Lecture on Srimad Bhagavatam, Canto 9, Chapter 13, Texts 7-9 titled “Maya, An equal opportunity employer”.

Dallas, TX
2010-07-14

Srimad Bhagavatam 9.13.7

gandha–vastushu tad–deham

nidhaya muni–sattamah

samapte satra–yage ca

devan ucuh samagatan

TRANSLATION

During the performance of the yajna, the body relinquished by Maharaja Nimi was preserved in fragrant substances, and at the end of the Satra–yaga the great saints and brahmanas made the following request to all the demigods assembled there.

Srimad Bhagavatam 9.13.8

rajno jivatu deho ‘yam

prasannah prabhavo yadi

tathety ukte nimih praha

ma bhun me deha–bandhanam

TRANSLATION

“If you are satisfied with this sacrifice and if you are actually able to do so, kindly bring Maharaja Nimi back to life in this body.” The demigods said yes to this request by the sages, but Maharaja Nimi said, “Please do not imprison me again in a material body.”

PURPORT

The demigods are in a position many times higher than that of human beings. Therefore, although the great saints and sages were also powerful brahmanas, they requested the demigods to revive Maharaja Nimi‘s body, which had been preserved in various perfumed balms. One should not think that the demigods are powerful only in enjoying the senses; they are also powerful in such deeds as bringing life back to a dead body. There are many similar instances in the Vedic literature. For example, according to the history of Savitri and Satyavan, Satyavan died and was being taken away by Yamaraja, but on the request of his wife,Savitri, Satyavan was revived in the same body. This is an important fact about the power of the demigods.

Srimad Bhagavatam 9.13.9

yasya yogam na vanchanti

viyoga–bhaya–katarah

bhajanti caranambhojam

munayo hari–medhasah

TRANSLATION

Maharaja Nimi continued: Mayavadis generally want freedom from accepting a material body because they fear having to give it up again. But devotees whose intelligence is always filled with the service of the Lord are unafraid. Indeed, they take advantage of the body to render transcendental loving service.

PURPORT

Maharaja Nimi did not want to accept a material body, which would be a cause of bondage; because he was a devotee, he wanted a body by which he could render devotional service to the Lord. Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura sings:

janmaobi more iccha yadi tora

bhakta–grihe jani janma ha–u mora

kita–janma ha–u yatha tuya dasa

“My Lord, if You want me to take birth and accept a material body again, kindly do me this favor: allow me to take birth in the home of Your servant, Your devotee. I do not mind being born there even as an insignificant creature like an insect.” Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu also said:

na dhanam na janam na sundarim

kavitam va jagadisa kamaye

mama janmani janmanisvare

bhavatad bhaktir ahaitukyi tvayi

“O Lord of the universe, I do not desire material wealth, materialistic followers, a beautiful wife or fruitive activities described in flowery language. All I want, life after life, is unmotivated devotional service to You.” (Sikshashtaka 4) By saying “life after life” (janmani janmani), the Lord referred not to an ordinary birth but a birth in which to remember the lotus feet of the Lord. Such a body is desirable. A devotee does not think like yogis and jnanis, who want to refuse a material body and become one with the impersonal Brahman effulgence. A devotee does not like this idea. On the contrary, he will accept any body, material or spiritual, for he wants to serve the Lord. This is real liberation.

If one has a strong desire to serve the Lord, even if he accepts a material body, there is no cause of anxiety, since a devotee, even in a material body, is a liberated soul. This is confirmed by Srila Rupa Gosvami:

iha yasya harer dasye

karmana manasa gira

nikhilasv apy avasthasu

jivan–muktah sa ucyate

“A person acting in Krishna consciousness (or, in other words, in the service of Krishna) with his body, mind, intelligence and words is a liberated person even within the material world, although he may be engaged in many so-called material activities.” The desire to serve the Lord establishes one as liberated in any condition of life, whether in a spiritual body or a material body. In a spiritual body the devotee becomes a direct associate of the Lord, but even though a devotee may superficially appear to be in a material body, he is always liberated and is engaged in the same duties of service to the Lord as a devotee in Vaikunthaloka. There is no distinction. It is said, sadhur jivo va maro va. Whether a devotee is alive or dead, his only concern is to serve the Lord. Tyaktvadeham punar janma naiti mam eti [Bg. 4.9]. When he gives up his body, he goes directly to become an associate of the Lord and serve Him, although he does the same thing even in a material body in the material world.

For a devotee there is no pain, pleasure or material perfection. One may argue that at the time of death a devotee also suffers because of giving up his material body. But in this connection the example may be given that a cat carries a mouse in its mouth and also carries a kitten in its mouth. Both the mouse and the kitten are carried in the same mouth, but the perception of the mouse is different from that of the kitten. When a devotee gives up his body (tyaktvadeham), he is ready to go back home, back to Godhead. Thus his perception is certainly different from that of a person being taken away by Yamaraja for punishment. A person whose intelligence is always concentrated upon the service of the Lord is unafraid of accepting a material body, whereas a nondevotee, having no engagement in the service of the Lord, is very much afraid of accepting a material body or giving up his present one. Therefore, we should follow the instruction of Caitanya Mahaprabhu: mama janmani janmanisvare bhavatad bhaktir ahaituki tvayi. It doesn’t matter whether we accept a material body or a spiritual body; our only ambition should be to serve the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

SB 09.13.07-9 Maya, An Equal Opportunity Employer 2010-07-14

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Lecture on Srimad Bhagavatam, Canto 10, Chapter 1, Text 22 titled “Unclean and Lying”.

Dallas, TX
2010-12-15

Srimad Bhagavatam 10.1.22

puraiva pumsavadhrito dhara-jvaro

bhavadbhir amsair yadushupajanyatam

sa yavad urvya bharam isvaresvarah

sva–kala–saktya kshapayams cared bhuvi

TRANSLATION

Lord Brahma informed the demigods: Before we submitted our petition to the Lord, He was already aware of the distress on earth. Consequently, for as long as the Lord moves on earth to diminish its burden by His own potency in the form of time, all of you demigods should appear through plenary portions as sons and grandsons in the family of the Yadus.

PURPORT

As stated in the Brahma–samhita (5.39):

ramadi-murtishu kala–niyamena tishthan

nanavataram akarod bhuvaneshu kintu

krishnah svayam samabhavat paramah puman yo

govindam adi–purusham tam aham bhajami

“I worship the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Govinda, who is always situated in various incarnations such as Rama, Nrisimha and many sub-incarnations as well, but who is the original personality of Godhead, known as Krishna, and who incarnates personally also.”

In this verse from Srimad–Bhagavatam we find the words puraiva pumsavadhrito dhara jvarah. The word pumsa refers to Krishna, who was already aware of how the whole world was suffering because of the increase of demons. Without reference to the supreme power of the Personality of Godhead, demons assert themselves to be independent kings and presidents, and thus they create a disturbance by increasing their military power. When such disturbances are very prominent, Krishna appears. At present also, various demoniac states all over the world are increasing their military power in many ways, and the whole situation has become distressful. Therefore Krishna has appeared by His name, in the Hare Krishna movement, which will certainly diminish the burden of the world. Philosophers, religionists, and people in general must take to this movement very seriously, for man-made plans and devices will not help bring peace on earth. The transcendental sound Hare Krishna is not different from the person Krishna.

nama cintamanih krishnas

caitanya–rasa–vigrahah

purnah suddho nitya-mukto

‘bhinnatvan nama–naminoh

(Padma Purana)

There is no difference between the sound Hare Krishna and Krishna the person.

SB 10.01.22 Unclean & Lying 2010-12-15

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Lecture on Srimad Bhagavatam, Canto 10, Chapter 1, Text 21 titled “Knowledge Blessings”.

Dallas, TX
2010-12-14

Srimad Bhagavatam 10.1.21

giram samadhau gagane samiritam

nisamya vedhas tridasan uvaca ha

gam paurushim me srinutamarah punar

vidhiyatam asu tathaiva ma ciram

TRANSLATION

While in trance, Lord Brahma heard the words of Lord Vishnu vibrating in the sky. Thus he told the demigods: O demigods, hear from me the order of Kshirodakasayi Vishnu, the Supreme Person, and execute it attentively without delay.

PURPORT

It appears that the words of the Supreme Personality of Godhead can be heard in trance by competent persons. Modern science gives us telephones, by which one can hear sound vibrations from a distant place. Similarly, although other persons cannot hear the words of Lord Vishnu, Lord Brahma is able to hear the Lord’s words within himself. This is confirmed in the beginning of Srimad–Bhagavatam (1.1.1): tene brahma hrida ya adi–kavaye. Adi–kavi is Lord Brahma. In the beginning of the creation, Lord Brahma received the instructions of Vedic knowledge from Lord Vishnu through the medium of the heart (hrida). The same principle is confirmed herewith. While Brahma was in trance, he was able to hear the words of Kshirodakasayi Vishnu, and he carried the Lord’s message to the demigods. Similarly, in the beginning, Brahma first received the Vedic knowledge from the Supreme Personality of Godhead through the core of the heart. In both instances the same process was used in transmitting the message to Lord Brahma. In other words, although Lord Vishnu was invisible even to Lord Brahma, LordBrahma could hear Lord Vishnu‘s words through the heart. The Supreme Personality of Godhead is invisible even to Lord Brahma, yet He descends on this earth and becomes visible to people in general. This is certainly an act of His causeless mercy, but fools and nondevotees think that Krishna is an ordinary historical person. Because they think that the Lord is an ordinary person like them, they are described as mudha (avajananti mam mudhah). The causeless mercy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead is neglected by such demoniac persons, who cannot understand the instructions of Bhagavad-gita and who therefore misinterpret them.

SB 10.01.21 Knowledge Blessings 2010-12-14

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