SRIMAD BHAGAVATAM (5.21.11) DATED 19-03-2006

The Movements of the Sun

 

evaà tato väruëéà saumyäm aindréà ca punas tathänye ca grahäù somädayo nakñatraiù saha jyotiç-cakre samabhyudyanti saha vä nimlo-canti

 

SYNONYMS

 

evam—in this way; tataù—from there; väruëém—to the quarters where Varuëa lives; saumyäm—to the quarters where the moon lives; aindréà ca—and to the quarters where Indra lives; punaù—again; tathä—so also; anye—the others; ca—also; grahäù—planets; soma-ädayaù—headed by the moon; nakñatraiù—all the stars; saha—with; jyotiù-cakre—in the celestial sphere; samabhyudyanti—rise; saha—along with; vä—or; nimlocanti—set.

 

TRANSLATION

 

From the residence of Yamaräja the sun travels to Nimlocané, the residence of Varuëa, from there to Vibhävaré, the residence of the moon-god, and from there again to the residence of Indra. In a similar way, the moon, along with the other stars and planets, becomes visible in the celestial sphere and then sets and again becomes invisible.

 

PURPORT

 

In Bhagavad-gétä (10.21) Kåñëa says, nakñaträëäm ahaà çaçé:  "Of stars I am the moon."  This indicates that the moon is similar to the other stars. The Vedic literature informs us that within this universe there is one sun, which is moving. The Western theory that all the luminaries in the sky are different suns is not confirmed in the Vedic literature. Nor can we assume that these luminaries are the suns of other universes, for each universe is covered by various layers of material elements, and therefore although the universes are clustered together, we cannot see from one universe to another. In other words, whatever we see is within this one universe. In each universe there is one Lord Brahmä, and there are other demigods on other planets, but there is only one sun.

 

 

Lecture by His Holiness Radhanath Swami

The Absolute Truth is Inconceivable

 

Today we are reading from Srimad Bhagavatam Canto 5, chapter 21 entitled “The Movements of the Sun,” text number 11. In this purport, Srila Prabhupada is speaking the wisdom of the scriptures which are offered by Krishna Himself: vedaiç ca sarvair aham eva vedyo vedänta-kåd veda-vid eva cäham (Bhagavad-gita 15.15). In the form of the literary incarnation of Lord Krishna, Vedavyasa, the scriptures have been written, and the commentaries of the great self-realized acaryas have illuminated the deep significant meaning of the Holy Scriptures. Srila Prabhupada in his purity of heart and humility again and again stressed that “I am simply repeating the words of my Gurudeva and Sri Guru Parampara.” This is the descending process of acquiring knowledge. Prabhupada stressed this especially because at this particular time within the age of kali the ascending way of approaching knowledge has become very much prevalent. In fact, western scientific education especially trains people to doubt authority, to independently research to find out what is thetruth. Now according to God Himself, through the process of ascending knowledge with the help of the Holy Scriptures we can at the most attain an understanding and realization of the impersonal Brahman and perhaps Paramatma. But Bhagavan realization is utterly impossible through the ascending process. It is only by the mercy of the Lord that we can understand Him as He is. So therefore Srila Prabhupada who is not giving the generic idea of God consciousness wanted to stress this point. He was giving Krishna consciousness. Krishna is Bhagavan. Krishna has all 6 opulences in full for all of eternity. As far as God, God could mean the impersonal Brahman to some, God could mean a demigod to others, God can mean the Paramatma within the heart to others, and they are all of course all partial understandings of Bhagavan. But Srila Prabhupada stressed the ‘International Society for Krishna Consciousness’ because there are already so many religious leaders and philosophers who are giving various conceptions of the Absolute Truth but to give Krishna…and the only way to approach Krishna, Krishna declares Himself. Bhaktyä tv ananyayä çakya aham evaà-vidho 'rjuna (Bhagavad-gita 11.54): “It is only by undivided, unconditional devotional service that I can be understood as I am.” This was Prabhupada’s special contribution to the world, is he spread throughout all the continents of this planet the full complete understanding of the Absolute Truth, Krishna who is the supreme enjoyer, and how to reach him?  Through unmotivated, uninterrupted loving service. When Krishna is pleased by our service, Krishna reveals Himself to us.

 

This material nature or the external energy because it is emanating from Krishna, Isopanisad describes it is perfect and complete. Oà pürëam adaù pürëam idam (Isopanisad Invocation), that the Absolute Truth is perfect and complete, and therefore, all emanations from the Absolute Truth are also perfect and complete. Now Mayavadi philosophers, they claim that there is only Brahman and everything else is unreal, it is illusion, it actually does not exist. Your body, your family, your home, this entire world, all the words we’re speaking, they do not exist. They have no substance of any reality. They are simply illusion—that is Mayavada: brahma satyam jagan mithya. Mithya means it doesn’t exist, it is an illusion…like a dream. But the problem is, a dream exists. The Vaisnava philosophy gives the comprehensive and full understanding. If Isopanisad is declaring that all emanations from the Absolute Truth are perfect and complete, how can we say that it doesn’t exist?  parāsya śaktir vividhaiva śrūyate. The Upanisads, the Brahma sutra, they declare that the Lord has multifarious energies, and every one of those energies of Krishna is perfect and complete. But the Mayavadis, their conception is thatthe Lord has no energies. The Lord is simply that one Absolute Whole that has no differentiation, no variegatedness. Recently, I was speaking to someone who was trying to defend the Mayavada philosophy. And he was saying, “Why, obviously this world must exist, but relative to the Absolute Truth it doesn’t exist.” I said, “Well, as soon as you use the word ‘relative,’ you’re a Vaisnava.  Hare Krishna [chuckles]. You’re speaking Vaisnava philosophy because for something to be relative to something else there has to be two. If there is just one homogenous existence it cannot be relative to anything. It has to be relative to something else. So if you’re saying relative, that means there is two, there is differentiation.”  And he accepted. He accepted that the Mayavada philosophy is maya [Laughter] because it really doesn’t make sense. And unless we understand the differentiation between the spirit soul and God, there is no question of developing love. There is no conception of eternal servitude. Therefore, Vaisnavas, they teach according to the highest siddhanta of the sastra that this material world is illusory, but the material energy is perfect and complete.

 

The material energy is Krishna’s energy.  The material energy is eternal, but the manifestations within this material energy are temporary. They are always in the state of changing. And why do they change?  Because of Krishna, it is His will. When Krishna first creates the 24 elements of material nature within the mahat tattva, everything is stagnant, and Krishna produces the three modes of material nature—Goodness, Passion, and Ignorance. But even the 3 modes of material nature are stagnant; they can do nothing until the Lord enters within the mahat tattva in his form, in his personal form of time. Time activates the 3 modes of material nature, and when the 3 modes of material nature are activated by time, they just start to churn and stir all the elements within the mahat tattva in such a way that nothing is stagnant. Everything is constantly changing. Everything is constantly being created, maintained for sometime, and destroyed. Every cell is like a universe in itself, going through these processes of creation, maintenance, and destruction. We may look at Himalayan mountain covered with ice. It seems so permanent. But actually if you analyze it, what is Mount Everest?  It’s made up of molecules and it’s made up of atoms. Yes? And those molecules and atoms are always changing, they’re never the same. They’re constantly changing, changing, changing. Because of our ignorance, it appears that it’s the same mountain, but actually it’s always changing. What to speak of our own body? And everything ultimately has its culmination, which is death, which is destruction, which is the end. Therefore, material nature is endlessly mutable. It’s always changing. Why is everything within creation always changing?  Because the 3 modes of material nature are affecting everything at all times due to the power of time. That is the universe; that is creation.

 

Now, through the ascending process of knowledge we may be able to understand something to some extent, but we can never understand anything completely unless we understand its relationship to God, how everything is being affected by God, how everything is emanating from God.  That is Krishna. Srila Prabhupada, he explains in one purport that the scriptures are the word of God. The scriptures tell everything as it is. Now for a person in this modern age, descriptions given in the scripture are often times inconceivable. They even appear impossible, impractical, beyond belief. Yes? Srila Prabhupada said it is often like that in the beginning for a student of the Vedas. Why? Because of our conditioning. We are conditioned to believe in the imperfect senses of ourselves, in the imperfect senses of others. But the scriptures are explaining reality, even the reality of the particular universe that we’re living in from the perception of the Absolute Truth. But the scriptures are not just giving a description for the purpose of knowing. The scriptures are giving a description, vedaiç ca sarvair aham eva vedyo vedänta-kåd veda-vid eva cäham (Bhagavad-gita 15.15), so that we know Krishna, that’s the whole purpose of every Veda, that’s the whole purpose of every scripture, to know Krishna, because if you don’t know Krishna it is all useless. All your accumulation of data is just going to be flushed down the toilet of material energy at the time of death. It’s a fact. Yes?  It is flushed. Don’t be attached to what’s in that toilet bowl, ‘cause as soon as it flushes, it’s gone forever, you can never retrieve it. Yes? It merges with the sewage system. So similarly, all of our elements merge back into material nature and you can’t get a single atomic particle from your body once you die. We’re not there to do it. So it is a fact. Therefore, the Vedas, they are not revealed by God and written by Vedavyasa so that we can get a better understanding of what’s going on around us. That understanding has a very specific purpose—to know Krishna, to surrender to Krishna. So therefore, the Vedic literatures are written with an ultimate purpose behind. And it’s describing in such a way that the mind and senses and even the human intelligence cannot really understand. Faith is required because to understand what is beyond the grasp of the mind and the intelligence requires faith. And who will deny that even this material universe, this little universe we’re living in, how it works, what’s happening within it, what’s within it is beyond the scope of our mind and intelligence. It obviously is. Therefore, faith is required. And faith in who?  Faith in the Supreme Lord. In fact, krsna—surya-sama; maya haya andhakara. Material existence is like darkness because it is covered by maya, but Krishna’s like the sun. Krishna illuminates this world when he appears, and in Srimad Bhagavatam (1.3.43), kåñëe sva-dhämopagate dharma—that beautiful verse that Prabhupada often quotes that when Krishna left this world everything went into darkness. But then Krishna manifest again as the Srimad Bhagavatam which is the…it is Krishna Himself in His full opulences within literature, sound vibration. Srimad Bhagavatam is Krishna Himself who has appeared to give light within this age of kali, to give hope in the hopeless condition of kali yuga. Krishna is like the sun; to give that illumination.

 

And Srila Prabhupada is explaining here with great emphasis the nature of the moon. In several places Prabhupada explains what is the function of the moon, to reflect the light of the sun. Krishna is the one supreme sun, and every devotee who is properly representing him in parampara is like a moon, giving light to the world by reflecting the knowledge of Krishna. In fact, when Jananivasa Prabhu and Pankajanghri Prabhu were here, Radha Gopinath Prabhu gave very eloquent introduction to them, by quoting that verse from Caitanya caritamrta (Adi 1.2): vande çré-kåñëa-Caitanya-nityänandau sahoditau gauòodaye puñpavantau citra...what is it? Yes, that just as the sun and moon arise to give light within this world, Lord Caitanya and Lord Nityananda have appeared like the sun and moon simultaneously on the horizon of Gaudadesa to give light and bestow all benedictions within this age of kali. Krishna says in Bhagavad-gita that His eyes are the sun and the moon. He is the light of the sun and the moon. If Krishna sees, we can see.  Within the universal form because Krishna’s seeing through the sun and moon, the sun and moon are giving us light. Whatever electricity, whatever fire, everything. It’s all due to the energy of the sun. All light within the universe is simply the sun, either direct or indirect. You light fire, but what is it that actually has the capacity of wood or wood that has been concentrated underground for long time in the form of coal. What is it that gives it that power of fire to illuminate?  It’s their absorption of the rays of the sun. I learnt this from Srinathji Prabhu, who is a scientist. So all light is from the sun, and at night when the sun is not directly present, the moon is reflecting the rays of the sun and giving light. A full moon, you can see practically everything at night. Amavasya, it’s pitch dark, you can hardly see anything.

 

Now Krishna, Prabhupada is saying here, Krishna declares in Sri Bhagavad-gita that “Of stars I am the moon.” This is where Krishna is describing how to see Him even within natural phenomena. That Krishna is the best of everything, Krishna is the essence, Krishna is the source. Of bowmen I am Arjuna, of the daityas I am Prahlad. He is the best of everything. Of stars I am the moon. Now, Srila Prabhupada, the acaryas, and the Vedas, they are explaining something that is phenomenally revolutionary. Because modern science, their understanding is every star is a sun and around every star is a universe. Yes? But Srila Prabhupada is quoting from Krishna, that the moon is one of the stars, which means all the stars are moons. Haribol [chuckles] ! In other words, they are all reflecting the light of the one sun, and according to the Vedic literatures, all the 8 elements are covering each universe. So how could we see another universe?  The universe is vast. It’s humbling to a human being. The farthest reaches of the most distant star is all within this one little universe. Incomprehensible, inconceivable, beyond any capacity for the whole future of humanity to ever conceive through empirical knowledge, the extent of this universe, what to speak of the details within it. Simply incomprehensible!  And what is this universe from Krishna’s point of view?  Vasudeva Dutta, he approached Lord Caitanya, “My Lord, You have the power by Your independent will to fulfill the desire of your devotee. You can do anything. You are abhijnah svarat. You are independent, all knowing, there’s nothing You cannot do. I have one desire. This desire has been burning in my heart for a long time. Today, I wish that You will fulfill this desire. I cannot bear seeing the suffering of the people within this universe. Seeing their suffering due to their past karmas breaks my heart, intolerable. Therefore my Lord, give me this blessing. Let me take the sinful reactions and all the karma of every living being within the entire universe on my head and give everyone else liberation. Please fulfill this wish.”  He spoke with such genuine sincerity that Lord Caitanya, He could not even speak. All He could do was stand there and cry with limbs trembling and hair standing on end. With great effort He finally was able to speak. “It is not astonishing that you are asking this Vasudeva Dutta because you are non-different than Prahlad Maharaja.”  But then Lord Caitanya revealed something very wonderful. That “because your compassionate desire is so pure and so genuine, Krishna must fulfill your desire. Krishna cannot, not fulfill your desire. But why should Krishna make you suffer hellish conditions perpetually?  Krishna can liberate everyone in this universe, and not even a single particle of their karma will come upon you because that is your desire. Because your love is so deep, Krishna will do that. And even if the entire universe is emptied out and there’s no one left here, what is the loss to Krishna?”  And then Lord Caitanya describes the significance of this universe from Krishna’s point of view.

 

Now, the significance of this universe from our point of view is incomprehensible, inconceivable forever. Yes? We cannot even see the far stars.  Even with the greatest telescopes, we’ll never see them. So incomprehensible. Srila Prabhupada explains even if you go to the moon you won’t really see what’s on the moon because you have to have the eyes to see, you have to have the karma that makes it suitable. The demigods take vacations on the sun planet. [Laughter]. It’s true. How many of you would like to go for a vacation, a holiday to the sun planet?  Hare Krishna!  Can’t even get close to it without being burned to ashes. Because we have these bodies, the 8 elements—earth, water, fire, air, and ether, according to our particular karma are constituted according to where we’re karmically supposed to live. This earth planet has bodies like ours—a lot of earth and water in it. Yes? The whole idea of Ayurveda is balancing basically earth, water, fire, air, and ether—kapha, pitta, vayu. Yes? Vayu is the air and ether elements predominantly, pitta is the fire element predominantly, and kapha is the water and earth elements predominantly. I learnt this in Udupi when I was there [Laughter]. And because these are 5 elements, if they’re not balanced properly then things are going to become be in disharmony and that’s the cause of all disease. Hare Krishna. Now because of our particular constitution we can live somewhat comfortably on this earth because this earth planet is predominantly earth and water. Now the sun planet is predominantly fire. If you have a fiery body you could live in the sun planet very nicely. And I’ll tell you something. We have hot summers here in India, but for the people on the sun planet it’s always cool. They don’t need air-conditioning, they don’t need fans. It’s a heavenly planet, yes? It’s cool. The sun planet is very refreshing and cool and nice temperature. Hare Krishna. But you have to have the karma and your karma creates a body in which you can exist and enjoy in that circumstance. Now the moon planet is also, according to the Vedic literatures, there’s a civilization there. But even if we go there we can’t see it because we don’t have the eyes to see. Our eyes are…you can’t see with your eyes beyond what its constitution can perceive. Just like the ears. When I was a little boy I was once given once as a gift, a dog whistle. And you blow it, you can’t hear anything, but as soon as you blow it, the dogs start going (makes barking sound) ’cause they hear it. And Vasudeva prabhu, our brahmacari, he was doing research of how to ethically make mosquitoes go away, and there are certain vibrations, sound vibrations that you can’t even hear that mosquitoes don’t like. Hare Krishna. Because there are different species of life, material nature has programmed them in very, very unique ways. A human being cannot hear certain things that a dog can hear. Fish have certain sensual perceptions that a human being has no access to according to their constitution based on the karma. So how can we see the civilization of the moon unless we have the eyes to see? And ultimately, Krishna is transcendental. Premäïjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena (Brahma Samhita 5.38). You can only see God when Krishna gives you divine vision. God cannot be seen with material eyes.  He cannot be perceived with material senses. But when the senses are purified through devotional service, then by Krishna’s mercy, He gives us the power to see Him, to hear Him. 

 

So the beginning of making actual progress is we must humble our self to understand how ignorant we are, what our predicament is. So Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu, he is telling Vasudeva Dutta that although no one can comprehend, even the greatest of the scientists with all their mathematics and with all their technical devices, they cannot understand even a molecular particle of this universe in its truth, what to speak of the entire vast universe. That is what it is to us. But to Krishna…Krishna says, Lord Caitanya says, “Even if this entire universe is emptied out and ceases to exist, what is the significance to Krishna? It is like a huge pot of mustard seeds and one mustard seed falls out, what is the loss to Krishna?” That’s what the universe’s significance is to Krishna—like one single mustard seed amongst unlimited mustard seeds. Or Lord Caitanya said, “If you have a herd of unlimited surabhi cows and one goat wanders away, what is the loss?” That is Krishna.

 

So we are interested in understanding reality from the point of view of how it helps us to know God and to love God.  And even if it seems inconceivable by material definition, it should not discourage us because the Absolute Truth is inconceivable, the material creation that He produces is inconceivable. It is beyond the reach of the mind and intelligence. Even Lord Brahma, what to speak of us!  Lord Brahma was completely bewildered. Lord Brahma was…after he stole the calves and the cowherd boys, when he saw that revelation of Krishna in the form of every calf and every cowherd boy and there were so many, they were countless, Lord Brahma momentarily became totally dysfunctional. He just stood there, he couldn’t speak; he was absolutely bewildered. What is our position?  And when Lord Brahma went to Dwarka to see Krishna and Krishna said to the doorman “which Brahma?”  It’s like President Bush getting off the plane here in India and saying, “I want to see the Prime Minister Mr. Singh.” “Who are you?”  “I am President Bush.” And they say, “Which President Bush?” He would feel very…but President Bush, he is only in office for 8 years.  Then he’s kicked out after 8 years, that’s the law. But Lord Brahma is in office for 311 trillion years [Laughter]. There’s a difference. And President Bush has one head and two eyes, what can he see?  To read he has to wear glasses, spectacles. Brahma, even when he is 310 trillion years, his 8 eyes does not need spectacles. He can see, he can see in all directions, he can see the entire universe. Very powerful personality!  He knows how things work, but even he was totally bewildered. So Krishna says, “Which Brahma?” and Brahma himself was surprised by this question. For the entire…consider what a post this is. For the entire 311-trillion-year span of this universe that we’re in, he is the only Brahma. He’s never voted out, he never retires. It’s a permanent position. There’s no danger. Äbrahma-bhuvanäl lokäù punar ävartino 'rjuna  (Bhagavad-gita 8.16). He goes out of office only when he dies, and when Brahma dies the entire universe is annihilated. That’s a very powerful position. But to Krishna he’s nothing [laughs], he’s nothing, “Which Brahma?” “Four-headed Brahma.” “Oh! Four-headed Brahma? Ha! Four-headed Brahma come in!” [Laughter] When he came in he saw an 8-headed Brahma and a 16 and a 64-headed Brahma and a 108-headed Brahma, 1000-headed Brahma, 10,000-headed Brahma, 100,000-headed Brahma, million-headed Brahma. He saw Brahmas with 10 million heads. Now you may think…you’re laughing. But you wouldn’t laugh if you saw a 10-million-headed Brahma [Laughter]. It’s unbelievable, just from the point of view of engineering. Some of you are IIT engineers. How do you put 10 million heads on one body?  Very difficult. And it’s not like he’s some exhibition in a freak show [laughs]. Just one body with 10 million heads and he’s (makes sound). How do you move?  I mean, it seems like a very uncomfortable situation, doesn’t it? And you know, how does the neck…just because we’re so accustomed to our particular human bodies, we’re seeing everything relative to what we are and to some little animals that we see and some insects. So to try to understand the biological engineering of 10 million heads on one body, and Lord Brahma is beautiful [laughs]. He’s absolutely beautiful. He’s billions of times more beautiful than anyone on this earth with one head. Yes? He’s beautiful. All his eyes are lotus like; that means 20 million lotus-like eyes [Laughter]. Fantastic person! He’s aesthetically a beautiful person, and he could move around better than us, more agility. Now, it’s inconceivable. Even the 4-headed Brahma was amazed. He felt himself utterly insignificant. And Brahma’s heads are accordingly, because he sees the number of directions in that universe, according to the size of the universe. And what Brahma realized when he came there that the universe that we live in is one of the tiniest of all universes. There are universes, tens and millions of times bigger than our universe. This is one of the smallest, yes? That famous statement of Prabhupada to one of his disciples who wanted to be the controller, he wanted to control a particular situation of a temple, he said, “Within the cosmic manifestation this universe is insignificantly small, it’s a like a tiny mustard seed in an ocean of mustard seeds. And within this universe when we look out at the stars at night, incomprehensible what this universe is. This earth planet is insignificant. And within this earth planet, what is the significance and size of a particular nation? Most of the earth planet is covered by oceans and water. And within this earth planet Los Angeles, California is just one little speck.” What to speak of Bombay? “And within Los Angeles, California, this particular house that we are living in is one little speck. And within this house you are just walking around like a little speck, and you are thinking ‘I am the controller’, of what?” Hare Krishna. Devotees said to Prabhupada, “I am the most fallen.” Prabhupada said, “You are not the most anything. You are simply insignificant.” Now Mayavadis, they want to be the all-pervading Supreme God, but the fact is our constitutional position is we are infinitesimal, insignificant. That’s an amazing word—infinitesimal. That means we’re infinitely small. Krishna is vibhu, we are anu. Anu means infinitesimal. What is our capacity to know without the grace of Krishna? So yes Lord Brahma, he realized he was infinitesimal by Krishna’s mercy.

 

So if we want to understand things as they are it is important, tad viddhi praëipätena paripraçnena sevayä (Bhagavad-gita 4.34). We must become submissive. We must understand our limitations, and we must understand that the only way possible in this world of darkness to be illuminated by real knowledge is by the sun and that sun is Krishna.  And Krishna’s devotees are moons, moons who are reflecting that sun to give light in our life. No knowledge is our own, it is all coming from Krishna. If the moon becomes proud, the moon is in illusion. All that the moon can do is simply reflect the light of the sun according to this analogy that Prabhupada is giving, simply the carrier—the instrument.  To the degree our hearts become pure we can reflect the light of Krishna within our existence and give light to others. That is the perfection of life. Just like the moon was churned from the ocean, similarly Swarup Damodar Gosvami explains that Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu like the golden moon He rose from the ocean of Sacimata’s heart, and Srila Prabhupada explains in this regard that by the churning of the ecstasies of Krishna’s desire to experience Radha’s love, by the churning of the Lord’s compassion to all fallen souls, He appeared from the ocean of Sacimata’s womb in a form like a golden moon to give us light. 

Is there any questions?  Yes, Prabhu.

 

Q. Hare Krishna. Maharaja, from last so many years we used to hear your classes, and in almost all the classes you give emphasis to one thing is trnad api sunicena, to be more humble than a blade of grass, to be tolerant than a tree, ready to offer all respect, and not to expect anything in return. The gist of all the classes comes to that point and to come on that level. So I used to always see to in myself that how I can implement those things. So if I scrutinize the four things, to be more humble than a blade of grass, when we hear more and more Bhagavatam classes and we understand we are completely insignificant, so it becomes after hearing more and more that humility automatically comes by being in the association of devotees. But the second and the third point that to be more tolerant than a tree and to be ready to offer respect to all others, in that thethere is a big problem, I don’t know about the others, but I feel it is very difficult is when, the devotees or outside people also, when they play little bit, they play politics with us, they show some diplomacy, or they are little bit hypocrite with us, in that those circumstances when you can see it and you trace it out those things in front of them, we can really trace it out, in front of them to become tolerant, it becomes extremely difficult and that too also to offer respect again to them, that becomes much more difficult. So in that circumstances, although Maharaja we say that, “Oh! We have to become trnad api sunicena,” but these two—in between, find it extremely difficult to put it in our life and come to that platform which you expect from us and finally to expect nothing in return, somewhat Maharaja I feel it is because we see this world and we know it we are insignificant after hearing these classes again and again, that is okay. But these two between verseverses, to be tolerant and to offer respect, when we see those things, how to have that consciousness? Although any person is doing all sorts of other things, then also to be tolerant and offer respect and be tolerant. Can you just clarify? [Laughter].

 

A. This question is like a class in itself [Laughter]. After your question you could ask if there’s any questions [Laughter]. I will try to respond from 2 perspectives. One, that, a madhyama adhikari is one who makes Krishna conscious discrimination. We offer our surrender and our homage to the Supreme Personality of Godhead and to those who represent Him very clearly. We honor and serve and hear submissively from the very senior Vaisnavas and the Lord and we become friends, intimate friends with those who are our equals and serve them and respect them as friends, and to those who are junior to us, we serve them with respect by encouraging them, by instructing them, by caring for them, and for those who are not devotees but who are innocent, we want to show compassion to them. Yes? By uplifting them, and to those who are offensive and atheistic, the way we show respect to them is to avoid them rather than having them make offenses. It is a way of offering service and respect to the atheists to avoid them. So there is this type of discrimination. And if somebody is duplicitous, dishonest, cheating, respect doesn’t mean subjecting yourself to their anarthas. Depending on your particular position, if you’re in a position of authority, it may be the way to respect them and to honor the Lord within their heart and the Supersoul within their heart by punishing them. Yes? That may be the way of serving and offering respect to their jivatma, is punishing them. Or it may be to avoid them altogether. Or it may be to defeat them. Yes? According to time, place, and circumstance. But our spirit should never be that, “I am a superior personality.” We should be respecting the Paramatma in their heart, we should be respecting the jivatma in their heart, and we should be respecting the good qualities they have, yes? But as far as the anarthas, we don’t respect those anarthas, we deal with them according to the necessity of the particular time. Yes? But our attitude should be respectful, especially to the Lord within their heart because ultimately every living being is a part and parcel of Krishna, every living being is a child of Krishna and we should respect that aspect in everyone. And how to do it?  We learn from the great souls. We may not be able to do it but we know what we can aspire for by seeing the great souls.

 

Haridas Thakur, how did he deal with those executioners who were trying to kill him?  He tolerated, he considered it was his own bad karma, they were just the agents even though he never sinned in his entire life!  Still he considered, tat te ’nukampāà susamīkñamāëo, “Whatever suffering is due to my own karma, why should I blame them?”  And he was begging for Krishna to deliver them. Yes? He was respecting them. Nityananda Prabhu, when he was beaten by Madhai, he was offering them respect, he was praying for their welfare. Jesus Christ, when he was being crucified, he was praying to God to forgive the people who were crucifying him and torturing him and killing him. Srila Prabhupada, so many people offended him in so many ways, so many people tried to cheat him but he was always ultimately the…he wouldn’t allow himself to be cheated, but he was always a well-wisher of everyone, even Mr. Nair, he was praying for Krishna to take him (laughs). Not to take him to hell. He wanted Mr. Nair to get Krishna’s love. Yes? But at the same time, he wouldn’t be cheated by him. He understood he was a rascal. So following in the footsteps of the great souls is the path of perfection, always. Prahlada Maharaja, he never disrespected Hiranyakasipu, never. He was always very respectful. Now we may not be able to be like that, but we analyze what they are like. Prahlada never succumbed to anything his father did. He was never influenced by his life or by his orders or by anything. But he was never hateful, he was never vengeful. He was always respectful. And even when Hiranyakasipu was killed by Narasimhadeva, Prahlada was happy, he was very happy. He was thanking Narasimhadeva. And when Lord Narasimhadeva asked him for a benediction, Prahlada asked, “Liberate my father. Liberate the person who blasphemed me and tried to murder me and torture me.” That is forgiveness. So these qualities are the qualities of a saint. And we may not have these qualities, but we should try, we should try to be forgiving, try to be respectful, but we have to do it in a way that we protect our own spiritual lives as well. We have to avoid the association of people who could potentially corrupt us. We must avoid that association. But we can respect them as spirit souls in a diseased condition, and ultimately we want to become purified and develop these qualities with realization by associating with devotees who uplift us and by hearing Srimad Bhagavatam regularly and especially by understanding our fallen condition, by understanding as you have stated, “How difficult it is because of my conditionings.” In that state we have to really, really desperately try to purify our hearts by chanting Krishna’s names [Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare]. These divine qualities that you are speaking of are inherent within every soul. Our sadhana and our association is all important to awaken those qualities. Does that answer your question?

 

Q.  Hare Krishna, Maharaja. How to cultivate determination and enthusiasm in our spiritual life?

 

A. Determination and enthusiasm are within everyone. How do you cultivate a plant?  You have to protect it and you have to water it. Yes?  If you’re growing a flower in your garden, you must protect it from being ripped out, from being trampled on, from being choked by weeds, and you also have to put water on it. So that is how the seed of bhakti, that is how enthusiasm and determination are also developed. If you engage in sense gratification it’s like choking whatever little enthusiasm and determination you have with the weed of sense gratification. Yes? Sense gratification very much deters the growth of our enthusiasm and determination. And offenses to others are like an elephant trampling on that little seed of determination and enthusiasm. So we must protect it by guarding against sense gratification and guarding against offenses to others and we must water. We must water by, whatever determination we have, we cultivate that by acting with determination. You have it; it’s just a matter of using it. When Srila Prabhupada was asked, “What do I do if I have no determination?” Prabhupada says, “No determination means you are an animal. A human being has determination. You simply have to choose to use it and to cultivate it by chanting Hare Krishna, by reading Srimad Bhagavatam, Bhagavad-gita, by associating with devotees, and by endeavoring with great efforts.” If you endeavor, your determination and your enthusiasm will grow. If you are lazy, if you are sinful,

bhogaiçvarya-prasaktänä

tayäpahåta-cetasäm

vyavasäyätmikä buddhiù

samädhau na vidhéyate (Bhagavad-gita 2.44)

 

Krishna tells, “For those who are too much attached to material opulence and sense enjoyment, the resolute determination for devotional service does not take place.” Austerities cultivate determination. Good association and good sadhana cultivate determination. If you want it, Krishna will give it to you. If our desire is sincere then we will live accordingly. Does that answer your question? Hare Krishna. We should end here. Thank you very much. Srila Prabhupada ki jai! (END)