The Great Successful Life | SB 2.1.9 | Moscow | Rus Split |16.5.92 | Gopāl Kṛṣṇa Goswāmī Mahārājā

Om jñānātmimrandaśya jñānāñjanāśalakya-cakṣaṇmṛtaññānātasmā śrī-guraveṇa-maha. Śrī-cetanyāmano vistāṁ śrīpitaṁ mīnabhūtale svayam rūpaka-dāmayam dadāti svāpadaṇṭhikam. Bandeham śrī-guru śrī-utāpada-kamlaṇ śrī-gurūṇavaistāmanāśca. Śrī-rūpam sa-grajatam sahagana-ragunatāṇvitam tam sa-devam. Sadve tam sa-buddhu tam prijana-saītam kṛṣṇa-cetanya-devam. Śrī Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa-padān-sahagana-lalitā śrī-vaśakha-netaṁ ca jayaḥ Śrī Kṛṣṇa-cetanya-prabhu-nityanandaḥ.

Hare Krishna! Hare Krishna! Hare Krishna! Hare Krishna! Hare Ram! Hare Ram! Hare Ram! Hare Ram!

Vai nisto pi naergunyā uttamaśloka lilāya. Prihita ceta rajarśe akya-nāmyaḥ alītavaṇ. So Śukadeva Gosvāmī is beginning to reply to the questions that were presented by Parīkṣit Mahārāja at the end of the previous canto, namely, how should one prepare to die. So Parīkṣit Mahārāja has taught us how one should prepare to die. —namely, by being absorbed in transcendental topics of Kṛṣṇa. Śukadeva Gosvāmī, after pointing out to Parīkṣita Mahājāna the importance of hearing the transcendental glories of the Lord, he has pointed out that transcendental glories of the Lord are attractive for everyone, even for those who are self-realized. So Śukadeva Gosvāmī is explaining. Actually, he has very nicely explained in the previous two verses that even the topmost transcendentalists or completely self-realized take pleasure in reciting and hearing the messages of the Bhāgavatam. And in the previous verse, Śukadeva Gosvāmī has compared the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam alone to be equal to all the Vedic scriptures put together. Śrīkadeva Gosvāmī has pointed out that even though he was situated in transcendental knowledge, still he was attracted by The pastimes of the Lord which are described by enlightened verses. So in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam it is said, whether one is liberated or desiring to be liberated, or whether one has lusty desires, if some or the other he hears the transcendental pastimes of the Lord, he will get purified. Kṛṣṇa is attractive and His pastimes are attractive. So doesn't matter how you get attracted to Kṛṣṇa. But if you get attracted, you will definitely benefit. Just like it is said, knowingly or unknowingly, anybody who chants the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra is going to benefit. So Śukadeva Gosvāmī is pointing out the transcendental topics of Kṛṣṇa. They are auspicious for those who are materialists, they are auspicious for those who are impersonalists, and they are auspicious for those who are realized souls also. Rāmānanda Rāya was the governor of a province in southern India known as Madras, and he was a very exalted devotee of the Lord. So when Caitanya Mahāprabhu was in Jagannātha Puri, after He had converted Sarvabhomā Bhattachārya to personalism, when He was leaving for southern India, Sarvabhomā Bhattachārya had told Him, "When You go to South India, please meet Rāmānanda Rāya. He's a very advanced devotee." So even though Caitanya Mahāprabhu was God, is God, He was asking Rāmānanda Rāya a lot of questions. And he was very enlivened by the responses that Rāmānanda Rāy gave. So Caitanya Mahāprabhu asked Rāmānanda Rāy a series of questions which we shall discuss now and which are very appropriate in line of the verse, in view of the verse that we are discussing today. Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, Rāmānanda, tell me of different types of education that is available in society, which education is considered the most perfect? So Ramana Maharshi replied, that education that teaches you how to render transcendental service to Kṛṣṇa is the highest type of education. Therefore we see in the Bhāgavad-gītā Kṛṣṇa says, rājavida rāja-goyam, this knowledge is the king of education. So Ramana Maharshi said, hearing about the transcendental pastimes of Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa, this constitutes their highest education. Specifically that knowledge, that transcendental knowledge that teaches us to how to serve Kṛṣṇa. So Kṛṣṇa has also declared in the Bhāgavad-gītā that this knowledge of the Gītā is the king of education. Rājavidyā rājagujya. What is being accepted in society as education is actually not education. It is just leading to ignorance. Because it doesn't tell us how you can establish a relationship with the Supreme Lord. It doesn't tell one how one can become free from the entanglement of birth and death. Once Prabhupāda was giving a lecture at a very big institute in America, MIT. MIT is like the leading technological institute in all of America. So Prabhupāda said, "In this great university, is there any department that tells you what happens after death?" And there was absolutely no reply. So Thakur Bhaktiyān has said that material knowledge is like a heavy turban on your head. If you have a heavy turban on your head, then you sink faster in the river than if you are without a turban. So the point is, is that material knowledge just makes you forget the Lord. Therefore, it is not really education. Therefore, even if you want to cultivate material knowledge, we should take the advice of the Śrī Īśopaniṣad. Īśopaniṣad says one should cultivate spiritual knowledge and material knowledge side by side. So if you are cultivating material knowledge and spiritual knowledge side by side, then you will know how to use material technology in service of God. Just like from a practical viewpoint, our devotees also use computers, they also use aeroplanes, they also use the sound system, they also use sophisticated printing presses for printing their books. So because they have— we have studied, devotees have studied material science and spiritual science side by side, They know how material science can be used in service to the Lord. Certainly we couldn't travel around to all these different places on the bullock cart. We use modern technology to travel everywhere. Then Chaitanya Mahāprabhu asked Rāmānanda Rāya: "Of all types of glorious activities, which activity is most glorious?" So people desire fame, and to achieve fame they perform many activities. One person becomes famous by doing some big mundane job. Another person becomes famous by performing some charitable activities. But Ramana Maharshi said, a devotee of the Lord enjoys fame everywhere because of his describing the transcendental activities of the Lord. In other words, what Ramana Maharshi said, a devotee of the Lord is most glorious and famous. Other famous glorious people They may be glorious today, but tomorrow they are defamed. Just like in your country also, at one time a particular individual was very glorious and famous, but then gradually, you know, the fame started disappearing, and now people don't even want to talk about him. So material fame is temporary and doesn't last for long. Chanakya Pandit has discussed this point also, but from a different angle. He says that if there are two men, A rich man and a religious leader, a religious leader preacher will be more famous than a rich man. A rich man may be known just in his own place, but a preacher of the Lord is known everywhere. Just like there's so many rich men in India, but you don't know any of their names. There's so many rich men in America, you don't know their names. But everywhere you travel in the world, people know Prabhupāda's name. Even if you travel to a small deraibnya in your country, people know. Who is Prabhupada? Because they've read Prabhupada's books. So this is exactly what Rāmānanda Rāya is saying. He's saying, uh, Chaitanya Mahāprabhu's question was, of all types of glorious activities, which is most glorious? And Rāmānanda Rāya said, of all types of glorious activities, that activity by which the transcendental glories of the Lord are described, that is most glorious. Then Chaitanya Mahāprabhu asked, of all types of distress, which is most painful? So if you were to ask a man on the street, of all types of distress, what is most painful, he would say, "Oh, when I don't have enough money." And if you were to ask another young man, he'd say, "Oh, when I can't have sense gratification, then I'm in real distress." Just like these days in your country, because meat is so expensive, everything is so expensive, everyone is in distress. The cost of living has gone up so much. You want to know what Ramana Maharshi said is the greatest distress? So Rāmānanda Rāyaṣṭha said, "Separation from devotees is the greatest distress." When you are separated from other Vaiṣṇavas, that's a very distressful position for a devotee to be in. Therefore, Nirodhamāśṭhākura said, "It is better to live in a cage with a lion rather than to live with non-devotees." So separation from devotees is very painful. Therefore devotees, even when they go traveling, etc., they are always anxious to come back to their family of devotees. So association with devotees is a must for spiritual advancement, Rāmānanda Rāyaṣa. Then Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, of all types of liberated people, which is the best? So there are many different types of liberated people. Some try and obtain liberation through impersonal realization, some through mystic perfections, some want to become one with the Lord. But Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, one who has attraction for Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa, who is engaged in loving service to Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa, He is the most perfect of all types of liberated people. Ramananda Rāya Īdrūpa Gosvāmī has said, "Hiya yasa haridasye kārmanās manasa-kara nikela-sava-pri-stāpha diva-mukta-saujate." Translation is, one who is engaged in transcendental service to the Lord, he is already considered liberated, even if he is in the material world. In other words, if you are engaged in service to Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa, You don't have to wait for death to achieve liberation. The moment you're absorbed in service to Krishna, you're liberated. The impersonalists have to wait for death. The mystic yogis have to wait for death. But devotees don't have to wait for death. They're already liberated as long as they're engaged with their body, mind, and words in service to the Lord. Therefore, one great devotee, Bilmangal Thakur, has prayed that mukti is standing in front of me with folded hands asking me, what can I do for you? Then Caitanya Mahāprabhu asked Rāmānanda: "Of all types of songs that exist, which song is best?" So there are many different types of songs. You hear about them in the radio all the time. But Rāmānanda said: "That song that describes the glories of the Lord, that song is the best." Especially he said that song would describe the loving affairs of Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa, which is the real religion of the living entity, to develop attraction to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Then he wanted to know, "What is the most auspicious activity one can engage in?" Caitanya Mahāprabhu. You see, just like Lord Kṛṣṇa. Lord Kṛṣṇa in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, you see, when Viṣma Deva was dying on his bed of arrows, inspired Yudhiṣṭhira to ask Viṣma Deva questions, and Viṣma Deva gave him the philosophy of Bhāgavad-dharma lying on his deadbed. So Kṛṣṇa makes His devotees glorious. By making them do jobs which sometimes he may not be able to do himself. Just like Lord Nityānanda saved Jagāyaṇḍadāya. The credit for saving Jagāyaṇḍadāya went to Lord Nityānanda and not Lord Caitanya. So Caitanya Mahāprabhu was informed by Rāmānanda Rāya that the most auspicious activity is that activity by which people are educated in the transcendental service to Kṛṣṇa and association with devotees. These two are the most auspicious activities one can engage in. Association with the devotees and that activity by which people can get Kṛṣṇa consciousness. These are the most auspicious activities one can engage in. Kṛṣṇa consciousness doesn't mean you just blow on the boil. Kṛṣṇa consciousness means you press the boil and take the pus out. Then Caitanya Mahāprabhu asked Rāmānanda Rāya: "What should one remember?" So many things to remember. What is the best type of remembrance? Caitanya Mahāprabhu wanted to know. So Ramana Maharshi gave 3 things as best source of, best types of remembrance. He said, always remember the holy name of the Lord, His qualities, and His pastimes. So devotees, by hearing the Bhagavatam every day, they are reminded about the pastimes of the Lord and the qualities of the Lord. When you read the Bhagavatam and hear the Bhagavatam, especially from great, from realized devotees, then you understand the greatness of God. We just don't say God is great, but we want— we— the Bhagavad Gita educates us to understand how great God is. Then Chaitanya Mahaprabhu wanted to know, of all types of meditation, which meditation is the best? There are different types of meditation. You go to a yoga school, they will tell you close your eyes and fall asleep, and that's meditation. There's so many different types of meditation, you'll be amazed. There are schools in India that teach you 100 different types of meditation. Some tell you to just close your eyes and think of nothing. Some tell you to meditate on the tip of your nose. One guru in India says, keep any one thought and just meditate on that one thought for one hour. So there are different types of meditation. Ramana Maharshi said, that meditation by which you meditate at the lotus feet of Radha and Krishna, so meditating on the lotus feet of the Lord. Now what does it mean to meditate at the lotus feet of the Lord? Many times devotees ask this question. Prasada Raval. So meditating on the lotus feet of Lord means the following. You will meditate on the lotus feet of the Lord and you meditate on the teachings of the Lord and the pastimes of the Lord. Then Caitanya Mahāprabhu asked, of all different types of places to live in, where should one live? There's so many different cities, gorads, that you can live in. So Caitanya Mahāprabhu wanted to know, of all different places that exist on this planet, which is the most perfect place to live in. Certainly Ramana Maharshi did not say Moscow. Ramana Maharshi said, Vṛndāvana, transcendental place where Kṛṣṇa performed His pastimes, is the most auspicious place to live on this planet. So now all of you may say, okay, then we should all go to Vṛndāvana now to live there. It is better to do devotional service there. Yes, living in Vṛndāvana is the best, but Prabhupāda started this Kṛṣṇa conscious movement to create Vṛndāvana all over the world. Prabhupāda wanted to create Vṛndāvana in every town and village of the world, because Vṛndāvana is the place where Kṛṣṇa is glorified. So wherever you glorify Kṛṣṇa, that place has become Vṛndāvana. If you're a householder living at home and you're glorifying Kṛṣṇa, then that place is Vṛndāvana. And of course, in the temple of the Lord where Kṛṣṇa is glorified, that is Vṛndāvana. So live wherever The Vṛndāvana atmosphere is there. Just like in the Bhāgavatam it is said that if one is in a householder situation and the other members of the family are not helping the husband in spiritual advancement, are not conducive to spiritual advancement, favorable, then the man should just leave the home and go to the forest and practice devotional service. So the point is we have to live in a Vṛndāvana type atmosphere. Then Caitanya Mahāprabhu wanted to know of all types of topics to listen to, which is most glorious. What type of topic will be pleasing to the ear? Ramana Maharshi said, "Hearing about Kṛṣṇa is most pleasing to the ear." In other words, if the ear hears about Kṛṣṇa, then hearing about Kṛṣṇa purifies the mind and the senses. Just like when you take the medicine to the mouth. You take the medicine to the mouth, it goes into the whole body and it makes the whole body strong. It kills the germs in the whole body. So similarly, when you hear the Holy Name through the ears, it goes through the ears into the whole body and purifies your impure mind and senses. After all, it is said that if you engage in mundane talk, then just like a frog invites a snake to bite, we are just inviting the time, the time which is a serpent, to bite us. And then Ramana Maharshi was asked, "What of all different types of worship that one can do, which is the best type of worship?" And Rāmānanda Rāya replied, "Worshipping Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa and hearing the holy names." So the answer to all the questions that were asked by Caitanya Mahāprabhu was service to Kṛṣṇa is the best. So this is the same point which is being made in this verse. Śukadeva Gosvāmī is pointing out to Parīkṣit Mahārāja that even for those who are completely advanced spiritually, hearing about the glories of the Lord is most auspicious. Prabhupada says in the concluding lines of the purport, the Lord is not inactive or impersonal. So the, the impersonal aspect and personal aspect, but the personal aspect of the Lord is superior to the impersonal aspect, and the Lord is not inactive. If the sun is rising, the moon is rising, the wind is blowing, the stars are shining, it is all working because there's somebody directing the whole show, and that is Krishna. So, some or the other, our life should be so arranged that we can always remember Kṛṣṇa. And if we always remember Kṛṣṇa, then there will be no room for the illusory energy to cheat us. And then one will be spiritually safe. So we should mold our life in such a manner that Kṛṣṇa is always in our thought, word, mind, action. And by hearing about Kṛṣṇa, by describing Kṛṣṇa's glories, The devotee becomes enlightened because the topics of Kṛṣṇa are auspicious for everyone. So hear about Kṛṣṇa and life will be successful. Hare Kṛṣṇa. Today's class is a short class because I want to have time for the sankirtan meeting now. English devotees can take part in meeting? Yes, if they agree to pay an admission fee of 100 rupees. 200. Did you devotees understand Ramana Maharshi's answers? Actually, Ramana Maharshi's answers are very philosophical. I just made it very simple. Actually, against each of these points, there are many verses from other scriptures in support of those points, but there's no time to talk about all the verses because there are 12 questions and there's so many verses in support of each of the questions. Yes, Vāśava prabhu. If I tell you it's not true, will you follow my advice? Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhāgavad-gītā, whether you are a sudra, a female, or a brahmana, everybody can come back to Him. In Kali-yuga, you don't have to necessarily take a male body to go back to Godhead. If you in a female body surrender to Kṛṣṇa completely and act according to guru's direction, then you're guaranteed to go back. There have been so many great devotees in Vedic history. Queen Kunti, Draupadi, Gandhari, so many, Manoga. So whoever told you that, you should tell that initiated prabhu that he should understand the books a little better. There's no discrimination in terms of the path going back to Godhead. Whether you're black, white, brown, Indian American, Russian, educated, poor man, male body, female body, Kṛṣṇa doesn't care. Kṛṣṇa is only giving one instruction to everyone: Sarva-dharmām paritajyāmām ekaṁ śanam rājā. Give up everything and surrender unto Me and I will protect you. Don't worry. Prabhu, Hare Kṛṣṇa. So I just want to start the sankirtan class now, if you don't mind, in 5-10 minutes. Hare Kṛṣṇa.