How A Devotee Thinks

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"How A Devotee Thinks"

Srimad-Bhagavatam 7.9.8

Mayapur, February 28, 1977

 

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Pradyumna: (leads chanting, etc.) "Translation: Prahlada Maharaja prayed:

How is it possible for me, who have been born in a family of asuras, to offer

suitable prayers to satisfy the Supreme Personality of Godhead? Even until now,

all the demigods, headed by Lord Brahma, and all the saintly persons could not

satisfy the Lord by streams of excellent words, although such persons are very

qualified, being in the mode of goodness. Then what is to be said of me? I am

not at all qualified."

 

Prabhupada:

 

sri prahlada uvaca

brahmadayah sura-gana munaya 'tha siddhah

sattvaikatana-gatayo vacasam pravahaih

naradhitum puru-gunair adhunapi pipruh

kim tostum arhati sa me harir ugra-jateh

[sB 7.9.8]

 

So ugra-jateh means demonic family, passionate. Ugra. There are three

qualities within this material world. Therefore it is said guna-mayi. Daivi hy

esa guna-mayi [bg. 7.14]. Guna-mayi means three gunas, three modes of material

nature: sattva-guna, rajo-guna and tamo-guna. So our mind is jumping. Everyone

knows the nature of the mind, sometimes accepting one thing, again rejecting it,

sankalpa-vikalpa. This is the quality of the mind or nature of the mind.

Sometimes the mind is jumping over sattva-guna, sometimes on the rajo-guna, and

sometime on the tamo-guna. In this way we are getting different types of

mentality. In this way, at the time of death the mentality which is just at the

moment of leaving this body will carry me to a different body of sattva-guna,

rajo-guna, tamo-guna. This is the way of transmigration of the soul. Therefore

we have to train up the mind until we get the another body. That is the art of

living. So if you train up your mind simply to think of Krsna then you are safe.

Otherwise there is chance of accidents. Yam yam vapi smaran bhavam tyajaty ante

kalevaram [bg. 8.6]. At the time of leaving this body, if we have not practiced

the mind to fix up at the lotus feet of Krsna, then there is... [break] A

particular type of body we get.

 

So Prahlada Maharaja, although he does not belong to this platform of

mental speculation... He is nitya-siddha. He has no chance because he's always

thinking of Krsna. (loud electrical noise) (aside:) What is that? Sa vai

manah... Sa vai manah krsna-padaravindayor [sB 9.4.18]. Practice this very

simple thing. Krsna is here. We see the Deity daily and see the lotus feet of

Krsna. Fix up your mind in that way. Then you are safe. Very simple thing.

Ambarisa Maharaja, he was also a great devotee. He was king, very responsible

person, politics. But he practiced in such a way that he fixed up his mind on

the lotus feet of Krsna. Sa vai manah krsna-padaravindayor vacamsi

vaikuntha-gunanuvarnane. This practice. Don't talk nonsense. (noise again)

(aside:) What is the trouble? Take out.

 

So mahajano yena gatah sa panthah [Cc. Madhya 17.186]. We can learn Krsna

consciousness perfectly well if we follow the mahajanas. Mahajana means great

personality who are devotees of the Lord. They are called mahajanas. Jana means

person. Just like in ordinary way, in India a person is called mahajana who is

very rich. So this mahajana means one who is rich in devotional service. He is

called mahajana. Mahajano yena gatah sa panthah. So we have got Ambarisa

Maharaja. We have got Prahlada Maharaja. There are many, many kings --

Yudhisthira Maharaja, Pariksit Maharaja -- they are rajarsi. So Krsna

consciousness, actually, it is meant for very great personalities.

 

imam vivasvate yogam

proktavan aham avyayam

vivasvan manave prahur

manur iksvakave 'bravit

[bg. 4.1]

 

Evam parampara-praptam imam rajarsayo viduh [bg. 4.2]. Actually, sastra is

not for the loafer class. For highly learned brahmanas and highly elevated

ksatriyas. And the vaisyas and the sudras, they are not expected to become very

learned in sastra, but, being directed by proper brahmana and ksatriya, they are

also perfect. The first perfect class, munayo, as it is said, sattvaikatana

gatayo munayo, "Great sages..." Generally, "great sages" means brahmanas,

Vaisnavas. They are situated on the sattva-guna by devotional service. Rajas,

tamo-guna cannot touch them. Nasta-prayesv abhadresu nityam bhagavata-sevaya [sB

1.2.18]. The bhadra and abhadra, good and bad... So the rajo-guna and tamo-guna

is bad, and sattva-guna is good. If we are situated, as it is said,

sattvaikatana-gatayo... If you are always situated on the sattva-guna, then

everything is clear to be done. Sattva-guna means prakasa. Everything is clear,

full knowledge. And rajo-guna is not clear. The example is given: just like the

wood. There is fire, but the first symptom of fire, wood, you'll find smoke.

When you set fire in the wood, first of all smoke comes. So smoke... First of

all wood, then smoke, then fire. And from fire, when you engage the fire for

fire sacrifice, that is the ultimate. Everything coming from the same source,

from earth... The wood is coming from wood, the smoke is coming from smoke, the

fire is coming... And fire, when engaged in fire sacrifice -- svaha -- then it

is proper use of fire. If one stays in the wood platform, that is completely

forgetfulness. When one stays in the smoke platform, there is little light. When

one is staying in fire platform, then full light. And when the light is engaged

in Krsna's service, that is perfect. We have to understand like that.

 

So Prahlada Maharaja is Vaisnava. Vaisnava qualification is

 

trnad api sunicena

taror api sahisnuna

amanina manadena

kirtaniyah sada harih

[Cc. Adi 17.31]

 

Vaisnava is always humble, meek and humble. That is Vaisnava. Vaisnava is

powerful, but still he is very meek and humble. So here is the sign. Prahlada

Maharaja is so qualified that immediately Lord Nrsimhadeva put His hand on the

head: "My dear child, you have suffered so much. Now be pacified." This is

Prahlada Maharaja's position -- immediately accepted by the Lord. But he's

thinking, "I am so lowborn in the family of passionate family." Ugra-jateh. He's

not proud that "Now Nrsimhadeva has touched my head. Ah. Who is like me? I am

the greatest personality." This is not Vaisnava. Sanatana Gosvami when he

approached Caitanya Mahaprabhu, he presented himself, nica jati nica karma nica

sangi: "I am born of very low grade family, and my duties are also very low

grade, and my association are also very low grade." So Sanatana Gosvami was born

in a very respectable brahmana family, but because he accepted the service of

Muhammadan king, actually he lost his all brahminical culture. He did not lose,

but superficially it appeared because he was mixing with the Muhammadans, eating

with them, sitting with them, talking with them. But he gave up. Tyaktva turnam

asesa-mandala-pati-srenim sada tuccha. He understood, "What I am doing? I am

committing suicide." Janiya suniya visa khainu. Narottama dasa Thakura says that

"I am taking poison knowingly." Unknowingly one may take poison, but if

knowingly one takes poison, that is very regrettable. So Narottama dasa Thakura

said,

 

hari hari biphale janama gonainu

manusya-janama paiya, radha-krsna na bhajiya,

janiya suniya visa khainu

 

So we are trying to preach this Krsna consciousness movement all over the

world, but still, if people do not take to this Krsna consciousness movement,

then he is drinking poison knowingly. This is the position. He is drinking

poison. That's a fact. It is not that we are imagining something, eulogizing.(?)

They are charging us, "Brainwash." Yes, it is brainwash. It is... All the dirty

things, stools, are there in the brain, and we are trying to wash them. That is

our...

 

srnvatam sva-kathah krsnah

punya-sravana-kirtanah

hrdy antah stho hy abhadrani

vidhunoti suhrt satam

[sB 1.2.17]

 

The vidhunoti, this word, is there. Vidhunoti means washing. Washing. As

you are hearing the message of Srimad Bhagavatam or Bhagavad-gita, the process

is vidhunoti, washing. Actually, it is brainwashing -- but for good. Washing is

not bad. (laughter) That these rascals, they do not know. They are thinking,

"Oh, you are making me purified? Oh, you are very dangerous." This is their...

Murkhayopadeso hi prakopaya na santaye: "To a rascal, if you give good advice,

he becomes angry." Murkhayopadeso hi prakopaya na santaye. How is it?

Payah-panam bhujanganam kevalam visa-vardhanam. A snake-quality man is very

dangerous. Canakya Pandita has said,

 

sarpah krurah khalah krurah

sarpat kruratarah khalah

mantrausadhi-vasah sarpah

khalah kena nivaryate

 

"There are two envious living entities. One is a snake, black snake, and

one is a human being with the quality of black snake." He cannot see any good

thing. Sarpah krurah. The snake is envious. Without any fault he bites. A snake

is there on the street, and if you happen to pass by him he becomes so angry,

immediately he bites. So this is the snake's nature. Similarly, there are

persons like the snake. Without any fault they will accuse you. They are also

snake. So Canakya Pandita says that "This black snake is less harmful than the

man snake." Why? "Now, this black snake, by chanting some mantra or by some herb

can bring him under your control. But this man snake you cannot. It is not

possible."

 

So there will be. This Hiranyakasipu is also described by Prahlada

Maharaja as a snake. When Nrsimhadeva is so angry so he will say later on that

modeta sadhur api vrscika-sarpa-hatya: [sB 7.9.14] "My Lord, You were very much

angry on my father. Now he's finished, so there is no more reason for Your

remaining angry. Be pacified. Nobody is unhappy for killing my father. Be sure.

So there is no cause of anguish. These all these demigods, Lord Brahma and

others, they are all Your servants. I am also Your servant's servant. So now the

envious snake is killed. Everyone is happy." So he gave this example that modeta

sadhur api vrscika-sarpa-hatya. A sadhu, a saintly person, never likes killing

of any living being. They are not happy... Even a small ant is killed, they are

not happy: "Why ant should be killed?" What to speak of others, even a small

ant. Para-duhkha-duhkhi. It may be an ant, insignificant, but at the time of

death he has suffered. A Vaisnava is unhappy: "Why an ant should be killed?"

This is para duhkha-duhkhi. But such Vaisnava is happy when a snake and a

scorpion is killed. Modeta sadhur api vrscika-sarpa-hatya. So everyone is happy

when a snake or scorpion is killed because they are very, very dangerous.

Without any fault they bite and create havoc.

 

So there are these snakelike persons. They are envious about our movement,

and they are opposing. That is the nature. Prahlada Maharaja also was opposed by

his father, what to speak of others. These things will happen, but we should not

be disappointed, as Prahlada Maharaja never became disappointed although he was

teased in so many ways. He was also served with poison, he was thrown amongst

the serpents and he was thrown from the hill, he was put under the feet of

elephant. In so many ways put... Therefore Caitanya Mahaprabhu has instructed us

that "Do not be disappointed. Kindly forbear." Trnad api sunicena taror api

sahisnuna. Be tolerant more than the tree. I mean to say, one shall be meek and

humble more than the grass. These things will happen. In one life if we execute

our Krsna consciousness attitude, even there is suffering little, don't mind. Go

on with Krsna consciousness. Don't be disappointed or hopeless, even there is

some trouble. That is encouraged by Krsna in Bhagavad-gita: agamapayino 'nityas

tams titiksasva bharata: "My dear Arjuna, even if you feel some pain, this

bodily pain, it comes and goes. Nothing is permanent, so don't care for these

things. Go on with your duty." This is the instruction of Krsna. Prahlada

Maharaja is the practical example, and our duty is to follow the footprints of

such person like Prahlada Maharaja.

 

So Prahlada Maharaja, such an exalted personality, the authority, he is so

humble, he says, kim tostum arhati sa me harir ugra-jateh: "I am born in a very

ferocious family. Certainly I have inherited the quality of my father, my

family, demonic family. And persons like Lord Brahma and other demigods, they

could not satisfy the Lord, and what I shall do?" A Vaisnava thinks like that.

Vaisnava, Prahlada Maharaja, although he is transcendental, nitya-siddha, he's

thinking, identifying himself with his family. Just like Haridasa Thakura.

Haridasa Thakura was not entering in the Jagannatha temple. The same thing, five

hundred years ago they did not allow anyone except Hindus in the Jagannatha

temple. The same thing is still going on. But Haridasa Thakura never by force

entered. He thought himself, "Yes, I am low grade person, born in low grade

family. Why shall I disturb the pujaris and others who are directly engaged with

Jagannatha? No, no." Sanatana Gosvami, he did not go near the temple gate. He

thought himself, "By touching me, the pujaris will be impure. Better I shall not

go." But Jagannatha Himself was coming to see him daily. This is the position of

devotee. Devotee is very humble. But to prove the devotees' quality the Lord

takes care of them. Kaunteya pratijanihi na me bhaktah pranasyati [bg. 9.31].

 

So we should always depend on Krsna's assurance. In any circumstances, any

dangerous position, Krsna... Avasya raksibe krsna visvasa palana. This is

surrender. Surrender means... One of the item is full faith in Krsna, that "In

execution of my devotional service there may be so many dangers, but because I

have taken shelter of Krsna's lotus feet, I am safe." This, this faith for

Krsna.

 

samasrita ye pada-pallava-plavam

mahat-padam punya-yaso murareh

bhavambudhir vatsa-padam param padam

padam padam yad vipadam na tesam

[sB 10.14.58]

 

Padam padam yad vipadam na tesam. Vipadam means dangerous position. Padam

padam, every step in this material world -- na tesam, not for the devotee. Padam

padam yad vipadam na tesam. This is Srimad-Bhagavatam. Even from literary point

of view so exalted. So Prahlada Maharaja... Just like Kaviraja Gosvami. He is

writing Caitanya-caritamrta, and presenting himself, he says,

 

purisera kita haite muni se laghistha

jagai madhai haite muni se papistha

mora nama yei laya tara punya ksaya

[Cc. Adi 5.205]

 

Like that. The author of Caitanya-caritamrta, he presents himself: "The

lighter than the worm in the stool." Purisera kita haite muni se laghistha. And

in Caitanya-lila, Jagai-Madhai, two brothers are supposed to be most sinful, but

he has also They were also delivered. Kaviraja Gosvami says, "I am more sinful

than the Jagai-Madhai."

 

jagai madhai haite muni se papistha

mora nama yei laya tara punya ksaya

 

"I am so low grade that if somebody takes my name, whatever little pious

action is there is lost." In this way he's presenting. And Sanatana Gosvami,

presenting himself, nica jati nica karma nica sanga... They are not artificial.

A Vaisnava actually thinks like that. That is Vaisnava. He is never proud of...

And just opposite number: "Oh, I have got this. I have got this. Who is equal to

me? I am so rich. I am so this and that." That is the distinction.

 

So we have to learn this trnad api sunicena taror api sahisnuna and follow

the footprint of Prahlada Maharaja. Then surely we shall be accepted by

Nrsimhadeva, Krsna, without any failure.

 

Thank you very much. (end)

 

To find out more about Srila Prabhupada

Please Look at Krsna Consciousness the Matchless

Gift

http://krsnajoe.tripod.com

 

Your Humble Servant

Jaya Kesava Dasa

And All my Obiesances and thanks to

Pragrosh Das for making this Possible

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Srimad-Bhagavatam 7.9.8 -- Mayapur, February 28, 1977

 

 

 

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

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