New York City, 1973 - SB 1.8.20 - Part 5 - (DVD 10)
SUBTITLES FOR SB 1.8.20 NY 73
[20:30]tatha paramahamsanam muninam amalatmanam / bhakti-yoga-vidhanartham katham pasyema hi striyah
[24:58]tatha-besides that;
[25:04]paramahamsanam-of the advanced transcendentalists;
[25:11]muninam-of the great philosophers or mental speculators;
[25:18]amala-atmanam-those whose minds are competent to discern between spirit and matter;
[25:30]bhakti-yoga-the science of devotional service;
[25:36]vidhana-artham-for executing;
[25:42]katham-why;
[25:47]pasyema-can observe;
[25:49]hi-certainly;
[25:52]striyah-women.
[25:56]“You Yourself descend to propagate the transcendental science of devotional service
[26:01]unto the hearts of the advanced transcendentalists and material speculators
[26:06]who are purified by being able to discriminate between matter and spirit.
[26:11]How then can we women know You perfectly?”
[26:14]So Kuntidevi, she is submissively… This is the symptom of Vaisnava. The Lord, Krsna,
[26:35]has come to Kuntidevi to take the dust of her feet. Because Krsna considers Kuntidevi as her aunt,
[26:47]to show her respect Krsna used to touch the feet of Kuntidevi. But Kuntidevi, although she is in such
[27:00]exalted position, practically on the level of Yasodamayi, such a great devotee… So she is so submissive
[27:13]that “Krsna, You are meant for the paramahamsas, and what we can see You? We are women.”
[27:26]So as it is said in the Bhagavad-gita, striyo vaisyas tatha sudrah.
[27:39]In another place in the Bhagavata it is said, stri-sudra-dvijabandhunam. Sudra, stri and
[27:57]dvijabandhu. Dvijabandhu means those who are born in brahmana family or ksatriya family,
[28:09]high caste… According to Vedic system, there are four divisions:
[28:17]catur-varnyam maya srstam guna-karma… [Bg. 4.13]. According to quality and work,
[28:23]the first-class man is the brahmana, intelligent. The next, ksatriya; the next, vaisyas;
[28:34]and next, sudra. So according to this classification, women, sudra and dvijabandhu,
[28:47]dvijabandhu, they are taken in the same category. Dvijabandhu means born in brahmana family,
[28:57]ksatriya family, but has no qualifications. The thing is to be considered by qualification.
[29:04]It is very practical. Suppose one man is born the son of a high court judge. So it does not mean
[29:14]that because he’s a son of a high court judge, he is also high court judge. This is going on.
[29:20]Because one happens to take birth in a brahmana family, without any qualification,
[29:28]he claims to become a brahmana. That is the falldown of Vedic civilization in India.
[29:36]A rascal number one, he’s claiming that he’s brahmana-without any qualification.
[29:44]His qualification is less than a sudra; still he’s claiming. And that is being accepted.
[29:51]So it is clearly stated: guna-karma-vibhagasah. Without qualification… The brahmana
[30:03]means the qualification. It is not this body. There are so many arguments, but they won’t hear.
[30:12]They are very much against, in my movement, because I am making brahmanas from
[30:23]Europe and America. They are against me. But don’t care, we don’t care for them.
[30:30]Neither any reasonable man will care for them. But there is a propaganda against me.
[30:36]Even amongst my Godbrothers, they are making… Because they cannot do it, so find out some fault.
[30:45]You see. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu says:
[30:50]prthivite ache yata nagaradi grama sarvatra pracara haibe mora nama
[30:57]In every town, city, village of the world, His cult will be preached. What is His cult?
[31:05]Does it mean that the Europeans and Americans will not become brahmana?
[31:13]Because Vaisnava cult means past brahmanism, past brahmanism.
[31:20]mam ca yo ’vyabhicarena bhakti-yogena sevate
[31:25]sa gunan samatityaitan brahma-bhuyaya kalpate [Bg. 14.26]
[31:28]He, bhakti-yoga, one who takes to bhakti-yoga, he immediately comes to the transcendental
[31:36]platform, brahma-bhuta. What to speak of brahmana? And this stereotyped, crippled idea
[31:46]has killed Vedic civilization. Now we are again reviving. It is meant for everyone.
[31:56]Krsna says,
[31:58]mam hi partha vyapasritya ye ’pi syuh papa-yonayah
[32:02]striyo vaisyas tatha sudras te ’pi yanti param gatim [Bg. 9.32]
[32:08]Krsna says. Although ordinarily we take striya, means women, sudra and vaisyas in the lower-class grade,
[32:24]but when one becomes a devotee, the, the, he is or she is no more in the lower grade.
[32:33]Te ’pi yanti param gatim. The devotional service is so nice that anyone…
[32:43]Ordinarily women is taken less intelligent; sudra is taken less intelligent; vaisya is taken
[32:52]less intelligent. But if he takes to Krsna consciousness, he is the most intelligent.
[33:01]Krsna yei bhaje sei bada catura. This is the statement in the Caitanya-caritamrta.
[33:10]Anyone who has taken to Krsna consciousness, he is the most intelligent.
[33:14]And Caitanya Mahaprabhu says: guru-krsna-krpaya paya bhakti-lata-bija [Cc. Madhya 19.151],
[33:24]kona bhagyavan jiva. Ei rupe brahmanda bhramite kona bhagyavan jiva [Cc. Madhya 19.151].
[33:32]The Krsna consciousness movement is not for the wretched, unfortunate class of men. No.
[33:40]It is meant for the most fortunate man. Anyone who has taken to Krsna consciousness,
[33:49]he is to be considered as the most fortunate man because he has got the line of action
[33:59]how his life will be perfect. Therefore, anyone who is in Krsna consciousness and
[34:08]discharging the duties nicely, he is the most fortunate man, most perfect man.
[34:14]That is, Kuntidevi is humbly submitting. Although is womanly body, she is a devotee.
[34:24]She is not like ordinary woman, less intelligent. She is the most in… She has recognized Krsna,
[34:32]that Krsna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. “Although He has come to me, materially,
[34:42]as my nephew, to offer me respect, but He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead.”
[34:50]Therefore in the previous verse she said, alaksyam sarva-bhutanam antar bahir avasthitam:
[35:01]“You are not seen by ordinary men, although You are inside and outside.”
[35:07]In another verse also, na laksyase mudha-drsa: “Fools and rascals cannot see You.”
[35:14]That means Kunti sees Him. Unless she sees Krsna as He is, how she can say,
[35:25]mudha-drsa na laksyase? And (s)he says, prakrteh param:
[35:35]“You are transcendental to this material creation.”
[35:40]So here also she continues her humbleness. This humbleness is very good in devotional service.
[35:50]Therefore Caitanya, Sri Krsna Caitanya Mahaprabhu teaches us:
[35:54]trnad api sunicena taror api sahisnuna. One should be tolerant than the trees
[36:04]and humbler than the grass to make progress in spiritual life.
[36:10]Because there will be so many disturbances. Because maya… We are living…
[36:18]Just like if we are in the ocean. So you cannot expect very peaceful situation in the ocean.
[36:29]It must be always tilt, what is called, tiltering, tilting. Even, even a big ship,
[36:37]it is also not very fixed up position. At any moment there may be tumultuous waves.
[36:45]So in this material world you should always expect danger.
[36:52]You cannot expect very peaceful life within this material world. Padam padam yad vipadam.
[37:01]Sastra says in every step there is danger. But if you become a devotee, then you escape.
[37:12]Mayam etam taranti te [Bg. 7.14]. Otherwise…
[37:16]So in the beginning, if you take to Krsna consciousness, there will be so many disturbances
[37:24]by the maya. Maya will test you how far you are fixed up. She will test you.
[37:33]She is also agent of Krsna. She does not allow anyone who is meant for disturbing Krsna.
[37:42]Therefore she tests very rigidly whether you are…, you have taken Krsna consciousness
[37:50]to disturb Krsna, or you are actually serious. That is maya’s business. So there will be
[38:06]in the beginning test by maya, and you will feel so much disturbances in making progress
[38:15]in Krsna consciousness. But if you remain steady… Steady means if you follow the rules
[38:24]and regulations and chant sixteen rounds, then you will remain steady. And if you neglect,
[38:30]then maya will capture you, immediately. Maya is always ready. We are in the ocean.
[38:36]At any moment, we will be disturbed. So therefore one who is not disturbed at all,
[38:45]he is called paramahamsa.
[38:47]Therefore Kuntidevi says: tatha paramahamsanam. Parama means ultimate.
[38:55]Hamsa means swan. So paramahamsa means the perfect hamsa.
[39:03]Hamsa. It is said that if you… Hamsa means swan. If you give to swan milk mixed with water,
[39:15]she will take the milk part and leave aside the water part. Similarly, a person who
[39:26]knows what is this material world… Material world is made of two natures-
[39:33]the inferior nature and the superior nature. The superior nature means spiritual life,
[39:40]and inferior nature is material life. So a person who gives up the material part of this world
[39:49]and takes only the spiritual part, he is called paramahamsa. Paramahamsa.
[39:56]Spiritual part means one who knows that whatever is working in this material…
[40:03]Just like this body-your body, my body. Anyone who knows that this movement,
[40:11]the activities of this body is due to the soul which is within this body… That is the real fact.
[40:24]This is only outward covering. Similarly, one who knows that Krsna is the center
[40:32]of these all activities, he’s paramahamsa. He knows the fact.
[40:42]So bhakti-yoga is for the paramahamsa, one who knows that Krsna is the central fact.
[40:52]Aham adir hi devanam. Mattah sarvam pravartate. So one who knows that Krsna is the
[41:05]cause of all causes, not only theoretically, but practically, convinced, he is paramahamsa.
[41:14]So Kuntidevi says that “You are meant for the paramahamsas, not for the rascals and fools.
[41:23]You are meant for the paramahamsa.” Tatha paramahamsanam muninam.
[41:30]Muninam means those who are thoughtful. Also mental speculators, they are called also muni.
[41:41]Muninam amalatmanam. Amala. There is no dirty things in their heart.
[41:49]Materialistic person means full of dirty things within the heart. What is that dirty things?
[41:57]That lust and greediness. That’s all. This is the dirty things. All materialistic persons,
[42:05]they are lusty and greedy. Therefore their heart is full of dirty things.
[42:11]And amalatmanam means those who are freed from these two things, lust and
[42:19]Greed, greed.
[42:23]Eh? Greed, greediness. Amalatmanam. For the…, bhakti-yoga. This bhakti-yoga
[42:28]is meant for the cleansed hearted, not the lusty and greedy. That is not… They may try.
[42:38]They’ll gradually advanced. But once one is situated in bhakti-yoga, there is no more lust and greediness.
[42:47]Viraktir anyatra syat. This is the test, whether one has become free from lusty desires and greediness.
[42:57]Then he is situated in bhakti-yoga. He’s paramahamsa.
[43:02]So Kuntidevi, by humble submission, that “You are meant for the paramahamsa,
[43:10]for the amalatmanam, for the muninam and who are engaged in bhakti-yoga. And what we are?
[43:18]We are simply woman. We are in the lower grade. How we can understand You?”
[43:23]This is humbleness. Although she understands everything, but still she’s taking the
[43:29]position of an ordinary woman, that “How can I understand You?”
[43:33]Thank you very much.