Literature vs. Litter-ature

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"Literature vs. Litter-ature"

Srimad-Bhagavatam 7.9.18

Mayapur, February 25, 1976

 

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Dayananda Translation: "O my Lord Nrsimha, in this way, just being engaged

in Your transcendental loving service, I shall be able to associate with

devotees who are liberated souls, hamsas, and thus being completely

uncontaminated by the association of three modes of material nature, it will be

possible for me to chant the glories of Your Lordship, who is so dear to me. I

shall chant Your glories, fully following the footprints of Lord Brahma and his

disciplic succession. In this way it will be possible without any doubt that I

shall cross over the ocean of nescience."

 

Prabhupada:

 

so 'ham priyasya suhrdah paradevataya

lila-kathas tava nrsimha virinca-gitah

anjas titarmy anugrnan guna-vipramukto

durgani te pada-yugalaya-hamsa-sangah

[sB 7.9.18]

 

So in this verse two words are very important. One is virinca-gita.

Virinca means Lord Brahma and the followers. Just like we, Gaudiya-sampradaya,

means we belong to the Brahma-sampradaya. Our sampradaya begins from Lord

Brahma. There are similarly other sampradayas, just like Rudra-sampradaya, then

Kumara-sampradaya, and there is Laksmi-sampradaya, Ramanuja-sampradaya. So there

are four sampradayas. Brahma-sampradaya, Rudra-sampradaya, Kumara-sampradaya and

Laksmi-sampradaya. And if we do not take either of these sampradayas in

disciplic succession, then our attempt to advance in spiritual life will be

failure. Sampradaya-vihina ye mantras te viphala matah. You cannot manufacture

your own prayers unless you follow the footprints of mahajanas. They are

mahajanas. This Brahma, mahajana; Lord Siva, mahajana; Kumara, mahajana.

Laksmidevi is the potency, spiritual potency of Lord Visnu, Laksmi-Narayana,

Narayana's potency, and she's always engaged in massaging the lotus feet of

Narayana. You have seen the picture. Sri-sampradaya. Sri. She is known as Sri.

Sri means opulence, fortune, beauty. So she is the reservoir of all these

things. So she has got... It is called Sri-sampradaya. The Ramanuja-sampradaya,

they are called Sri-sampradaya. They worship Laksmi-Narayana. Everyone worships

the Lord and His potency, spiritual potency. Just like we worship Radha-Krsna,

similarly, the Ramanuja-sampradaya, they worship Laksmi-Narayana or Sita-Rama.

So we should follow the sampradaya. Sampradaya-vihina ye mantras te viphala

matah.

 

So here Prahlada Maharaja said that... Prahlada Maharaja is also mahajana

because he follows mahajana. He says, virinca-gitah: "I'll enjoy. I shall relish

tava lila-kathah, Your pastime, the narration of Your pastime." But it is not

that narration, as it is written by some mundane dramatic drama writer or novel

writer. No, not that. That is useless. You should not touch. If some ordinary

person has written something about Krsna's lila, you should not touch even. It

must be in the sampradaya, must be authorized person. Otherwise it is useless.

You should not touch even. Therefore he especially mentioned, lila-kathas tava

nrsimha virinca-gitah: "which is given by mahajanas like Brahma." Just like we

offer prayers from Brahma-samhita. We cannot offer prayer from any other

persons, written by any other nonsense. No, that is not possible. Virinca-gitah.

There is power. If you recite the prayers composed by mahajana, it has got

spiritual power. Just like in your country, Mr. Max Mueller, he's very famous as

translator of Vedas. But... Many scholars, they have read the translation of Max

Mueller, but nobody could understand what is the purpose of Vedas because he's

not in the line. He's useless. Similarly, that French professor, he has

mentioned specially... In comparison to my writing -- he has rejected even

Aurobindo and Dr. Radhakrishnan. Yes, that is right. What Dr. Radhakrishnan,

Aurobindo, knows about Krsna consciousness? Because they are not in the line.

They simply tried to exhibit their erudite scholarship. So that is useless.

Nayam atma pravacanena labhyo na medhaya na bahuna srutena. This is the

injunction given in the Vedas. Ayam atma, self-realization, God realization...

Nayam atma bala-hinena labhyah: "One who has no spiritual strength, he cannot

understand." It is not possible. Nayam atma bala hinena... Na medhaya. If you

have got very good fertile brain for manufacturing concocted ideas, that doesn't

mean you'll be able to understand Krsna. That is not possible. Nayam atma

pravacanena labhyo na medhaya na bahuna srutena. Only one who is favored by

Krsna and His, I mean to say, confidential devotee... (aside:) What is this

nonsense? One cannot understand.

 

Therefore Prahlada Maharaja is giving warning that "I shall recite the

narration of Your pastime which is composed by Brahma." Virinci. Virinci

means... Siva-virinci-nutam [sB 11.5.33]. That is the secret of success. You

cannot compose by whimsical way. No. That is not. That will not be possible.

Therefore the next word is very important, when he says,

pada-yugalaya-hamsa-sangah. Pada-yugalaya-hamsa-sangah. This is possible when we

associate, sangah... Sangah means association. Whose association?

Pada-yugalaya-hamsa. One who is... Because Krsna's feet is compared as lotus --

"lotus feet," we say -- so where there is lotus, there is hamsa, swan. Swan,

you'll find. That is the difference between the crows and the swan. Crows gather

in a place, filthy place, where all rotten things are kept. The crows come

there. Where all rotten things are there, all the crows will come. But when

there is lotus, the crows will not go there; the hamsa, swan, they'll go there.

Even in the bird society there are classes: crow society, swan society, pigeon

society, sparrow society. Everyone has got society. But one society is different

from another society. Similarly, where there is krsna-katha, the crowslike men

will not come. Where there is cinema, where there is prostitute dance, where

there is drinking, the crowslike men will gather. Tad vayasa-tirtham. Tad

vayasa... Vayasa means crows. So, na tad vacas citra-padam harer yaso pragrnita

karhicit, tad vayasam tirtham. Any literature, very nicely written, just like

Shakespeare writing or some other, big, big mundane writers, their writing, it

is very nicely written, grammatically very correct, and metaphorically very

nicely meant... Na tad vacas citra-padam. Citra-padam means very artistically

written. There are literatures very artistical. Na tad vacas citra-padam harer

yaso pragrnita karhicit. But there is no glorification of the Lord; simply

literary presentation. Such kind of literature is described, tad vayasa-tirtham:

"This kind of literature is preferred by the class of men who are like crows."

Crows. But the Vedic literature, which is sung by Lord Brahma or Lord Siva or a

devotee, even that is broken language presented, tad grnanti srnvanti sadhavah:

"They'll be accepted by saintly person. They'll sing it and they'll accept it."

That is the secret of success. If your literature is exactly following the

mahajano yena sa gatah, then it will be liked by highly advanced saintly person.

And if it is a presentation of mundane literary career... Therefore that

gentleman has rejected even Aurobindo and Dr... Others he has rejected: "They

are useless." Other commentation on Bhagavata, he has... But he has rejected

even Aurobindo and Dr. Radhakrishnan. Dr. Radhakrishnan is well known as a big

philosopher, and Aurobindo, he's also known as great speculator, but he

rejected. Yes, they should be rejected because it is vayasa-tirtha. What is the

use, jugglery of words? It has no fact, all imaginary. All imaginary.

 

So they are going on like that. Therefore one must be warned, as Prahlada

Maharaja said. This is mahajana yena... Prahlada Maharaja means... He... As he

is saying, we must accept. We should not indulge in speculation in..., or

literature, literary career, which is never touched by the mahajana. So it is

that one must be... The literature must be virinca-gitah. Why you are giving so

much stress on Bhagavad-gita as it is? Because it is spoken by Krsna. Similarly,

anything written by Krsna's pure devotee, that is important. Otherwise it's not

important. It is not important. So 'ham priyasya suhrdah. We should be engaged

always. Reading book is very good, but it must be written by authorities. Then

it is good. Now, otherwise, if you read twenty-four hours the newspaper or

ordinary book, that kind of reading is simply waste of time. But if we read

authorized literature, then that... What will happen then? Then ajas titarmy

anugrnan guna-vipramukto. Very easily, simply by reading such book, we shall be

free from material entanglement, simply. Because... Just like Bhagavad-gita.

Bhagavad-gita and Bhagavan Krsna, they are identical. There is no difference.

Don't think, "When I am reading Bhagavad-gita not with purpose, then I am

bereft." But to associate, to..., with a desire that "I shall be able to

associate with devotee and Krsna," then Bhagavad-gita is nondifferent from

Krsna. There is no difference. Advaya-jnana. Advaya-jnana means without any

difference. Vadanti tat tattva-vidas tattvam yaj jnanam advayam [sB 1.2.11],

Advayam. If you are a devotee, bona fide devotee, when you read Bhagavad-gita,

you must know Krsna is there. If you are a pure devotee, when you chant Hare

Krsna, Krsna is there on your tongue, dancing. Don't think otherwise. Krsna is

there. Nama-cintamani-krsnah. Nama. Anyone who is chanting Hare Krsna without

any offense... Ten kinds of offenses, you know that. By avoiding offense, if you

chant Hare Krsna, then you must know Krsna is there. Nama-cintamani-krsnah

caitanya-rasa-vigrahah purnah suddho nitya-mukto abhinnatvan nama-naminoh [Cc.

Madhya 17.133]. Similarly, when we read literature, lila-katha... Lila-katha.

Just like we are reading now Srimad-Bhagavatam. This is lila-katha of Krsna and

His devotee, Prahlada Maharaja. This is lila, exchange of dealings between

devotee and the Lord. The whole Bhagavata, it is called Bhagavata, why? The only

subject matter is Bhagavan and bhakta. That's all. Bhagavan is the Lord, and

bhakta is devotee. It has no other. You won't find any newspaper item, that

"There was earthquake in London," and this and that. You don't find all these

things. It is not like that, tad vayasa-tirtham, not for the enjoyment of the

crowslike men. It must be swan, hamsa. Hamsa.

 

Why hamsa is taken, paramahamsa? Hamsa has the capacity... Hamsa means

swan. He has got capacity. If you give to the hamsa milk mixed with water, the

hamsa has got the capacity, so it will drink the milk and reject the water.

Therefore hamsa. And paramahamsa, paramahamsa means although they are in the

material world, they have kicked out the material things, but he has taken

Krsna. That's all. Krsna is there. Everywhere is Krsna. Isavasyam idam sarvam

[iso mantra 1]. Even in this material world there is Krsna, but the hamsa can

take it, not the crows. The crows cannot take it. Therefore difference between

the crows and hamsas. So those who are in Krsna consciousness, they are being

trained up to become hamsas, or they are hamsas. They don't care for anything,

material thing. They are concerned with Krsna. Therefore paramahamsa. Krsna is

everywhere. Goloka eva nivasaty akhilatma-bhutah [bs. 5.37]. But the devotees

can take Krsna from anywhere. Iha... How it can be taken? What is the process?

The process is this devotional service. If you are engaged in devotional service

in anywhere, you are with Krsna.

 

iha yasya harer dasye

karmana manasa vaca

nikhilasv apy avasthasu

jivan muktah sa ucyate

 

If one has got sincere desire to serve Krsna in any position, in any body,

in any circumstance, he is jivan-mukta. That is paramahamsa. Jivan-mukta means

although he's living in this body, he's paramahamsa. He has nothing to do with

this body. He has everything to do with Krsna.

 

So we have to take shelter of such person. Therefore it is said,

pada-yugalaya-hamsa-sangah. A devotee who is always living under the protection,

shelter, of Krsna's lotus feet, like hamsa... Hamsa, you'll find, they enjoy.

When there is a lotus they go down within the water and entangle with the stems

of the lotus flower. There is a prayer by Mukunda, Mukunda-mala-stotra. Adyaiva

me manasa-hamsah, like that. Just now I forget. So our mind should be trained up

like hamsa who entangles himself with the stem of lotus flower. So we have to

take shelter of this hamsa. Pada-yugalaya-hamsa-sangah. Unless we associate with

such hamsa who has nothing to do with this material world, who has taken the

cream of the material, Krsna, such hamsa, if we become his servant...

Gopi-bhartur pada-kamalayo dasa-dasa-dasanudasa. Then it will be successful.

Pada-yugalaya-hamsa-sangah. Then it will be possible. If we associate with

hamsa, pure devotees, then our life will be successful. Anjas titarmi. Very

easily we shall cross over this ocean of nescience. There is another verse like

that. Bhavambudhir vatsa-padam param padam padam padam yad vipadam na tesam [sB

10.14.58]. Samasrita ye pada-pallava-plavam. The same thing, differently

expressed.

 

samasrita ye pada-pallava-plavam

mahat-padam punya-yaso murareh

bhavambudhir vatsa-padam param padam...

 

Bhavambudhih, this great ocean of nescience in which we are now fallen and

very much struggling for existence, exactly just like if you are thrown in the

ocean, you may be a very good swimmer, but the condition is very dangerous...

You'll have to struggle. You cannot say, "I am a good swimmer. I shall be very

easily able to cross over the ocean." No. That's not possible. But if you take

the shelter of the lotus feet of the Supreme Lord, samasrita ye

pada-pallava-plavam... Anyone who has taken shelter of the lotus feet of

Krsna... What is that lotus feet? Mahat-padam. It is... It is the shelter of the

whole material creation, Mahat-tattva. Mahat-tattva. From mahat-tattva, the

total material energy... That is called mahat-tattva. From mahat-tattva the

whole cosmic manifestation has come. Therefore the lotus feet of Krsna means

there is also mahat-tattva, many, many mahat-tattva. Samasrita ye

pada-pallava-plavam mahat-padam punya-yaso murareh. Murari. Krsna's another name

is Murari. Punya-yasah, always... Pavitram paramam bhavan. Then this...

Bhavambudhir vatsa-padam. This great ocean of nescience becomes a small spot of

water as it is made by the footprint of the calves, vatsa-padam.

 

So Prahlada Maharaja, in the previous verse he describes what is the

position of this material world, yasmat priyapriya-yoga-viyoga: simply

lamentation. Sometimes we are so-called happy by getting the desirable things,

and mostly we are unhappy, associating with undesirable things. So in order to

save ourself from these opposing elements, the best thing is suggested. So 'ham

priyasya suhrdah paradevataya lila-kathas. Let us be engaged always chanting

the, or reading the pastimes of the Lord, lila-katha. If you read

Srimad-Bhagavatam, then it is full of lila-katha, the pastimes of Lord Krsna. So

that is the only way to get out of the miserable condition of this material

world. Therefore Caitanya Mahaprabhu says that,

 

trnad api sunicena

taror api sahisnuna

amanina manadena

kirtaniyah sada harih

[Cc. Adi 17.31]

 

Kirtaniya, this is lila-katha, lila-katha, kirtaniya. The... When you read

or hear or chant about the pastimes of the Lord, that is also kirtana. And if

you chant Hare Krsna mantra with instrument, that is also kirtana. There is no

difference. So we must engage kirtaniyah sada harih. Either we should chant Hare

Krsna mantra or we should read our books. This is wanted. Then we'll be safe

from maya. Otherwise, at any time, we'll be victimized.

 

Thank you very much. (end)

 

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Srimad-Bhagavatam 7.9.18 -- Mayapur, February 25,

1976

 

 

 

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© 2001 The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International. Used with permission.

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