Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 6.2.15

Nitāi: Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. [devotees repeat] Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Sixth Canto, verse number fifteen. [leads chanting of verse, etc.] ¶

patitaḥ skhalito bhagnaḥ
sandaṣṭas tapta āhataḥ
harir ity avaśenāha
pumān nārhati yātanāḥ
[SB 6.2.15]plugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigŚrīmad Bhāgavatam 6.2.15

If one chants the holy name of Hari and then dies because of an accidental misfortune, such as falling from the top of a house, slipping and suffering broken bones while traveling on the road, being bitten by a serpent, being afflicted with pain and high fever, or being injured by a weapon, one is immediately absolved from having to enter hellish life, even though he is sinful.

[break] [01:32] ¶

Prabhupāda: ¶

patitaḥ skhalito bhagnaḥ
sandaṣṭas tapta āhataḥ
harir ity avaśenāha
pumān nārhati yātanāḥ
[SB 6.2.15]plugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigŚrīmad Bhāgavatam 6.2.15

If one chants the holy name of Hari and then dies because of an accidental misfortune, such as falling from the top of a house, slipping and suffering broken bones while traveling on the road, being bitten by a serpent, being afflicted with pain and high fever, or being injured by a weapon, one is immediately absolved from having to enter hellish life, even though he is sinful.

These are the…, some of the practical examples. There are persons who criticize chanting of Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. Nāmnād artha-vāda. Because the glories of the holy name are described here, that one can become free from the sinful reaction of life simply by chanting the holy name of the Lord, so sometimes those who are not in the line, they think, “It is too much. It is too much.” So the next verse, the… It is advised… Not it is too much. You can test it. Test it. What is that test? Patita. When you fall down from a high place… Suppose from the roof you may fall down, patitaṁ. Skhalita: you may slip and fall down. Bhagnaḥ: by falling down you may break your bones. Then sandaṣṭaḥ: you may be bitten by some animals—cats, dogs, a snake. There are so many, domestic. Then tapta: you may be burned. And āhata: you may be injured from others. Then during this time you can test, practical. What is that test? Harir ity avaśena aha. Try to chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. Pumān. If anyone does so, na arhati yātanāḥ. You’ll immediately feel that from the injuries you are not feeling pain. This is practical seen. Even a snakebite, you may be saved. The author says…, never says that you may be saved from death, but the suggestion is that you may not feel much pain. This is practical. ¶

Because this material world is full of dangers, these symptoms of dangerous position, patitaṁ skhalito bhagnaḥ… Especially in the modern age, in the Western countries, accident, motor accident, and die is very common thing nowadays. Here also it is becoming. On the whole, even there is no motor accident, there are so many accidents. In every step there is danger. Padaṁ padaṁ yad vipadām [SB 10.14.58]. This material world means every step there is danger—there is no question of safety—at any moment. Therefore Prahlāda Mahārāja recommended, kaumāraṁ ācaret prājño dharmān bhāgavatān iha. Why in the beginning of childhood one should learn bhāgavata-dharma? Durlabhaṁ mānuṣaṁ janma. Somehow or other, we have got this body, human form of body, durlabham, after many, many births. They do not know. The foolish person, they do not know what is the value of this human form of life. Jalajā nava-lakṣāni sthāvarā lakṣa-viṁśati, kṛmayo rudra-saṅkhyatāḥ [Padma Purāṇa]. In this way 8,400,000 different forms of life we have to pass through. Then we have got this… Especially a civilized human being. The human race, they are also 400,000, 400,000 types. Out of them, those who are civilized, they are called Āryans. Āryan means civilized. Āryan means those who are making progress. They are called Āryans. ¶

So amongst the Āryans there is the division—brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra, brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha. The Āryans, they do follow it, these Vedic principles, varṇāśrama-dharma. Varnāśramācāravatā puruṣeṇa paraḥ pumān, viṣṇur ārādhyate [Cc. Madhya 8.58]plugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigŚrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 8.58

"The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Viṣṇu, is worshiped by the proper execution of prescribed duties in the system of varṇa and āśrama. There is no other way to satisfy the Supreme Personality of Godhead. One must be situated in the institution of the four varṇas and āśramas.". What is the purpose of varṇāśrama? Now, viṣṇu ārādhana. “Why Viṣṇu ārādhana? There are so many other demigods.” That is also answered by Lord Śiva. When he was asked by Pārvatī, “What is the best form of worship?” he recommended, ārādhanānāṁ sarveṣām: “There are many different types of worship.” Sarveṣam. Viṣṇur ārādhanaṁ param. He never said, Lord Śiva, that “My ārādhana is…” Kṛṣṇa says, mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja [Bg. 18.66]plugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigBhagavad-gītā As It Is 18.66

Abandon all varieties of religion and just surrender unto Me. I shall deliver you from all sinful reaction. Do not fear., but no other demigod has ever said. No. You’ll never find. Here Lord Śiva says, viṣṇur ārādhanaṁ param. Then again he stresses, tasmāt parataraṁ devī madīyānāṁ, tadīyānām ārādhanam [Padma Purāṇa]: “Viṣṇu-ārādhanam is the best, but better than this best there is another ārādhanam.” What is that? Tadīyānām ārādhananam: “To worship Vaiṣṇava.” Viṣṇu-ārādhana is the topmost, but vaiṣṇava-ārādhana is still more. Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura therefore says, chādiyā vaiṣṇava-sevā, nistara payeche kebā. The vaiṣṇava-ārādhana is so important. ¶

Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, ¶

tad viddhi praṇipātena
paripraśnena sevayā
upadekṣyanti tad jñānaṁ
jñāninās tattva-darśinaḥ
[Bg. 4.34]plugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigBhagavad-gītā As It Is 4.34

Just try to learn the truth by approaching a spiritual master. Inquire from him submissively and render service unto him. The self-realized soul can impart knowledge unto you because he has seen the truth.

Tattva-darśi. This word tattva is very important. Unless one is tattva-darsi, there is no use to take instruction from him. Useless waste of time. Tattva-darśi means… Kṛṣṇa says in another place, manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu kaścid yatati siddhaye [Bg. 7.3]plugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigBhagavad-gītā As It Is 7.3

Out of many thousands among men, one may endeavor for perfection, and of those who have achieved perfection, hardly one knows Me in truth.. Siddhi means liberated, means who has no more the bodily concept of life. This is the Vedic meaning of ahaṁ brahmāsmi. Aham: “I, the spiritual spark, I am not this matter. I am a spirit soul.” That is brahmāsmi. So long we are in the bodily concept of life, that is called jīva-bhūta—mamivāṁśo jīva-bhūtaḥ—conditioned soul. And when one understands ahaṁ brahmāsmi, that is called brahma-bhūta. There are two words. The conditioned soul is called jīva-bhūta. He is thinking, “I am American,” “I am Indian,” “I am brāhmaṇa,” “I am kṣatriya,” “I am cat,” “I am dog,” “I am this,” “I am that.” That is called jīva-bhūta. And in the human form of life, when he studies athāto brahma jijñāsā, when he is inquisitive to understand Brahman, spirit, that is real life. Jīvasya tattva-jijñāsā. ¶

In the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam it is said that dharmārtha-kāma-mokṣa [SB 4.8.41]plugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigŚrīmad Bhāgavatam 4.8.41

Any person who desires the fruits of the four principles religiosity, economic development, sense gratification and, at the end, liberation, should engage himself in the devotional service of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, for worship of His lotus feet yields the fulfillment of all of these.. So mokṣa means tattva-jijñāsā. Jīvasya tattva-jijñāsa na yas ceha karmabhiḥ [SB 1.2.10]plugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigŚrīmad Bhāgavatam 1.2.10

Life's desires should never be directed toward sense gratification. One should desire only a healthy life, or self-preservation, since a human being is meant for inquiry about the Absolute Truth. Nothing else should be the goal of one's works.. So that tattva-jijñāsā means to understand Kṛṣṇa. You’ll find in the Bhagavad-gītā, kaścid vetti māṁ tattvataḥ [Bg. 7.3]plugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigBhagavad-gītā As It Is 7.3

Out of many thousands among men, one may endeavor for perfection, and of those who have achieved perfection, hardly one knows Me in truth.. The same. Tattva-jijñāsā… Who will inquire about tattva? Those who are siddha. So that siddha stage, brahma-bhūta stage, is not for everyone. Manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu kaścid yatati siddhaye. Out of many millions of persons, one may be interested how to become siddha, to understand ahaṁ brahmāsmi. That is called siddha. And yatatām api siddhānāṁ kaścid vetti māṁ tattvataḥ [Bg. 7.3]plugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigBhagavad-gītā As It Is 7.3

Out of many thousands among men, one may endeavor for perfection, and of those who have achieved perfection, hardly one knows Me in truth.. This is called tattva-jijñāsā. So tattva-jijñāsā is meant for the siddhas, not for the fools and rascals. They cannot. They are inquiring, [Hindi?]. You find in the market, big, big merchants, they have got exchange in Calcutta, Bombay. The inquiry is ke apa haya. So not that inquiry. Ke apa haya, share-cut ke apa haya, cao ke apa haya, dal ke apa haya.[?] Not… That is not tattva-jijñāsā. Tattva-jijñāsā means “What is Brahman?” That is tattva-jijñāsā, because Vedas indicates that “Try to understand ahaṁ brahmāsmi, ‘You are Brahman.’ ” Tat tvam asi. So ‘ham. So this is the Vedic injunction. ¶

So the Vedic injunction, tattva-jijñāsā, that is the first aphorism in the Vedānta-sūtra. Athāto brahma-jijñāsāḥ: “The human form of life is meant for inquiring about the Absolute Truth.” Therefore Bhāgavata explains, jīvasya tattva-jijñāsā. That is the explanation of Brahma-sutra. Therefore you will find at the end of each chapter of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, śrīmad-bhāgavate mahā-purāṇe brahma-sutra-bhasye. The Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is the real comment on Brahma-sutra, Vedānta-sūtra. Vedānta-sūtra was compiled by Vyāsadeva. He summarized all the Vedic knowledge, summarized all Vedic knowledge into Brahma-sutra, in nutshell. Then he was not satisfied, although he made so many Purāṇas, Mahābhārata, Brahma-sutra, Upaniṣads and… Means these were correct. He wrote into letters in the book. Being compassionate on the people of this age, all fools and rascals—they have no good memory—therefore he compiled all these Vedas into writing. Before that, there was no writing. People were so sharp in memory, simply by hearing from the guru, they will remember. Simply. The education and the brain and the capacity was so nice. So that is not possible in the age. Everything is diminishing. The strength, bodily strength, is diminishing. The memory is diminishing. The duration of life is diminishing. Man’s propensity to be merciful is diminishing. At the present moment, even in the civilized world, so-called civilized, if one man is being killed on the open street, nobody will go and help him, because the tendency for showing mercy to others, that is diminishing. And bodily strength is diminishing. Memory is diminishing. Dharma, the principle of religion, that is diminishing. This is calculated. Therefore brahma-jijñāsā. ¶

When Caitanya Mahāprabhu was questioned by Prakāśānanda Sarasvatī at Benares, follower of Śaṅkara philosophy, that… There was meeting between Caitanya Mahāprabhu… Caitanya Mahāprabhu did not like to meet the Māyāvādī sannyāsīs. He used to live alone. But sometimes these Māyāvādī sannyāsīs, they were criticizing Him that “This Bengali sannyāsī comes from Bengal, and He does not indulge in reading Brahma-sutra or Vedānta-sūtra. He dances and chants with some ecstatic people. What kind of sannyāsī He is? A sannyāsī is meant for studying Vedānta-sūtra, Sāṅkhya philosophy.” Some of them were very learned scholars. There’s no doubt about it. But when Caitanya Mahāprabhu was inquired by Prakāśānanda Sarasvatī, “Sir, I learned that in Your previous life…” He was a learned scholar. He was known as Nimāi Paṇḍita. “And You have taken sannyāsa. So instead of reading Sāṅkhya philosophy and Vedānta-sūtra, You are simply chanting and dancing with some fanatics. What is this?” This was the question. Caitanya Mahāprabhu replied that “Sir, if I reply your question candidly, please do not be sorry.” “No, I am not sorry. We are prepared.” “Because My Guru Mahārāja saw Me: I am the greatest fool.” Guru more mūrkha dekhi, karila vedanta nāhi tava adhikāra [Cc. Ādi 7.71]plugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigŚrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Ādi-līlā 7.71

Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu replied to Prakāśānanda Sarasvatī, "My dear sir, kindly hear the reason. My spiritual master considered Me a fool, and therefore he chastised Me.. He became a fool. The purpose was that at the the present moment they are simply fools and rascals. What they will understand about Vedānta? Therefore the śāstric injunction is harer nāma harer nāma harer nāmaiva kevalam. ¶

So there was very long discussion, and all the sannyāsīs, sixty thousand sannyāsīs, they were convinced about Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s philosophy, His explanation of the Upaniṣad. So it is not that the Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s sampradāya is simply chanting and dancing. If required, they are prepared to answer all Vedic discussion. They are prepared. We have got so many books, all Vedic discussion. Not that we are simply indul… But this is sufficient. Simply chanting is sufficient. But if one thinks like Prakāśānanda Sarasvatī, that “These people simply chant and dance…” Sometimes one sannyāsī accused us like that. Germany or some…? That Bharati? So we answered them that “Come on. We have got at least seventy-five books, four hundred pages each, to teach you Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Come on.” So we are prepared. It is not that. We are the followers of Caitanya Mahāprabhu. He was chanting and dancing, but when there was Prakāśānanda Sarasvatī, when there was Sarvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya, He discussed Vedānta very elaborately, not with fools and rascals. A paṇḍita like Sarvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya, a sannyāsī like Prakāśānanda Sarasvatī who knew what is Vedānta, what is Vedas—then we are prepared, because we know certainly. Kṛṣṇa says, vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyam [Bg. 15.15]plugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigBhagavad-gītā As It Is 15.15

I am seated in everyone's heart, and from Me come remembrance, knowledge and forgetfulness. By all the Vedas am I to be known; indeed I am the compiler of Vedānta, and I am the knower of the Vedas.. If anyone understands Kṛṣṇa, it is to be understood that he has studied all the Vedas. There is no doubt about it. Vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyam. ¶

bahūnāṁ janmanām ante
jñānavān māṁ prapadyate
vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti
sa mahātmā sudurlabhaḥ
[Bg. 7.19]plugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigBhagavad-gītā As It Is 7.19

After many births and deaths, he who is actually in knowledge surrenders unto Me, knowing Me to be the cause of all causes and all that is. Such a great soul is very rare.

So everything is explained there. We are preaching Kṛṣṇa consciousness not with empty hand. We are prepared to talk on Vedānta. We are prepared to talk on Upaniṣad. And the conclusion is, kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam. Ete cāṁśa-kalāḥ puṁsaṁ kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam [SB 1.3.28]plugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigŚrīmad Bhāgavatam 1.3.28

All of the above-mentioned incarnations are either plenary portions or portions of the plenary portions of the Lord, but Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa is the original Personality of Godhead. All of them appear on planets whenever there is a disturbance created by the atheists. The Lord incarnates to protect the theists.. This is the conclusion. Kṛṣṇa also confirms that mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat kiñcid asti dhanañjayaḥ, praṇava [Bg. 7.7]plugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigBhagavad-gītā As It Is 7.7

O conquerer of wealth [Arjuna], there is no Truth superior to Me. Everything rests upon Me, as pearls are strung on a thread.. Sometimes they take praṇavaḥ as the Supreme. Kṛṣṇa says, praṇavaḥ ahaṁ sarva vedeṣu: “This praṇava, oṁkāra, in all the Vedas, that is I am. That is My sound representation.” So this holy name of Kṛṣṇa is so powerful that simply by chanting, one can become liberated. This is the blessing of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. He said, ihā haite sarva siddhi haibe tomāra. All siddhis. Ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanam [Cc. Antya 20.12]plugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigŚrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā 20.12

"Let there be all victory for the chanting of the holy name of Lord Kṛṣṇa, which can cleanse the mirror of the heart and stop the miseries of the blazing fire of material existence. That chanting is the waxing moon that spreads the white lotus of good fortune for all living entities. It is the life and soul of all education. The chanting of the holy name of Kṛṣṇa expands the blissful ocean of transcendental life. It gives a cooling effect to everyone and enables one to taste full nectar at every step.. Siddhi means to cleanse the heart. That is siddhi. Because we are now materially obsessed, we are thinking, “I am Indian,” “I am American,” “I am this and that,” all material—upādhi. And bhakti means when you are freed from the upādhi, then bhakti begins. ¶

brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā
na śocati na kāṅkṣati
samaḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu
mad-bhaktiṁ labhate parām
[Bg. 18.54]plugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigBhagavad-gītā As It Is 18.54

One who is thus transcendentally situated at once realizes the Supreme Brahman. He never laments nor desires to have anything; he is equally disposed to every living entity. In that state he attains pure devotional service unto Me.

Then bhakti begins. Bhakti is not for the person who is not liberated, because as soon as you begin bhakti, devotional service, you immediately you come to the liberated platform. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā: ¶

māṁ cāvyabhicāriṇi
bhakti-yogena yaḥ sevate
sa guṇan samatītyaitān
brahma-bhūyāya kalpate
[Bg. 14.26]plugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigBhagavad-gītā As It Is 14.26

One who engages in full devotional service, who does not fall down in any circumstance, at once transcends the modes of material nature and thus comes to the level of Brahman.

Bhakti, beginning of bhakti, means immediately he is on the Brahman platform. We are trying to understand ahaṁ brahmāsmi, but if you take to devotional service you are immediately on the platform of brahma-bhūyāya kalpate. ¶

So this is the scientific understanding of brahma-bhūtaḥ stage, or ahaṁ brahmāsmi, and… Everything is explained in the Bhagavad-gītā. So therefore this name is Brahman. The holy name of Lord is Brahman, Brahman’s name. Brahman’s name means Brahman. Because Brahman is Absolute, He is not different from His name, He is not different from His form, He is not different from His quality. Otherwise how we are worshiping this form of Kṛṣṇa here? This Kṛṣṇa and that Kṛṣṇa… There is no “this” and “that.” Kṛṣṇa is one. But even if we think that this is the statue of Kṛṣṇa, that is our misconception. It is not statue. It is Kṛṣṇa. But we have to prepare our eyes to see. Just like Caitanya Mahāprabhu. When He entered Jagannātha temple, He immediately fainted—“Here is Kṛṣṇa. Here is Kṛṣṇa”—because He had the eyes to see Kṛṣṇa. So we have to prepare our eyes to see. That eyes is also explained in the Brahma-saṁhitā: premāñjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena santaḥ sadaiva hṛdayeṣu vilokayanti [Bs. 5.38], to develop your love of Kṛṣṇa. Then Kṛṣṇa will be revealed. Sevonmukhe hi jihvādau svayam eva sphuraty adaḥ [Brs. 1.2.234]. ¶

So you cannot understand Kṛṣṇa by argument or by your these staring eyes. No. You have to prepare your eyes, you have to prepare your ear, you have to prepare your nose, you have to prepare your tongue, you have to prepare your hand, you have to prepare your leg—all the senses. ¶

sarvopādhi-vinirmuktaṁ
tat-paratvena nirmalaṁ
hṛṣīkena hṛṣīkeśa-
sevanaṁ bhaktir ucyate
[Cc. Madhya 19.170]plugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigŚrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 19.170

" 'Bhakti, or devotional service, means engaging all our senses in the service of the Lord, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the master of all the senses. When the spirit soul renders service unto the Supreme, there are two side effects. One is freed from all material designations, and, simply by being employed in the service of the Lord, one's senses are purified.'

These senses, now it is upādhi. I am thinking, “I am American; therefore my hand is American, my leg is American, my eyes are American.” No. You have to become free from these “American eyes” or “Indian eyes” or “brahminical eyes” or… No. Pure eyes. Sarvopādhi-vinirmuktaṁ tat-paratvena nirmalam. When your eyes are purified from all these designation, when your senses are purified, then nirmalaṁ. Nirmalam means purified. That senses… Purification does not mean that you are senseless. No. Just like cataract operation of the eyes does not mean pluck out the eyes. No. The eyes will remain; the cataracts will be taken away. Then you will see. So when your material conception of life is finished, ahaṁ brahmāsmi. That is called ahaṁ brahmāsmi. And to simply realize ahaṁ brahmāsmi will not stay. You have to go further. ¶

brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā
na śocati na kāṅkṣati
samaḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu
mad-bhaktiṁ labhate parām
[Bg. 18.54]plugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigBhagavad-gītā As It Is 18.54

One who is thus transcendentally situated at once realizes the Supreme Brahman. He never laments nor desires to have anything; he is equally disposed to every living entity. In that state he attains pure devotional service unto Me.

If you make further advance, then your Brahman activities will begin, and that is called bhakti, parā-bhakti. ¶

Thank you very much. ¶

Devotees: Jaya Prabhupāda. [end] ¶