As I mentioned yesterday, Brahma, Sankara and all the other demigods
went to Dvaraka, to the palace of Lord Sri Krsna, and they told the
Lord, "Previously, we prayed to You to come to this world and
remove the burden of the Earth. This is completed now. You have killed
Putana, Aghasura, Bakasura, Trnavarta and so many other demons in
Vrndavana, and in Mathura You killed demons such as Kamsa, Carana
and Mustika and their brothers. You also defeated Jarasandha seventeen
times, even though his army was practically unlimited. Also, in the
Mahabharata War You killed so many demons, either by Yourself or by
Your 'arms' like Bhima and Arjuna. You have killed all the demons
who had come in the form of ksatriyas."
Lord Sri Krsna replied, "I know; I understand your prayers and
request. You have reminded Me of this. I have performed all My duties
and have executed My will. If I leave now, however, the members of
the Yadu dynasty will create many problems. Therefore, before I leave
this world, I should arrange for their annihilation." Krsna thus
inspired Durvasa and other rsis (sages) to give a curse to the boys
of the Yadu dynasty, so that by quarreling with each other they would
be finished.
Sri Krsna then met with all the elder members of the Yadu dynasty
and told them, "Because of the curse of the brahmanas, I am seeing
inauspicious omens, foreboding great disturbances and destruction.
We should go to Prabhasa-tirtha, a very sacred place. There we will
counteract the ill effects of sinful activities by making donations
to the brahmanas and satisfy them.
The Lord convinced them to go to Prabhasa-tirtha, where they could
save themselves by the performance of ritual bathing, charity, and
so on. In obedience to His desire, they prepared to journey there.
All the members of His dynasty went there, and a fire sacrifice was
performed. At that time, the Yadus drank wine and forgot everything
they forgot who their mothers, brothers and fathers were, and
they forgot each other. They fought with each other, and thus it appeared
that they killed each other.
I have explained before that this was only the magic of Krsna. By
this event, Krsna sent some of His associates to heaven, some to Vaikuntha,
some to Dvaraka and some to Vraja.
Sri Baladeva Prabhu then appeared in the form of a snake. In that
form He left this world and went to Goloka Vrndavana. After that Sri
Krsna sat under a pippal tree, as if nothing had happened. He is atmarama
and atmakama. This means He takes pleasure in His own atma or self,
and He is also satisfied with whatever transpires externally.
In the meantime, Uddhava came and told Him, "I know that now
You want to return to Goloka Vrndavana. I cannot live without You,
so please take me with You."
Sri Krsna replied, "Something remains for you to do in this world,
so you must stay here for awhile. I will now tell you about the process
of bhagavat-dharma. Even a blind man can easily follow this process
and achieve pure love for the Supreme Lord. You should teach this
same knowledge to Vidura on your way to Badrika-asrama. Then, at Badrika-asrama,
tell this to Maitreya Rsi. Maitreya Rsi will then spread this same
message everywhere.
"Sometimes you should remain at Badrika-asrama, and sometimes
you should be in Vraja, at Kusuma-sarovara (Uddhava Kunda)
as a blade of grass, waiting for the lotus foot dust of the gopis
when they go out to meet with Me."
At that time Uddhava requested Krsna, "The entire world is entangled
in household-life. How can the worlds' population be liberated and
attain Krsna-prema?"
Krsna then began His teachings to Uddhava: "You should give up
worldly life. It is like a blind well and a burning fire. Give it
up at once and be renounced. Give up all attachments in this world,
and then you can travel throughout the world like Sri Narada Rsi.
Kali-yuga is known as mahan-yuga, the most auspicious yuga. Even demigods
and those who are very intelligent want to take birth in Kali-yuga
in the human form.
kalim sabhajayanty arya
guna jnah sara-bhaginah
yatra sankirtanenaiva
sarva-svartho bhilabhyate
[Those who are actually advanced in knowledge are able to appreciate
the essential value of this Age of Kali (this present Age, the Age
of quarrel and hypocrisy). Such enlightened persons worship Kali-yuga
because in this fallen Age all perfection of life can easily be achieved
by the performance of sankirtana. (Srimad-Bhagavatam 11.5.36)]
By nama-sankirtana, by singing the glories of Lord Sri Krsna's form,
name, qualities and pastimes, one can easily achieve more than what
people could attain in Satya-yuga by knowledge, in Treta-yuga by sacrifice
and in Dvapara-yuga by Deity worship.
In Kali-yuga, if a man thinks, "I should do this bad thing,"
but he does not actually perform that activity, there is no bad reaction.
In previous Ages the reaction to thinking badly was as severe as acting
badly. In Kali-yuga, if a person is doing a lot of nonsense by his
mind, but not by body, he does not get a bad reaction. If he performs
a bad activity by his body and senses, then he gets the reaction.
Kali-yuga has so many good qualities, and this is why wise and intelligent
persons want to come to this Earth in Kali-yuga.
In Satya-yuga (the Age of Goodness) and other yugas, simply by one's
thinking a bad thought one must get a sinful reaction. On the other
hand, in Kali-yuga, positive thoughts will give fruit, but not bad
thoughts. [Editors' note: The obvious reaction is there for thinking
bad thoughts: one will feel bad by thinking in a bad way. As one continues
to think in a bad way, eventually he or she will act in a bad way,
and then the severe reaction is right there. So there is certainly
a reaction eventually. However, in previous Yugas the severe reaction
is there at once, simply by thinking bad. The conclusion is that in
Kali-yuga a person who thinks bad can still improve his or her condition
by changing thoughts through the influence of good association; or,
in the absence of good association by trying to be positive and respectful
to all.]
Lord Sri Krsna told Uddhava, "Yadu Maharaja was a very religious
person in My family dynasty, and he had great love and affection for
brahmanas and sages. One day he saw a naked person traveling. He noticed
that although that person did not beg anything from anyone, he was
very healthy and very happy.
The following verse reveals the type of people who are unconditionally
happy:
sa vai pumsam paro dharmo
yato bhaktir adhoksaje
ahaituky apratihata
yayatma suprasidati
["The supreme occupation [dharma] for all humanity is that by
which men can attain to loving devotional service unto the transcendent
Lord. Such devotional service must be unmotivated and uninterrupted
to completely satisfy the self. (Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.2.6)]
That person was always remembering Lord Sri Krsna's pastimes. Yadu
Maharaja offered obeisances to him, put the foot dust of that person
on his own head and said, "I would like to know something. You
are naked and you have no possessions. You are not begging anything
and you are roaming here and there. How is it that you look so happy
and healthy? I want to know this."
That person's name was Dattatreya, and he was a manifestation of God.
Dattatreya replied, "Oh Yadu Maharaja, I have accepted twenty-four
siksa-gurus: Prthivi (Earth), Vayu (air), sky, water, fire, the Moon,
the Sun, the pigeon, the python, the ocean, the moth, the bumblebee,
the elephant, the honey collector, the deer, the fish, the prostitute
named Pingala, the hawk, the baby, the unmarried girl, the arrow-maker,
the snake, the spider and the wasp.
"Oh Yadu Maharaja, I have made these my 24 siksa-gurus. I have
learned so many things from them, and that is why I am happy. I am
not attached to anyone, and in this way I travel throughout the world.
Sometimes I hide myself and sometimes I am visible. No one knows who
I am. People think I am a mad person. Sometimes, to give mercy, for
their benefit, I manifest. Now, I am manifesting myself to you and
mercifully speaking to you."
I will explain in brief what Dattatreya told Maharaja Yadu about his
twenty-four siksa-gurus, beginning with the Earth:
Vaisnavas should be very tolerant, like the Earth. Sometimes we dig
on the Earth to obtain something. Sometimes we pass urine and stool
on the Earth; but Prthivi-devi the goddess of the Earth is very tolerant.
She never protests. She doesn't demand, "Why are you doing this?!"
She is very tolerant. You should be tolerant like the Earth.
Upon the Earth, trees and creepers are also very tolerant:
trnad api sunicena
taror api sahisnuna
amanina manadena
kirtaniyah sada harih
[One can chant the holy name of the Lord in a humble state of
mind, thinking himself lower than the straw in the street. One should
be more tolerant than the tree, devoid of all sense of false prestige
and ready to offer all respects to others. ln such a state of mind
one can chant the holy name of the Lord constantly. (Siksastaka
3)]
Their bark, juice, fruits, flowers, leaves, wood and everything else
they possess is for others. The tree does not even ask for water.
He will dry up before asking: "Give me water." He will tolerate
his branches getting cut by others. Similarly, everything a Vaisnava/Vaisnavi
possesses is for all others. Try to learn this, otherwise how can
you become a Vaisnava?
The mountain: We do so many nonsense things, but the mountain tolerates.
Its life and everything is for others. You should also be like the
mountain. Don't aspire for any position, aside from the position of
a humble servant of Sri Guru. Don't collect anything.
sasvat parartha-sarvehah
pararthaikanta-sambhavah
sadhuh sikseta bhü-bhrtto
naga-sisyah paratmatam
[A saintly person should learn from the mountain to devote all his
efforts to the service of others and to make the welfare of others
the sole reason for his existence. Similarly, as the disciple of the
tree, he should learn to dedicate himself to others. (Srimad-Bhagavatam
11.7.38)]
prana-vrttyaiva santusyen
munir naivendriya-priyaih
jnanam yatha na nasyeta
navakiryeta van-manah
["A learned sage should take his satisfaction in the simple maintenance
of his existence and should not seek satisfaction through gratifying
the material senses. In other words, one should care for the material
body in such a way that ones higher knowledge is not destroyed
and so that ones speech and mind are not deviated from self-realization."
(Srimad-Bhagavatam 11.7.39)]
We should not take food according to the demands of our belly. Rather,
we should take only simple and pure food not more or less than
we need. We should take only what is required to maintain life; not
for tasting sense gratification and thinking, "This is very sweet,
this is very tasteful."
You should remember:
atyaharah prayasas ca
prajalpo niyamagrahah
jana-sangas ca laulyam ca
sadbhir bhaktir vinasyati
["Ones devotional service is spoiled when he becomes too
entangled in the following six activities: (1) eating more than necessary
or collecting more funds than required; (2) over endeavoring for mundane
things that are very difficult to obtain; (3) talking unnecessarily
about mundane subject matters; (4) Practicing the scriptural rules
and regulations only for the sake of following them and not for the
sake of spiritual advancement, or rejecting the rules and regulations
of the scriptures and working independently or whimsically; (5) associating
with worldly-minded persons who are not interested in Krsna consciousness;
and (6) being greedy for mundane achievements." (Nectar of Instruction,
verse 2)]
Don't take prasadam for its taste. Rather, take prasadam only to somehow
maintain your life.
Air: Air is everywhere. The air goes everywhere and takes the scent
of everything good and bad earth, flowers and stool. Yet, the
air is always detached. The air is always auspicious, because it has
no attachment to anyone and we should be like that. We should
travel here and there to maintain our lives, and also to preach. But
be careful. Never be attached to anyone. I have explained the difference
between attachment and affection. Air does not mix with any good or
bad qualities. It is always auspicious.
Sadhakas (spiritual practitioners) tolerate hunger and thirst, as
well as bodily urges. Such urges do not belong to the soul but to
the body. We are not this body.
Sky: The sky is seen as blue, but actually the sky has no color and
it seems as though it does not exist at all. It is like air. Also,
it appears that lightning or cold and rain comes from the sky, but
it does not. We should try to be like the sky. We should not be attached.
Dattatreya said, "I have made the sky my siksa-guru." We
should know that the soul is pure it is the eternal servant
of Lord Sri Krsna. This body has now come to you, but don't have the
false ego that "I am this body."
tejasvi tapasa dipto
durdharsodara-bhajanah
sarva-bhaksyo pi yuktatma
nadatte malam agni-vat
["Saintly persons become powerful by execution of austerities.
Their consciousness is unshakable because they do not try to enjoy
anything within the material world. Such naturally liberated sages
accept foodstuffs that are offered to them by destiny, and if by chance
they happen to eat contaminated food, they are not affected; just
like fire, which burns up contaminated substances that are offered
to it." (Srimad-Bhagavatam 11.7.45)]
Fire: Fire burns stool and urine. It burns both auspicious and inauspicious
things, but does not really mix with anything. Vaisnavas should eat
something, only to maintain their life, and they should not be entangled.
What is fire? Have you seen fire? If some crooked wood is burning
you will see that the fire above it is crooked, or you may see that
on a flat stove the fire is straight, or in a forest you may see that
a fire is very big but that is not fire. Fire is everywhere.
There is fire in our bodies, and by that fire we digest. Sometimes
fire is visible and sometimes not. We see flames, but the flames are
not fire. Fire is a power; the material power of Krsna. We should
be like that fire. We should maintain our lives, and at the same time
we should not be attached to anything in this world.
visargadyah smasananta
bhava dehasya natmanah
kalanam iva candrasya
kalenavyakta-vartmana
Darsana in his room
|
["The various phases of ones material life, beginning with
birth and culminating in death, are all properties of the body and
do not affect the soul, just as the apparent waxing and waning of
the moon does not affect the moon itself. Such changes are enforced
by the imperceptible movements of time." (Srimad-Bhagavatam 11.7.47)]
The Moon: The Moon is always full, but due to the rotation of the
Sun, Earth and Moon we see a first moon, second moon, etc. If we go
very high in the sky, we see that the moon is always a full moon.
Sometimes we see a reduced moon or a developed moon, but that is due
to its orbit in relation with other planets. Similarly, the soul is
always full. All hunger, thirst and other bodily urges belong to the
body. The soul is not affected at all. You should have that understanding.
You are not this body. You are soul, part and parcel of Lord Sri Krsna.
You are, by nature, always happy as Lord Krsna's eternal servant.
You should therefore be unaffected.
Returning to his quarters after giving class
|
Dattatreya continued. "My siksa-guru is the Sun. The sun evaporates
water from the ocean and then returns it as rainfall. Similarly, if
you have a collection of anything you should donate that. Don't
keep it, otherwise it acts like fire. Do not donate it to material
sense enjoyers, but donate it to Hari, Guru and Vaisnavas."
Dattatreya continued, "I have also learned something from a pigeon."
Try to understand this. If you understand and keep this in your heart,
you will never be unhappy. I see that so many are unhappy, because
they don't try to understand and follow my teachings. If they will
understand and follow, they will be happy. We call upon our own sufferings.
Don't call them.
Pigeon: A male pigeon was greatly attached to a lady pigeon, his wife,
and to their children. One day the he- and she-pigeon went to the
forest to collect some food. In the meantime, a hunter came and saw
the baby pigeons. He grabbed them all and placed them in his net.
When the male and lady pigeon returned from the forest, the lady exclaimed,
"Oh, my children!" She ran to them, and she also became
caught in the net. The male pigeon felt that he had now lost everything.
He considered, "Oh! My dear wife has helped me and always obeyed
me always. Without her, how can I pass my life?" Distraught,
he fell into the net and the hunter also took him. What became of
all the pigeons? The hunter took them all. He very happily went to
his house and cooked and ate them.
We should learn something from these teachings. It is for this reason
that I came here and I am telling you this 11th Canto even
though it is very hard to grasp. There are so many teachings there.
We should learn those teachings, keep them in our hearts, and teach
them to others. They are very powerful.
Who is telling this story of Dattatreya and King Yadu? Sri Krsna Himself
is telling it to Uddhava. You should think about this, and follow
the examples of these siksa-gurus. Take something for your maintenance,
but don't keep anything extra with you, and don't be attached to anyone.
[Erratum: In the Badger lecture of June 14, entitled, "Eleventh
Canto," the name of the king who met the Yogindras should have
been Nimi Maharaja, not Nemi Maharaja. Please excuse us for that error.]
Returning to his quarters after classDarsana in his room
Editorial Advisors: Sripad Madhava Maharaja and Sripad Brajanatha dasa
Transcriber and typist: Vasanti dasi
Editor: Syamarani dasi
Proof-reader: Krsna-kamini dasi