REACT TO THE MODES OF PASSION AND IGNORANCE

Prahlada Maharaja is humbly submitting, because he is Vaisnava,“What is my position? My position is that I am born of rajas-tamo-guna. (the modes of passion and ignorance)” This birth takes place according to quality we acquire. Just like I was criticizing the condition of that toilet. This is so nasty, tamo-guna, and if I have no response to such tamo-guna place, that means I am also of that quality. Just like between fire and fire there is no reaction, but fire and water there is reaction. Similarly, sattva-guna-sattva-guna, (goodness and goodness) there is no reaction. Tamo-guna-tamo-guna there is no reaction. You mix acid and acid, there is no reaction. But if you mix acid and alkaline, there will be effervescence immediately. If one is developing tamo-guna, then if he becomes a pig in his next life, there is no reaction. He’ll be very glad that “I am pig,” “I am dog.” There is no reaction. But if one is in sattva-guna, then he cannot tolerate it. “Oh, such a nasty condition.” So I am very sorry there was no reaction in such a nasty toilet room. And you are getting sacred thread, the quality of brahmana, sattva-guna. It is very regrettable. Nobody reacted.

We have to curb down these rajo-guna and tamo-guna; otherwise there is no improvement. If a person in Krsna consciousness is found to have no reaction in rajo-guna and tamo-guna, then he’s a dull stone. He is not improving. It is simply showbottle. So showbottle will not help. This prescription is there. If one develops Krsna consciousness, then it is to be understood that he has surpassed sattva-guna, the brahminical qualification. Why do we offer sacred thread to a person who is coming from a very, very low family? Because it is to be understood that by chanting Hare Krsna mantra, by following the regulative principles, he has already come to the platform of sattva-guna. But if it is a false thing, there is no need of second initiation. This is our process: Do this--- Chant Hare Krsna mantra sixteen rounds, and don’t do this— illicit sex, meat-eating.” That means he’s becoming purified from the rotten condition of rajo-guna and tamo-guna. But if he does not, then there should be no second initiation. This should be the rule.

Prahlada Maharaja is a Vaisnava; he’s transcendental. He’s on the brahma-bhuta stage, on the spiritual platform. Otherwise how Krsna is touching him? Krsna cannot touch a rajas-tamo-bhava. No. That is not possible. When Lord Nrsimhadeva touched his head, either by His touching he’s purified, or because he’s purified, therefore the Lord touched his head. This is the conclusion. So he is purified, but as a Vaisnava, he is placing himself in the platform of rajas-tamo-bhava. The whole world, at least in this age, Kali-yuga, has these two qualities, mostly tamo-guna, and a little rajo-guna, that’s all, but no sattva-guna. Therefore people cannot understand Krsna consciousness. Therefore we have to purify ourselves. The prescription is there, a very simple thing, if we simply recite all these mantras. In the Srimad-Bhagavatam and Bhagavad-gita, all these verses, they’re all mantras, and are as good as the Hare Krsna mantra. There is no difference. In our many centers, we are inviting people so that they can hear. This class is meant for that. Simply if one hears the Hare Krsna mantra chanting, he’ll be purified. If he hears this mantra, a verse from Bhagavad-gita, a verse from Srimad-Bhagavatam, attentively, even if one does not understand the meaning, the purport, still, he’ll get benefit. That is the way. So we must hear. (Class by Srila Prabhupada Mar. 4,1976)

O my Lord, O Supreme, because I was born in a family full of the hellish material qualities of passion and ignorance, what is my position? And what is to be said of Your causeless mercy, which was never offered even to Lord Brahma, Lord Shiva or the goddess of fortune, Lakshmi? You never put Your lotus hand upon their heads, but You have put it upon mine. (Prahlada Maharaja SB 7.9.26)