Srimad Bhagavad Gita AS IT IS

Bhagavad Gita:   Chapter 7 - Knowledge of the Absolute

TEXT 11
                          balam balavatam caham
                          kama-raga-vivarjitam
                         dharmaviruddho bhutesu
                         kamo 'smi bharatarsabha
 
WORD FOR WORD
 
   balam--strength; bala-vatam--of the strong; ca--and; aham--I am; kama--passion; raga--and attachment; vivarjitam--devoid of; dharma-aviruddhah--not against religious principles; bhutesu--in all beings; kamah--sex life; asmi--I am; bharata-rsabha--O lord of the Bharatas.
 
 
TRANSLATION
 
   I am the strength of the strong, devoid of passion and desire. I am sex life which is not contrary to religious principles, O lord of the Bharatas [Arjuna].
 
 
PURPORT by HDG Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupad:
 
   The strong man's strength should be applied to protect the weak, not for personal aggression. Similarly, sex life, according to religious principles (dharma), should be for the propagation of children, not otherwise. The responsibility of parents is then to make their offspring Krsna conscious.

- His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

Copyright 1983 The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International. Used with permission.

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Prabhupada Uvacha:
(here's some nectar, sometimes it comes in the form of Srutakirti prabhu's diary, other times from Govinda dasi's diary, Hari Sauri prabhu's Transcendental Diary, Bhurijan prabhu's book, or sometimes from a letter, or other related source, but still nectar...)

Thoughts on Serving Srila Prabhupada in Separation

I saw Srila Prabhupada. I heard him speak. Only briefly, maybe, but those memories are sustaining my life. At the time, I did not realize how valuable that personal association was, nor could I guess how soon that it would be gone and we would simply be left to weep. It seems like such a long time ago.

I know that Srila Prabhupada is still here watching over us. As much as we turn to him, that much he reciprocates with us. He is personally present, not intangibly.

But I am a fool, unable to properly perceive how Srila Prabhupada is still fully with us. I want to see and hear him again, and again, and again. I am feeling very pained in his physical absence. Prabhupada, please save me again!

You came into our lives, uncalled for, by your causeless mercy. You gave us the gift of devotional service to purify us and bring us to Krsna. But because I am a rascal, I am not making progress. Rather, I am sinking ever deeper into maya. Without your loving smiles and stern glances, I don't know how I'm going to make it.

Srila Prabhupada, when will I get the chance to place your holy lotus feet on my head? When will I get the chance to again hear your voice and see you walk, dance, and sing?

Srila Prabhupada, please protect this sentimental fool and make me your servant.

- From the "My Memories of Srila Prabhupada" by HH Bhakti Vikas Swami

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Please Chant:
Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare
Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare

Listen to Srila Prabhupad on-line
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" Stool Is Sublime - Materialists "

Caitanya Caritamrta Adi 1.14
Hyderabad, April 7, 1975

Listen to the entire lecture on-line:
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Pradyumna: "I offer my obeisances unto the Supreme Lord Krsna, who is nondifferent from His features as a devotee, devotional incarnation, devotional manifestation, pure devotee, and devotional energy."

Prabhupada:

panca-tattvatmakam krsnam
bhakta-rupa-svarupakam
bhaktavataram bhaktakhyam
namami bhakta-saktikam
 [Cc. Adi 1.14]

So Sri Krsna Caitanya Mahaprabhu, has five features. Krsna has five features. Krsna means these five features. What are those? Krsna, Krsna's manifestation, Krsna's incarnation, Krsna's different potencies, in this way. And Krsna, the source of devotional service, He is Krsna Caitanya, bhakta-saktikam. To advance in devotional service requires spiritual strength. It is not so easy thing. That spiritual strength is also Krsna, bhakta-saktikam. There is nothing except Krsna, ekam brahma dvitiya-nasti. So we have to understand Him especially in these five features for advancing in devotional service. Therefore His name is panca-tattvatmakam, with five features, krsnam, bhakta-rupa-svarupakam. Krsna is so kind upon us that... He is coming as He is. Krsna is original, and trying to convince us about the necessity of our life, or the goal of our life. Prayojana, prayojana: it is necessary. It is not optional -- compulsory. If you don't take to Krsna consciousness, then you will continue to suffer; therefore it is necessity. It is not that if you like, you can take it; if you don't like, you reject it. If you reject it, then you will suffer. And if you take it, then actually you will enjoy life.

So maya is very strong. Although it is necessary, maya is always dictating that it is not necessary. The real necessity is materialistic way of life, this is maya's dictation. Maya... We are now given a chance of maya's jurisdiction. So maya wants to punish us more and more, because we have forgotten Krsna. Great punishment.

krsna bhuliya jiva bhoga vancha kare
pasate maya tare japatiya dhare

Maya means to give sufficient punishment to the living entities who have forgotten Krsna and wants to enjoy material life independently. They are called conditioned soul. Bhutva bhutva praliyate [Bg. 8.19]. This conditioned life means we accept one type of body, we suffer sufficiently. It is simply suffering. There is no enjoyment. Where is enjoyment? To remain in the womb of the mother for ten months, is that enjoyment? Packed up in airtight bag? Just imagine, if you were put in airtight bag at the present moment, within three seconds you will die. You cannot live without air, even for three seconds. This is our position. And by maya's arrangement, we have to remain at least for ten months within the airtight bag, embryo, within the abdomen of our mother. So if we cannot live for even three seconds without air, how it was possible to remain in that airtight bag for ten months? That is also Krsna's mercy, to allow us to develop the body, so that coming out of the mother's womb we can live independently. To make us strong in the body. But the maya is so strong that even within that position, the mother is also killing the child. This is Kali-yuga.

So to get a material body is not at all pleasure. It is always miserable condition, from the very beginning and up to the point of death, simply miserable condition. This is intelligence, that the miserable condition means we accept this material body. Therefore, to be out of miserable condition means not to accept again this misery. That should be the aim and objective of life -- not to accept. That we have repeatedly said. That can be achieved very easily, tyaktva deham punar janma naiti [Bg. 4.9]. After giving up this body, we do not accept anymore material body, provided we become fully Krsna conscious. At the time of death, if we simply remember Krsna, yam yam vapi smaran bhavam tyajaty ante kalevaram [Bg. 8.6]. That is the highest perfection of life, simply to remember Krsna. That is also the statement in the... If we can consciously remember Krsna: "Whatever was possible for me, I have tried to execute. Now this is the last day; You do whatever You like. That's all." But Krsna is very kind. He will at once take you back to home, back to Godhead. Ante narayana smrti. This is the highest perfection of life. Therefore we have to practice Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare/ Hare Hare, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare. By practicing sada tad-bhava-bhavitah [Bg. 8.6], this is required. Always think, man-mana bhava mad-bhaktah. Krsna advises "Always think of Me." Where is the difficulty? We have to think of something. We cannot keep our mind vacant. That is not possible. So make it a point, that think of Krsna, that's all. Think of Krsna, and if you chant, if you engage your tongue, "Hare Krsna," and if you hear, then everything is compact in Krsna consciousness.

So to achieve strength, Krsna is prepared to help us in so many ways. That He is panca-tattvatmakam, He is coming as Lord Krsna, and ordering, sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja [Bg. 18.66]. Still we are making mistake; we don't accept Krsna's word. Therefore Krsna is coming as Caitanya Mahaprabhu, along with His associates Nityananda Prabhu, Advaita Prabhu, Gadadhara Prabhu, just to teach us the same process: how to surrender to Krsna. So our real business is that, how to surrender to Krsna. And if we take shelter of Sri Krsna Caitanya Mahaprabhu, along with His associates, then the task becomes very easy. Yajnaih sankirtana-prayair yajanti hi su-medhasah [SB 11.5.32]. Very easy; not at all difficult. Caitanya Mahaprabhu's method for approaching Krsna is very, very easy. Now we have got this center, Mayapur center. We have got hundreds of centers, but this is Caitanya Mahaprabhu's birthplace. You have come from very, very distant places all over the world. So here, you simply take prasadam, chant Hare Krsna twenty-four hours, then your life is successful. It is not at all difficult. But we are so stubborn that we do not take to Krsna consciousness. That is our misfortune. But still, as we struggle against misfortune, to become fortunate in the material world, similarly, we have to struggle against misfortune. Maya is very strong. But the way is also there, how to get out of the clutches of maya. Pasate maya tare japatiya dhare. Maya has captured by embracing, just like if you capture somebody very tightly, it is very difficult to go out. Hands and legs are all caught up. Similarly, we are under the clutches of maya in that way. But maya's business is just to punish, but as soon as we surrender to Krsna, immediately maya lets loose. Yes. Mayam etam taranti te [Bg. 7.14]. Very easy thing.

So our only request is that take shelter of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, chant always sri-krsna-caitanya prabhu-nityananda sri-advaita gadadhara srivasadi-gaura-bhakta-vrnda, and Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare. (devotees chant also) Thank you. So it is not very difficult task. Anyone, just like the children, the boys, two years, three years old, they are also doing the same thing. Where is the difficulty? Young man can perform the same thing; old man can also perform; everyone can perform, it is so nice. So do not forget this principle,

panca-tattvatmakam krsnam
bhakta-rupa-svarupakam
bhaktavataram bhaktakhyam
namami bhakta-saktikam

Bhakta-sakti, everything requires strength, so we can derive strength by chanting Caitanya Mahaprabhu's name, and chanting Hare Krsna. You don't require very high education, neither you require to take your birth in very high family. Ahaituki. Execution of devotional service is independent, completely. It has nothing to do with material condition. Ahaituky apratihata. No material condition can check. Who can check it? If all the world over they chant Hare Krsna, who can check? No government can check, no communist party can check. Go on chanting; that is the principle. So ahaituky apratihata yenatma suprasidati, and you will get individually and collectively Where is he? Haridasa, he went to Moscow? He has gone (indistinct). He was chanting in Moscow. So people could not understand, they were asking, "What you are doing?" "I am singing some cinema song." (laughter) He was telling like that. Very clever. (laughter) "I am singing because the Muscovites, they are after Indian culture." So he said that "This is Hare Krsna cinema song."

So somehow or other, you can chant even in Moscow.

Devotees: Jaya!

Prabhupada: Ahaituky apratihata. That is the point. They are after... Anyone seeking after God, they are very much severely punished. This is their kingdom. But you can take this policy, that you are chanting cinema song, and they will not object. So ahaituky apratihata. If some black-market means has to be taken for chanting, we have to accept that. What can be done? Our business is to chant, so if there is restriction, sathe sathyam acaret, we should be also very clever. So, anyway, chant Hare Krsna mantra and be happy. That is Krsna consciousness movement.

Thank you very much. (end)
 
>>> Ref. VedaBase => Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Adi-lila 1.14 -- Mayapur, April 7, 1975

Pleasing the spiritual master is the active principle in spiritual life and offerings made with love and devotion are always pleasing to the spiritual master. Please continue in this way.

Srila Prabhupada letter
24.7.76