HH Sivarama Swami

[Guest guest]

Live from Sri Mayapur Candrodaya Mandir!

 

February 26, 2006

Verse: Srimad Bhagavatam 2.2.26

Speaker: HH Sivarama Swami

__

 

 

vaisvanaram yati vihayasa gatah

susumnaya brahma-pathena socisa

vidhuta-kalko 'tha harer udastat

prayati cakram nrpa saisumaram

 

TRANSLATION: O King, when such a mystic passes over the Milky Way by the

illuminating Susumna to reach the highest planet, Brahmaloka, he goes first

to Vaisvanara, the planet of the deity of fire, wherein he becomes

completely cleansed of all contaminations, and thereafter he still goes

higher, to the circle of Sisumara, to relate with Lord Hari, the Personality

of Godhead.

 

PURPORT: The polar star of the universe and the circle thereof is called the

Sisumara circle, and therein the local residential planet of the Personality

of Godhead (Ksirodakasayi Visnu) is situated. Before reaching there, the

mystic passes over the Milky Way to reach Brahmaloka, and while going there

he first reaches Vaisvanara-loka, where the demigod controls fire. On

Vaisvanara-loka the yogi becomes completely cleansed of all dirty sins

acquired while in contact with the material world. The Milky Way in the sky

is indicated herein as the way leading to Brahmaloka, the highest planet of

the universe.

 

_____________________

 

The astrological technicalities that are being discussed here in Srimad

Bhagavatam are not within my grasp or understanding. Perhaps Bhanu Maharaja

or Prahladanada Maharaja can elaborate how these things. . . .

 

In the previous verse Srila Prabhupada is referring to two classes of living

entities, transcendentalists, and those who fell into the category of

materialists, fruitive workers, etc. The general description here is

understood to be of those who are yogis, or more specifically, yoga-misra

bhaktas, devotees who still have some particular attachment to mystic yoga

or who want to see these different parts of the universe in which different

kinds of perfection are achieved.

 

This kind of gradual and systematic elevation is described by Srila Sanatana

Goswami in Brhad Bhagavatamrta. Of course there the description is via Gopa

Kumara who is not a yogi, but he gets this sort of tour of the planets of

the universe, and the different grades of devotees who practice Krsna

consciousness there in order to enhance or increase his desire for really

going back to Godhead and reassuming his position of being a cowherd boy in

Vrindavan.

 

There are technically two different means to attain the perfectional stage

that is sought by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and the great acaryas in our line.

One is the indirect way, and the other one is the direct way or what Srila

Prabhupada refers to clearly as the sankirtana movement of Sri Caitanya

Mahaprabhu. The indirect way we sometimes call the Vedic system. In his

instructions to Sanatana Goswami Caitanya Mahaprabhu begins by elaborating

on this Vedic system.

 

The same is there in the discussion between Ramananda Raya and Caitanya

Mahaprabhu, beginning with conditioned living entities who have little

inclination or little aspiration towards spiritual life. But somehow or

other, "brahmanda bhramite kona bhagyavan", someone becomes bhagyavan.

Bhagyavan in any context, whether it's in the context of a materialistic

person becoming fortunate, or a practicing devotee becoming fortunate, or

even a perfected devotee becoming fortunate, refers to the association of

pure devotees.

 

So in Bhagavad-gita, Krsna uses the word sukriti. Sukriti in the sense of

living entities becoming yesam tv anta-gatam papam, excuse me, not sukriti,

but punya, jananam punya-karmanam. So Srila Prabhupada as well as his

predecessors emphasized that punya-karmanam means association with

Vaisnavas. This is a truth or principle which is glorified right from the

very beginning to the end of Srimad Bhagavatam as well as all Vedic

literature. Sadhu-sanga, sadhu-sanga is that without the association of

sadhus no one makes any spiritual advancement. For that reason, Caitanya

Mahaprabhu, or perhaps Krsnadasa Kaviraja Goswami, points out that this is

the mula-anga, the root or limb of devotional service whether you are a

beginner, you are intermediate or an advanced devotee. In fact it says even

if you are a premi-bhakti, you reached the perfectional stage of devotional

service, then the root of everything is based upon association.

 

Srila Prabhupada elaborates on this in so many places and in Nectar of

Instruction points out how this is the theme or the purpose of the Krsna

consciousness movement, to give association to everyone, karmis. Devotees

associate with each other and by that type of dynamic or interaction

devotees of peer Krsna consciousness inspire each other, devotees who are

more advanced than others are able to elevate or lift others, and devotees

who are junior can ask for help and request for support, inspiration,

guidance on their path back to Godhead.

 

When Caitanya Mahaprabhu says bhagyavan jiva, someone becomes fortunate

because somehow or other he comes in contact with devotional service.

Somehow or other is sometimes translated in English as this ajnata-sukriti

complex, but unknowingly someone renders some type of devotional service.

Srila Prabhupada points out the example of Prakasananda Sarasvati, who was

an aparadhi. Mayavadis were all aparadhis, but specifically, he was already

critical of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. He thought this kind of dancing, this

kind of singing was some kind of sentimental expression, which Sarvabhauma

Bhattacarya also made the same mistake, which is indicative of somebody

being emotionally unstable or mentally unstable.

 

Mental disturbance is not a modern-day phenomena, it already existed during

Caitanya Mahaprabhu's time. But it is unlike, for instance, nowadays we have

psychiatrists or psychologists, and worse than that, all kinds of

medication. Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya prescribed to Caitanya Mahaprabhu, you

should read Vedanta Sutra to stabilize your mind. That's a good

recommendation. They don't say read Bhagavad-gita, Srimad Bhagavatam and

that will stabilize your mind. And it certainly does. Even when Lord

Caitanya was younger and He would exhibit different kinds of fits, mother

Saci would rub this type of Visnu oil, I don't know what type of oil this

Visnu oil is, but it is meant specifically to cool the brain. In other

words, if the brain gets too hot and you become delirious, your brain can be

cooled by this type of medicated oil.

 

Somehow or other, Prakasananda Sarasvati. . . but when Caitanya Mahaprabhu

came, because he was a sannyasi, and He took a very humble position when he

came into the association of the sannyasis, he wouldn't come in. In fact, He

stayed outside where they would keep the shoes. Although in a Western

context that doesn't mean very much, but in India, what to speak of five

hundred years ago, amongst brahmanas and brahmana sannyasis, that's a very

muci place to be, that's a very muci thing to do. So immediately he brought

Him in. Srila Prabhupada points out this was actually Prakasananda

Sarasvati's ajnata-sukrti. Unknowingly he rendered some service to the

Supreme Personality of Godhead, and that triggered off his Krsna

consciousness, his devotional service, which gave him ultimately enough

qualification to be able to hear. When Caitanya Mahaprabhu began to speak,

he began to understand what Lord Caitanya said.

 

We have this experience that sometimes we may be preaching, or not just

preaching but even speaking to devotees, and devotees will not understand

what we say. The reason for that is because the language is different. They

do not have the qualification, the comprehensive ability to be able to

understand. They do not have the punya. They don't have the ticket to

understand what someone is saying, and for this reason, sometimes this

gradual or indirect process of Krsna consciousness is recommended. Ajnata

sukriti, you become a bhakta, Srila Prabhupada uses this term devotee in

many, many contexts, but sometimes devotees have a great motivation for

material enjoyment. In Bhagavad-gita they are classified as sakama-bhaktas,

people who have material desires. We find this type of religious process or

devotional service not just prevalent in India, although the term bhakta

perhaps manifested from this language, but it's in every religion in the

world. People worship God for some material reward, sakama, you give us our

daily bread. So it's not the ideal, but it's good. It's good because it

increases one's faith, it makes one turn towards the Lord, and it places one

on the path, provided one can traverse the path from beginning to end.

 

That is what Srila Prabhupada had repeatedly told us that although this

Vedic path is Vedic, although it was practiced particularly in a previous

age, during the varnasrama age, although it is very scientific, but still,

it's not going to work in this day and age. Become a sakama-bhakta, someone

who has material desires, practice very, very strictly within the framework

of a really strict varnasrama institution in which even in the present day,

for example, very few people agree on what varnasrama is - what to speak of

how it should be instituted - but without that, you cannot progress in a

ritualistic society where you are meant to be performing those types of

rituals that purify the heart.

 

Just like it is stated here that by the mercy of the fire god, the heart

becomes purified, one makes different types of offerings, and even if it is

for material gain because it's properly done by the guidance of the

brahmanas and the association of the Vaisnavas, accepting sastra and if one

gets a result, one's faith increases, one progresses, and ultimately, by

good association, by transcendental knowledge, the desire for the enjoyment

of the fruits of work is dissolved. What remains is more the attachment to

that type of ritualistic activity. One becomes niskama. There is sakama,

niskama, then there is niskama jnana misra bhakti yogi. Here we are talking

about the yogis, those who want to enjoy certain types of mystic opulence.

Ultimately one comes to the path of pure devotional service.

 

But the social framework is not there. The entire system or structure in

itself is not being practiced properly anywhere. Particularly Mayavada

philosophy has undermined the Vedic system to such an extent that you can't

go through these steps without being in contact with all kinds of

impersonal concepts which evoke the ritualistic and especially the knowledge

aspect of this Vedic culture are prerequisite.

 

So this is the beginning of Srimad Bhagavatam, Vyasadeva has presented

Vedas, Vedanta-sutra, Mahabharata, with just this idea of gradually

elevating living entities, increasing their faith, increasing their

knowledge, increasing their renunciation, and after it's all done, he's not

satisfied. If you write a book and the author's not satisfied, how's anyone

who reads the book going to be satisfied? So he wasn't satisfied, and

parasarya maha-bhaga, when Narada Muni comes he says, "You think you've done

a good thing by helping people just reinforce the bodily concept of life?"

 

The whole concept of Narada Muni's instruction, giving the example of life,

is that you have to directly glorify the Supreme Lord. You neglected to do

that, but not only you neglected to do that, but this is what is going to

work in this age because kaler dosa-nidhe rajann. People are so disturbed in

this age. They are manda, sumanda, that they are not going to be able to

traverse this path. They will simply use these rituals as an excuse for

sense gratification. The same way that Romapada Maharaja pointed out that

how Caitanya Mahaprabhu also pointed out in Caitanya Caritamrta that

Mayavada philosophy is so difficult, so complex, that ultimately it also

becomes an excuse for sense gratification for the laymen. Maybe the one in a

million sannyasi who has that type of samskaras can actually then actually

practice all the renunciation and austerity which are required, and do

nothing else to read Vedanta-sutra, and has the intellectual and learning

capacity to unravel these sutras and meditate upon them, but the common

man's capacity to unravel these sutras and meditate on them, for the common

man it means yata mata tat patha, any path is all right. The path of sense

gratification, you worship the eggplant, you worship Tulasi; it's all the

same.

 

So it doesn't work, and Narada Muni tells Vyasadeva it doesn't work, so you

should directly glorify Krsna - yajnaih sankirtana prayair yajante hi

sumedhasah. Sumedhasah, intelligent people, those who understand what the

essence of dharma is, and who understand what this brahma-pathena, the

actual path, mama vartmanuvartante, the path that leads to Krsna knows that

this type of indirect process, which we in ISKCON sometimes also refer to,

we use different terminologies, "Maybe I'm not so advanced, I can't do it in

one step, maybe sixteen rounds is a little too much, maybe it won't be a one

lifetime progress path for me, but a many lifetime," but Srila Prabhupada

said don't risk it, You've got no guarantee that it's in one lifetime

effort. The example of Bharat Maharaja is there that it wasn't just a one

lifetime effort. It took him actually three lifetimes, and that's Bharat

Maharaja, he was already very, very advanced in spiritual life.

 

So therefore rather than going through all of these indirect, step by step

systematic process, our recommendation, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu's

recommendation is that you chant Hare Krishna. Chant Hare Krishna, hear

Srimad Bhagavatam, sadhu-sanga, nama-kirtana, bhagavata-sravana,

mathura-vasa, sri-murtira sraddhaya sevana. These five things, they

summarize all the sixty-four items of devotional service which Rupa Goswami

describes in the Nectar of Devotion which constitute anusilanam. Despite the

fact that the process is simple, it doesn't mean it is meant to be

neglected.

 

That is the reason so much emphasis is given on this very simple thing -

chanting. Whereas any old way of chanting is good for the novice, but any

old way of chanting for someone who is more advanced is not so good. They

should know what the offences to the holy name are. They should avoid the

offences to the holy name. Ultimately they should chant without offence and

ultimately they should chant with love. They idea that any old way is good

is reverting back to this indirect process that it will just sort of happen

automatically.

 

That's an interesting word in itself, Srila Prabhupada uses it quite often.

Perhaps it deserves a whole course in itself, but "automatic" is sometimes a

type of term that is not only really taken out of context but misunderstood

and is used to mean some time of excuse for doing anything and that things

will automatically on their own course.

 

That's not in the way in which things automatically in the material world.

Things happen automatically if they follow a prescribed formula. Otherwise

what happens in the material world is that everything degrades. Matter,

energy, comes to its lowest status, energy status, automatically. The only

way that it goes up, and this is what the idea is, that there's a systematic

method of simply going up; it still goes higher.

 

In Krsna consciousness, we're going higher and higher, so things don't go

higher automatically. They go higher automatically if there's a systematic

input of energy, consciousness, according to a particular science. Then they

go up. Otherwise the automatic method without effort means that it goes

down. For this reason, Rupa Goswami describes devotional service as

anusilanam. There has to be a specific cultivation and when that cultivation

of the holy name, when the cultivation of the association of the Vaisnavas,

when the cultivation of Srimad Bhagavatam, when the cultivation of the

worship of the transcendental form of the Lord, respecting the dham, and all

the other aspects, when they are cultivated systematically, then

automatically one progresses up.

 

Just like if you have an airplane and if you drive it properly, you will

automatically be going up, or in this case, the yogi has gone through

extraordinary austerities, has earned how to propel the soul via the agency

of the subtle body from one level to another going through things that we

can't even follow as we read, what to speak of actually be enacting them,

but something that actually happened. He's going higher and he's only going

higher to some material planets. Here it says he is associating with Hari,

the personality of Godhead. He's going to see Ksirodakasayi Visnu in

Brahmaloka, he has darsana, Garbhodakasayi Visnu, Stil then, still there are

some kalmasa, still some impure things that reside within the heart.

 

Here kalka, the word dirt, is being used. Two types of dirt, one is that

type of dirt which is the result of past sinful activities, but the other

type of dirt, which is actually the lusty desires, hrd-roga kama, the impure

things which are present within the heart, they will not just automatically

be purified simply by traversing through fire. It requires more fire. It

requires a different type of tapa to purify the heart than simply going,

entering into fire.

 

Baladeva Vidyabhusana, in one of his commentaries on Srimad Bhagavatam, on

Vedanta Sutra, on one of the slokas, he describes the tapa, or the

interpretation of the word tapa in terms of the fire of austerity. He says

that according to Sankaracarya, tapa or the fire of austerity is sannyasa.

You give up everything and you burn up the results of your past activities

in the austerity of tyaga.

 

Then the concept of tapa in terms of Madhvacarya's line, which is so

speaking, our line, Sripad Madhvacarya says this tapa, or the fire of

austerity, refers to the fire of pure devotional service. That by engaging

in devotional service, ceto-darpana-marjanam, and finally, he gives his own

commentary, tapa is the fire of austerity, ordeal which the Vaisnava goes

through in feeling great separation from Krsna and he gives the gopis as the

example of the greatest feelings of separation. By those types of feelings

of separation, all of the types of impurities become free, but simply fire,

we may all just go through so many fire that is going on, we may walk

through fire, it's an easy way of going back to Godhead, but it's not that

easy. It requires more than just that.

 

Therefore this systematic progression which Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu has

given us, at least, Srila Prabhupada used to indicate, one has to make a

very conscientious effort.

 

Tomorrow is the disappearance day of His Holiness Tama Krsna Goswami

Maharaja, we' be celebrating that. There was one conversation with Srila

Prabhupada that he used to like to repeat. I remember sometimes we would

discuss about which was his question to Srila Prabhupada, "Well, all right,

Srila Prabhupada," of course now I am paraphrasing, "say that I do that

anusilanam throughout this life but still all of the impure things, all of

the kalka, all of the hrd-roga kama, al of the impurities within the heart

haven't been fulfilled, what will happen?"

 

Goswami Maharaja would say that Srila Prabhupada would say that well, you

make that effort. Then you just leave the rest to Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Then

the context would be, even you. . . . There's two of these stories. One was,

in relation to this, He will cover for you and the other one was well, what

if He can't think about this, yam yam vapi smaran bhavam. Then Srila

Prabhupada would reply or told Goswami Maharaja, then Caitanya Mahaprabhu or

Krsna will come enter into your mind and He will forcibly make you remember

Him.

 

Of course these two things are the different aspects of not only Gaudiya

Vaisnavism, but in all religions. In Christianity they call it the path of

faith, the path of works, and the path of grace. In other words, it doesn't

matter what you do, just believe in God, just believe in Jesus Christ, and

he'll take you back to Godhead, he's so merciful. I don't know if he'll take

you back to Godhead, but he'll take you somewhere. The other one is no, you

have to work, you have to work. There are even certain nuns and priests who

lock themselves up from age fourteen, fifteen years old, particularly

Catholic denominations do this, and they just pray for the world all of

their lives. They're almost like in a cell, in a prison. Same thing for us,

we have the concept of mercy, and we also have the concept of effort, and

both of them are required.

 

Our path, or our process, that Srila Prabhupada emphasized, is you work

hard. He wanted us to work hard for preaching and spreading Krsna

consciousness and Srila Prabhupada said, "I take great pleasure when I see

you painstakingly struggling to become Krsna conscious." Prabhupada wanted

us to struggle to be Krsna conscious and he would repeatedly say that until

you get beyond this anartha-nivrtti, it's a struggle. We have to be able to

expect that, but if for some particular reason, that perfection, despite all

effort - and it is not inconceivable that such perfection is elusive because

this age is so fallen, because we're not born with such good samskaras,

because it's so difficult for us even just to do the basics of Krsna

consciousness, following regulative principles, chanting sixteen rounds -

but still one makes the effort to the service of the mission, on the other

side, the effort in following the procedures that Srila Prabhupada has

outlined in his books, then one can depend on Caitanya Mahaprabhu's words

that Caitanya Mahaprabhu will yoga ksema vahamy aham,

 

Just in conclusion I'll quote one Srila Prabhupada says, which admittedly I

cannot find in the Folio, but it's common knowledge in the UK because it

happened in the UK, it happened at Bhaktivedanta Manor. It was at the

conclusion. . . . Tell me if I'm saying it right. It was at the conclusion

of a class, Srila Prabhupada says that to go back to Godhead, you have to be

pure. Of course, everyone became a little discouraged. The devotees asked,

"Well, Srila Prabhupada, what if you're not completely pure?"

 

Then Srila Prabhupada said, "All right, 95%?"

 

And I don't know who was asking the question, but he was pretty bold, he

must have been a person who does, an auctioneer, in his last life, or this

life. He said, "Prabhupada, what if we're not 95% pure?"

 

Srila Prabhupada said, he was getting off the vyasasana, he was already in

motion, he said, "All right, 75% pure." And then what was the last figure?

You don't remember, but it's true what I'm saying isn't it? Anyway,

[inaudible comment from audience] I was going to make it lower, but as

Prabhupada was walking out the door, he said, "All right, 50%."

 

In other words, you can't go back to Godhead with 50%, but whatever it takes

to do that last 50%, then you have to get ready for it, it may happen at the

last minute. One way or another way, by Caitanya Mahaprabhu's mercy, even if

the effort doesn't work through our efforts in Krsna consciousness, then

Caitanya Mahaprabhu, who is really unlimitedly merciful, becomes purchased

by the efforts the devotees make, particularly to serve His mission and give

Krsna consciousness to others, He'll cover it. And that seems to be Srila

Prabhupada's repeated emphasis that Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Lord Krsna will

also cover and we can make this quick time. We don't need to go by this

roundabout route, although it seems like such a long, long way away for us.

There is no indirect path available to us anymore. Narada Muni [unclear]

Srila Vyasadeva. It's not something that we see that works. People simply

end up becoming materialists, atheists, so many other things..

 

The only path is the direct path, the sankirtana movement that Srila

Prabhupada very nicely and clearly given us and if we follow that path, we

go directly - tyktva deham punar janma, then we go directly back to Krsna.

Practically speaking, Narada Muni says like thunder and lightning. In the

previous verse it says the transcendentalists are concerned with the

spiritual body. Automatically one acquires one's spiritual body as if we

never left.

 

That's such a nice part of Brhad Bhagavatamrta where Krsna is coming through

the forest and where the jiva goes back to Godhead and Krsna greets him,

Krsna embraces him and says, "Where were you? I was waiting for you for a

long time." So that is really our path which we can rest assured in and

while we can see what is technically the process by which other

spiritualists, aspiring transcendentalists become purified, we should read

about it and we can know about it and offer our respects to it, but

actually, we should tread the path, put the energy in the path that Srila

Prabhupada gave us and that will very quickly, in this lifetime, give us the

opportunity to get the highest benefit. One doesn't have to go the planet of

Ksirodakasayi Visnu. One can go directly back to Godhead.

 

It's exactly nine o' clock, so if you don't mind, I won't answer any

questions, but we'll just end the class. Hare Krsna. Thank you.

 

(applause)