Chapter 4

CHAPTER FOUR
TEXT 12

naiñkarmyam apy acyuta-bhäva-varjitaà

na çobhate jïänam alaà niraïjanam

kutaù punaù çaçvad abhadram éçvare

na cärpitaà karma yad apy akäraëam

naiñkarmyam—self-realization, being freed from the reactions of fruitive work; api—in spite of; acyuta—the infallible Lord; bhäva—conception; varjitam—devoid of; na—does not; çobhate—look well; jïänam—transcendental knowledge; alam—by and by; niraïjanam—free from designations; kutaù—where is; punaù—again; çaçvat—always; abhadram—uncongenial; éçvare—unto the Lord; na—not; ca—and; arpitam—offered; karma—fruitive work; yat api—what is; akäraëam—not fruitive.

TRANSLATION

Knowledge of self-realization, even though freed from all material affinity, does not look well if devoid of a conception of the Infallible [God]. What, then, is the use of fruitive activities, which are naturally painful from the very beginning and transient by nature, if they are not ultilized for the devotional service of the Lord?

PURPORT

As referred to above, not only ordinary literatures devoid of the transcendental glorification of the Lord are condemned, but also Vedic literatures and speculation on the subject of impersonal Brahman when they are devoid of devotional service. When speculation on the impersonal Brahman is condemned on the above ground, then what to speak of ordinary fruitive work which is not meant to fulfill the aim of devotional service. Such speculative knowledge and fruitive work cannot lead one to the goal of perfection. Fruitive work in which almost all people in general are engaged is always painful either in the beginning or at the end. It can only be fruitful when made subservient to the devotional service of the Lord. In the Bhagavad-gétä also it is confirmed that the result of such fruitive work may be offered for the service of the Lord, otherwise it leads to material bondage. The bona fide enjoyer of the fruitive work is the Personality of Godhead, and thus when it is engaged for the sense gratification of the living beings, it becomes an acute source of trouble.

TEXT 13

atho mahä-bhäga bhavän amogha-dåk

çuci-çraväù satya-rato dhåta-vrataù

urukramasyäkhila-bandha-muktaye

samädhinänusmara tad-viceñöitam

atho—therefore; mahä-bhäga—highly fortunate; bhavän—yourself; amogha-dåk—the perfect seer; çuci—spotless; çraväù—famous; satya-rataù—having taken the vow of truthfulness; dhåta-vrataù—fixed in spiritual qualities; urukramasya—of the one who performs supernatural activities (God); akhila—universal; bandha—bondage; muktaye—for liberation from; samädhinä—by trance; anusmara—think repeatedly and then describe them; tat-viceñöitam—various pastimes of the Lord.

TRANSLATION

O Vyäsadeva, your vision is completely perfect. Your good fame is spotless. You are firm in vow and situated in truthfulness. And thus you can think of the pastimes of the Lord in trance for the liberation of the people in general from all material bondage.

PURPORT

People in general have a taste for literatures by instinct. They want to hear and read from the authorities something about the unknown, but their taste is exploited by unfortunate literatures which are full of subject matter for satisfaction of the material senses. Such literatures contain different kinds of mundane poems and philosophical speculations, more or less under the influence of mäyä, ending in sense gratification. These literatures, although worthless in the true sense of the term, are variously decorated to attract the attention of the less intelligent men. Thus the attracted living entities are more and more entangled in material bondage without hope of liberation for thousands and thousands of generations. Çré Närada Åñi, being the best amongst the Vaiñëavas, is compassionate on such unfortunate victims of worthless literatures, and thus he advises Çré Vyäsadeva to compose transcendental literature which is not only attractive but can also actually bring liberation from all kinds of bondage. Çréla Vyäsadeva or his representatives are qualified because they are rightly trained to see things in true perspective. Çréla Vyäsadeva and his representatives are pure in thought due to their spiritual enlightenment, fixed in their vows due to their devotional service and determined to deliver the fallen souls rotting in the material activities. The fallen souls are very eager to receive novel informations every day, and the transcendentalists like Vyäsadeva or Närada can supply such eager people in general with unlimited news from the spiritual world. In the Bhagavad-gétä it is said that the material world is only a part of the whole creation and that this earth is only a fragment of the whole material world.

There are thousands and thousands of literary men all over the world, and they have created many, many thousands of literary works for the information of the people in general for thousands and thousands of years. Unfortunately none of them have brought peace and tranquility on the earth. This is due to a spiritual vacuum in those literatures; therefore the Vedic literatures, especially the Bhagavad-gétä and the Çrémad-Bhägavatam, are specifically recommended to the suffering humanity to bring about the desired effect of liberation from the pangs of material civilization, which is eating the vital part of the human energy. The Bhagavad-gétä is the spoken message of the Lord Himself recorded by Vyäsadeva, and the Çrémad-Bhägavatam is the transcendental narration of the activities of the same Lord Kåñëa which alone can satisfy the hankering desires of the living being for eternal peace and liberation from miseries. Çrémad-Bhägavatam is, therefore, meant for all the living beings all over the universe for total liberation from all kinds of material bondage. Such transcendental narrations of the pastimes of the Lord can only be described by liberated souls like Vyäsadeva and his bona fide representatives who are completely merged in the transcendental loving service of the Lord. Only to such devotees do the pastimes of the Lord and their transcendental nature become automatically manifest by dint of devotional service. No one else can either know or describe the acts of the Lord, even if they speculate on the subject for many, many years. The descriptions of the Bhägavatam are so precise and accurate that whatever has been predicted in this great literature about 5,000 years before is now exactly happening. Therefore, the vision of the author comprehends past, present and future. Such liberated persons like Vyäsadeva are not only perfect by the power of vision and wisdom, but also in aural reception, in thinking, feeling and all other sense activities. A liberated person possesses perfect senses, and with perfect senses only can one serve the sense-proprietor, Håñékeça, Çré Kåñëa the Personality of Godhead. Çrémad-Bhägavatam is, therefore, the perfect description of the all-perfect Personality of Godhead by the all-perfect personality Çréla Vyäsadeva, the compiler of the Vedas.

TEXT 14

tato 'nyathä kiïcana yad vivakñataù

påthag dåças tat-kåta-rüpa-nämabhiù

na karhicit kväpi ca duùsthitä matir

labheta vätä-hata-naur iväspadam

tataù—from that; anyathä—apart; kiïcana—something; yat—whatsoever; vivakñataù—desiring to describe; påthak—separately; dåçaù—vision; tat-kåta—reactionary to that; rüpa—form; nämabhiù—by names; na karhicit—never; kväpi—any; ca—and; duùsthitä matiù—oscillating mind; labheta—gains; väta-hata—troubled by the wind; nauù—boat; iva—like; äspadam—place.

TRANSLATION

Whatever you desire to describe, which is separate in vision from the Lord, simply reacts, with different forms, names and results, to agitate the mind as the wind agitates a boat which has no resting place.

'PURPORT

Çré Vyäsadeva is the editor of all descriptions of the Vedic literatures, and thus he has described transcendental realization in different ways, namely by fruitive activities, specualtive knowledge, mystic power and devotional service. Besides that, in his various Puräëas he has recommended the worship of so many demigods in different forms and names. The result is that people in general are puzzled how to fix up their minds in the service of the Lord; they are always disturbed to find out the real path of self-realization. Çréla Näradadeva is stressing this particular defect in the Vedic literatures compiled by Vyäsadeva, and thus he is trying to emphasize describing everything in relation with the Supreme Lord, and no one else. In fact, there is nothing existent except the Lord. The Lord is manifested in different expansions. He is the root of the complete tree. He is the stomach of the complete body. As such, pouring water on the root is the right process to water the tree, as much as feeding the stomach supplies energy to all the parts of the body. Çréla Vyäsadeva should not have compiled any Puräëas other than the Bhägavata Puräëa because a slight deviation from that may create havoc for self-realization. If a slight deviation can create such havoc, then what to speak of deliberate expansion of the separatist idea from the Absolute Truth Personality of Godhead. The most defective part of worshiping demigods is that it creates a definite conception of pantheism, ending disastrously in many religious sects detrimental to the progress of the principles of the Bhägavatam, which alone can give the accurate direction for self-realization in eternal relation with the Personality of Godhead by devotional service in transcendental love. The example of the boat disturbed by whirling wind is suitable in this respect. The diverted mind of the pantheist can never reach to the perfection of self-realization due to the disturbed condition of the selection of object.

TEXT 15

jugupsitaà dharma-kåte 'nuçäsataù

sva-bhäva-raktasya mahän vyatikramaù

yad-väkyato dharma itétaraù sthito

na manyate tasya niväraëaà janaù

jugupsitam—verily condemned; dharma-kåte—for the matter of religion; anuçäsataù—instruction; sva-bhäva-raktasya—naturally inclined; mahän—great; vyatikramaù—unreasonable; yat-väkyataù—under whose instruction; dharmaù—religion; iti—it is thus; itaraù—the people in general; sthitaù—fixed; na—do not; manyate—think; tasya—of that; niväraëam—prohibition; janaù—they.

TRANSLATION

The people in general are naturally inclined to enjoy, and you have encouraged them in that way in the name of religion. This is verily condemned and is quite unreasonable. Because they are guided under your instructions, they will accept such activities in the name of religion and will hardly care for prohibitions.

PURPORT

Çréla Vyäsadeva's compilation of different Vedic literatures on the basis of regulated performances of fruitive activities as depicted in the Mahäbhärata and other literature is condemned herewith by Çréla Närada. The human beings, by long material association, life after life, have a natural inclination, by practice, to endeavor to lord it over material energy. They have no sense of the responsibility of human life. This human form of life is a chance to get out of the clutches of illusory matter. The Vedas are meant for going back to Godhead, going back home. To revolve in the cycle of transmigration in a series of lives numbering 8,400,000 is an imprisoned life for the condemned conditioned souls. The human form of life is a chance to get out of this imprisoned life, and as such the only occupation of the human being is to reestablish his lost relationship with God. Under the circumstances, one should never be encouraged in making a plan for sense enjoyment in the name of religious functions. Such diversion of the human energy results in a misguided civilization. Çréla Vyäsadeva is the authority in Vedic explanations in the Mahäbhärata, etc., and his encouragement in sense enjoyment in some form or other is a great barrier for spiritual advancement because the people in general will not agree to renounce material activities which hold them in material bondage. At a certain stage of human civilization, such material activities in the name of religion (as sacrificing animals in the name of yajïa) were too much rampant. The Lord incarnated Himself as Buddha and decried the authority of the Vedas to stop animal sacrifice in the name of religion. This was foreseen by Närada, and therefore he condemned such literatures. The flesh-eaters still continue to perform animal sacrifice before some demigod or goddess in the name of religion because in some of the Vedic literatures such regulated sacrifice is recommended. They are so recommended to discourage flesh-eating, but gradually the purpose of such religious activities is forgotten, and the slaughterhouse becomes prominent. This is because foolish materialistic men do not care to listen to others who are actually in a position to explain the Vedic rites.

In the Vedas it is distinctly said that the perfection of life is never to be attained either by voluminous work, or by accumulation of wealth or even by increasing the number of population. But it is so attained only by renunciation. The materialistic men do not care to listen to such injunctions. According to them, the so-called renounced order of life is meant for those who are unable to earn their livelihood because of some corporeal defects, or for persons who have failed to achieve prosperity in family life.

In histories like the Mahäbhärata, of course, there are topics on transcendental subjects along with material topics. The Bhagavad-gétä is there in the Mahäbhärata. The whole idea of the Mahäbhärata is culminated in the ultimate instructions of the Bhagavad-gétä, that one should relinquish all other engagements and should engage oneself solely and fully in surrendering unto the lotus feet of Lord Çré Kåñëa. But men with materialistic tendencies are more attracted to politics, economics and philanthropic activities mentioned in the Mahäbhärata than to the principal topic, namely the Bhagavad-gétä. This compromising spirit of Vyäsadeva is directly condemned by Närada, who advises him to directly proclaim that the prime necessity of human life is to realize one's eternal relation with the Lord and thus surrender unto Him without delay.

A patient suffering from a particular type of malady is almost always inclined to accept eatables which are forbidden for him. The expert physician does not make any compromise with the patient by allowing him to take partially what he should not at all take. In the Bhagavad-gétä it is also said that a man attached to fruitive work should not be discouraged from his occupation, for gradually he may be elevated to the position of self-realization. This is sometimes applicable for those who are only dry empiric philosophers without spiritual realization. But those who are in the devotional line need not be always so advised.

TEXT 16

vicakñaëo 'syärhati vedituà vibhor

ananta-pärasya nivåttitaù sukham

pravarta-mänasya guëair anätmanas

tato bhavän darçaya ceñöitaà vibhoù

vicakñaëaù—very expert; asya—of him; arhati—deserves; veditum—to understand; vibhoù—of the Lord; ananta-pärasya—of the unlimited; nivåttitaù—retired from; sukham—material happiness; pravarta-mänasya—those who are attached to; guëaiù—by the material qualities; anätmanaù—devoid of knowledge in spiritual value; tataù—therefore; bhavän—your goodness; darçaya—show the ways; ceñöitam—activities; vibhoù—of the Lord.

TRANSLATION

The Supreme Lord is unlimited. Only a very expert personality, retired from the activities of material happiness, deserves to understand this knowledge of spiritual values. Therefore those who are not so well situated, due to material attachment, should be shown the ways of transcendental realization, by your goodness, through descriptions of the transcendental activities of the Supreme Lord.

PURPORT

Theological science is a difficult subject, especially when it deals with the transcendental nature of God. It is not a subject matter to be understood by persons who are too much attached to material activities. Only the very expert, who have almost retired from materialistic activities by culture of spiritual knowledge, can be admitted to the study of this great science. In the Bhagavad-gétä it is clearly stated that out of many hundreds and thousands of men only one person deserves to enter into transcendental realization. And out of many thousands of such transcendentally realized persons, only a few can understand the theological science specifically dealing with God as a person. Çré Vyäsadeva is therefore advised by Närada to describe the science of God directly by relating His transcendental activities. Vyäsadeva is himself a personality expert in this science, and he is unattached to material enjoyment. Therefore he is the right person to describe it, and Çukadeva Gosvämé, the son of Vyäsadeva, is the right person to receive it. Çrémad-Bhägavatam is the topmost theological science, and therefore it can react on the laymen as medicinal doses. Because it contains the transcendental activities of the Lord, there is no difference between the Lord and the literature. The literature is the factual literary incarnation of the Lord. So the laymen can hear the narration of the activities of the Lord. Thereby they are able to associate with the Lord and thus gradually become purified from material diseases. The expert devotees also can discover novel ways and means to convert the nondevotees in terms of particular time and circumstance. Devotional service is dynamic activity, and the expert devotees can find out competent means to inject it into the dull brains of the materialistic population. Such transcendental activities of the devotees for the service of the Lord can bring a new order of life to the foolish society of materialistic men. Lord Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu and His subsequent followers exhibited expert dexterity in this connection. By following the same method, one can bring the materialistic men of this age of quarrel into order for peaceful life and transcendental realization.

TEXT 17

tyaktvä sva-dharmaà caraëämbujaà harer

bhajann apakvo 'tha patet tato yadi

yatra kva väbhadram abhüd amuñya kià

ko värtha äpto 'bhajatäà sva-dharmataù

tyaktvä—having forsaken; sva-dharmam—one's own occupational engagement; caraëa-ambujam—the lotus feet; hareù—of Hari (the Lord); bhajan—in the course of devotional service; apakvaù -immature; atha—for the matter of; patet—falls down; tataù—from that place; yadi—if; yatra—whereupon; kva—what sort of; vä—or (used sarcastically); abhadram—unfavorable; abhüt—shall happen; amuñya—of him; kim—nothing; kaù vä arthaù—what interest; äptaù—obtained; abhajatäm—of the nondevotee; sva-dharmataù—being engaged in occupational service.

TRANSLATION

One who has forsaken his material occupations to engage in the devotional service of the Lord may sometimes fall down while in an immature stage, yet there is no danger of his being unsuccessful. On the other hand, a nondevotee, though fully engaged in occupational duties, does not gain anything.

PURPORT

As far as the duties of mankind are concerned, there are innumerable duties. Every man is duty-bound not only to his parents, family members, society, country, humanity, other living beings, the demigods, etc., but also to the great philosophers, poets, scientists, etc. It is enjoined in the scriptures that one can relinquish all such duties and surrender unto the service of the Lord. So if one does so and becomes successful in the discharge of his devotional service unto the Lord, it is well and good. But it so happens sometimes that one surrenders himself unto the service of the Lord by some temporary sentiment, and in the long run, due to so many other reasons, he falls down from the path of service by undesirable association. There are so many instances of this in the histories. Bharata Mahäräja was obliged to take his birth as a stag due to his intimate attachment to a stag. He thought of this stag when he died. As such, in the next birth he became a stag, although he did not forget the incidence of his previous birth. Similarly, Citraketu also fell down due to his offenses at the feet of Çiva. But in spite of all this, the stress is given here to surrendering unto the lotus feet of the Lord, even if there is a chance of falling down. Because, even though one falls down from the prescribed duties of devotional service, he will never forget the lotus feet of the Lord. Once engaged in the devotional service of the Lord, one will continue the service in all circumstances. In the Bhagavad-gétä it is said that even a small quantity of devotional service can save one from the most dangerous position. There are many instances of such examples in history. Ajämila is one of them. Ajämila in his early life was a devotee, but in his youth he fell down. Still he was saved by the Lord at the end.

TEXT18

tasyaiva hetoù prayateta kovido

na labhyate yad-bhramatäm upary adhaù

tal-labhyate duùkhavad anyataù sukhaà

kälena sarvatra gabhéra-raàhasä

tasya—for that purpose; eva—only; hetoù—reason; prayateta—should endeavor; kovidaù—one who is philosophically inclined; na—not; labhyate—is not obtained; yat—what; bhramatäm—wandering; upari adhaù—from top to bottom; tat—that; labhyate—can be obtained; duùkhavat—like the miseries; anyataù—as a result of previous work; sukham—sense enjoyment; kälena—in course of time; sarvatra—everywhere; gabhéra—subtle; raàhasä—progress.

TRANSLATION

Persons who are actually intelligent and philosophically inclined should endeavor only for that purposeful end which is not obtainable even by wandering from the topmost planet [Brahmaloka] down to the lowest planet [Pätäla]. As far as happiness derived from sense enjoyment is concerned, it can be obtained automatically in course of time, just as in course of time we obtain miseries even though we do not desire them.

PURPORT

Every man everywhere is trying to obtain the greatest amount of sense enjoyment by various endeavors. Some of them are busy engaged in trade, industry, economic development, political supremacy, etc., and some of them are engaged in fruitive work to become happy in the next life by attaining higher planets. It is said that in the moon the inhabitants are fit for greater sense enjoyment by drinking soma-rasa, and the Pitåloka is obtained by good charitable work. So there are various programs for sense enjoyment, either during this life or in the life after death. Some are trying to reach the moon or other planets by some mechanical arrangement, for they are very anxious to get into such planets without doing good work. But it is not to happen. By the law of the Supreme, different places are meant for different grades of living beings according to the work they might have performed. By good work only, as prescribed in the scriptures, one can obtain birth in a good family, opulence, good education and good bodily features. We see also that even in this life one obtains a good education or money or bodily beauty. Similarly, in our next birth we get such desirable positions only by good work. Otherwise, it would not so happen that two persons born in the same place, at the same time are seen differently placed according to previous work. But all such material positions are not permanent. The positions in the topmost Brahmaloka and in the lowest Pätäla are also changeable according to our own work. The philosophically inclined person must not be tempted by such changeable positions. He should try to get into the permanent life of bliss and knowledge where he will not be forced to come back again to the miserable material world, either in this or that planet. Miseries and mixed happiness are two features of material life, and they are obtained in Brahmaloka and in other lokas also. They are obtained in the life of the demigods and also in the life of the dogs and hogs. The miseries and mixed happiness of all living beings are only of different degree and quality, but no one is free from the miseries of birth, death, old age and disease. Similarly, everyone has his destined happiness also. No one can get more or less of these things simply by personal endeavors. Even if they are obtained, they can be lost again. One should not, therefore, waste time with these flimsy things, but one should only endeavor to go back to Godhead. That should be the mission of everyone's life.

TEXT 19

na vai jano jätu kathaïcanävrajen

mukunda-sevy anyavad aìga saàsåtim

smaran mukundäìghry-upagühanaà punar

vihätum icchenna rasa-graho janaù

na—never; vai—certainly; janaù—a person; jätu—at any time; kathaïcana—somehow or other; ävrajet—does not undergo; mukunda-sevé—the devotee of the Lord; anyavat—like others; aìga—O my dear; saàsåtim—material existence; smaran—remembering; mukunda-aìghri—the lotus feet of the Lord; upagühanam—embracing; punaù—again; vihätum—willing to give up; icchet—desire; na—never; rasagrahaù—one who has relished the mellow; janaù—person.

TRANSLATION

My dear Vyäsa, even though a devotee of Lord Kåñëa sometimes falls down somehow or other, he certainly does not undergo material existence like others [fruitive workers, etc.] because a person who has once relished the taste of the lotus feet of the Lord can do nothing but remember that ecstasy again and again.

PURPORT

A devotee of the Lord automatically becomes uninterested in the enchantment of material existence because he is rasa-graha, or one who has tasted the sweetness of the lotus feet of Lord Kåñëa. There are certainly many instances where devotees of the Lord have fallen down due to uncongenial association, just like fruitive workers, who are always prone to degradation. But even though he falls down, a devotee is never to be considered the same as a fallen karmi. A karmi suffers the result of his own fruitive reactions, whereas a devotee is reformed by chastisement directed by the Lord Himself. The sufferings of an orphan and the sufferings of a beloved child of a king are not one and the same. An orphan is really poor because he has no one to take care of him, but a beloved son of a rich man, although he appears to be on the same level as the orphan, is always under the vigilance of his capable father. A devotee of the Lord, due to wrong association, sometimes imitates the fruitive workers. The fruitive workers want to lord it over the material world. Similarly, a neophyte devotee foolishly thinks of accumulating some material power in exchange for devotional service. Such foolish devotees are sometimes put into difficulty by the Lord Himself. As a special favor, He may remove all material paraphernalia. By such action, the bewildered devotee is forsaken by all friends and relatives, and so he comes to his senses again by the mercy of the Lord and is set right to execute his devotional service.

In the Bhagavad-gétä it is also said that such fallen devotees are given a chance to take birth in a family of highly qualified brähmaëas or in a rich mercantile family. A devotee in such a position is not as fortunate as one who is chastised by the Lord and put into a position seemingly of helplessness. The devotee who becomes helpless by the will of the Lord is more fortunate than those who are born in good families. The fallen devotees born in a good family may forget the lotus feet of the Lord because they are less fortunate, but the devotee who is put into a forlorn condition is more fortunate because he swiftly returns to the lotus feet of the Lord, thinking himself helpless all round.

Pure devotional service is so spiritually relishable that a devotee becomes automatically uninterested in material enjoyment. That is the sign of perfection in progressive devotional service. A pure devotee continuously remembers the lotus feet of Lord Çré Kåñëa and does not forget Him even for a moment, not even in exchange for all the opulence of the three worlds.

TEXT 20

idaà hi viçvam bhagavän ivetaro

yato jagat-sthäna-nirodha-sambhaväù

tadd hi svayaà veda bhaväàs tathäpi te

prädeça-mätraà bhavataù pradarçitam

idam—this; hi—all; viçvam—cosmos; bhagavän—the Supreme Lord; iva—almost the same; itaraù—different from; yataù—from whom; jagat—the worlds; sthäna—exist; nirodha—annihilation; sambhaväù—creation; tat hi—all about; svayam—personally; veda—know; bhavän—your good self; tathäpi—still; te—unto your; prädeça-mätram—a synopsis only; bhavataù—unto you; pradarçitam—explained.

TRANSLATION

The Supreme Lord Personality of Godhead is Himself this cosmos, and still He is aloof from it. From Him only this cosmic manifestation has emanated, in Him it rests, and unto Him it enters after annihilation. Your good self knows all about this. I have only given a synopsis.

PURPORT

For a pure devotee, the conception of Mukunda Lord Çré Kåñëa is both personal and impersonal. The impersonal cosmic situation is also Mukunda because it is the emanation of the energy of Mukunda. For example, a tree is a complete unit, whereas the leaves and the branches of the tree are emanated parts and parcels of the tree. The leaves and branches of the tree are also the tree, but the tree itself is neither the leaves nor the branches. The Vedic version that the whole cosmic creation is nothing but Brahman means that since everything is emanating from the Supreme Brahman, nothing is apart from Him. Similarly, the part and parcel hands and legs are called the body, but the body as the whole unit is neither the hands nor the legs. The Lord is the transcendental form of eternity, cognition and beauty. And thus the creation of the energy of the Lord appears to be partially eternal, full of knowledge and beautiful also. The captivated conditioned souls under the influence of the external energy mäyä are therefore entrapped in the network of the material nature. They accept this as all in all, for they have no information of the Lord who is the primeval cause. Nor have they information that the parts and parcels of the body, being detached from the whole body, are no longer the same hand or leg as when attached to the body. Similarly, a godless civilization detached from the transcendental loving service of the Supreme Personality of Godhead is just like a detached hand or leg. Such parts and parcels may appear like hands and legs, but they have no efficiency. The devotee of the Lord, Çréla Vyäsadeva, knows this very well. He is further advised by Çréla Närada to expand the idea so that the entrapped conditioned souls may take lessons from him to understand the Supreme Lord as the primeval cause.

According to the Vedic version, the Lord is naturally fully powerful, and thus His supreme energies are always perfect and identical with Him. Both the spiritual and the material skies and their paraphernalia are emanations of the internal and external energies of the Lord. External energy is comparatively inferior, whereas the internal potency is superior. The superior energy is living force, and therefore she is completely identical, but the external energy, being inert, is partially identical. But both the energies are neither equal to nor greater than the Lord, who is the generator of all energies; such energies are always under His control, exactly as electrical energy, however powerful it may be, is always under the control of the engineer.

The human being and all other living beings are products of His internal energies. Thus the living being is also identical with the Lord. But he is never equal or superior to the Personality of Godhead. The Lord and living beings are all individual persons. With the help of the material energies the living beings are also creating something, but none of their creations are equal or superior to the creations of the Lord. The human being may create a small playful sputnik and may throw it into outer space, but that does not mean that he can create a planet like the earth or moon and float it in the air as the Lord does. Men with a poor fund of knowledge claim to be equal to the Lord. They are never equal to the Lord. This is never to be. The human being, after attaining complete perfection, may achieve a large percentage of the qualities of the Lord (say up to 78%), but it is never possible to surpass the Lord or to become equal with Him. In a diseased condition only the foolish being claims to be one with the Lord and thus becomes misled by the illusory energy. The misguided living beings, therefore, must accept the supremacy of the Lord and agree to render loving service to Him. For this they have been created. Without this, there cannot be any peace or tranquility in the world. Çréla Vyäsadeva is advised by Çréla Närada to expand this idea in the Bhägavatam. In the Bhagavad-gétä also the same idea is explained: surrender fully unto the lotus feet of the Lord. That is the only business of the perfect human being.

TEXT 21

tvam ätmanä''tmänam avehy amogha-dåk

parasya puàsaù paramätmanaù kaläm

ajaà prajätaà jagataù çiväya tan

mahänubhäväbhyudayo 'dhigaëyatäm

tvam—yourself; ätmanä—by your own self; ätmänam—the Supersoul; avehi—search out; amogha-dåk—one who has perfect vision; parasya—of the Transcendence; puàsaù—Personality of Godhead; paramätmanaù—of the Supreme Lord; kaläm—plenary part; ajam—birthless; prajätam—have taken birth;  jagataù—of the world; çiväya—for the well-being; tat—that; mahänubhäva—of the Supreme Personality of Godhead Çré Kåñëa; abhyudayaù—pastimes; adhigaëyatäm—describe most vividly.

TRANSLATION

Your goodness has perfect vision. You yourself can know the Supersoul Personality of Godhead because you are present as the plenary portion of the Lord. Although you are birthless, you have appeared on this earth for the well-being of all people. Please, therefore, describe the transcendental pastimes of the Supreme Personality of Godhead Çré Kåñëa more vividly.

PURPORT

Çréla Vyäsadeva is the empowered plenary portion incarnation of the Personality of Godhead Çré Kåñëa. He descended by his causeless mercy to deliver the fallen souls in the material world. The fallen and forgotten souls are detached from the transcendental loving service of the Lord. The living entities are parts and parcels of the Lord, and they are eternally servitors of the Lord. All the Vedic literatures are, therefore, put into systematic order for the benefit of the fallen souls, and it is the duty of the fallen souls to take advantage of such literatures and be freed from the bondage of material existence. Although formally Çréla Närada Åñi is his spiritual master, Çréla Vyäsadeva is not at all dependent on a spiritual master because in essence he is the spiritual master of everyone else. But because he is doing the work of an äcärya, he has taught us by his own conduct that one must have a spiritual master, even though he be God Himself. Lord Çré Kåñëa, Lord Çré Räma and Lord Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu, all incarnations of Godhead, accepted formal spiritual masters, although by Their transcendental nature They were cognizant of all knowledge. In order to direct people in general to the lotus feet of Lord Çré Kåñëa, He Himself in the incarnation of Vyäsadeva is delineating the transcendental pastimes of the Lord.

TEXT 22

idaà hi puàsas tapasaù çrutasya vä

sviñöasya süktasya ca buddhi-dattayoù

avicyuto 'rthaù kavibhir nirüpito

yad-uttamaçloka-guëänuvarëanam

idam—this; hi—certainly; puàsaù—of everyone; tapasaù—by dint of austerities; çrutasya—by dint of study of the Vedas; vä—or; sviñöasya—sacrifice; süktasya—spiritual education; ca—and; buddhi—culture of knowledge; dattayoù—charity; avicyutaù—infallible; arthaù—interest; kavibhiù—by the recognized learned fellow; nirüpitaù—concluded; yat—what; uttamaçloka-the Lord, who is described by choice poetry; guëa-anuvarëanam—description of the transcendental qualities of.

TRANSLATION

Learned circles have positively concluded that the infallible purpose of the advancement of knowledge, namely austerities, study of the Vedas, sacrifice, chanting of hymns and charity, culminates in the transcendental descriptions of the Lord, who is defined in choice poetry.

PURPORT

Human intellect is developed for advancement of learning in art, science, philosophy, physics, chemistry, psychology, economics, politics, etc. By culture of such knowledge the human society can attain perfection of life. This perfection of life culminates in the realization of the Supreme Being Viñëu. The Çruti therefore directs that those who are actually advanced in learning should aspire for the service of Lord Viñëu. Unfortunately persons who are enamored by the external beauty of Viñëu-mäyä do not understand that culmination of perfection or self-realization depends on Viñëu. Viñëu-mäyä. means sense enjoyment, which is transient and miserable. Those who are entrapped by Viñëu-mäyä utilize advancement of knowledge for sense enjoyment. Çré Närada Muni has explained that all parapharnalia of the cosmic universe is but an emanation from the Lord out of His different energies because the Lord has set in motion, by His inconceivable energy, actions and reactions of the created manifestation. They have come to be out of His energy, they rest on His energy, and after annihilation they merge into Him. Nothing is, therefore, different from Him, but at the same time the Lord is always different from them.

When advancement of knowledge is applied in the service of the Lord, the whole process becomes absolute. The Personality of Godhead, His transcendental name, fame, glory, etc., are all nondifferent from Him. Therefore, all the sages and devotees of the Lord have recommended that the subject matter of art, science, philosophy, physics, chemistry, psychology and all other branches of knowledge should be wholly and solely applied in the service of the Lord. Art, literature, poetry, painting, etc., may be used in glorifying the Lord. The fiction writers, poets and celebrated literateurs are generally engaged in writing of sensuous subjects, but if they turn towards the service of the Lord they can describe the transcendental pastimes of the Lord. Välméki was a great poet, and similarly Vyäsadeva is a great writer, and both of them have absolutely engaged themselves in delineating the transcendental activities of the Lord, and by doing so they have become immortal. Similarly, science and philosophy also should be applied in the service of the Lord. There is no use presenting dry speculative theories for sense gratification. Philosophy and science should be engaged to establish the glory of the Lord. Advanced people are eager to understand the Absolute Truth through the medium of science, and therefore a great scientist should endeavor to prove the existence of the Lord on a scientific basis. Similarly, philosophical speculations should be utilized to establish the Supreme Truth as sentient and all-powerful. Similarly, all other branches of knowledge should always be engaged in the service of the Lord. In the Bhagavad-gétä also the same is affirmed. All "knowledge" not engaged in the service of the Lord is but nescience. Real utilization of advanced knowledge is to establish the glories of the Lord, and that is the real import. Scientific knowledge engaged in the service of the Lord and all similar activities are all factually Hari-kértana or glorification of the Lord.

TEXT 23

ahaà purätétabhave 'bhavaà mune

däsyästu kasyäçcana veda-vädinäm

nirüpito bälaka eva yoginäà

çuçrüñaëe prävåñi nirvivikñatäm

aham—I; purä—formerly; atétabhave—in the previous millennium; abhavam—became; mune—of the muni; däsyäù—of the maidservant; tu—but; kasyäçcana—certain; veda-vädinäm—of the followers of Vedänta; nirüpitaù—engaged; bälakaù—boy servant; eva—only; yoginäm—of the devotees; çuçrüñaëe—in the service of; prävåñi—during the four months of the rainy season; nirvivikñatäm—living together.

TRANSLATION

O Muni, in the last millennium I was born as the son of a certain maidservant engaged in the service of brähmaëas who were following the principles of Vedänta. When they were living together during the four months of the rainy season, I was engaged in their personal service.

PURPORT

The wonder of an atmosphere surcharged with devotional service of the Lord is briefly described herein by Çré Närada Muni. He was the son of the most insignificant parentage. He was not properly educated. Still, because his complete energy was engaged in the service of the Lord, he became an immortal sage. Such is the powerful action of devotional service. The living entities are the marginal energy of the Lord, and therefore they are meant for being properly utilized in the transcendental loving service of the Lord. When this is not done, it is called mäyä. Therefore the illusion of mäyä. is at once dissipated as soon as one's full energy is converted in the service of the Lord instead of in sense enjoyment. From the personal example of Çré Närada Muni in his previous birth, it is clear that the service of the Lord begins with the service of the Lord's bona fide servants. The Lord says that the service of His servants is greater than His personal service. Service of the devotee is more valuable than the service of the Lord. One should therefore choose a bona fide servant of the Lord constantly engaged in His service and accept such a servant as the spiritual master and engage himself in his (the spiritual master's) service. Such a spiritual master is the transparent medium by which to visualize the Lord who is beyond the conception of the material senses. By service of the bona fide spiritual master, the Lord consents to reveal Himself in proportion to the service rendered. Utilization of the human energy in the service of the Lord is the progressive path of salvation. The whole cosmic creation becomes at once identical with the Lord as soon as service in relation with the Lord is rendered under the guidance of a bona fide spiritual master. The expert spiritual master knows the art of utilizing everything to glorify the Lord, and therefore under his guidance the whole world can be turned into the spiritual abode by the divine grace of the Lord's servant.

TEXT 24

te mayy apetäkhila-cäpale 'rbhake

dänte 'dhåta-kréòanake 'nuvartini

cakruù kåpäà yadyapi tulya-darçanäù

çuçrüñamäëe munayo 'lpa-bhäñiëi

te—they; mayi—unto me; apeta—not having undergone; akhila—all kinds of; cäpale—proclivities; arbhake—unto a boy; dänte—having controlled the senses; adhåta-kréòanake—without being accustomed to sporting habits; anuvartini—obedient; cakruù—did bestow; kåpäm—causeless mercy; yadyapi—although; tulya-darçanäù—impartial by nature; çuçrüñamäëe—unto the faithful; munayaù—the muni followers of the Vedänta; alpa-bhäñiëi—one who does not speak more than required.

TRANSLATION

Although they were impartial by nature, those followers of the Vedänta blessed me with their causeless mercy. As far as I was concerned, I was self-controlled and had no attachment for sports, even though I was a boy. In addition, I was not naughty, and I did not speak more than required.

PURPORT

In the Bhagavad-gétä the Lord says, "All the Vedas are searching after Me." Lord Çré Caitanya says that in the Vedas the subject matters are only three, namely to establish the relation of the living entities with the Personality of Godhead, perform the relative duties in devotional service and thus achieve the ultimate goal, back to Godhead. As such, Vedänta-vädé, or the followers of the Vedänta, indicates the pure devotees of the Personality of Godhead. Such Vedänta-vädé or the bhakti-vedäntas are impartial in distributing the transcendental knowledge of devotional service. To them no one is enemy or friend; no one is educated or uneducated. No one is especially favorable, and no one is unfavorable. The bhakti-vedäntas see the people in general are wasting time in false sensuous things. Their business is to get the ignorant mass of people to reestablish the lost relationship with the Personality of Godhead. By such endeavor, even the most forgotten soul is roused up to the sense of spiritual life, and thus being initiated by the bhakti-vedäntas, the people in general gradually progress on the path of transcendental realization. So the Vedänta-vädés initiated the boy even before he became self-controlled and was detached from childish sporting, etc. But before the initiation, he (the boy) became more and more advanced in discipline, which is very essential for one who wishes to make progress in the line. In the system of varëäçrama-dharma, which is the beginning of actual human life, small boys after five years of age are sent to become brahmacäré at the guru's äçrama where these things are systematically taught to boys, be they king's sons or sons of ordinary citizens. The training was compulsory not only to create good citizens of the state, but also to prepare the boy's future life for spiritual realization. The irresponsible life of sense enjoyment was unknown to the children of the followers of the varëäçrama system. The boy was even injected with spiritual acumen before being placed by the father in the womb of the mother. Both the father and the mother were responsible for the boy's success in being liberated from the material bondage. That is the process of successful family planning. It is to beget children for complete perfection. Without being self-controlled, without being disciplinary and without being fully obedient, no one can become successful in following the instructions of the spiritual master, and without doing so, no one is able to go back to Godhead.

TEXT 25

ucchiñöa-lepän anumodito dvijaiù

sakåt sma bhuïje tad-apästa-kilbiñaù

evaà pravåttasya viçuddha-cetasas

tad-dharma evätma-ruciù prajäyate

ucchiñöa lepän—the remnants of foodstuff; anumoditaù—being permitted; dvijaiù—by the Vedäntist brähmaëas; sakåt—once upon a time; sma—in the past; bhuïje—took; tat—by that action; apästa—eliminated; kilbiñaù—all sins; evam—thus; pravåttasya—being engaged; viçuddha-cetasaù—of one whose mind is purified; tat—that particular; dharma—nature; eva—certainly; ätma-ruciù—transcendental attraction; prajäyate—was manifested.

TRANSLATION

Once only, by their permission, I took the remnants of their food, and by so doing all my sins were at once eradicated. Thus being engaged, I became purified in heart, and at that time the very nature of the transcendentalist became attractive to me.

PURPORT

Pure devotion is as much infectious, in a good sense, as infectious diseases. A pure devotee is cleared from all kinds of sins. The Personality of Godhead is the purest entity, and unless one is equally pure from the infection of material qualities, one cannot become a pure devotee of the Lord. The bhakti-vedäntas as above mentioned were pure devotees, and the boy became infected with their qualities of purity by their association and by eating once the remnants of the foodstuff taken by them. Such remnants may be taken even without permission of the pure devotees. There are sometimes pseudo-devotees, and one should be very much cautious about them. There are many things which hinder one from entering devotional service. But by the association of pure devotees all these obstacles are removed. The neophyte devotee becomes practically enriched with the transcendental qualities of the pure devotee, which means attraction for the Personality of Godhead's name, fame, quality, pastimes, etc. Infection of the qualities of the pure devotee means to imbibe the taste of pure devotion always in the transcendental activities of the Personality of Godhead. This transcendental taste at once makes all material things distasteful. Therefore a pure devotee is not at all attracted by material activities. After the elimination of all sins or obstacles on the path of devotional service, one can become attracted, one can have steadiness, one can have perfect taste, one can have transcendental emotions, and at last one can be situated on the plane of loving service of the Lord. All these stages develop by the association of pure devotees, and that is the purport of this stanza.

TEXT 26

tatränvahaà kåñëa-kathäù pragäyatäm

anugraheëäçåëavaà mano-haräù

täù çraddhayä me 'nupadaà viçåëvataù

priyaçravasy aìga mamäbhavad ruciù

tatra—thereupon; anu—every day; aham—I; kåñëa-kathäù—narration of Lord Kåñëa's activities; pragäyatäm—describing; anugraheëa—by causeless mercy; açåëavam—giving aural reception; manaù-haräù—attractive; täù—those; çraddhayä—respectfully; me—unto me; anupadam—every step; viçåëvataù—hearing attentively; priyaçravasi—of the Personality of Godhead; aìga-O Vyäsadeva; mama—mine; abhavat—it so became; ruciù—taste.

TRANSLATION

O Vyäsadeva, in that association and by the mercy of those great Vedäntists, I could hear them describe the attractive activities of Lord Kåñëa. And thus listening attentively, my taste for hearing of the Personality of Godhead increased at every step.

PURPORT

Lord Çré Kåñëa the Absolute Personality of Godhead is not only attractive in His personal features, but also in His transcendental activities. It is so because the Absolute is absolute by His name, fame, form, pastimes, entourage, parapharnalia, etc. The Lord descends on this material world out of His causeless mercy and displays His various transcendental pastimes as a human being so that human beings attracted towards Him become able to go back to Godhead. Men are naturally apt to hear histories and narrations of various personalities performing mundane activities without knowing that by such association one simply wastes valuable time and also becomes addicted to the three qualities of mundane nature. Instead of wasting time one can get spiritual success by turning his attention to the transcendental pastimes of the Lord. By hearing the narration of the pastimes of the Lord, one contacts directly the Personality of Godhead, and, as explained before, by hearing about the Personality of Godhead, from within, all accumulated sins of the mundane creature are cleared. Thus being cleared of all sins, the hearer gradually becomes liberated from mundane association and becomes attracted to the features of the Lord. Närada Muni has just explained this by his personal experience. The whole idea is that simply by hearing about the Lord's pastimes one can become one of the associates of the Lord. Närada Muni has eternal life, unlimited knowledge and unfathomed bliss, and he can travel all over the material and spiritual worlds without restriction. One can attain to the highest perfection of life simply by attentive hearing of the transcendental pastimes of the Lord from the right sources, as Çré Närada heard them from the pure devotees (bhakti-vedäntas) in his previous life. This process of hearing in the association of the devotees, is especially recommended in this age of quarrel (Kali).

TEXT 27

tasmiàs tadä labdhä-rucer mahämate

priyaçravasy askhalitä matir mama

yayäham etat sad-asat sva-mäyayä

paçye mayi brahmaëi kalpitaà pare

tasmin—it being so; tadä—at that time; labdhä—achieved; ruceù—taste; mahämate—great sage; priyaçravasi—upon the Lord; askhalitä matiù—uninterrupted attention; mama—mine; yayä—by which; aham—I; etat—all these; sat-asat—gross and subtle; sva-mäyayä—one's own ignorance; paçye—see; mayi—in me; brahmaëi—the Supreme; kalpitam—is accepted; pare—in the Transcendence.

TRANSLATION

O great sage, as soon as I got a taste of the Personality of Godhead, my attention to hear of the Lord was unflinching. And as my taste developed, I could realize that it was only in my ignorance that I had accepted gross and subtle coverings, for both the Lord and I are transcendental.

PURPORT

Ignorance in material existence is compared to darkness, and in all Vedic literatures the Personality of Godhead is compared to the sun. Wherever there is light there cannot be darkness. Hearing of the Lord's pastimes is itself transcendental association with the Lord because there is no difference between the Lord and His transcendental pastimes. To become associated with the supreme light is to dissipate all ignorance. By ignorance only the conditioned soul wrongly thinks that both he and the Lord are products of material nature. But in fact the Personality of Godhead and the living beings are transcendental, and they have nothing to do with the material nature. When ignorance is removed and it is perfectly realized that there is nothing existing without the Personality of Godhead, then nescience is removed. Since the gross and the subtle bodies are emanations from the Personality of Godhead, the knowledge of light permits one to engage both of them in the service of the Lord. The gross body should be engaged in acts of rendering service to the Lord (as in bringing water, cleansing the temple or making obeisances, etc.). The path of arcanä, or worshiping the Lord in the temple, involves engaging one's gross body in the service of the Lord. Similarly, the subtle mind should be engaged in hearing the transcendental pastimes of the Lord, thinking about them, chanting His name, etc. All such activities are transcendental. None of the gross or subtle senses should otherwise be engaged. Such realization of transcendental activities is made possible by many, many years of apprenticeship in the devotional service, but simply attraction of love to the Personality of Godhead, as it was developed in Närada Muni, by hearing, is highly effective.

TEXT 28

itthaà çarat-prävåñikäv åtü harer

viçåëvato me 'nusavaà yaço 'malam

saìkértyamänaà munibhir mahätmabhir

bhaktiù pravåttätma-rajas-tamopahä

ittham—thus; çarat—autumn; prävåñikau—rainy season; åtü—two seasons; hareù—of the Lord; viçåëvataù—continuously hearing; me—myself; anusavam—constantly; yaçaù amalam—unadulterated glories; saìkértyamänam—chanted by; munibhiù—the great sages; mahätmabhiù—great souls; bhaktiù—devotional service; pravåttä—began to flow; ätma—living being; rajaù—mode of passion; tamaù—mode of ignorance; apahä—vanishing.

TRANSLATION

Thus during two seasons—the rainy season and autumn—I had the opportunity to hear these great-souled sages constantly chant the unadulterated glories of the Lord Hari. As my devotional service began, the coverings of the modes of passion and ignorance vanished.

PURPORT

Transcendental loving service for the Supreme Lord is the natural inclination of every living being. The instinct is dormant in everyone, but due to the association of material nature the modes of passion and ignorance cover this from time immemorial. If, by the grace of the Lord and the great-souled devotees of the Lord, a living being becomes fortunate enough to associate with the unadulterated devotees of the Lord and gets a chance to hear the unadulterated glories of the Lord, certainly the flow of devotional service takes place like the flow of a river. As the river flows on till she reaches the sea, similarly pure devotional service flows by the association of pure devotees till it reaches the ultimate goal, namely, transcendental love of God. Such a flow of devotional service cannot stop. On the contrary, it increases more and more without limitation. The flow of devotional service is so potent that any onlooker also becomes liberated from the influence of the modes of passion and ignorance. These two qualities of nature are thus removed, and the living being is liberated, being situated in his original position.

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