Secret Truths of the Sri Bhagavata Rahasya -1

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Secret
Truths of the
Sri Bhagavata Rahasya


Preface
By the causeless mercy of Param€r€dyatama Gurup€dapadma, Oˆ
ViŠup€da Paramahaˆsa Parivr€jak€c€rya A˜ottara-ata ®r… ®r…mad
Bhaktived€nta N€r€yaŠa Gosv€m… Mah€r€ja, the following series of
his lectures is happily presented for our respected readers.
In June 1999, ®r…la N€r€yaŠa Mah€r€ja spent ten days at the New
Vraja community in Badger, California. There he gave a series of classes
on the deep meanings of the ®r…mad Bh€gavatam from the First Canto to
the Tenth, culminating in the inner significance of ®r… KŠa’s pastimes
in Vnd€vana. ®r…la Mah€r€ja explained that each loka of the Bh€gavatam
has many levels of meanings. When a faithful hearer understands these
meanings in the association of KŠa’s pure devotees, he becomes free
from hunger, thirst, illusion, unhappiness and fear, and ultimately
attains the association of KŠa Himself.
r…mad-bh€gavat€rth€n€m
€sv€do rasikaiƒ saha
saj€t…y€aye snigdhe
s€dhau sa‰gaƒ svato vare
(Cc. Madhya l…l€ 22.131)
“One should taste the meaning of ®r…mad Bh€gavatam in the association
of pure devotees. One should associate with the devotees who are more
advanced than oneself, and who are endowed with a similar type of
affection for the Lord.”
®r…la Mah€r€ja told his audience that never before had he explained
such elevated meanings in western countries, although he had discussed
them for many years with devotees in Mathur€ and Vnd€vana. When
he completed his lecture series, he requested that these discourses be
presented as a book for distribution to a large reading audience. He
pointed out that he cannot share his heart’s realizations as easily in
English as he does in Hindi because English is not his native language.
For this reason he wanted the lectures edited so that the meanings
would be easily accessible to a wide range of western readers. While
preparing this publication we asked ®r…la Mah€r€ja many questions
for clarification. We also asked his secretary, ®r…man Navina KŠa
Brahmac€r… ‘Vidy€la‰kara’, who has been hearing these lectures in
Hindi for the past twenty years. Their responses were then added,
sometimes in the body of the lectures, and sometimes as footnotes.
In order that the flow of the Bh€gavatam topics develop in an
uninterrupted way, ®r…la Mah€r€ja wanted the other subjects on which
he lectured alternatively with the Bh€gavatam classes to be placed
together in a separate section of the book. Part One, therefore, is the
series of seven evening classes on the Bh€gavatam; Part Two consists
of ®rila Mah€r€ja’s explanations of Gau…ya VaiŠava bhajanas; and
Part Three is comprised of his morning classes at the homes of the New
Vraja residents as well as other topics that he discussed in the evenings
before delving into his main point—the secret truths of the Bh€gavatam.
Throughout his discourses ®r…la Mah€r€ja often quoted verses
from ®r…mad-Bh€gavatam and, although he explained their purports,
he did not always give the translations. In addition, we have
inserted explanations from these BBT books as footnotes to define
certain Sanskrit terms mentioned in the lectures. We want to express
our gratitude to the BBT for allowing us to use these invaluable books
as references. It was by ®r…la Prabhup€da’s request and inspiration that
®r…la Bhaktived€nta N€r€yaŠa Gosv€m… Mah€r€ja is now preaching in
the Western countries. We think that readers will be satisfied to see how
the instructions of ®r…la Prabhup€da and ®r…la Mah€r€ja complement
and illuminate each other.

P a r t I
Çrémad-Bhägavatam
Classes
Çréla Çukadeva Gosvämé instructing Mahäräja Parikñit
3
Chapter One
I Meditate
on the Absolute Truth
Inquiry by the Sages
Now I want to begin my classes. First I will explain the first sloka
of Srimad- Bhagavatam, and gradually I want to come to the sweet
pastimes of Krsna. Srimad-Bhagavatam states that once, at the very
beginning of Kali-yuga, many hundreds of thousands of maharsis and
devotees assembled at a very pious place called Naimisaranya. They
were thinking how to save the world from the effects of Kali-yuga.
Kali-yuga is such an era that for absolutely no reason everyone will
quarrel among themselves: husband and wife, father and son, mother
and daughter, brothers, sisters, and neighbors. Although there will
be no cause, still everyone will quarrel. Kali-yuga will create such
misunderstanding that we will be bound to quarrel-even with our own
mind and soul. Therefore these maharsis and devotees were thinking
about what to do.
At that time Ugrasrava Suta, the son of Romaharsana and direct
disciple of Srila Sukadeva Gosvami, inspired by Baladeva Prabhu
Himself, came there. All the realized devotees present, like Saunaka
and others, showed him respect and enquired from him.
The sages said: “Respected Suta Gosvami, you are completely free from
all vice. You are well versed in all the scriptures famous for religious life,
and in the Puranas and the histories as well, for you have gone through
them under proper guidance and have also explained them. 0 Suta
Gosvami, being the eldest learned Vedantist, you are acquainted with
the knowledge of Vyasadeva, who is the incarnation of Godhead, and
you also know other sages who are fully versed in all kinds of physical
and metaphysical knowledge. And because you are submissive, your
spiritual masters have endowed you with all the favors bestowed
upon a gentle disciple. Therefore you can tell us all that you have
scientifically learned from them. Please, therefore, being blessed with
many years, explain to us, in an easily understandable way, what you
have ascertained to be the absolute and ultimate good for the people
in general. 0 learned one, in this iron age of Kali men have but short
lives. They are quarrelsome, lazy, misguided, unlucky and, above all,
Secret Truths of the Bh€gavatam
4
always disturbed. There are many varieties of scriptures, and in all
of them there are many prescribed duties, which can be learned only
after many years of study in their various divisions. Therefore, 0 sage,
please select the essence of all these scriptures and explain it for the
good of all living beings, that by such instruction their hearts may be
fully satisfied.” (SB 1.1.6-11)
The sages told Sri Suta Gosvami, “You are so learned, and a disciple
of SrIla Sukadeva Gosvami himself. You know the essence of all sastra
and you are perfect. We therefore have some questions for you. Now
that Kali is coming, what should we do? Yenatma suprasidati. How can
our souls be happy? By what process can less intelligent persons, with
little time, short duration of life, so many problems, difficulties, and
sorrows, make their souls pleased? You are very learned and qualified.
We believe in you, and we believe that by reciting the pastimes of Krsna
you will certainly save us from the effects of Kali-yuga. We know that
nothing else but the very sweet and powerful pastimes of Krsna can
save all people from Kali-yuga.”
Suta Gosvami became happy by the questions of the sages, thanked
them for their words, and then began to answer them by speaking
Srimad Bhagavatam.
Invocation Sloka
Suta Gosvami had heard Srimad-Bhagavatam from Sri Sukadeva
Gosvami, who heard it from Sri Vyasadeva. Vyasadeva began his great
literature with the following sloka:
janmadi asya yato ‘nvayad itaratas carthesv abhijnah sva-rat
tene brahma hrda ya adi-kavaye muhyanti yat surayah
tejo-vari-mrdam yatha vinimayo yatra tri-sargo’ mrsa
dhamna svena sada nirasta-kuhakam satyam param dhimahi
(SB1.1.1)
“O my Lord, Sri Krsna, son of Vasudeva, O all-pervading Personality
of Godhead, I offer my respectful obeisances unto You. I meditate upon
Lord Sri Krsna because He is the Absolute Truth and the primeval
cause of all causes of the creation, sustenance and destruction of the
manifested universes. He is directly and indirectly conscious of all
manifestations, and He is independent because there is no other cause
beyond Him. It is He only who first imparted the Vedic knowledge unto
the heart of Brahmaji, the original living being. By Him even the great
I Meditate on the Absolute Truth
5
sages and demigods are placed into illusion, as one is bewildered by
the illusory representations of water seen in fire, or land seen on water.
Only because of Him do the material universes, temporarily manifested
by the reactions of the three modes of nature, appear factual although
they are unreal. I therefore meditate upon Him, Lord Sri Krsna, who
is eternally existent in the transcendental abode, which is forever free
from the illusory representations of the material world. I meditate upon
Him, for He is the Absolute Truth”
Mangalacarana
First of all I should pray unto my spiritual master. Then I will begin
to explain the Bhagavatam.
om ajnana timirandhasya
jnananjana salakaya
caksur-unmilitam yena
tasmai sri-guruve namah
O Gurudeva, you are so merciful. I offer my humble pranama to you
and I pray from the core of my heart that, with the torchlight of divine
knowledge, you open my eyes that have been blinded by the darkness
of ignorance.
vancha-kalpatarubyas ca krpa-sindhubhya eva ca
patitanam pavanebhyo vaisnavebhyo namo namah
I offer pranamas unto the Vaisnavas who are just like desire trees, who
are an ocean of mercy, and who deliver the fallen, conditioned souls.
namo maha-vadanyaya krsna-prema-pradaya te
krsnaya krsna-caitanya-namne gaura-tvise namah
I offer pranama unto Sri Krsna Caitanya, who is Sri Krsna Himself.
Having assumed the golden hue of Srimati Radhika, He is munificently
bestowing that rare gift of krsna-prema.
guruve gauracandraya
radhikayai tadalaye
krsnaya krsna bhaktaya
tad-bhaktaya namo namah
I offer pranama to Sri Gurudeva, Sri Gauracandra, Srimati Radhika
and Her associates, Sri Krsna and His associates, and to all Vaisnavas.
yam pravrajantam anupetam apeta-krtyam
dvaipayano viraha-katara ajuhava
Secret Truths of the Bh€gavatam
6
putreti tan-mayataya taravo ‘bhinedus
tam sarva-bhuta-hrdayam munim anato ‘smi
I offer pranama to Sri Sukadeva Gosvami, who can enter the hearts of all
living entities. When he left home without undergoing the purification
processes such as accepting the sacred thread, his father Vyasa cried out,
“0 my son!” As if they were absorbed in that same feeling of separation,
only the trees echoed in response to his call.
tavaivasmi tavaivasmi
na jivami tvaya vina
iti vijnaya devi tvam
naya mam caranantikam
1am Yours! I am Yours! 1 cannot live without You! 0 Devi (Radhe),
please understand this and bring me to Your lotus feet.
bhaktya vihina aparadha-laksaih
ksiptas ca kamadi-taranga-madhye
krpamayi tvam saranam prapanna
vrnde! numaste caranaravindam
O merciful Vrnda-devi! Devoid of devotion and guilty of unlimited
offences, l am being tossed about in the ocean of material existence
bv the turbulent waves of lust, anger, greed, and other inauspicious
qualities. Therefore, I take shelter of you and offer pranama unto your
lotus feet.
Try to hear this very patiently, with deep honor, and try to understand
it. Don’t do any work during this class. Allow your mind to be
controlled my words. Give up all your other activities, like sleeping
or anything else. Give your ears to me, your hands, and all your
senses-only for a couple of minutes. Afterwards you are free to do as
you like. Don’t sleep and don’t yawn. Sleepiness may come, but try
to control it. Sit straight so that sleep will not come. You should hear,
very patiently, and with all your energy.
Janmady asya yatah. Sri Vyasadeva is offering pranama, obeisances.
To whom? He does not actually say the name of Sri Krsna, but all the
symptoms of the worshipable object of his pranama apply only to
Krsna. To which Krsna? Not to the Krsna of Mathura, or Dvaraka,
To that Krsna who is the source of all others-Nanda-nandana Krsna,
Yasodanandana Krsna, Vrajendra-nandana Syamasundara. All others
are included within Him.
I Meditate on the Absolute Truth
7
Why Krsna Descends
Why did Krsna descend to this world? The first reason is that mother
Prthvi (earth in the form of a cow) along with the demigods, went to
Brahma, the creator. Actually, Brahma is only externally the creator
of this world, like a manager, Prthvi told him, “Recently mv four legs
have been broken and I cannot walk. My husband Dharma (religion
personified), who is now in the shape of a bull, also cannot walk.
Nowadays there is so much sin in this world, Both men and women
are like animals. So-called saintly persons and sannyasis do not
observe the rules of saintly life, and they are therefore more wretched
than animals. They make an artificial show of saintliness, wearing big
neck beads, five-kilo japamala, and very big tilaka. At the same time,
however, they are always duplicitous, absorbed in making money,
and full of lust. In all these ways we have so many problems, Please
save me and my husband Dharma,”
Brahma became very worried, and went with Prthvi and the
demigods to Ksira-samudra (the ocean of milk). There he began to
do aradhana (meditation) on Garbhodakasayi Visnu, In his trance he
heard the reply to his prayers: “I already know about this. My Prabhu,
the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krsna, is also aware, and He will
quickly descend, All the demigoddesses should come in the form of
earthly ladies to Gokula, Vrndavana, and Mathura. All you demigods
should come in the form of gopas and Yadus. Krsna will appear very
soon,” This is one reason for Krsna’s descent.
Secondly, the time had come for the establishment of yuga-dharma1.
What was the yuga-dharma at that time? The worship of Deities.
Yavanas and others were destroying temples, people had no faith in
the Deities, and the standard of worship was at its worst. In order to
save the situation, Krsna appeared in this world, taking with Him the
yuga-avatara, manvantara, and all other incarnations like Narayana,
Rama, Nrsimha, Kalki and Vamana.
There were also other reasons for Krsna’s descent. Jaya and Vijaya
had been cursed to come to this world as demons for three births. Now,
in their third birth, they would become Sisupala and Dantavakra.
Krsna had to come to liberate them.
Moreover, Krsna came to fulfill the promises He had made in the
form of Ramacandra. Rama went to Dandakaranya forest with Sita and
Laksmana to carry out the orders of His father, There He dressed as
a sadhu. Although His hair was jata, matted, He was so beautiful—a
1 The religious principles prescribed for any one of the four yugas.
Secret Truths of the Bh€gavatam
8
teenager of about sixteen years. At that time, sixty-thousand sages
were performing aradhana. Aradhana means service in meditation
to Radha-Krsna conjugal, Rama or others, by mantra. They had been
chanting gopala-mantra, that is, gopi-jana-vallabhaya svaha, for
thousands of years. During that long period of time, however, they
did not become like fish who, if taken out of water, would die at once.
The practices of these sages were somewhat weak. Their practices were
much superior to yours, but still they were somewhat weak.
Your practices are very weak. Sometimes you chant your gayatrimantra
and sometimes you do not. Sometimes you sit awake and
sometimes you fall asleep. If you think about all your problems
instead of concentrating on the mantras, your mantra chanting will
be like zero and you will fall asleep. Big problems will then quickly
come at that time.
So these sages were performing their somewhat weak practices.
When they saw Rama, however, and He glanced upon them, they
had some inspiration, and they began to pray to Him, “Please fulfill
our desires.”
Rama knew that they wanted to serve Radha-Krsna conjugal and
that they wanted to participate in rasa and other lilas. He therefore
kindly and mercifully told them, “In My next birth I will be Krsna,
and there in Vraja, by the help of Yogamaya, you will take birth from
the wombs of gopis. At that time you can meet Me and I will fulfill
your desires.”
The sages went on with their practices for a very long time—from
the appearance of Rama to the appearance of Krsna-for lakhs2 and lakhs
of yugas. Do not think that in a moment you can have pure bhakti, as
you can have laddus and rasagullas. You cannot say, “0 Guru Maharaja,
you gave me the mantras, but still I have not realized that I am in
Goloka Vrndavana. I want to be in Vrndavana now.” Valmiki Rsi took
initiation from Narada, engaged in very severe austerities for 60,000
years, and then became self-realized. But you don’t want to follow
all these things—like chanting your mantras. Srila SwamI Maharaja
gave some of you initiation into the gayatri-mantras. For one day, two
days, one month, or for some years you practiced; but after that you
became weak. Especially after his departure, you left your chanting.
You have no faith in these mantras. You will have to practice them. It
may be that two, three, four, five, or so many births will pass, but we
2 One lakh equals 100,000.
I Meditate on the Absolute Truth
9
have the good fortune that in this Kali-yuga, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabbu
came to sprinkle His mercy. We can therefore chant with some hope
that very soon we can become realized souls. So don’t worry. Go on
practicing like the Dandakaranya rsis.
When Krsna descended, these rsis took birth from the wombs
of gopis, and they also became gopis. Later they worshiped the
demigoddess Katyayani for a long time in order to get Krsna as their
husband. Krsna then came and their desires were fulfilled. It was
for this reason also that He descended. In the same way this process
will bear fruit for you; but you must do one-pointed krsna-bhajana,
engaging in all the practices.
Another reason for Krsna’s descent is as follows. When Rama went
to Janaka Puri, the raja-kumari princesses became charmed to see
Him. When they saw that Sita was married to Him they developed a
very strong desire: “Oh, if Rama would also marry us it would be so
good. We want Rama to become our husband, and we will not marry
anyone else.” With this determination they never married. Rama was
pleased and told them, “You will take birth in Dvapara-yuga in the
wombs of gopis.”
In His later years Ramacandra ordered Sita to leave His palace. She
thus left and lived alone in Valmiki’s asrama, where she gave birth to
Rama’s two sons. Rama was in His palace and Sita was in the forest.
For certain reasons the king had left His queen, but Rama never left
His dear Sita. He remained there in His palace but He was always
remembering Her. He was not passing His days well. Feeling so much
separation, Rama would sometimes speak to His guru and priest,
Vasistha. Once He requested him, “I want to perform a fire sacrifice,
an asvamedha-yajna or any other yajna. Please allow Me to do this.”
Vasistha replied, “Because You have left Your wife, You cannot
perform any sacrifice. You should bring her back and sit beside her.
Then You can do it.” “That cannot be,” Rama told him. “Please make
any other arrangement so that I can perform the sacrifice.”
“Your father married three-hundred and sixty wives, so You can
also marry again. I think that there are so many beautiful ladies in the
world who will want to marry You. They will very easily be ready to
marry You,” Vasistha suggested.
Rama said, “No, I cannot marry anyone else.”
“Then You cannot perform the sacrifice.”
“Please somehow arrange it,” Rama insisted.
Then Vasistha said, “You can make a golden statue of Sita. With
that Sita You can sit and perform the sacrifice.”
Secret Truths of the Bh€gavatam
10
Every following year Rama had one murti of Sita made. These
Deities were established by mantra, by both Vasistha and Rama
Himself. By their invocation, therefore, these installed Deities were
actually alive. In Rama’s last days, just before His pastimes in this
world were completed and He was about to go to aprakat Ayodhya
(His spiritual abode), all those Deities came and told Him, “We all
want to go with You, and always be with You.” Rama replied, “In this
incarnation I can only accept one Sita. Only one Sita will remain with
Me. You are now so many. You should go to Vrndavana and take birth
from the wombs of gopis. There I will manage everything. I will fulfill
all your desires.” So Krsna also came for this reason.
Surpanakha, the sister of Ravana, was another cause. She wanted
to marry Rama, and because Rama is like a desire tree, He had to
fulfill her desire. By mystic power Surpanakha was able to assume
many beautiful forms and could allure many men. Rama considered,
“Because I have accepted her, no one else may be allowed to marry
her in this life.” In order that no one marry her, He ordered Laksmana
to cut off her nose. In her next life she would become Kubja and she
would be crooked in eight parts of her body. In that life also, therefore,
no one would marry her. Her face would be very beautiful but her
entire body would be very crooked and bent—like a hunchback.
When Krsna would come and touch her, then she would become very
straight, and at that time her wishes would be fulfilled. For this reason
also Krsna descended.
Narada Muni was another cause for Krsna’s descent. Once during
Narada’s travels he saw the two sons of Kuvera, Nalakuvera and
Manigriva, playing with many heavenly apsara girls. They were naked
like trees and stones, drinking wine, and totally shameless. When
they saw Narada coming on that path the girls became ashamed.
They folded their hands, covered themselves with garments, and
prayed to Narada from far away. The two men, on the other hand,
completely mad and intoxicated by wine, began abusing both the girls
and Narada. They called out, “Why has this old man come here and
disturbed everything?’”
Narada was very merciful and thought, “They are sons of my
friend Kuvera.” Kuvera was Narada’s friend, and Sankara was also
his friend. Narada had been on his way to meet Kuvera, and when
he saw his sons so degraded he thought, “I should punish them.” He
therefore cursed them, “You should become trees. You are behaving
like trees, and so you should be trees.” At once they felt, “Oh, we are
I Meditate on the Absolute Truth
11
going to be trees.” They fell flat at Narada’s lotus feet and he told
them, “What I have foretold will not prove false; it will come true.
But you will become trees in Gokula, where Krsna will take birth and
perform so many sweet pastimes. He will touch you and you will be
liberated. Not only that, but you will attain bhakti and become His
transcendental associates forever.” So Krsna also descended to fulfill
Narada’s foretelling.
Krsna also came to perform rasa-lila. The personified Upanisadmantras
had been performing austerities and chanting gopal-mantra
and kama-gayatri in order to become gopis. By their chanting they
became gopis in their next birth. They became known as upanisad-carigopis
and Krsna accepted them as His beloveds. There are two types of
devotees who, by chanting mantras and performing austerities, were
accepted by Krsna. They are called yauthaki and ayauthaki, those who
were in groups and those who were not. By this history we see that
these mantras are very high-class and powerful. Never neglect them.
Once Krsna and Arjuna were going traveling. Krsna said, “0
Arjuna, I’m so thirsty. Bring water from somewhere.” While looking
for water, Arjuna saw some birds coming and going in the direction
of the Yamuna. Upon reaching there, he saw that she was flowing
very sweetly and her water was very pure and clear. He also saw an
old lady with white hair who was in trance. He circumambulated her
and offered pranama. After some time, when she returned to external
consciousness, Arjuna asked her, “Mother, who are you, and why are
you meditating in this place? No one is here. What are you doing here
on the bank of the Yamuna?” The lady replied respectfully, “I’ve been
here for lakhs and lakhs of years. I want to be a gopi in Vrndavana
and serve Radha and Krsna conjugal. Narada was pleased to give
me gopala-mantra and kama-gayatri. I’m doing aradhana by these
mantras.” Arjuna returned to Krsna and told Him what had happened.
Krsna then went to her and gave her the benediction of His mercy.
These are some of the reasons for Krsna’s descent to this world.
There are so many stories and so many reasons that it would take
about ten days to explain them all.
Meaning of the First Sloka
Sri Vyasadeva writes: janmady asya yato’nvayad itaratas carthesv
abhijnah svarat tene brahma-hrda. Although Krsna’s name is not
directly stated, all the qualities described in the verse apply to Him,
Secret Truths of the Bh€gavatam
12
Vrajendra-nandana Syamasundara. Vyasadeva is offering pranama:
satyam param dhimahi. This means, “I am meditating on param
satya.” Param satya is the Supreme Transcendental Truth, the advaya
jnana-para-tattva, Krsna Himself. There is no one other than Him.
Janmady asya yatah—it is He who created all these worlds, He who
supports and nourishes them, and He into whom the entire creation
enters after dissolution. Janma, sthiti, pralaya----creation, sustenance
(maintenance), and destruction--everything is coming from Him.
Yato ‘ nvayad itaratas. Anvayat means direct and itaratah means
vyatireka, indirect. I will explain anvayat, direct, in a simple way. Krsna
has three saktis (powers)—cit-sakti, jiva-sakti and maya-sakti. From His
cit-sakti He creates all transcendental worlds, like Goloka Vrndavana
and Vaikuntha. All transcendental forms, like those of Krsna, Baladeva,
Nanda, Yasoda, the gopis and so on, are also manifest by the citsakti.
And all liberated souls and conditioned souls are manifest by
the jiva-sakti. As far as the maya-sakti is concerned, she is not a zero.
She is the power of Krsna. She creates lakhs and lakhs of brahmandas,
universes. This is what is meant by direct. What is meant by the word
indirect? All souls are cetana (conscious) or cit (aware), and this maya
is jada (inert). Although inert, maya covers the cetana padartha (the
conscious beings). This is a very strange thing. The jiva is conscious
and maya is inert. Still, how wonderful it is that the jiva is covered by
and involved with this inert maya. Thus covered, he thinks he is this
perishable material body. Such thinking should not be done, but still it
is done. This strange phenomenon becomes possible by the power of
Krsna. This power is kartum akartum anyatha kartum. By this power
everything that is impossible becomes possible. This is the meaning
of indirect. The complete, transcendental power or sakti of Krsna is
called parasakti. It is only one sakti, but it manifests as three: hladinisakti3,
samvit sakti,4 and sandhini-sakti.5 In this way, by anvaya and
3 Hladini is the personal manifestation of the blissfulness of the
Supreme Personality of Godhead, by which He enjoys pleasure. The
essence of the hladini potency is love of God. (Cc. Adi 4.60)
4 The transcendental potency by which the Lord knows Himself
and causes others to know Him is called samvit.. The essence of the
samvit potency is knowledge that the Supreme Personality of Godhead
is Lord Krsna. All other kinds of knowledge, such as knowledge
of Brahman, are its components. Material knowledge and indirect
spiritual knowledge are by-products of the samvit sakti. (Cc. Adi 4.62,
67)
5 See next page for 5.
I Meditate on the Absolute Truth
13
itaratas, directly and indirectly these worlds are created by Krsna.
Avijnah means that Krsna knows everything; He is very expert in
creating and destroying, and also in supporting and nourishing. No
one is as expert as He is. Even Rama, Nrsimha, Kalki and Vamana-all
come from Him. He is therefore Adipurusa (the original person) and
sarva-karana-karanam (the cause of all causes).
isvara paramah krsnah
sac-cid-ananda-vigrahah
anadir adir govindah
sarva karana karanam
(Brahma-samhita 5.1)
“There are many personalities possessing the qualities of Bhagavan,
but Krsna is Supreme because no one can excel Him. He is the Supreme
Person, and His body is eternal, full of knowledge and bliss. He is the
primeval Lord Govinda and the cause of all causes.”
The second line of this first sloka is tene brahma-hrda ya adi-kavaye.
Krsna Himself gave inspiration in the heart of Brahma, the adi-kavi
(first poet). He inspired Brahma by sabda-brahma, transcendental
sound vibration, thus giving him all knowledge of Himself, of the
jivas, maya, etc. Tene brahma means in the heart of Brahma. The other
demigods cannot understand all these truths. He only inspired the
heart of Brahma.
tejo-vari mrdam yatha vinimayo yatra tri-sargo’mrsa
dhamna svuena sada nirasta-kuhakam satyam param dhimahi
Tejo-vari-mrdam. There are three elements in this world, or three kinds
of creations, which we are able to see. Teja means fire, vari means water,
and mrda means earth. Here teja refers to Krsna. Sometimes you can
see fire bv rubbing sticks together or by striking a match, but fire is
everywhere. Without fire no one can live. If fire leaves your body you
will die at once. It is manifest and seen by the help of a match. After
5 The transcendental potency of the Supreme Personality of Godhead by
which He mantains His existence is called sandhini-sakti.. This sandhini-sakti of the
internal potency maintains and manifests all variegatedness of the spiritual world. In
the kingdom of God, the Lord’s servants and maidservants, His consorts, His father
and mother and everything else, are all transformations of the spiritual existence of
sandhini-sakti. The existential sandhini-sakti in the external potencv similarly expands
all the variegatedness of the material cosmos, from which we can have a glimse of the
spiritual field. (Cc Adi -4.62 pp. 67 verse & pp)
Secret Truths of the Bh€gavatam
14
some time, when the fuel is finished, the fire is no longer seen. Similarly,
Krsna can be seen by practicing certain processes, and the soul can
also be seen by certain practices. It will never be seen by mortal eyes,
and it can never be realized by mortal senses.
Regarding the jivas, they are compared with vari, water. When
water is solidified it becomes like ice or snow. It becomes so hard that
if you throw it at someone it will cause an injury. Water itself, however,
is not like that. Similarly, in his natural position, when he is liberated,
the jiva is serving Krsna. By chance he has forgotten Krsna and has
come to that unnatural “solidified” stage. He thinks, “I am this body”
and all kinds of problems arise, such as quarreling and so on.
Next is mrda. In this world there are many kinds of pots made
from earth. Some are called glasses and some arc called pots and
vessels, but all are made with mud, with earth. Ultimately there is no
difference at all between them; only the name is different. This is also
true with gold—a cup made of gold, a garment of gold, a necklace of
gold and a ring of gold, are all gold. Their names are different but all
of them are gold.
Yatha vinimayo yatra tri-sargo’mrsa. It seems that all these worlds
are true, but they are not. When we see fire we think it is true. However,
when we realize Krsna we will see that He is true. Souls are true, but the
idea that “I am this body” is not true. This illusion is called vinimayo,
exchange, meaning the interactions and reactions of the three modes
of material nature.
Dhamna svena sada nirasta-kuhakam. Unlike this world, in the
abode where Krsna resides, there is no maya at all. Only Yogamaya
is there. Only para-sakti is there. The maya which creates this world,
and by whose effect we think, I’m this body,” is not there. Therefore,
those who live in that spiritual realm can never fall to this world. It is
not that the jivas who are here in this world have forgotten that abode
and come here. Rather, they have forgotten that they are originally
manifest from the borderline region between the material and spiritual
worlds called tatastha.
jivera ‘svarupa’ haya—krsnera ‘nitya dasa’
krsnera ‘tatastha sakti’ bhedabheda-prakasa
(Cc. Madhya 20.108)
Srila Svami Maharaja has explained this, but we are not thinking
deeply. The Gita (15.6) states: yad gatva na nivartante tad dhama
paramam mama—“Those who reach that supreme abode of Mine
I Meditate on the Absolute Truth
15
never return to this material world.” By practicing great austerities
for lakhs and lakhs of births one may go to Goloka Vrndavana. Since
there is no maya in Vrindavana, and no chance of forgetting Krsna,
how can a jiva fall down from there? It is never possible. Everyone is
always serving Krsna there; and Yogamaya helps them to serve Him.
Dhamna svena sada means that in Krsna’s transcendental abode
there is no maya. Only hladini-sakti, sandhini-sakti and cit-sakti are
there. The phrase nirasta-kuhakam also means there is no maya there.
Satyam param dimahi. Krsna, Vrajendra-nandana Syamasundara, is
parama-satya, the Supreme Truth. Dhimahi: “I meditate on Him; may
He kindly be merciful and manifest in my heart.”
The meaning of this first sloka is the same as that of brahmagayatri:
om bhur bhuvah svah tat savitur varenyam bhargo devasya
dhimahi dhiyo yo nah pracodayat. Actually, this first sloka of the
Srimad Bhagavatam is the translation of brahma-gayatri, and it is
also like a mantra.
Further Meanings of the First Sloka
There is a second meaning of janmady asya. Adi means adi-rasa. the
original rasa. That original rasa is srngara-rasa, madhurya-rasa, and
it comes from Krsna, not from anyone else. There is more than one
meaning for every word of each sloka, and all the meanings are very
good. In this sloka, for example, the meanings of each word may be
changed.
Here anvayad itaratas, direct and indirect, means separation and
meeting. Krsna is very perfect in this. Tene brahma hrda ya. Here adi
kavaye means Sri Sukadeva Gosvami. ‘Krsna’ means Krsna who is
the ocean of rasa, from whom madhurya-rasa comes. Therefore the
word is adi. All rasas are included in Krsna. He is rasa-brahma and
He inspired the heart of Sukadeva Gosvaml, the first kavi. Muhyanti
yat suraya. Brahma, Sankara, and all other demigods are in confusion.
They cannot understand this deeper meaning.
Tejo-vari-mrdam also has a change of meaning. Here teja means,
as it has been said in brahma-gayatri, bhargo devasya. Devasya
means Krsna Himself, and bhargah means His power. “ I meditate
on the power of Krsna. who is Srimati Radhika.” Tejo-vari-mrdam.
Here Vyasadeva prays to Radhika, the power of Krsna. Without this
understanding we cannot enter Srimad-Bhagavatam. Sometimes
there is separation (between Radha and Krsna), sometimes meeting
Secret Truths of the Bh€gavatam
16
and sometimes neutrality.6 Even when apparently separated, Krsna
is always with Radhika. Radhasa sva-dhamani ramsyate namah
brahmani ramsyate namah (SB 2.4.14). He is always with Radhika and
all the gopis in His abode.
In the Brahma-samhita it is stated:
ananda-cinmaya- rasa-pratibhavitabhis
tabhir ya eva nija-rupataya kalabhih
goloka eva nivasaty akhilatma-bhuto
govindam adi-purusam tam aham bhajami
“I worship Govinda, the primeval Lord. He resides in His own realm,
Goloka, with Radha, who resembles His own spiritual figure and who
embodies the ecstatic potency (hladini). Their companions are Her
confidantes, who embody extensions of Her bodily form and who are
imbued and permeated with ever-blissful rasa.”
(Cc. Madhya 8.139)
All the gopis are as transcendental as Krsna. They are all the kayavyuha,
bodily manifestations, of Srimati Radhika. Radhika is one with Krsna
and therefore all the gopis are like Him. They are not less than Him.
Krsna plays with them. He meets with them in Vrndavana-dhama. In
this way, satyam-param dhimahi means, “We meditate on Krsna with
Srimati Radhika.”
There is still a more superior meaning, a fourth meaning. No rasa
can exist without Radhika. Therefore Radha and Krsna are conjugal.
Janmady asya. From this conjugal Radha-Krsna madhurya-rasa comes.
Without Radhika’s presence Krsna is like nirvisesa-brahma,7 there is
no rasa in Him at all. If He is with Sita, if He is with Laksmi or even if
He is with Satyahhama or Rukmini, there is only a percentage of rasa.
It is not complete. Even if all the gopis are present but Radhika is not,
still rasa cannot be full. If He is with the gopis, and especially with
Radhika, then rasa will be full. Here, therefore, Vyasadeva is praying
to whom? In this context satyam-param dhimahi means Radhika.
6 An example of ‘neutral’ is mana, transcendental loving anger.
Srimati Radharani may say, “I have no connection with Krsna”, but
internally She wants to meet with Him.
7 *Impersonal Brahman, with no shape, attributes, name,
opulence—nothing. In the eyes of brahma-jnanis Krsna becomes
Brahma, for those in dasya-rasa He is Narayana. When 2 ½ rasas
are there, He is Rama, and when all rasas are there, He is Vrajendranandana
Krsna. (Srila Narayana Maharaja’s lecture: Maui, Hawaii,
May 1999)
I Meditate on the Absolute Truth

“May She kindly come and manifest.” As stated in brahma-gayatri:
dhiyo yo nah pracodayat—“May Srimati Radhika mercifully come.”
The first meaning refers to Krsna and to this creation. The second
refers to madhura-rasa in relation to Vrajendra-nandana Krsna. The
third is in relation to conjugal Radha and Krsna. The fourth is only
in relation to Radhika. This is because without power Krsna cannot
do anything. Finally, the fifth meaning is in relation to Sri Caitanya
Mahaprabhu. All the meanings of all the words will then refer to
Him. Satyam-param dhimahi. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu is paramasatya
because He is conjugal—both Radha and Krsna. He has come
to distribute all these truths, to sprinkle His mercy by preaching ragamarga8
and also to taste the beauty of the moods of Radhika. Therefore
satyam param dhimahi means, “This Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu should
kindly be manifest in our hearts.”
Here adi-kavi means Srila Rupa Gosvami. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu
inspired all truths in him at Prayag, and thus Rupa Gosvami wrote
Bhaktirasamrta-sindhu, Ujjvala-nilamani, Vidagdha-madhava and
so many other books. He then manifested this over the whole world.
Now we are in this line. You should know how fortunate you are to
have come in the line of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Always think in
this way. Always be hopeful and practice like this. Satyam –param is
Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.
8 Spontaneous devotional service, following in the footsteps of
the residents or Goloka Vrndavana, especially those in the conjugal
mellow.


Chapter Two
®r…mad-Bh€gavatam
Does Not Cheat
If you hear ®r…mad-Bh€gavatam, then tat kaŠ€t, immediately, without
delay, KŠa will be controlled in your heart. ®r…mad-Bh€gavatam is
so powerful and sweet. It is not like quinine (a medicine for malaria
patients) which is bitter. Other medicines may be somewhat bitter, but
this medicine is not. It is like nectar. This nectar of ®r…mad-Bh€gavatam
may not appear to be sweet in the beginning, and it may even appear
somewhat bitter; but afterwards its real quality of sweetness manifests.
It is actually very sweet and very powerful. If you hear it, KŠa will
come in your heart and be controlled.
I have explained the essence of the first loka of ®r…mad-Bh€gavatam,
which is the ma‰gal€caraŠa, auspicious invocation. I explained its five
different meanings. Now we will begin the essence of the second loka,
the third loka and beyond.
dharmaƒ projjhita-kaitavo ‘tra paramo nirmatsar€Š€ˆ sat€ˆ
vedyaˆ v€stavam atra vastu ivadaˆ t€pa-trayonm™lanam
r…mad-bh€gavate mah€-muni-kte kiˆ v€ parair …varaƒ
sadyo hdy avarudhyate ‘tra ktibhiƒ ur™ubhis tat-kaŠ€t
(SB 1.1.2)
“Completely rejecting all religious activities which are materially
motivated, this Bh€gavata Pur€Ša propounds the highest truth, which
is understandable by those devotees who are fully pure in heart. The
highest truth is reality distinguished from illusion for the welfare of all.
Such truth uproots the threefold miseries. This beautiful Bh€gavatam,
compiled by the great sage Vy€sadeva (in his maturity), is sufficient
in itself for God-realization. What is the need of any other scriptures?
As soon as one attentively and submissively hears the message
of Bh€gavatam, by this culture of knowledge the Supreme Lord is
established within his heart.”
Mah€muni ®r…la Vy€sadeva wrote many Pur€Šas. He even put the G…
topaniad (Bhagavad-g…t€) within the Mah€bh€rata. He divided the Vedas
into four, and also compiled Brahm€-s™tra in which he presented very
high-class truths. But he was not satisfied. N€rada Ri therefore came
Secret Truths of the Bh€gavatam

and suggested to him, “Enter in trance, totally surrendering to KŠa,
and in trance you will realize something by which you will be satisfied.
Otherwise it will not be possible.” Vy€sadeva then heard the ®r…mad-
Bh€gavatam in trance,1 and after that he wrote it down.
Dharmaƒ projjhita-kaitavo ‘tra. “In this Bhagavata Pur€Ša all types
of cheating religion, which are covered by fruitive intention, are
completely rejected.” ®r…mad-Bh€gavatam is the final book written by
®r…la Vy€sadeva. In all other scriptures, like the Pur€Šas, Mah€bh€rata,
and Brahm€-s™tra, he expounded so many truths and histories, but
he did not explain the pastimes of KŠa. KŠa’s pastimes are very
powerful and very sweet, and there is no adulteration in them. In all
other Pur€Šas there is some adulteration. For example, one Pur€Ša
states that in Goloka Vnd€vana ®r…mat… R€dhik€ became angry and
cursed ®r…dama, who also cursed Her, and therefore they both had to
come to this world. This cannot be; it is impossible.
Some statements in certain Pur€Šas imply that there are impurities
in Goloka Vnd€vana, like quarreling, anger and lust. However this
is only to arouse the curiosity and interest of general people. The
intelligence of such people is not very high, and therefore Vy€sa
gave all these mixed (adulterated) ideas only for them. In the Pur€Šas
Vy€sadeva made many statements that are not true to the fullest extent,
only for beginners, just as ®r…la Sw€m…j… made certain statements for
beginners. For advanced devotees he told something else. In this way
we should try to reconcile all apparently contradictory statements.
Dharmaƒ projjhita-kaitavo’tra. “Completely rejecting all religious
activities which are materially motivated, this Bh€gavata Pur€Ša
propounds the highest truth.” In other Pur€Šas the histories of
Haricandra, Dhruva, Prahl€da, and Citraketu Mah€r€ja are given,
but not clearly. For example, Haricandra was engaged in karma. He
thought that worldly truths are real truths. ®r…mad-Bh€gavatam also
tells this history, but at the same time states that only transcendental
reality is truth. In the ®r…mad-Bh€gavatam, Vy€sadeva clearly explains
what can lead us to Goloka Vnd€vana.
1 Although this book, ®r…mad-Bh€gavatam, came from Vy€sadeva, he is not the
original writer. Who is the writer? No one in this world is the writer; even KŠa is not
the writer. Where did it come from? From the heart of KŠa Himself. This book is R€dh€
and KŠa. It is the embodiment of KŠa Himself. So Vy€sadeva has not compiled it;
he received it in trance. It is transcendental and has come from Goloka Vnd€vana. The
pastimes of KŠa and KŠa Himself are not separate. They descended into the heart of
Vy€sadeva, and ®r…mad-Bh€gavatam is therefore called sam€dhi-bh€y€, trance language.
(®r…la N€r€yaŠa Mah€r€ja’s lecture: Maui, Hawaii, May 1999.)
®r…mad Bh€gavatam Does Not Cheat

Some other Pur€Šas discuss worship of materialistic gurus and
relatives. They state, for example, that a wife should worship her
husband, even if he is not a devotee. ®r…mad-Bh€gavatam however,
never cheats us in any way. It directly states:
gurur na sa sy€t sva-jano na sa sy€t
pit€ na sa sy€j janani na s€ sy€t
daivaˆ na tat sy€n na pati ca sa sy€n
na mocayed yaƒ samupeta-mtyum
( SB 5.5.18)
“One who cannot deliver his dependents from the path of repeated
birth and death should never become a spiritual master, a father, a
husband, a mother or a worshipable demigod.”
What is the meaning of na sa sy€t? If a guru is not really a guru, if he
cannot give love and affection for KŠa, you should reject him. A
guru may think, “All these disciples are my property, and I will enjoy
their property. They have no connection with KŠa. Their connection
is only with me.” That guru is a wretched guru, not a real guru, and
he should be at once rejected, just as B€li Mah€r€ja rejected his guru.
There are so many examples of this in the €stras.
A husband is not a husband if he is not actually helping his wife in
KŠa consciousness; that wife should reject such a husband. If a wife
is not helping her husband in KŠa consciousness, or if a husband is
not helping his wife in KŠa consciousness, they should be at once
rejected. If a son is not helping his father in KŠa consciousness, then
he is rejected as a son. There should be no relationship. If others help
us in KŠa consciousness, then they are guru, husband, wife, daughter,
son, father or friend. Otherwise you should reject them. This must be
the root of all relations. If you consider some compromise in this regard,
you will be deprived of KŠa. This has all been clearly explained in ®r…
mad-Bh€gavatam. The gop…s are the most superior devotees in the world
and they all disregarded their husbands. ®r…mad-Bh€gavatam explains
all these truths. It has never said anything to cheat us.
Nirmatsar€n€ˆ sat€ˆ means that only those who are free from
envy, duplicity, hypocrisy and all other impurities can understand the
statements in ®r…mad-Bh€gavatam. Vedyam v€stavam atra vastu means the
real truth or reality. Who is v€stavam vastu? KŠa is Himself advayajñ€
na par€ tattva. Nothing exists without some relation to Him. No one
is independent; only He is independent. Still sometimes He becomes
dependent. On whom? On the Vrajav€s…s, the gop…s, and especially on
®r…mat… R€dhik€.


®r…mad-bh€gavate mah€-muni-kte kiˆ v€ parair …varaƒ. Ultimately
there is no need to read. Simply by hearing ®r…mad-Bh€gavatam KŠa
will at once be controlled. He will be bound to come in the devotee’s
heart, if he has honor for hari-kath€ and strong faith that whatever is
written in ®r…mad-Bh€gavatam is true to the fullest extent. All that is
required is this honor or faith.
There is still another condition for understanding. One should not
offend ®r…mad-Bh€gavatam or the bh€gavata. There are two kinds of
bh€gavatas: bhakta-bh€gavata and grantha-bh€gavata. Never offend either
one of these. Then, if you simply hear ®r…mad-Bh€gavatam with honor,
KŠa will come at once and be controlled in your heart. The loka says,
‘at once,’ very quickly. Don’t disbelieve ®r…la ®ukadeva Gosv€m…, S™ta
Gosv€m… or Vy€sadeva. How will it come about? KŠa knows. At once
He will enter your heart and never leave. By hearing, you will be able
to follow with your heart and your activities.
The Ripened Fruit
nigama-kalpa-taror galitaˆ phalaˆ
uka-mukh€d amta-drava-saˆyutam
pibata bh€gavataˆ rasam €layam
muhur aho rasik€ bhuvi bh€vukaƒ
(SB 1.1.3)
“O expert and thoughtful men, relish ®r…mad-Bh€gavatam, the mature
fruit of the desire tree of Vedic literatures. It emanated from the lips
of ®r… ®ukadeva Gosv€m…. Therefore this fruit has become even more
tasteful, although its nectarean juice was already relishable for all,
including liberated souls.”
Nigama-kalpa-taror means that all the Vedas, Upaniads, rutis,
Mah€bh€rata, and R€mayana combined together are like a kalpataru, a
transcendental desire tree. On that tree the ®r…mad-Bh€gavatam is the
sweetest fruit of all. If you suck the root of the tree, no sweet taste will
come. If you suck the leaves or the branches of the tree, the sweetness
cannot come. Even if you suck the green raw fruits, still it will not come.
When a fruit is matured and has fully ripened, and when some cuckoo
birds or parrots come, attracted by its fragrance, and have bitten it,
then it will be so very tasteful.
All the Vedas and Upaniads are like trees. You can serve them, you
can hear and follow them, but there will be no sweetness. In all the
®r…mad Bh€gavatam Does Not Cheat

Pur€Šas there is no sweetness. Even in R€mayana and Mah€bh€rata there
is not so much sweetness. And even if you read ®r…mad-Bh€gavatam by
yourself, no sweetness will come. Why? Because the parrots or cuckoo
birds have not touched it. There is something in their mouths, within
their beaks, and when they inject that substance into the fruit, that
fruit becomes very tasteful. That is why it is said: yaha bh€gavata pada
vaiŠavera sthane—”If you want to understand ®r…mad-Bh€gavatam,
you must approach a self-realized VaiŠava and hear from him.” (Cc.
Antya 5.131)
So many devotees are reading ®r…mad-Bh€gavatam. ®aŠkar€c€rya
also read it and all his sanny€s…s read it. The m€y€vad…s also read ®r…
mad-Bh€gavatam. Without doing this their business cannot advance.
They would not be able to attain followers and money, respect and
praise. Therefore they read it. Actually, they know more than us. They
are very, very learned and they can explain hundreds of meanings
for one word, as S€rvabhauma Bha˜˜€c€rya did. But they don’t
understand ®r…mad-Bh€gavatam at all. Why? Because they don’t hear
from a realized, rasika (who tastes all the rasas) and bh€vuka (who has
bh€va, transcendental emotion) VaiŠava.
®r…mad-Bh€gavatam has come from KŠa through the guruparampar€.
Who is ®r…la ®ukadeva Gosv€m…? He is the parrot of ®r…
mat… R€dhik€. He has seen and tasted all the pastimes of KŠa with
his own eyes, with his own senses, and with his own intelligence.
Anyone who has not read ®r…mad-Bh€gavatam with such a pure rasika
and bh€vuka bh€gavata in this line cannot really explain it. That nectar
will not come. If one has not come in this process, if one has not read
or heard ®r…mad-Bh€gavatam through this disciplic line, and has not
become rasika and bh€vuka, he can neither touch ®r…mad-Bh€gavatam
nor can he explain it. He can utter words, and there is no harm in that.
In other words, he can give some explanations, but the fruit will not
be like that which ®r…la ®ukadeva Gosv€m… gave to Par…kit Mah€r€ja
and others.
There are some devotees, like ®r…la ®ukadeva Gosv€m…, who have
read ®r…mad-Bh€gavatam with their gurudeva, and they themselves are
rasika and bh€vuka, but still they cannot explain it fully. Why? When
they explain certain portions, they would remember KŠa’s pastimes
and at once faint. They would become unconscious and thus be unable
to speak. If KŠa Himself comes and tries to explain it, He would be
the first person to faint. ®r… Caitanya Mah€prabhu, for example, could
not explain ®r…mad-Bh€gavatam Himself. Therefore He sometimes
wanted to hear it from ®r…la Gad€dhara PaŠita. And if R€dhik€ hears
Secret Truths of the Bh€gavatam

even the first words of the first chapter of ®r…mad-Bh€gavatam, janm€dy
asya yato, what will happen? She will remember KŠa and at once
faint. She also cannot explain it.
Gad€dhara PaŠita was also always weeping, but there was some
arrangement. Because Mah€prabhu had a desire to hear from him,
Yogam€y€ made an arrangement that he would not faint. R€dh€
and KŠa may give special mercy, just as They gave to ®ukadeva
Gosv€m…. Just before entering Their aprakata-l…l€ They ordered him,
“You should remain in this world. We are going, but you should stay
here for some time. We are giving you special mercy so that you can
explain ®r…mad-Bh€gavatam to everyone. You will not faint. There may
be a chance that you will fall unconscious when you remember Me or
R€dhik€ in Brahm€ra G…t€, or in r€sa, or anywhere else. So try to pass
by those subjects. Don’t utter the name of R€dhik€ and Myself directly
there. Try to subside your feelings. Special mercy will come from Us
so that you can explain ®r…mad-Bh€gavatam. Otherwise it will be very
difficult. Very difficult.”
Who can Explain R€sa?
If one is not rasika he cannot explain ®r…mad-Bh€gavatam. This is because
®r…mad-Bh€gavatam is rasa Himself. Vrajendra-nandana is Himself rasasvar
™pa.2 ®r… Caitanya Mah€prabhu is Himself rasa-svar™pa. So this is
a very high subject. We can explain an abh€sa, a semblance. You can
imagine that if the semblance is like this, then when rasika and bh€vuka
bhaktas like ®r… Gad€dhara PaŠita, ®r…la Raghun€tha Bha˜˜a, ®r…la R™pa
Gosv€m…, and ®r…la San€tana Gosv€m… explain ®r…mad-Bh€gavatam how
powerful it will be. If you have read Bhad-Bh€gavatamta, then you can
imagine something; otherwise, you cannot. This ®r…mad-Bh€gavatam
is like a very high-class transcendental treasure, more valuable than
cint€maŠi, desire- stone. One cannot even compare the two. Those who
try to compare them are foolish persons. ®r…mad-Bh€gavatam cannot be
compared even with cint€maŠi.
For the benefit of those who have no taste in ®r…mad-Bh€gavatam,
®ukadeva Gosv€m… has stated in the Tenth Canto:
nivtta-tarair upag…yam€n€d
bhavausadh€c chrotra-mano-’bhir€m€t
2 The embodiment of transcendental mellows, taste and relationships.
®r…mad Bh€gavatam Does Not Cheat

ka uttamaloka-gun€nuv€d€t
pum€n virajyeta vin€ paughn€t
(SB 10.1.4)
“Glorification of the Supreme Personality of Godhead is performed
in the parampar€ system; that is, it is conveyed from spiritual master
to disciple. Such glorification is relished by those no longer interested
in the false, temporary glorification of this cosmic manifestation.
Descriptions of the Lord are the right medicine for the conditioned
soul undergoing repeated birth and death. Therefore, who will cease
hearing such glorification of the Lord except a butcher or one who is
killing his own self?”
Those who think only about worldly problems, and thus give up
hearing ®r…mad-Bh€gavatam from any devotee in the line of ®r…
®ukadeva Gosv€m…, ®r…la Prabhup€da, and others who have left
behind all worldly desires, are like butchers. Actually they are worse
than butchers. They are committing suicide and are thus butchers of
their own souls. In this context ‘butcher’ does not only mean killer of
animals. It also means self-killer. The entire future of such a person is
blocked. Hearing ®r…mad-Bh€gavatam in this process is the only mah€-
auadhat, great medicine and panacea for this world. Hearing it will
not go in vain. It is medicine, but very sweet like nectar.
It has also been stated:
n-deham €dyam sulabham sudurlabham
plavam sukalpam guru-karnadh€ram
may€nuk™lena nabhasvateritam
pum€n bhav€bdhim na taret sa €tma-h€
(SB 11.20.17)
“The human body, which can award all benefit in life, is automatically
obtained by the laws of nature, although it is a very rare achievement.
This human body can be compared to a perfectly constructed boat
having the spiritual master as the captain and the instructions of the
Personality of Godhead as favorable winds impelling it on its course.
Considering all these advantages, a human being who does not
utilize his human life to cross the ocean of material existence must be
considered the killer of his own soul.”
Although it has been told many times in many €stras, still we remain
worldly persons, like butchers, cutting our own souls. We think it is
very good to cut ourselves, but not to hear ®r…mad-Bh€gavatam. Don’t
be like this.
Secret Truths of the Bh€gavatam

nigama-kalpa-taror galitaˆ phala
uka-mukh€d amta-drava-saˆyutam
“The fully mature fruit of the desire tree of Vedic literatures, ®r…mad-
Bh€gavatam, has emanated from the lips of ®ukadeva Gosv€m… and
therefore this nectarean fruit has become all the more relishable.”
®r… ®ukadeva Gosv€m… brought the Bh€gavatam from Goloka
Vnd€vana. He was the special parrot of ®r…mat… R€dhik€, and therefore
he knows so many things. If he were a parrot of KŠa, he could not
have known the heart of ®r…mat… R€dhik€—how much happiness She
feels in meeting with KŠa. This parrot is always with Her and he
knows everything that happens.3 R€dh€y€h pranaya-mahim€. He knows
KŠa’s four types of m€dhuris, sweetness. Because he is the servant of
®r…mat… R€dhik€, he knows how sweet and beautiful KŠa is. Unlike
KŠa, that parrot also knows the happiness tasted by ®r…mat… R€dhik€.
KŠa wants to taste what ®r…mat… R€dhik€ tastes, and that is why He
had to steal Her heart. But this parrot has no need to steal because he
is always serving Her. He knows everything. He is rasika and he is
bh€vuka. He knows more than KŠa, and this is why KŠa deputed
him to remain in this world and manifest the ®r…mad-Bh€gavatam.
Try, therefore, to hear ®r…mad-Bh€gavatam with great care, great
honor and a strong belief that, “I do not need to do anything for my
departure from this world. I need not worry about mukti, salvation,
and I need not worry how I will achieve bhakti. Everything will come
automatically by hearing.” KŠa has promised, “In the form of harikath€
I enter the heart of the devotees and manage everything.” He is
very powerful. Therefore you need not worry.
®r…la ®ukadeva Gosv€m… has told that you should hear ®r…mad-
Bh€gavatam for your whole life. He has not told that you should read
it. Did he say anywhere that you should read ®r…mad-Bh€gavatam?
Never. By reading it will not come; so we should hear. And this is
true for harin€ma also. First you should hear, ravanam, then chant k…
rtanam, and so on. ®r…mad-Bh€gavatam also advises to first listen to
hari-kath€, and then you will be matured to explain it. Otherwise your
explanation will be like zero.
3 R€dhik€ loved him so much. She would take that parrot on Her left hand
and give him some pomegranate seeds and sometimes rice and milk. Caressing him,
She would tell him, “O parrot, can you repeat after Me? ‘KŠa! KŠa! KŠa! KŠa!’
Then, in the same tune as R€dhik€ he would repeat,’ Krsna! KŠa!”(®r…la Mah€r€ja’s
lecture: Maui, Hawaii May 1999)
®r…mad Bh€gavatam Does Not Cheat

Hari-Kath€ Pleases KŠa and the Soul
®r… S™ta Gosv€m… heard the question of all the is:
tatra tatr€ñjas€ yuman
bhavat€ yad vinicitam
puˆs€m ek€ntataƒ reyas
tan naƒ aˆsitum arhasi
(SB 1.1.9)
“Please explain to us, in an easily understandable way, what you
have ascertained to be the absolute and ultimate good for the people
in general.”
ataƒ s€dho ‘tra yat s€raˆ
samuddhtya man…ay€
br™hi bhadr€ya bh™t€n€m
yen€tm€ supras…dati
(SB 1.1.11)
“Therefore, O sage, please select the essence of all these scriptures and
explain it for the good of all living beings, that by such instruction their
hearts may be fully satisfied.”
The is requested, “Tell us the essence of all the scriptures, Vedas,
Upaniads, and also ®r…mad-Bh€gavatam, by following which, our €tm€,
soul, will be satisfied and happy. There is a deeper meaning to yen€tm€
supras…dati. štm€ here refers to the €tm€ of all €tm€s, KŠa Himself. If
KŠa is satisfied and pleased, then the whole world is pleased. We
should try to please KŠa; then our soul will automatically be happy.
If you do everything to please your self, your own soul, then KŠa
cannot be pleased and you also cannot be pleased. The best process
is to please KŠa by all your activities. Then you will see that your
€tm€ is happy and others’ €tm€s are also happy.
Now S™ta Gosv€m… is telling:
sa vai puˆs€ˆ paro dharmo
yato bhaktir adhokaje
ahaituky apratihat€
yay€tm€ supras…dati
(SB 1.2.6)
“The supreme occupation (dharma) for all humanity is that by which
men can attain to loving devotional service unto the transcendental
Secret Truths of the Bh€gavatam

Lord. Such devotional service must be unmotivated and uninterrupted
to completely satisfy the self.”
Certainly, the most elevated paro-dharma, transcendental religion, is to
serve Adhokaja. Who is Adhokaja? He who is beyond the material
senses. He is KŠa Himself, Vrajendra-nandana ®y€masundara.
Perform causeless, uninterrupted bhakti to Him. Don’t be like this:
“Oh, in the morning I did some bhakti, and after that I went to my job
and I forgot all these things. When I returned in the evening I again
remembered something: oˆ ... bh™r ... bhuvaƒ. Kl…ˆ ... KŠaya ... sv€h€.”
Then again you take pras€d€, and then begin to yawn. Bhakti should be
an uninterrupted flow, like a stream, always flowing like the Ganges
river. This is high-class bhakti.
dharmaƒ svanu˜hitaƒ puˆs€ˆ
vivaksena-kath€su yaƒ
notp€dayed yadi ratiˆ
rama eva hi kevalam
(SB 1.2.8)
“The occupational activities a man performs according to his own position
are only so much useless labor if they do not provoke attraction
for the message of the Personality of Godhead.”
If you are chanting, remembering, sometimes worshipping, sometimes
doing your three sandhyas, g€yatr…-mantras, but you have no taste for
hearing the pastimes of KŠa from mah€-bh€gavatas, then your chanting
may stop very quickly. If you are worshipping, your worship may
stop. If you are serving your gurudeva and devotees, then that also
may stop very easily if you are not hearing hari-kath€. You will become
weak very soon, and you will think, “I should return to my home and
marry. We will make money, and then we will have a golden Deity.
Then we will serve all devotees, always read Bh€gavatam, and give
classes.” Instead, however, you’ll become weak, and then you may
leave KŠa consciousness forever.
The words dharm€h svanu˜hitaƒ puˆs€ˆ vivaksena-kath€su yaƒ:
indicates the duties executed by men which do not provoke attraction
for the message of the Personality of Godhead. Those who have very
strong faith in hearing ®r…mad-Bh€gavatam can taste something. Try to
create taste. How will it come? It comes by hearing, hearing, hearing.
If you have no taste in chanting the holy name, continue chanting
and hearing KŠa’s glories; then it will come. But you will have to
be in high-class association. If that association is lacking, you cannot
develop your KŠa consciousness. Then you will be weak and think,
®r…mad Bh€gavatam Does Not Cheat

“We have very big problems. ®r…la Prabhup€da was here in this world,
and at that time we were very happy and enthusiastic, doing this and
that. But when he left very big problems came, so many sanny€s…s fell
down, and brahmac€r…s also left.”
I think that most of you were brahmac€r…s at the time of ®r…la Sw€m…j….
But when he left you became weak and married and had children; and
you made a saˆsara (household) of G…t€. You may also be thinking,
“®r…la Mah€r€ja is now here and we are very inspired and performing
devotional service. But after he departs what will happen? At that time
the same thing will happen to us.” Don’t think like this. We were also
serving our Gurudeva, and he departed from this world. But we are
still here doing devotional service. So try to be like us, always chanting
and remembering with strong belief. I’m not a high-class VaiŠava,
but I have so much strong faith due to hearing hari-kath€ from our
guru-varga. Never worry about the future, as animals never worry.
Have faith, not in problems, but in what gurudeva has given in your
heart. He has given everything, but now you will have to protect it,
sprout it and nourish it. Then you will see that everything is alright
and there is no problem at all.
Benefits of High-Class Association
®r… ®ukadeva Gosv€m… told the story of N€rada. Without the help of a
transcendental, elevated guru, no one can develop in bhakti. A guru who
has not internally served his gurudeva, who is not inspired and strong
enough, and who has no faith, cannot help his disciples. Therefore ®r…
®ukadeva Gosv€m… first related the life history of N€rada.
N€rada was the son of Brahma, born from his throat. In the throat
there are words, especially transcendental words, and therefore N€rada
is the manifestation of word. What word? ®abdha-brahma. ®abda-brahma
is KŠa Himself. N€rada has therefore been called bhakti-avatara, the
incarnation of devotion. In a previous life N€rada was born in a very
low-class family, and his mother used to clean here and there. When he
was only five years old the four Kum€ras Sananda, SaŠaka, San€tana
and Sanat, along with many is, came to the village where he lived
with his mother. He used to serve them with great honor. They would
order, “O Bring my lota, bring my kaupina and my kamaŠalu. You can
come with me when I go to bathe in the river.”
Secret Truths of the Bh€gavatam

By good fortune, one day N€rada took some remnants of food
from those is, the pras€d which was on their leaf plates. What was
the result? VaiŠava-pad€-dh™li, bhakt€-pad€-jala.
bhakta-pada-dh™li ara bhakta-pada-jala
bhakta-bhukta-avaea,—tina mah€-bala
(Cc. Antya 16.60)
“The dust of the feet of a devotee, the water that has washed the feet
of a devotee, and the remnants of food left by a devotee are three very
powerful substances.”
You should have strong faith in this. Even if you are doing a great deal
of chanting and reading of Bh€gavatam this will not help you very much.
If, however, you receive the remnants of any high-class VaiŠava, you
will be greatly benefited. Remnants are of two kinds—
the nectars of
hari-kath€ and of pras€d. The other powerful substances are the dust
of the lotus feet of the VaiŠava and the water that washed his feet.
One must serve these with honor. Do not jokingly quarrel and wrestle
with that VaiŠava, trying to throw him flat on the ground to forcibly
take his foot-dust.


Om Tat Sat
                                                        
(Continued...)

(My humble salutations to  the lotus feet of  Swami jis great Devotees , Philosophic Scholars, Purebhakti dot com       for the collection)

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