purusshotama yoga

[akila 0]

in the 15 chp of bhagwat geeta sloka 4 (3rd & 4th line)

"tvameva cadyam purusam prapadye

yatah pravrittih prasrtta purani"

here Lord Sri KRSNA in with ARJUNA and still HE tells Arjuna to go and surrender to that lord from whom everything emminates

 

why so?

could this be explained in detail

[gHari 0]

Krsna, after comparing the entanglement of the material world to an upside down Banyan tree, recommends that Arjuna seek out the source of the tree and then surrender to that primal person (adi-purusam). Here Lord Krsna verifies that He is indeed Bhagavan Sri Krsna (adi-purusam) of the spiritual world as He did earlier in verse 10.8: "AhaM sarvasya prabhavaH: I am the origin of everything.". So when we hear Krsna we think of that primal person, adi-purusam, the source of everything, whose pastimes in the eternal spiritual playground of Vrindavan captivate all our hearts. Guru Prabhupada comments in Bhagavad-gita As It Is 15.3-4:<blockquote>CONTEXT

The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: It is said that there is an imperishable banyan tree that has its roots upward and its branches down and whose leaves are the Vedic hymns. One who knows this tree is the knower of the Vedas. The branches of this tree extend downward and upward, nourished by the three modes of material nature. The twigs are the objects of the senses. This tree also has roots going down, and these are bound to the fruitive actions of human society.

 

<center>na rUpam asyeha tathopalabhyate

nAnto na cAdir na ca sampratiSThA

azvattham enaM su-virUDha-mUlam

asaGga-zastreNa dRDhena chittvA

 

tataH padaM tat parimArgitavyaM

yasmin gatA na nivartanti bhUyaH

tam eva cAdyaM puruSaM prapadye

yataH pravRttiH prasRtA purANI

</center>

na--not; rUpam--the form; asya--of this tree; iha--in this world; tathA--also; upalabhyate--can be perceived; na--never; antaH--end; na--never; ca--also; AdiH--beginning; na--never; ca--also; sampratiSThA--the foundation; azvattham--banyan tree; enam--this; su-virUDha--strongly; mUlam--rooted; asaGga-zastreNa--by the weapon of detachment; dRDhena--strong; chittvA--cutting; tataH--thereafter; padam--situation; tat--that; parimArgitavyam--has to be searched out; yasmin--where; gatAH--going; na--never; nivartanti--they come back; bhUyaH--again; tam--to Him; eva--certainly; ca--also; Adyam--original; puruSam--the Personality of Godhead; prapadye--surrender; yataH--from whom; pravRttiH--the beginning; prasRtA--extended; purANi--very old.

The real form of this tree cannot be perceived in this world. No one can understand where it ends, where it begins, or where its foundation is. But with determination one must cut down this strongly rooted tree with the weapon of detachment. Thereafter, one must seek that place from which, having gone, one never returns, and there surrender to that Supreme Personality of Godhead from whom everything began and from whom everything has extended since time immemorial.

 

PURPORT

It is now clearly stated that the real form of this banyan tree cannot be understood in this material world. Since the root is upwards, the extension of the real tree is at the other end. When entangled with the material expansions of the tree, one cannot see how far the tree extends, nor can one see the beginning of this tree. Yet one has to find out the cause. "I am the son of my father, my father is the son of such-and-such a person, etc." By searching in this way, one comes to BrahmA, who is generated by the GarbhodakazAyI ViSNu. Finally, in this way, when one reaches the Supreme Personality of Godhead, that is the end of research work. One has to search out that origin of this tree, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, through the association of persons who are in knowledge of that Supreme Personality of Godhead. Then by understanding one becomes gradually detached from this false reflection of reality, and by knowledge one can cut off the connection and actually become situated in the real tree.

 

The word asaGga is very important in this connection because the attachment for sense enjoyment and lording it over the material nature is very strong. Therefore one must learn detachment by discussion of spiritual science based on authoritative scriptures, and one must hear from persons who are actually in knowledge. As a result of such discussion in the association of devotees, one comes to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Then the first thing one must do is surrender to Him.

 

The description of that place whence having gone one never returns to this false reflected tree is given here. The Supreme Personality of Godhead, KRSNa, is the original root from whom everything has emanated. To gain favor of that Personality of Godhead, one has only to surrender, and this is a result of performing devotional service by hearing, chanting, etc. He is the cause of the extension of the material world. This has already been explained by the Lord Himself. AhaM sarvasya prabhavaH: "I am the origin of everything." (10.8) Therefore to get out of the entanglement of this strong banyan tree of material life, one must surrender to KRSNa. As soon as one surrenders unto KRSNa, one becomes detached automatically from this material extension.

 

 

REFERENCE Verse 10.8:<center>ahaM sarvasya prabhavo

mattaH sarvaM pravartate

iti matvA bhajante mAM

budhA bhAva-samanvitAH

</center>

aham--I; sarvasya--of all; prabhavaH--the source of generation; mattaH--from Me; sarvam--everything; pravartate--emanates; iti--thus; matvA--knowing; bhajante--become devoted; mAm--unto Me; budhAH--the learned; bhAva-samanvitAH--with great attention.

I am the source of all spiritual and material worlds. Everything emanates from Me. The wise who perfectly know this engage in My devotional service and worship Me with all their hearts.

</blockquote>

 

Lord Brahma describes this position of Sri Krsna in the beginning of the fifth chapter of his Brahma-Samhita, and then later describes the beautiful form of Sri Krsna (Syamasundara) in the spiritual world. The expression "adi-purusam" is used over and over in numerous verses exactly as we find it in the second quoted verse, "govindam Adi-puruSaM tam ahaM bhajAmi, I worship Govinda, the primeval Lord":<blockquote><center>IzvaraH paramaH kRSNaH

sac-cid-Ananda-vigrahaH

anAdir Adir govindaH

sarva-kAraNa-kAraNam

</center>

IzvaraH--the controller; paramaH--supreme; kRSNaH--Lord KRSNa; s a t --comprising eternal existence; cit--absolute knowledge; Ananda--and absolute bliss; vigrahaH--whose form; anAdiH--without beginning; AdiH--the origin; govindaH--Lord Govinda; sarva-kAraNa-kAraNam--the cause of all causes.

KRSNa who is known as Govinda is the Supreme Godhead. He has an eternal blissful spiritual body. He is the origin of all. He has no other origin and He is the prime cause of all causes.

 

 

<center>5.30

veNuM kvaNantam aravinda-dalAyatAkSam-

barhAvataMsam asitAmbuda-sundarAGgam

kandarpa-koTi-kamanIya-vizeSa-zobhaM

govindam Adi-puruSaM tam ahaM bhajAmi

</center>

veNum--the flute; kvaNantam--playing; aravinda-dala--(like) lotus petals; Ayata--blooming; akSam--whose eyes; barha--a peacock's feather; avataMsam--whose ornament on the head; asita-ambuda--(tinged with the hue of) blue clouds; sundara--beautiful; aGgam--whose figure; kandarpa--of Cupids; koTi--millions; kamanIya--charming; vizeSa--unique; zobham--whose loveliness; govindam--Govinda; Adi-puruSam--the original person; tam--Him; aham--I; bhajAmi--worship.

I worship Govinda, the primeval Lord, who is adept in playing on His flute, with blooming eyes like lotus petals with head decked with peacock's feather, with the figure of beauty tinged with the hue of blue clouds, and His unique loveliness charming millions of Cupids.

 

PURPORT (by Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Goswami Maharaja)

The matchless beauty of KRSNa, the Supreme Lord of Goloka, is being described. KRSNa, the all-pervading cognition, has a spiritual form of His own. The form of KRSNa is not a fanciful creation of imagination formed after visualizing the beautiful things of the world. What BrahmA saw in his ecstatic trance of pure devotion, is being described. KRSNa is engaged in playing upon His flute. That flute by his enchanting musical sound attracts the hearts of all living beings. Just as a lotus petal produces a pleasant sight, so the two beautiful eyes of KRSNa who causes the manifestation of our spiritual vision, display the unlimited splendor and beauty of His moonlike face. The loveliness that adorns His head with peacock feather figures, the corresponding feature of the spiritual beauty of KRSNa. Just as a mass of blue clouds offers a specifically soothing, pleasant view, the complexion of KRSNa is analogously tinged with a spiritual dark-blue color. The beauty and loveliness of KRSNa is far more enchanting that that of Cupid multiplied a millionfold.

</blockquote>

[gHari 0]

Describing Purusottama, this is an excerpt from Krsna Book chapter 89 by A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada:<blockquote>After this, Lord KRSNa and Arjuna entered a vast spiritual water. This spiritual water is called the KAraNa Ocean, which means that this ocean is the origin of the creation of the material world; this place is also known as VirajA, because it is free from the influence of the three qualities of the material world. In the MRtyuJjaya-tantra, a Vedic scripture, there is a vivid description of this KAraNa Ocean, or VirajA. It is stated there that the highest planetary system within the material world is Satyaloka, or Brahmaloka, beyond which are Rudraloka and MahA-ViSNuloka. Regarding this MahA-ViSNuloka, it is stated in the Brahma-saMhitA, yaH kAraNArNava-jale bhajati sma yoga-nidrAm ananta-jagad-aNDa-sa-roma-kUpaH: [bs. 5.47] "Lord MahA-ViSNu is lying in the KAraNa Ocean. When He exhales, innumerable universes come into existence, and when He inhales, innumerable universes enter within Him." In this way, the material creation is generated and again withdrawn. When Lord KRSNa and Arjuna entered the water, it appeared that there was a strong hurricane of transcendental effulgence blowing, and the water of the KAraNa Ocean was greatly agitated. By the grace of Lord KRSNa, Arjuna had the unique experience of being able to see the very beautiful KAraNa Ocean. Accompanied by KRSNa, Arjuna saw a large palace within the water.

 

There were many thousands of pillars and columns made of valuable jewels, and the glaring effulgence of those columns was so beautiful that Arjuna was charmed by it. Within that palace, Arjuna and KRSNa saw the gigantic form of Anantadeva, who is also known as SeSa. Lord Anantadeva, or SeSa NAga, was in the form of a great serpent with thousands of hoods, each one of them decorated with valuable, effulgent jewels, beautifully dazzling. Each of Anantadeva's hoods had two eyes, which appeared very fearful. His body was as white as the mountaintop of KailAsa, which is always covered by snow. His necks were bluish, as were His tongues. Thus Arjuna saw the SeSa NAga form, and he also saw that on the very soft, white body of SeSa NAga, Lord MahA-ViSNu was lying very comfortably. He appeared all-pervading and very powerful, and Arjuna could understand that the Supreme Personality of Godhead in that form is known as PuruSottama. He is known as PuruSottama, the supreme or best Personality of Godhead, because from this form emanates within the material world another form of ViSNu, known as GarbhodakazAyI ViSNu. The MahA-ViSNu form of the Lord is also called PuruSottama (PuruSa-uttama) because He is beyond the material world. Tama means "darkness," and ut means "above, transcendental"; therefore, uttama means "above the darkest region of the material world." Arjuna saw that the bodily color of PuruSottama, MahA-ViSNu, was as dark as a new cloud in the rainy season. He was dressed in very nice yellow clothing, His face was beautifully smiling, and His eyes, which were like lotus petals, were very attractive. Lord MahA-ViSNu's helmet was bedecked with valuable jewels, and His beautiful earrings enhanced the beauty of the curling hair on His head. Lord MahA-ViSNu had eight arms, all very long, reaching to His knees. His neck was decorated with the Kaustubha jewel, and His chest was marked with the symbol of SrIvatsa, which means "the resting place of the goddess of fortune." The Lord wore a garland of lotus flowers down to His knees. This long garland is known as a VaijayantI garland.

 

The Lord was attended by His personal associates Nanda and Sunanda, and the personified Sudarzana disc was also standing by Him. As stated in the Vedas, the Lord has innumerable energies, and they also stood there in their personified forms. The most important among them were as follows: PuSTi, the energy for nourishment; SrI, the energy of beauty; KIrti, the energy of reputation; and AjA, the energy of material creation. All these energies are invested in the administrators of the material world, namely Lord BrahmA, Lord Siva and Lord ViSNu, and also in Indra (the King of the heavenly planets), Candra, VaruNa and the sun-god. In other words, all these demigods, being empowered by the Lord with certain energies, engage in the transcendental loving service of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The MahA-ViSNu feature is an expansion of KRSNa's body. The Brahma-saMhitA confirms that MahA-ViSNu is a portion of a plenary expansion of KRSNa. All such expansions are nondifferent from the Personality of Godhead, but since KRSNa appeared within this material world to manifest His pastimes as a human being, He and Arjuna immediately offered their respects to Lord MahA-ViSNu by bowing down before Him. It is stated in SrImad-BhAgavatam that Lord KRSNa offered respect to MahA-ViSNu; this means that KRSNa offered obeisances unto none other than Himself, because Lord MahA-ViSNu is nondifferent from KRSNa Himself. This offering of obeisances by KRSNa to MahA-ViSNu is not, however, the form of worship known as ahaGgrahopAsanA, which is sometimes recommended for persons trying to elevate themselves to the spiritual world by performing the sacrifice of knowledge. Such persons are also mentioned in the Bhagavad-gItA: jJAna-yajJena cApy anye yajanto mAm upAsate.

</blockquote>

Lord Brahma clarifies the position of Maha-Visnua (Purusottama) in his Brahma-Samhita 5.48:<blockquote><center>yasyaika-nizvasita-kAlam athAvalambya

jIvanti loma-vilajA jagad-aNDa-nAthAH

viSNur mahAn sa iha yasya kalA-vizeSo

govindam Adi-puruSaM tam ahaM bhajAmi

</center>

yasya--whose; eka--one; nizvasita--of breath; kAlam--time; atha--thus; avalambya--taking shelter of; jIvanti--live; loma-vila-jAH--grown from the hair holes; jagat-aNDa-nAthAH--the masters of the universes (the BrahmAs); viSNuH mahAn--the Supreme Lord MahA-ViSNu; saH--that; iha--here; yasya--whose; kalA-vizeSaH--particular plenary portion or expansion; govindam--Govinda; Adi-puruSam--the original person; tam--Him; aham--I; bhajAmi--worship.

BrahmA and other lords of the mundane worlds, appearing from the pores of hair of MahA-ViSNu, remain alive as long as the duration of one exhalation of the latter [MahA-ViSNu]. I adore the primeval Lord Govinda of whose subjective personality MahA-ViSNu is the portion of portion.</blockquote>

[gHari 0]

This is a portion of a lecture on the Gita by Guru Prabhupada:<blockquote>So try to understand the position of KRSNa. KRSNa is nArAyaNaH paro 'vyaktAt, transcendental, paraH avyaktAt. That is puruSottama-yoga in the Bhagavad-gItA. KRSNa has said, "Anyone who has understood Me, ajam avyayam, ajam--I never take birth in this material world, neither I am deteriorated by material contact--he knows me perfectly." That is called puruSottama. PuruSa uttama. Uttama. Uttama means "not of this material world." Ut. Ut means above, and tama means this darkness. So ut-tama means "above this darkness." So uttama puruSa. PuruSa uttama. PuruSa. PuruSa means enjoyer. PrakRti means enjoyed. So actually, we are not puruSa; we are prakRti. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gItA, apareyam itas tu viddhi me prakRtiM parAm, jIva-bhUtAM mahA-bAho yayedaM dhAryate jagat. Apareyam, these material elements, bhUmir Apo 'nalo vAyuH, earth, water, fire, air, sky, mind, intelligence, bhinnA me prakRtir aSTadhA, these are separated energies, material energies of KRSNa. They are also prakRti. As this material world is prakRti, similarly, there is another prakRti, KRSNa gives information. Apareyam itas tu viddhi me prakRtiM parAm. But that is parA-prakRti. So we are not puruSa; we are prakRtis. Although by materially dressed, we appear to be puruSa, actually, we are not puruSa. Just like if you dress one woman like a man, that does mean she has become man. She is woman. Similarly, we are puruSa in the sense that we are trying to imitate the supreme puruSa, PuruSottama. KRSNa is the Supreme enjoyer. We are trying to become imitation KRSNa. Just like so many rascals, they declare that "God, I am God." That is the last snare, MAyAvAda. First of all we try to become enjoyer like the head of the family man or a minister or this and that, so many. Everyone is trying to become head, enjoyer. And at last, being baffled in every respect, he wants to become God. This is the last snare of mAyA. Nobody can become God. He is PuruSottama and we are prakRtis. Artificially, how we can become enjoyer? PrakRti means enjoyed. Enjoyer and... Predominator and the predominated.

 

So jIva-bhUta, we jIvas, we are all prakRti. PuruSa is only KRSNa. All living entities... ViSNu-tattva is puruSa-tattva, and we are zakti-tattva, zakti, energy, marginal energy of KRSNa. So energy is prakRti. The prakRti is not puruSa. So MAyAvAda philosophy is wrong. They pose them as so 'ham. So 'ham "I am the same." How you can be same? In the zAstra it is said that "You living entity, you are prakRti." How you can become same, you puruSa. This is mistake. How prakRti, how a woman can become man? Artificially one can become. Here also so-called woman, they are also puruSa. They are thinking puruSa. PuruSa means enjoyer. Here woman is also thinking to enjoy, and the so-called man is also thinking to enjoy. Everyone. Nobody wants to serve. Everyone wants to be served. PuruSa attitude. Everyone wants to be served. Nobody wants to serve. This is the material conception of life.

 

So when we agree to serve, not to be served, that is liberated person. When we agree to serve only, not to be served. Not to accept service from others, but to serve others--that is real liberation. But here the material disease is that everyone is making plan "How others will serve me." This is called mAyA. This is called mAyA. MAyA means that artificially we want to be served. That is not possible. When we agree to serve... As Caitanya MahAprabhu has given us the path of liberation, jIvera svarUpa hoy nitya-kRSNa-dAsa, this is our position. We are eternal servant of KRSNa.

 

So when we engage ourself in the service of KRSNa... The whole Bhagavad-gItA is spoken on this basis. Arjuna was artificially declining to serve KRSNa. KRSNa wanted him to fight, and Arjuna was putting so many reasons, "How he could fight and kill the other side who are his kinsmen, who are nephews, who are brothers, grandfather?" This argument were being put. So that means he refused to serve KRSNa. That is material condition. He was thinking in his own terms. He wanted to enjoy the family members, the so-called nephews, brothers, that "If they are killed, then what is the use of my, this kingdom?" [break] ...but people thinks that I get kingdom I enjoy myself. That is condition. But a liberated soul will take the kingdom, but it will be used for KRSNa's service. That is liberated, soul.

 

In this way we should try to understand, KRSNa, KRSNa's name, KRSNa's fame, KRSNa's associates, KRSNa's activities, all divyam, transcendental. They are not material. Therefore it is mentioned here, divyau zaGkhau pradadhmatuH. Divyau zaGkhau. The zaGkha used by KRSNa and Arjuna, they are not ordinary zaGkha. Thank you very much. Hare KRSNa. (end)

</blockquote>

 

Excerpt from the purport to Srimad Bhagavatam 2.9.33:<blockquote>In the BRhad-AraNyaka UpaniSad (1.4.1) there is the hymn Atmaivedam agra AsIt puruSa-vidhaH. This mantra indicates the Supreme Personality of Godhead (KRSNa) even before the appearance of the puruSa incarnation. In the Bhagavad-gItA (15.18) it is said that Lord KRSNa is PuruSottama because He is the supreme puruSa, transcendental even to the puruSa-akSara and the puruSa-kSara. The akSara-puruSa, or the MahA-ViSNu, throws His glance over prakRti, or material nature, but the PuruSottama existed even before that. The BRhad-AraNyaka UpaniSad therefore confirms the statement of the Bhagavad-gItA that Lord KRSNa is the Supreme Person (PuruSottama).</blockquote>

 

Excerpt from lecture on Srimad Bhagavatam verse 1.16.35:<blockquote>

Devotee: (leads chanting, etc.)<center>

kA vA saheta virahaM puruSottamasya

premAvaloka-rucira-smita-valgu-jalpaiH

sthairyaM samAnam aharan madhu-mAninInAM

romotsavo mama yad-aGghri-viTaGkitAyAH

</center>

Translation: "Who can, therefore, tolerate the pangs of separation from that Supreme Personality of Godhead? He could conquer the gravity and passionate wrath of His sweethearts like SatyabhAmA and others by His sweet smile of love, pleasing glance and hearty appeals. When he traversed my (the earth's) surface, I would be immersed in the dust of His lotus feet and thus would be sumptuously covered with grass, which appeared like hairs standing on me out of pleasure."

 

PrabhupAda: KA vA saheta virahaM puruSottamasya. PuruSottama. PuruSa and prakRti, there are two words. PrakRti means "enjoyed" or "the energy," and puruSa means "the enjoyer" and, or "the powerful." So we are prakRti, we living entities, we are prakRti. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gItA: prakRteH hi me parAm vidhi, apareyam itas tu prakRti me...

 

Devotee: PrakRtiM vidhi me parAm.

 

PrabhupAda: PrakRtiM vidhi me parAm. So, puruSAM zAzvatam, KRSNa is the Supreme Person enjoyer, puruSa. PuruSa has got different features: personal expansion, personal feature, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Expansion feature also two kinds: svAMza, vibhinnAMza, His personal expansion and separated expansion. We are all separated expansion, vibhinnAMza, a small particle. Just like the sun, we are. The sunshine means combination of, what is called, sparking, sparking molecules, very small. The sunshine means they are not homogenous; they are small particles of shining, part and parcel of the sun. Similarly, we living entities, we are like that--a small particle, part and parcel of God. So we are also brightening, shining. We are not dull. But on account of our combination with the material nature, we have been covered. Therefore our shining quality is now stopped. Shining quality is now stopped. That is our forgetfulness about our relationship with the Supreme puruSa, puruSottama, uttama puruSa. Uttama, madhyama, and adhyama. There are three grades of puruSa. We are the lowest grade, adhyama. So, because we are adhyama puruSa, therefore there is chance of our brightness being sometimes covered. But we can again revive our brightness and shine with the Supreme Person. As the sun and the sunshine, they are together shining, there is light, similarly, when we are again posted in our own constitutional position, and KRSNa is like the sun and we are shining particles, then our life is successful. That is wanted.

 

Therefore KRSNa comes, the puruSottama, to take us back. "Why you are now covered, your shining is stopped? You are morose. You are suffering threefold miserable condition of material existence. Why you are rotting here?" Sarva-dharmAn parityajya mAm ekaM zaraNaM vraja [bg. 18.66]. KRSNa comes Himself. He is within everyone's heart. He's instructing. He is ready to instruct, but He'll only instruct to such persons who have engaged themselves in devotional service. KRSNa is there, just like the master is there and many workers are there also. The master speaks to the important persons, not to the ordinary person. Similarly, the master is there in everyone's heart.

 

<center>IzvaraH sarva-bhUtAnAM

hRd-deze arjuna tiSThati

brahmAyan sarva-bhUtAni

yantrArUDhAni mAyayA

[bg. 18.61]

</center>

Whatever we are getting for our sense enjoyment, that is with the sanction, sanction of the puruSa, the Supreme Person. The paramAtmA feature is madhyama puruSa. He is purusottama. PuruSottama is the Supreme Person, and the Supreme Person by His expansion as the Supersoul is present in everyone's heart. IzvaraH sarva-bhUtAnAm [bg. 18.61]. He's guiding, as friend. He's guiding as friend, but He speaks directly with the living entity as soon as we are purified by devotional service. TeSAM satata-yuktAnAM bhajatAM prIti-pUrvakam [bg. 10.10]. That if..., that qualification we have to attain, then KRSNa, puruSottama, will speak from within, just like He spoke from within of Brahma: tene brahma hRdA Adi-kavaye.

 

We have to become qualified to talk with the Supreme Person, and He will give us advice. He's giving us advice. He's ready to give us advice from within and from without--from within as Supersoul and from without as the spiritual master. Therefore it is said, guru-kRSNa-kRpAya bhakti-latA-bIja. Both things are required--guru and KRSNa. If we are sincere, if we actually want KRSNa, KRSNa is within your heart. He will help you in meeting the spiritual master, His representative. And by the instruction of the spiritual master, you will develop more and more your KRSNa consciousness, your original position. This is called devotional service, or bhakti-latA. Bhakti-latA-bIja. Just like one small creeper, first of all to sow the seed and water it, then gradually it spouts and gradually, I mean to say, grows. Similarly, by the mercy of KRSNa and His representative, guru, spiritual master, you get the seed of bhakti-latA, devotional service, and if you sow it in the heart, mAlI haya sei bIja kare AropaNa. Just like if you take a seed, nice seed, and if you sow it, and pour water little, little, then it will grow and it will become a big tree or big creeper and give you the fruits. You'll enjoy it. Similarly, the bhakti-latA-bIja is given by the spiritual master in cooperation with KRSNa. That is initiation. This initiation arrangement means sowing the seed of devotional service. Now, if you get, if you think that after getting initiation, "I have become perfect. Now again, whatever nonsense I was doing, I shall go on doing it," then it will be useless. It will be useless. Suppose if you get a seed. If you don't take proper care, water it nicely, then it will not grow; it will be stunned there. You have to take, mAlI haya sei bIja kar AropaNa zravaNa-kIrtana-jale karaye secana.

 

So this initiation means by the mercy of KRSNa through His agent, the spiritual master, you are getting the seed of bhakti-latA. So you have to take care of yourself by the instruction. Not that, "Now I have got a spiritual master and I have got the initiation, my business is finished. Let me do all nonsense." No. This initiation process, we take promise from you that no illicit sex, no meat eating, no gambling, no intoxication--before the fire. The fire ceremony means, fire is also representation of yajJa-puruSa, and through fire, the yaj\ va-puruSa eats, puruSottama. So there is fire, there is spiritual master, there is zAstra, there is KRSNa, before--they are all witness. Just like before the high court judge you promise, "Yes I'll speak... Whatever I'll speak in this court, it is all truth." So this promise the judge knows, and he gives his judgment on that. Similarly, these promises must be kept; otherwise it will be useless. That is your business, the same thing, guru-kRSNa..., that by the mercy of guru, by the mercy of KRSNa, you get the thing. Now to use the thing properly, that will depend on you. Guru-kRSNa-kRpAya bhakti-latA-bIja. I can give you very nice thing, but you keep it locked up in your treasury and never use it, then what will you do? MAlI haya sei bIja kare AropaNa. You have to sow it and pour water and see that it is nicely growing. This..., that is very nicely described in rupa-zikSA, mAlI hay sei bIja kare AropaNa. So don't think that after the official ceremony of initiation your business and my business is finished. No. The business begins. It is not the finishing; it is the beginning. So if you don't go farther, Adau guru-AzrayaH... The beginning is to take shelter of guru. That is the beginning. And, adau guru-AzrayaH, then the student must be very inquisitive, sad-dharma-pRcchA. SAdhu-mArga-anugamanam. You'll find all these things, instruction, in The Nectar of Devotion. They are there.

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[Guest guest]

In gita verse 15.18 he says:

 

yasmAt kshram atitah aham

aksharAt api cha uttama

atah asmi loke ved cha

prathitah purushottamah

 

"Becaue I am transcendental, beyond the fallible and the infallible, and because I am the greatest, I am celebrated both in the world and in the Vedas as the Supreme person."

 

one can talk about one's self as 3rd person sometime.

 

jai sri prabhupada!