yan maithunādi gṛhamedhi-sukhaṁ hi tuccham

This śreya, or this preya, very dear things; ultimately, sex life, maithunādi... [break] ...married, the same sex life. Then he gets some children. Then he again, grandsons. They go on.

Yan maithunādi. Here, the happiness is centered round that sex life. Kaṇḍūyanena karayor iva duḥkha-duḥkham

And as soon as he enters into sex life, iva duḥkha-duḥkham, one after another, one after another, one after another.

So this is preya. But śreya is how to approach the lotus feet of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Viṣṇu.

Therefore here it is said, yathā hi puruṣasyeha viṣṇoḥ padopasarpaṇam: how to be engaged in the worship of the lotus feet of Lord Viṣṇu. That is possible. This ṣreya means sense gratification, culminating in sex life.

That is available. That will be explained in the next verse. SB 7.6.3सुखमैन्द्रियकं दैत्या देहयोगेन देहिनाम् ।सर्वत्र लभ्यते दैवाद्यथा दुःखमयत्नतः ॥३॥sukham aindriyakaṁ daityādeha-yogena dehināmsarvatra labhyate daivādyathā duḥkham ayatnataḥPrahlāda Mahārāja continued: My dear friends born of demoniac families, the happiness perceived with reference to the sense objects by contact with the body can be obtained in any form of life, according to one’s past fruitive activities. Such happiness is automatically obtained without endeavor, just as we obtain distress.This will be explained.

So aindriya sukham, sense pleasure, that is available everywhere. Even cats and dogs, they have got sense pleasure. But human life is not meant for that purpose.

Human life is meant for..., this is the idea = yathā hi puruṣasyeha viṣṇoḥ padopasarpaṇam. This is required. They do not know it.

Prahlāda Mahārāja another place said, na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇum durāśayā ye bahir-artha-māninaḥ Generally, those who are not trained up by guru, they do not know the svartha-gatim is Viṣṇu.

Durāśayā. They are trying to be happy with this external energy, bahir-artha. Bahir, bahir-aṅga-śakti. Bahir-aṅga-śakti means this material world.

So one who does not know what is the goal of life, they are interested in this bahir-aṅga-śakti, external energy. Therefore guru required, how to get him delivered from the clutches of external energy.

Therefore guru required. One who is interested to get out of these activities of external energy, tasmād guruṁ prapadyeta for him, guru is required. Don't make a guru as a fashion. That is useless.

Then you get some guru who can manufacture gold, and you are interested in gold, so that kind of guru will be... No. Here it is said, tasmād guruṁ prapad..., tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum

Tad-vijñāna means spiritual science. For that purpose, one requires a guru. Not for any other purpose.

Approaching the guru with humility

So Arjuna also showed by example. Although he was talking as friend, he submitted to Kṛṣṇa, śiṣyas te 'haṁ śādhi māṁ prapannam Arjuna was talking directly with Kṛṣṇa.

But because the relationship was affectionate friendship, there could not be any serious talk. Therefore Arjuna submitted that "Kṛṣṇa, we are talking like friends; it will never come to any serious.

Now I accept You as my guru." Śiṣyas ye 'haṁ śādhi māṁ tvāṁ prapannam. Kārpaṇya-doṣopahata-svabhāvaḥ = "I am now perplexed." So when one is actually in knowledge, he feels perplexed.

Athāto brahma jijñāsā. Unless one feels perplexed in this materialistic way of life, his human life is imperfect. One must feel that this material world, actually it is not happiness.

Just like Sanātana Gosvāmī approached Caitanya Mahāprabhu that grāmya-vyavahāre paṇḍita, satya kari māni

= "I am minister, I am also born of a brāhmaṇa family." In India the brāhmaṇas are addressed as paṇḍitjī. So he says, grāmya-vyavahāre paṇḍita kaha ei paṇḍita: "Just like ordinary relationship, village friendship, they call me paṇḍita." Paṇḍita means learned.

"I also accept that I am paṇḍita. But actually I am not paṇḍita." Why not? Āpanāra hitāhita kichui nāhi jāni: "I do not know what is the goal of my life." Ask anyone what is the goal of life.

He may be Ph.D., D.A.C., he does not know. Na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇum They do not know.

Therefore if one is serious about understanding the value of life, the goal of life, he should approach a guru. Tasmād guruṁ prapadyeta Prapadyeta. Prapadyeta means to surrender.

Not that guru should be approached for challenging. No. If you challenge, then you'll be cheated. First of all, you must find out a person who, if you can surrender there. Tasmād guruṁ prapadyeta. Tad viddhi praṇipātena

Praṇipāt, surrender, that is required first. If you think somebody that he's not worth surrendering, then don't make him guru. Don't make a fashion.

First of all you test that "Whether I can surrender?" Praṇipātena. Then try to understand.

Tad viddhi praṇipātena paripraśnena sevayā. Not only surrendering, but also render service so that guru may be pleased that "This disciple is very humble, meek and giving service." Anywhere, even in material world, if you want to take something from somebody, if you please him by service, it is very easy.

Tasmād guruṁ prapadyeta jijñāsa So, yathā hi puruṣasyeha viṣṇoḥ padopasarpaṇam yadā eṣa sarva-bhūtānām. Why one should seek after Viṣṇu?

Tad viṣṇoḥ paramaṁ padam. Because yadā eṣa sarva-bhūtānāṁ priya. Everyone's dearmost. That we have forgotten. Actually Viṣṇu, or Kṛṣṇa, He's dearmost. He's also friend of everyone.

When we understand this secret, bhoktāraṁ yajña-tapasāṁ sarva-loka-maheśvaraṁ suhṛdaṁ sarva-bhūtānām Suhṛdam: He's actual friend.

We go to friends for some help, but if we accept the natural friend, Kṛṣṇa, then there is no scarcity. Suhṛdam sarva-bhūtānām. Therefore we should learn how to love Kṛṣṇa, or Viṣṇu. That is the aim of life.

Thank you very much.

Devotees: Jaya. [end]