pratiruddhendriya-prāṇa-
mano-buddhim upāratam
sthāna-trayāt paraṁ prāptaṁ
brahma-bhūtam avikriyam
(SB 1.18.26)
Translation
The muni’s sense organs, breath, mind and intelligence were all restrained from material activities, and he was situated in a trance apart from the three (wakefulness, dream and unconsciousness), having achieved a transcendental position qualitatively equal with the Supreme Absolute.
Purport
It appears that the muni, in whose hermitage the King entered, was in yogic trance. The transcendental position is attained by three processes, namely the process of jnäna, or theoretical knowledge of transcendence, the process of yoga, or factual realization of trance by manipulation of the physiological and psychological functions of the body, and the most approved process of bhakti-yoga, or the engagement of senses in the devotional service of the Lord. In the Bhagavad-gitä also we have the information of the gradual development of perception from matter to a living entity. Our material mind and body develop from the living entity, the soul, and being influenced by the three qualities of matter, we forget our real identity. The jnäna process theoretically speculates about the reality of the soul. But bhakti-yoga factually engages the spirit soul in activities. The perception of matter is transcended to still subtler states of the senses. The senses are transcended to the subtler mind, and then to breathing activities and gradually to intelligence. Beyond the intelligence, the living soul is realized by the mechanical activities of the yoga system, or practice of meditation restraining the senses, regulating the breathing system and applying intelligence to rise to the transcendental position. This trance stops all material activities of the body. The King saw the muni in that position. He also saw the muni as follows.
Importance of hearing and chanting the glories of the Lord
So herein, responding to the enquiries of the sages of Naimisharanya, who are very anxious to hear the glorious pastimes of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, knowing that simply by hearing submissively a revolution of consciousness takes place within one’s life. Not only individually, but the entire society can be transformed by this wonderful process of hearing and chanting the glories of the Lord. The sages at Naimisharanya were performing a great yajna. But they understood that there is no greater yajna, than the Sankirtan of the Lord’s names and glories. So they requested Suta Goswami to chant. They wanted to know what he had heard from Sukhdev Goswami on the banks of the holy river Ganges, at the time when Maharaj Parikshit, the great king of the Earth, decided to fast until death for the last 7 days of his life. And they especially wanted to understand the story of how Maharaj Parikshit had made such a glorious decision, when he was in a very prime of his life. So Suta Goswami has been describing the glories of Maharaj Parikshit’s birth.
When you give everything to Krsna, Krsna will take care. Do not fear!
Make your life an offering to Krsna
How the son of Abhimanyu and Uttara, his father had been killed, who gave his life fighting for Krsna in the battlefield of Kurukshetra. And we should know that if we give our life for Krsna, He will take care of everything else. Sometimes people are afraid that if I do too much for Krsna, we think that if we give everything to Krsna, what will happen to my family members. But one who has transcendental knowledge and faith understands that if we perform our duties according to Krsna’s instructions, He is the Supreme controller of all controllers. The material energy and the spiritual energy are both acting effortlessly under His direction. Krsna says in Gita, “sarva dharman parityaja mam ekam sharanam vraja aham tvam sarva papebhyo mokshaishyami ma sucah”. Abandon all varieties of religion, just surrender unto Me. I shall protect you and He says do not fear! This is His promise to us. He will take care. Do not fear. We have nothing to fear for ourselves, we have nothing to fear for our loved ones because if we give our lives to Krsna, Krsna will do whatever is best for us and for everyone involved. We see in the life of Prahlad Maharaj, he simply remained faithful to Krsna consciousness and his father was the greatest Asura. He was performing activities which were casting him into deeper and deeper regions of hellish suffering. He was enjoying, he never really enjoyed, but he was trying to enjoy his senses at the expense of others and his karma was inconceivable. We cannot even imagine what type of karma! Killing brahmanas, drinking their blood, he was setting people’s houses on fire, destroying yajnas, he was killing cows. He was doing everything terrible! But because Prahlad was faithful to the will of the Lord, his father was liberated by the mercy of the Lord and not only that but 10 generations in the past and 10 generations of Prahlad’s ancestors and descendants were all liberated also. Because when the Lord, when He favors His devotees, He naturally favors everyone in relationship to that devotee. And therefore Krsna says do not fear. Do not fear for yourself, do not fear for anyone around you. I will protect you. Here is a wonderful example. Abhimanyu was the son of Arjuna. During the battle of Kurukshetra, the Kuru army arranged a particular formation which was strategically destroying the entire Pandava army and unless someone somehow penetrated that formation, broke into it, the Pandavas would have been definitely annhilated. Arjuna was way way on the other side of the battlefield of Kurukshetra, fighting the Trigartas. So they could not reach him. And the only person besides Arjuna who had the skill of penetrating was Abhimanyu. But when he was requested, he told Yudhistir and others that I know the process of getting in the formation but I do not know the process of getting out. And anyone who is trapped in this formation is certain to be slain. So Bhima, Yudhistir and others, they promised, we will follow right behind you. You go in and we will get in with you and if all of us get into that formation, they will not be able to harm. So Abhimanyu understood that this was a risk in his life. There was actually very little chance that he would have been able to get out alive. And he knew that! But still he didn’t mind because this war was being fought for Krsna. Arjuna, his father, Yudhistir, his uncle, they were fighting this war on behalf of Krsna and as a servant of the servant of the Lord he didn’t mind living or dying. It would mean fulfillment of the desire of Krsna. According to his duty, his occupation was a warrior. He had faith, he had nothing to fear. So he entered into the formation very valiantly. He was only a child. He was only in his teenage years. And he penetrated and the Kurus, very powerful, very clever, they closed the formation as soon as he entered so nobody else could possibly get in. It was impossible. And then he fought, he was against all odds. The large assembly of great Maharathis all challenged him together. And he fought in such a way, that even the Maharathis who were his opponents were glorifying his skills and his courage, his enthusiasm. He was actually defeating all of them for some time. But it was impossible because he was outnumbered. It was such a cheating, unfair condition that he became tired and ultimately he was killed. But of course as we were speaking last night, about the son of Srivas Thakur, as he died in the Kirtan of the Lord, he went back home, back to godhead. There’s nothing wrong in dying that way. To enter into eternal life is the ultimate goal. This life only lasts for some few years and if we can attain eternal consciousness and enter into the lilas of the Lord within these few years that is the greatest purpose of life. We just try to enjoy life for these few years we are in this body and waste the opportunity to go back to godhead. It is a very unfortunate loss. So Abhimanyu went back to godhead. He died completely immersed in serving the Lord. There is no harm in that. And Mahabharata describes very elaborately this great history of the events that took place afterwards. Ultimately, Arjuna took revenge from Jayadratha who arranged this killing of Abhimanyu and then later on Drona was killed by Dhristadyumna and Ashvatthama, his son, wanted to get revenge. He wanted to destroy all descendants of the Pandavas. So Abhimanyu is dead. But when he died his wife Uttara was pregnant carrying a child. So one may think who is going to take care of the child when the father is dead? This is a material conception, but it is a responsible conception. But with transcendental vision we understand that Abhimanyu was a devotee who was willing to risk everything to surrender to Krsna. Krsna’s going to take care of the child. It is obvious. Obviously the child in the womb was dear to Abhimanyu. So, also to Arjuna, the grandfather. Why would Krsna not take care? He is the Supreme Controller. He will never break His promise. Do no fear. So Ashvatthama threw this brahmastra at the child in this womb, who was helpless and Krsna, who is always true to His promise- “kaunteya pratijanahi na me bhaktya pranashyati”, responded to the calls of Uttara, the mother, and He appeared within the womb and protected the child. So Suta Goswami is describing this glorious, glorious event and through it we should understand with faith what Srila Rupa Goswami has said. Rupa Goswami has said make your life an offering to Krsna. Don’t be afraid. Krsna will give u the best. He will give u Himself. There is nothing greater than that. We should have no hesitation. We should not have material considerations. What about this and what about that? We have to be responsible, we have to be intelligent to serve Krsna the best way but if at the same time we have to know that when we make our lives an offering for Krsna, Krsna becomes so pleased. If we do it in a responsible fashion he will definitely compensate everything. Krsna says in Gita, for one who is My devotee, who sacrifices for Me, I will protect what the devotee has and I will carry what he doesn’t have. Whatever shortcomings, Krsna can make it up and whatever you have Krsna will protect, if you surrender. So throughout the Shastras, this is given, this word. So as our human lives are ticking, second by second, moment by moment why should we have so many fears and considerations? We should just trust Krsna and do everything within our power to serve Krsna. And that is why we hear the scriptures. That is why these wonderful stories are given, to give us this faith, this courage so that our weak-heartedness will be dissolved through transcendental sound vibration.
Parikshit Maharaj’s life
Then he explains how after Maharaj Parikshit was born, how there was such wonderful, wonderful ceremony and how Maharaj Parikshit gradually grew up in pure devotion to the Lord and always looking for that Krsna whom he saw in the womb of his mother. He was completely engrossed in worshipping Deities, making offerings. He didn’t care about playing with other children or kings. His only concern was Bhakti from his very childhood. Very rare child. And when he grew up and was coronated as king after Yudhistir, Bhima, Arjuna, Nakul and Sahadev retired and went to the Himalayas and eventually back to godhead, he became such a king.
What is justice?
Maharaj Parikshit completely ruled the earth according to religious principles. Everything he did was for the purpose of the Lord. He personally, he didn’t just send ambassadors, secretaries or ministers of state, he personally went on his chariot with his sword to personally make sure if there was any injustice to the innocent citizens he would deal with them. How when we saw when the cow and the bull were being mistreated by Kali personified in the role, in the disguise of a king, he became so angry that he was about to destroy him immediately. This is justice. Not going to the courts and getting advocates and appeals and the jury and all this what they do today. This is all because the leaders of the state have no discrimination anymore. Maharaj Parikshit had discrimination. He was a man of god and he could immediately understand guilty or not guilty and if you are guilty, finished and if they are not guilty he would give you all protection. Good justice is justice.
Krsna arranges many purposes at one time
The cycle of 4 Yugas:
So Kali personified, the greatest power of Maya, surrendered at the feet of Maharaj Parikshit. What kind of king was he? But it was the Lord’s will that Kali Yuga begin, because that is part of the process of creation. There are these 4 cycles- Satya Yuga, the golden age of religion, Treta Yuga- where 1/4th of religion is decreased. Dvapar Yuga, where half the population becomes irreligious. Kali Yuga, in the beginning hardly a quarter of the population has any religious feelings and as this age goes on it becomes less and less and less. At the end of the Kali Yuga, Sri Kalki Avatar comes and exterminates all of the wicked people and Satya Yuga again begins. So these 4 Yugas in a cycle is called a Divya Yuga. And this goes on for 71 Divya Yugas in a life of 1 Manu. There are 14 Manus and that means 1000 Divya Yugas are equal to one day of Brahma. Approximately, 4 billion 320 million years is one day of Brahma. And then he goes to sleep for 4 billion 320 thousand years. During that time the whole universe up to the higher, beyond Swargaloka are submerged in water. Everybody is just sleeping in the body of Lord Vishnu and then Lord Brahma wakes up and then all the spirit souls who are still conditioned to material enjoyment enter into 84 million thousand species to resume their karmic actions and reactions. So this is the will of the lord that this age and Yuga cycles continue. And Kali Yuga is a very important Yuga, because if Kali does not come the Yuga Avatar does not come. The Kali Yuga Avatar is Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. He comes as the most merciful incarnation. He comes in every Kali Yuga, once in a day of Brahma. He comes as the orignal Krsna, as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who comes to taste the sweetness of Srimati Radharani. But in every Kali Yuga, Kshirodakshayi Vishnu incarnates as Lord Chaitanya, the Yuga avatar to spread the glories of the Harinaam Sankirtan movement. So therefore, He is also the most munificient of all incarnations. So we should understand that the coming of Kali is actually serving the Lord’s purpose. Once and for all, give the opportunity to the people to chant the names Hare Krsna and go back to godhead. So even the worst, most terrible situations of this world are actually, and very wonderfully, being orchestrated to serve the purpose and His only purpose is to show love and mercy to al living beings. So Kali Yuga was meant to come and it simply could not enter the world as long as Maharaj Parikshit was living, because he was too religious. So Krsna personally devised a plan in order to remove Maharaj Pariksjit, to send him back to godhead, to bring in kali, to set the stage for the patita pavana avatar, Sri Gauranga Mahaprabhu. Sri Gauranga Mahaprabhu ki Jai!
The great sages worship Kali Yuga
The great sages worship Kali Yuga, the age of quarrel and hypocrisy. The great sages, their mood is always they want cooperation and harmony and love and trust so why do they worship Kali Yuga, the age of quarrel and hypocrisy? Similarly we see Narada Muni, he was a great sage. He was actually preaching to Kamsa in such a way to make him very disturbed. In such a way that he became ready to go killing everyone because he knew that would just make Krsna enter His wonderful lilas and that would make the world see. So Narada, people cannot understand why he was telling all things about Krsna to Kamsa. Why didn’t he just keep it secret? Because he wanted Kamsa to do more and more atrocities to speed up Krsna’s deliverance of all living beings and perform His wonderful pastimes.
Qualities of a Sadhu
So Krsna arranged this mysterious pastime where Maharaj Pariksjit is in the forest and he became very thirsty and although he was such a great soul that he was actually beyond hunger and thirst and even if he feels hunger and thirst a devotee is titiksha karunika.. titiktisha karunika suhrida sarva dehinam. He’s tolerant, compassionate, self controlled, merciful to others. These are the signs of a great Sadhu. Who is a greater sadhu than Maharaj Parikshit! He was truly a sadhu. Even though he was wearing a big crown, wearing beautiful jewels and he was living in a big palace, wife and everything. He was a sadhu because he had spiritual qualities. The shastras do not say about a sadhu’s dress, his hair style or a particular economic lifestyle. titiktisha karunaka suhrida sarva dehinam, ajat shatru… sadhu… sarva sadhu abhushanam. A sadhu is tolerant. One who is merciful, a friend to all living beings, one who is self controlled, one who is always remembering Krsna. Not if one is king or a mendicant or anything in between. When Chaitanya Mahaprabhu asked who is a vaishnava? He was speaking to the residents of Kulinagram. Most of them were Grihasthas. You may be saying give up your home. But a Vaishnav is one who is always chanting the holy names of Krsna, always remembering Krsna and living by the principles of Krsna. That is a vaishnava, a sadhu.
We should not allow Kali into our temples
So why someone who was the embodiment of tolerance and kindness… he forgave Kali. Kali was killing cows, destroying the legs of religion of all society and Parikshit Maharaj was so magnanimous that he forgave him. Not only did he forgive him but also gave him place to live. In fact he gave Kali a portion of his own kingdom because a King must maintain everybody fairly. He said wherever there is illicit sex, wherever there is intoxication, where there is gambling, where there is meat eating and slaughtering of animals, where there is greed and hoarding of wealth, those 5 places Kali, that is your kingdom. You could reside there. So kali has a lot of homes at this particular time in history. He practically rules the whole world. But we shouldn’t let him in our temple. We have to be very pure, very cooperative because as soon as he enters, quarrel and hypocrisy enters and all faith in God is lost.
Pollution is due to polluted leaders
So Maharaj Parikshit gave Kali a place. That shows he was such a tolerant person. So how is it that such a magnanimous soul, who was so merciful to all, became so overcome with thirst? So when he came to this hermitage, he was searching everywhere for water, for a well, or some lake some pond of water. In those days everything was pure because the leader was pure. He was teaching people Krsna consciousness. Their house was pure and therefore the world was pure. We could go to any pond of water and drink it because the water was all pure. There was no contamination. Anywhere it was so pure. Now, if you drink the water in the ponds you get typhoid, dysentery, all sorts of other diseases. Now you have to go buy Bisleri water, just to survive practically. Also there are filtration systems. In those days, any water you would see, you just drink it because the world was pure, the hearts of people was pure.
Maharaj Parikshit cursed
So he was looking for water but there he saw no water. So he came to the ashram of Shamik Rishi. It is described that Shamik Rishi was a great Rishi and he was meditating on the Parmatama within the heart through the yogic process, through asana, pranayama, dhyana, yama, niyama. He followed the principles perfectly. He was a real yogi. He was sitting with his back straight, his matted hair scattered, he had this skin he was covered with the skin of a stag and was completely away from external consciousness. His mind was so deeply within his inner realizations of the soul. So Maharaj Parikshit asked him for water but he didn’t even know Maharaj Parikshit was there. He was in another world. He was in the spiritual world. So Maharaj Parikshit again requested, I’m thirsty, I am a guest, you should greet me. Any guest that comes to your house, it is the Vedic custom, you must give some water, some food, some nice sweet words. In fact it is said in the shastras, even if your enemy comes home you should treat him so nicely that he should even forget that he is your enemy. Then when he leaves your home, he remembers again. That is the Vedic custom. In fact you treat him so nice, after he leaves; he might not be your enemy anymore. The one who mistreats the guest that comes to their home, according to 5th canto of Srimad Bhagavatam, there are specific hellish planets for people who make those offences. So you should be careful. This is one of the foremost duties of the grihasthas that their guests are accomadated with great hospitality. And this great Brahman he was a grihastha. He had a son, very infamous son, Shringi. So when Maharaj Parikshit came he didn’t do anything to greet him because he was in samadhi. He had no external consciousness. So this was obvious to a great saint like Maharaj Parikshit. But the Lord wanted to begin Kali Yuga and he wanted to serve many purposes at one time. When Krsna wants to do something so many functions become fulfilled through any one of his activities. On one hand, He wanted to begin Kali Yuga and on the other hand He wanted to descend as the Yugavatar, Sri Gauranga Mahaprabhu. On the other hand, He wanted the Srimad Bhagavatam spoken by Sukhdev Goswami because it is said in Srimad Bhagavatam that after Krsna left the planet, He descended as the Srimad Bhagavatam, the spotless Purana. This was the arrangment of Krsna to have Srimad Bhagavatam manifested in the world and He also wanted to glorify for all time to come Maharaj Parikshit. How he was willing to accept even the most terrible, terrible crisis that a person can possibly experience in perfect Krsna consciousness, peace of mind and have faith in God. So it was Krsna within the heart of Maharaj Parikshit. Not by mahamaya but by yogamaya.
What is the difference between mahamaya and yogamaya?
Mahamaya causes us to forget reality for the purpose of taking us away from Krsna and yoga means to connect! To bring together again. Yogamaya is to put a person in illusion, to give a person a misconception of reality, to bring a person closer to Krsna, to serve the purpose of Krsna. That is yogamaya. So Maharaj Parikshit was a great devotee. Krsna says in Bhagavad Gita that My devotees are always protected- mahatmanas tu mam partha daivim prakritim ashritam bhajantya ananya manaso jnatva bhutva avyayam. Those great souls are always under my divine nature, yogamaya.
Krsna is the source of intelligence, forgetfulness and remembrance:
So Krsna took away his intelligence.
sarvasya caham hrdi sannivishto
mattah smritir jnanam apohanam ca
vedaisca sarvair aham eva vedyo
vedanta krt eva vid eva caham.
Krsna’s the source of remembrance, knowledge and forgetfulness for everyone. For the pure souls who are completely Krsna conscious and for the materialistic people who are trying to enjoy through various materialistic exploitative processes in this world. Krsna’s giving everyone a particular type of remembrance, knowledge and forgetfulness to fulfill their desires. But the devotee’s only desire is to fulfill Krsna’s desire. He has no other own desire. This is the nature of a pure devotee. Krsna i am yours. Bhaktivinod Thakur, he prayed like this. He was a magistrate. He had ten children. He had nice house in Godruma Dvipa, Jagannath Puri so many places. manas deho gehu jo kichu mor arpilu tuha pade nandkishore.. My Lord, my body, my wealth, my family everything is yours. It is all meant for your service. And Bhaktivinod Thakur never lost anything because everything was for Krsna. Rupa Goswami says whatever you have give it to Krsna. Don’t be afraid. Krsna will give, He will give everything. The best, He will give Himself. So Maharaj Parikshit was such a pure devotee of such a stature and Krsna from within his heart understood that his purpose is My purpose. So I will have to fulfill his purpose by fulfilling My purpose, by putting him in illusion. He became so thirsty he couldn’t tolerate. The most tolerant person became intolerant. And when the sage, the most intelligent person couldn’t even see that he was in samadhi. The most intelligent became unintelligent. And the most forgiving and accommodating person, who forgave Kali couldn’t accommodate or forgive one of the most greatest sages in the world. Krsna just took away all his good qualities! And this made him just like a ordinary man who was foolish and couldn’t control his senses and couldn’t even control his anger. He was so much offended by this sage. A Vaishnav’s never offended but he was offended. How was it as this possible? Because it was Krsna’s desire. His arrow found the dead corpse of a serpent and he placed it on the sage’s body like a garland. Saap mala! Serpent mala put on him and then he left.
Krsna let Kali come into this world through a Brahman
But after Maharaj Parikshit left, he was king, he was thinking as yogamaya started coming away from him. He was thinking what did I do? But it was too late because Shringi, the son of Shamik Rishi, had heard from his friends that this is what this king had done to his father. And he was a brahman. This is also very instructive because we know that when Krsna wanted to let Kali into the world He did it through a Brahman. In fact in the Puranas it is explained that even Rakshasas take birth in family of brahmans in the Kali Yuga.
The advent of Srimad Bhagavatam
So Shringi, son a brahman, who was obviously not qualified, but had the powers, said that I will teach this king a good lesson. He sipped some water and he told his friends that just watch and see what I do! I declare today that after 7 days this Maharaj Parikshit will be killed by being bitten by a snake bird. And when this news came to Maharaj Parikshit, he understood that all this is the will of the Lord. He was not attached to his family, He was not attached to his palace, he was not attached to his power, He was not attached to his beauty. He was not even attached to his life! He was only attached to Krsna. What an example! And during those last 7 days what did he do? He went to the banks of the Ganges and approached the great sages and said please tell me about Krsna. Let me leave this world hearing and chanting the glories of Krsna. All the sages, the whole universe descended to this place. It is still there. Many of you must have been there. On the banks of the Ganges, there is this banyan tree. It is not far from Meerut in north India between Hrishikesh and Delhi. This place is called Sukhada. This place is where Maharaj Parikshit vowed that I will not eat, I will not sleep for 7 days. I will simply hear the glories of the Lord for 7 days and all the great sages came. Narada, Parasara Muni, Bharadvaja Muni, Janamejaya Muni, Vedavyas, Gautam Rishi, they all came from wherever they were dwelling and they all were trying to decide who should speak to Maharaj Parikshit on behalf of all the great sages. At that time a 16 yr old, Sukhdev Goswami entered into the assembly. Sukhdev Goswami was in the womb of his mother for 12yrs. He was a Brahman, liberated soul. But upon hearing the glories of the Lord he came out and at the same time Ved Vyas instructed him in Srimad Bhagavatam. So Sukhdev Goswami was a proper detached person in parampara. He didn’t even wear clothes. But his reason for not wearing clothes was that he just had no connection with the external world. He was completely immersed in Krsna. So when he came, all the Rishis and sages gave him the Vyasasana to sit on and Maharaj Parikshit enquired submissively. What is the supreme occupation for all humanity? What is the essence of religion? What is the duty of a man about to die? And the response to these questions Sukhdev Goswami spoke the spotless Purana, Srimad Bhagavatam. So we find here that the Lord served His purpose and Maharaj Parikshit perfected his life simply by hearing submissively the Lord’s narrations and pastimes. Even the most difficult, difficult crisis in life, Maharaj Parikshit accepted it as the Lord’s mercy. If he had even the slightest tinge of false ego in him he would have said why Krsna did this to me? Why did He make me so thirsty? Why did he make me offend this brahman? Why He made me do this Vaishnava Apradh? I didn’t have any intention to do it. Then why this Shringi, just for putting a snake on someone, he cursed me to die? It was a dead snake. It was harmless. It was completely unfair. If someone does that to your father, would you curse him to die? Shringi was also completely infatuated by maya. Maharaj Parikshit for that, he could have arrested Shringi and put him in prison. Fact is Krsna’s speaking through Shringi. He wants me to die. This is very nice. This is very good opportunity to do some seva. And what is the seva? To be an example for the world to follow. So Maharaj Parikshit saw everything is Krsna’s mercy. He was born in the most wonderful spiritual way by the mercy of the Lord. He lived his life in a merciful, spiritual way by the mercy of the Lord and left the world in complete faith, dedication and surrender to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. He did not see this ultimate, ultimate crisis of his life as something bad.
Brahmacharis problems
Sometimes we have crisis either with our mind, family problem, business problem or some political problem. Everybody is so worried. What to do? What to do? There is so much anxiety! In the brahmachari ashram, what problems they have here. But they think of problems. For the grihasthas, they think, what problems can these brahmacharis have? They don’t have any bills to pay, they don’t have any competing business rival who is trying to destroy what they have their life to establish. Industry, business, problems of political leaders.. they don’t have to pay tax! Those taxes are always coming and the tax department can raid us any minute. We have this wife, we don’t know what she wants next. We have this husband, no one knows what he is doing. So many anxieties for grihasthas. But look at them, what are their problems? But somehow or the other they think of problems. I can also not see any problem as such. What problems? But still they come to me with problems. Somebody stole the mahaprasad! Big problem! It’s a big problem! Because somehow or the other your mind makes everything big. Even the littlest things become impossible if you forget Krsna. Somebody used my gamcha! These are the kinds of social problems brahmacharis have.
Maharaj Parikshit’s surrender
Anyways, the world is full of problems. But Maharaj Parikshit was cursed to die. Who was going to take care of the kingdom? He had not trained anyone yet. Sometimes business people, when they start getting to their 50s or 60s they start training someone to take over their business. He was a young man. He did not train anyone. The kingdom would require another king? What about his wife, his children and everybody else? Who was going to take care of them? And what about his own life? When you are young , when u have everything, u want to live! It is natural. He is going to die and not just an ordinary death but being bit by a snake bird. Very terrible death! When the snake bird bites, their venom is so hot! Your body just burns like fire! So have u ever had a crisis like this? Nothing! But we become so disturbed, so much anxiety, we start blaming everybody. Why like this? And why like that? And it is not fair! It’s not justice! Why bad things happen to good people like me? God, either He is not all-pervading or He is making a mistake. Why I have to suffer like this? In this way there are so many anxieties, so many blames, so may justifications. But Maharaj Parikshit said just, “Krsna! Whatever you desire.” Bhaktivinoda said if you want to kill me, if you want to protect me, anything u like to do with me. I am your servant. Servant does not tell the master do like this. Servant is simply ready to follow the master’s desire. Whether it is in this body or another body, Krsna will arrange. I have nothing to fear. Therefore, bhaja hu re mana sri nanda nandana abhaya caranarvinda he. A devotee is completely fearless because he has tasted the mercy of Krsna. He’s not trying to make all his own arrangements. He simply accepts Krsna’s arrangements. So when Maharaj Parikshit was cursed to die in 7 days he did not retaliate, even though he was a Kshatriya. He simply went to Sukhdev Goswami’s lotus feet and said I am the most fortunate. Krsna has given me this merciful warning and I have come to you to hear and chant the glories of Lord because that is ultimately what we have. Ultimately what we have is Krsna. Everything else for sometime our bodies, our relations, our properties, it’s all just passing. The soul is transmigrating birth after birth and whatever we attain in this birth is just coming and going. It’s not ours. Ultimately all we have is Krsna. And to realize that and remember Krsna is the ultimate fortune. Therefore the Shastras tell us what is the greatest wealth? The greatest wealth is to always remember Krsna and never forget Krsna. The greatest wealth is the opportunity to serve Krsna and to be in the association of His devotees. Everything else is temporary. Chaitanya Mahaprabhu explains in one beautiful discourse. He said everything in this world is illusory except Krsna, Krsna’s name and His devotees. So that’s all we will ever have. So Maharaj Parikshit went to the banks of Ganga where there are Krsna’s devotees. Where there was Krsna’s name and Krsna manifesting through wonderful pastimes, teachings and in this way he showed the whole world, the real value of human life and the goal of existence- Krsna!
Hare Krsna Hare Krsna Krsna Krsna Hare Hare
Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare
Question and Answer
Question: Maharaj, it is been said that Srimad Bhagavatam is Amal Purana. It is a spotless scripture. What I am not able to understand that in all the stories, in the beginning, something material comes in the picture but in the end uninterrupted, unmotivated realisation comes up. But there are some stories where the demigods are coming to Lord Vishnu and asking for material benefits. When they see Lord Vishnu they offer their prayers to Vishnu and after praying to Lord Vishnu their uninterrupted, unmotivated service does not come in between. They just want their material gains.
Maharaj: haribol!
Question continued: Although Lord Vishnu comes in front of them, but after even praying in front of him also they don’t have their unmotivated desire, they just have their material desires. Then why this type of a story comes in Srimad Bhagavatam when unmotivated, uninterrupted desire, is important in the end. I can’t understand that?
Maharaj: Because in the basis of seeing the nature of material desire also the conclusion is that you achieve uninterrupted,unmotivated desire. It may be that the demigods pray to the Lord to appear and they may have some mixed sentiments. Obviously they are great devotees, all of them. But they have some desire, as continuation of their sense gratification. And various demigods have various levels of consciousness. Some of them have no material desire. They know that this is their service and to protect their services is their devotional service. It’s like if someone comes to try to take our temple away. Is it that we are going to say- yes, yes take it or we are going to fight to protect it for the service of Krsna which is our duty to fight for that is for the service of Krsna. Arjuna fought in the battlefield of Kurukshetra even though he had no desire for anything. Because Krsna wanted, he and his brothers to rule the Earth. That is their service. If someone tries to take it away, you fight because it is our service. So some of the demigods, they are incharge of some of the affairs of the universe and the world which is their way of orchestrating the wind and the fire and everything, it is their service to Krsna. When demons are coming to try to exploit and take what they using in Krsna’s service for their own sense gratification, the demigods are appealing to Krsna to help. So many of those demigods they are not materialistic. They are actually praying to Krsna because they understand that He is the only shelter. They want to live for him. Also some of the demigods are attached. They know that the world is actually their headquarters for devotional service to Krsna and they are mixed. The demons are taking their service to Krsna away. They are disturbing their service to Krsna so they are praying to Krsna to protect their service which is important to all living entities that it be performed but at the same time they are attached to the facilities of the service. So they have a mixed desire. So we should understand that demigods are not materialistic people. Some are pure devotees and some are mixed devotees, but they are devotees. And when the demons interfere with their devotional service, they pray to Krsna to help and Krsna descends. But when Krsna descends in all these wonderful narrations of Srimad Bhagavatam, He always establishes pure devotional service. And the crux of Bhagavatam is to show the nature of pure devotees. Just like the story of Indra and Vritrasura. Although Indra may have had some material desire and through him the Lord appeared, through his prayers, when he was fighting Vritrasura, who was a pure devotee and what the conclusion of the story is the unbelievable devotion of a demon named Vritrasura, who in his previous life was Maharaj Chitraketu. So we find, the essence of the conclusion of every story in Srimad Bhagavatam is pure unalloyed devotional service. Also at times in the process of explaining that they expose various material motivations. But its conclusion, its theme and purpose is to simply amplify the unalloyed qualities of pure devotion. When we are seeing how Indra was afraid and Vritrasura was fearless. Indra’s material attachments only amplified and further instructed us in the unbelievable purity of Vritrasura’s devotion. So Krsna uses all of these and even materialistic situations to only further the ultimate truth of pure devotion. Every story of Bhagavatam culminates in pure devotion. And what culminates in pure devotion, every stage up to that point is only meant to bring us to pure devotion. So every syllable of Srimad Bhagavatam is completely pure and can bring us the ultimate goal of life if we hear it submissively, because every syllable of Srimad Bhagavatam is exclusively meant to invite pure devotion in our hearts. Does that answer your question?
Same question continued: Maharaj, in the 8th canto of Srimad Bhagavatam, where the demigods are trying to lift the Mandar mountain, it is actually for the nectar not for pure devotion but to remain eternal.
Maharaj’s answer: In that various demigods also may have had various reasons for wanting the nectar. Some may be pure devotees who want the nectar. Just like after Sunday feast, u also drink the nectar, like to get strength for your devotional service, right? But what is the conclusion? The conclusion is that the Lord wanted to show His wonderful lila. In every stage, by hearing of the lord’s lila one can attain pure devotional service. How He attains the Kurma rupa? Anyone who hears this becomes a pure devotee. In fact Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur, the first deity he gave Bhakti Siddhant Sarasvati Thakur to worship when he was a child, was deity of Kurmadev. Not Radha Krsna, but Kurma. He taught him all the ways of worshiping Kurma. Because Kurma is like foundation, basis on which we build our devotional service. All of these great avatars of the Lord we understand through proper authorities, that each one of them, by hearing Their glories and Their mercy, we achieve pure devotional service. So Bhagavatam is spotless Purana. Does that answer your question? And as far as demigods taking nectar, through this story Krsna appears as Mohini Murti. Through this story, even before that, Vishnu appeared and married Laxmi. Through this story, their worshippable Vishnu appeared in so many ways to accommodate this wonderful lila and ultimately through this story Vamanadev appears. And what is the culmination? Bali Maharaj surrenders everything in pure unalloyed devotion to the Supreme Lord.
Any other question? Do you want to say something Srinathji?
Srinathji prabhu: Actually his first question was something on which I want to comment on. Lord Siva helps his disciple fight against Krsna, then it is proven krsnas tu bhagavan svayam. Because the Bhagavatam repeatedly shows that demigods, they get defeated and Krsna is the only one who is supreme. Therefore, it is better to concentrate on Krsna. Because as a mayavadi we used to worship Siva as supreme. That was Srila Prabhupad who used to always say that krsnas tu bhagavan svayam, read Bhagavatam. The mayavadis do not read the Bhagavatam. There it is proven that krsnas tu bhagavan svayam. And if Siva, the Mahadev is the topmost devotee, the rest of the devas have no position against Krsna. Haribol.
Maharaj: Haribol!
Question: Maharaj, you mentioned in the lecture, at end of Brahma’s day all living entities were still not pure and they are put into the body of mahavishnu. So they lied there..
Maharaj: Not Mahavishnu. In the body of the localised Vishnu. At the end of Brahma’s life they enter Mahavishnu. At the end of his day they enter the Virat Purusa, the localised Vishnu.
Question continued: So they lie there for more than 4 billion yrs. So when we explain the impersonal concept that it is not permanent, that the soul falls down in want of social activity. How do we explain this where the souls are lying here for so many billions of years and Brahma…
Maharaj: When you go to the Brahmajyoti, it is much longer than billions of years. It might be zillions of years or quadrillions of years. Brahmajyoti is beyond time but sometime it is inevitable that the desire for loving relationship will develop in your heart and then if you have no information of Vaikuntha, then you will have to come back to this material world. But the living entities are simply cast into deep sleep, covered by their subtle body. They awake simply at the will of the Lord and Brahma awakens. There’s no chance for them awakening until…
Question: How many kinds of devastations are there? There is one at the end of Kali Yuga, one at the end of…
Maharaj: There is partial devastation after every Manu. There are 14 Manus in a day of Brahma. A Manu lives something like 3million some years. Anyways the 71 Divya Yugas is one Manu. I think that’s about 310 billion years, something like that. That’s one life of each Manu. And after each Manu there is a partial devastation. Then at the end of the day of Brahma there is greater partial dissolution and then at the end of the life of Brahma, there is total dissolution.
Question: End of Kali Yuga, when Kalki avatar comes…
Maharaj: It is understood to be dissolution. Kalki avatar’s mercy. Dissolution of demons but not dissolution of the planet.
Question: Maharaj in the lecture you mentioned, sarva dharman parityaja verse. It means that you leave all kinds of religion and duties and the only purpose of the human life is to serve and surrender to Krsna. Is it not a duty of a husband to look after the wife? Or parents to look after children? Or children to look after their parents? If everybody starts running away from their service…
Maharaj: If it’s done in Krsna consciousness, it is your duty. If it’s not done in Krsna consciousness, then it is sinful. It’s rascaldom..
Question: You mean both kind of duties can be done side by side..
Maharaj: Yes, if it is done in Krsna consciousness. It is your duty. If you are a husband, you must take care of your wife. If you don’t you are a sinful rascal. Unless Krsna specifically gives you another instruction. But material relationships without Krsna consciousness is not anyway a duty of a human being. It is the karma kandi duty. We are not concerned with anything that is not concerned with Krsna. Does that answer your question?
Question: Maharaj, during your lecture you said Krsna appeared during the Kali Yuga as Yugavatar as Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and as Kali Yuga is ending, He’ll appear as Kalki avatar. So in the same Yuga he is appearing twice. So is there a difference between the Yuga avatar and the Kalki avatar?
Maharaj: Yuga avatar is the avatar that establishes the dharma. Yuga dharma for Kali yuga is kaler dosha nidhe rajan asti eko mahan guna kirtanad eva krsnasya mukta sanga param vrajet. The congregational chanting of Krsna’s names is the Yuga dharma. Chaitanya Mahaprabhu is the only Yuga avatar. Kalki is not Yuga avatar he is a lila avatar. Lila avatar has a mission and Yuga avatar comes to establish the religion for the age. Kalki establishes, He doesn’t preach philosophy. He comes at the time of the end of Kali yuga when people are not philosophical. He doesn’t even preach Harinaam sankirtan as nobody will want to listen to that. His preaching is His sword. He just cuts everyone’s heads off except of devotees. There are few devotees but they are hiding in caves, because it is described, that the atheistic people become so wicked. It is described no yajna, no rain the whole world is just a vast desert. People just hunt each other, they kill each other. They hunt the Vaishnavas to eat them, drink their blood. Devotees are hiding. This is the end of the Kali yuga. So Kalki comes and on His beautiful horse, the elegant form, He just severs everyone’s heads and they get liberation. That is their good fortune. That is His preaching. And then Satya yuga begins the age of religion.
Any other question?
Question: Maharaj, please explain essence of this sloka pertaining to this..
Maharaj: The essence of this sloka is about the mystic yoga process. How Maharaj Parikshit came to Shamik Rishi, the muni’s sense organs, breath, mind and senses were restrained from material activities. And he was situated apart from the 3- wakefulness, dream and unconsciousness), having achieved a transcendental position qualitatively equal with the Supreme Absolute.
Essence of this sloka is that Shamik Rishi was so much immersed in samadhi that he had no consciousness of the external world. And because of this situation, total absorption, he was not able to properly receive Maharaj Parikshit and thus Maharaj Parikshit under the influence of the Lord’s personal energy was deluded and became angry with the sage. And the essence of is sloka is that because of the sage’s transcendental condition he provoked Maharaj Parikshit to commit an offense which would ultimately cause him to be cursed and which would ultimately be the cause for the speaking of the Srimad Bhagavatam to Maharaj Parikshit in the banks of the Ganges. So each one of these verses is leading to the speaking of the Srimad Bhagavatam to Maharaj Parikshit. That is the essence, to understand that all is the will of the Lord.
Thank u very much.. Hare Krsna!
