Bhagavad Arka Marichi Mala, Part 64
BY: SUN STAFF
Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur
Jul 25, 2011 — CANADA (SUN) — Bhagavad Arka Marichi Mala by HDG Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur.
Bhagavad Arka Marichi Mala
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Analysis of Unfavorable Conditions for Bhakti (bhakti pratikulya vicarah)
04.31.21 Narada Muni to the Pracetas
na bhajati kumanishinam sa ijyam
harir adhanatma-dhana-priyo rasa jnah
shruta-dhana-kula-karmanam madair ye
vidadhati papam akincaneshu satsu
na—never; bhajati—accepts; ku-manishinam—of persons with a dirty heart; sah—He; ijyam—offering; harih—the Supreme Lord; adhana—to those who have no material possessions; atma-dhana—simply dependent on the Lord; priyah—who is dear; rasa jnah—who accepts the essence of life; shruta—education; dhana—wealth; kula—aristocracy; karmanam—and of fruitive activities; madaih—by pride; ye—all those who; vidadhati—perform; papam—disgrace; akincaneshu—without material possessions; satsu—unto the devotees.
The Supreme Personality of Godhead becomes very dear to those devotees who have no material possessions but are fully happy in possessing devotional service of the Lord. Indeed, the Lord relishes the devotional activities of such devotees.
Those who are puffed up with material education, wealth, aristocracy and fruitive activity are very proud of possessing material things, and they often deride the devotees. Even if such people offer the Lord worship, the Lord never accepts them.
07.06.18 Prahlada Maharaja to the Sons of the Demons
vidvan apittham danujah kutumbam
pushnan sva-lokaya na kalpate vai
yah sviya-parakya-vibhinna-bhavas
tamah prapadyeta yatha vimudhah
vidvan—knowing (the inconvenience of material existence, especially in household life); api—although; ittham—thus; danu jah—O sons of demons; kutumbam—the family members or extended family members (like one's community, society, nation or union of nations); pushnan—providing with all the necessities of life; sva-lokaya—in understanding himself; na—not; kalpate—capable; vai—indeed; yah—he who; sviya—my own; parakya—belonging to others; vibhinna—separate; bhavah—having a conception of life; tamah—nothing but darkness; prapadyeta—enters; yatha—just as; vimudhah—a person without education, or one who is like an animal.
O my friends, sons of demons! In this material world, even those who are apparently advanced in education have the propensity to consider, "This is mine, and that is for others." Thus they are always engaged in providing the necessities of life to their families in a limited conception of family life, just like uneducated cats and dogs. They are unable to take to spiritual knowledge; instead they are bewildered and overcome by ignorance.
07.07.44-45 Prahlada Maharaja to the Sons of the Demons
kim u vyavahitapatya-
daragara-dhanadayah
rajya-kosha-gajamatya-
bhrityapta mamataspadah
kim u—what to speak of; vyavahita—separated; apatya—children; dara—wives; agara—residences; dhana—wealth; adayah—and so on; rajya—kingdoms; kosha—treasuries; gaja—big elephants and horses; amatya—ministers; bhritya—servants; aptah—relatives; mamata-aspadah—false seats or abodes of intimate relationship ("mineness").
Since the body itself is ultimately meant to become stool or earth, what is the meaning of the paraphernalia related to the body, such as wives, residences, wealth, children, relatives, servants, friends, kingdoms, treasuries, animals and ministers? They are also temporary. What more can be said about this? (44)
kim etair atmanas tucchaih
saha dehena nashvaraih
anarthair artha-sankashair
nityananda-rasodadheh
kim—what is the use; etaih—with all these; atmanah—for the real self; tucchaih—which are most insignificant; saha—with; dehena—the body; nashvaraih—perishable; anarthaih—unwanted; artha-sankashaih—appearing as if needed; nitya-ananda—of eternal happiness; rasa—of the nectar; udadheh—for the ocean.
All this paraphernalia is very near and dear as long as the body exists, but as soon as the body is destroyed, all things related to the body are also finished. Therefore, actually one has nothing to do with them, but because of ignorance one accepts them as valuable. Compared to the ocean of eternal happiness, they are most insignificant. What is the use of such insignificant relationships for the eternal living being? (45)
07.07.51-52 Prahlada Maharaja to the Sons of the Demons
nalam dvijatvam devatvam
rishitvam vasuratmajah
prinanaya mukundasya
na vrittam na bahu jnata
na danam na tapo nejya
na shaucam na vratani ca
priyate 'malaya bhaktya
harir anyad vidambanam
na—not; alam—sufficient; dvijatvam—being a perfect, highly qualified brahmana; devatvam—being a demigod; rishitvam—being a saintly person; va—or; asura-atma jah—O descendants of asuras; prinanaya—for pleasing; mukundasya—of Mukunda, the Supreme Personality of Godhead; na vrittam—not good conduct; na—not; bahu-jnata—vast learning; na—neither; danam—charity; na tapah—no austerity; na—nor; ijya—worship; na—nor; shaucam—cleanliness; na vratani—nor execution of great vows; ca—also; priyate—is satisfied; amalaya—by spotless; bhaktya—devotional service; harih—the Supreme Lord; anyat—other things; vidambanam—only show.
My dear friends, O sons of the demons, you cannot please the Supreme Personality of Godhead by becoming perfect brahmanas, demigods or great saints or by becoming perfectly good in etiquette or vast learning. None of these qualifications can awaken the pleasure of the Lord. Nor by charity, austerity, sacrifice, cleanliness or vows can one satisfy the Lord. The Lord is pleased only if one has unflinching, unalloyed devotion to Him. Without sincere devotional service, everything is simply a show. (51-52)
07.10.04 Prahlada Maharaja to Lord Nrisimhadeva
nanyatha te 'khila-guro
ghateta karunatmanah
yas ta ashisha ashaste
na sa bhrityah sa vai vanik
na—not; anyatha—otherwise; te—of You; akhila-guro—O supreme instructor of the entire creation; ghateta—such a thing can happen; karuna—atmanah—the Supreme Person, who is extremely kind to His devotees; yah—any person who; te—from You; ashishah—material benefits; ashaste—desires (in exchange for serving You); na—not; sah—such a person; bhrityah—a servitor; sah—such a person; vai—indeed; vanik—a merchant (who wants to get material profit from his business).
Otherwise, O my Lord, O supreme instructor of the entire world, You are so kind to Your devotee that You could not induce him to do something unbeneficial for him. On the other hand, one who desires some material benefit in exchange for devotional service cannot be Your pure devotee. Indeed, he is no better than a merchant who wants profit in exchange for service.
07.15.29 Narada Muni to Maharaja Yudhishthira
yatha vartadayo hy artha
yogasyartham na bibhrati
anarthaya bhaveyuh sma
purtam ishtam thatasatah
yatha—as; varta-adayah—activities like occupational or professional duties; hi—certainly; arthah—income (from such occupational duties); yogasya—of mystic power for self-realization; artham—benefit; na—not; bibhrati—help; anarthaya—without value (binding one to repeated birth and death); bhaveyuh—they are; sma—at all times; purtam ishtam—ritualistic Vedic ceremonies; thata—similarly; asatah—of a materialistic nondevotee.
As professional activities or business profits cannot help one in spiritual advancement but are a source of material entanglement, the Vedic ritualistic ceremonies cannot help anyone who is not a devotee of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
10.01.04 Shukadeva Gosvami to Maharaja Parikshit
nivritta-tarshair upagiyamanad
bhavaushadhac chrotra-mano-'bhiramat
ka uttamashloka-gunanuvadat
puman virajyeta vina pashughnat
nivritta—released from; tarshaih—lust or material activities; upagiya-manat—which is described or sung; bhava-aushadhat—which is the right medicine for the material disease; shrotra—the process of aural reception; manah—the subject matter of thought for the mind; abhiramat—from the pleasing vibrations from such glorification; kah—who; uttamashloka—of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; guna-anuvadat—from describing such activities; puman—a person; virajyeta—can keep himself aloof; vina—except; pashu-ghnat—either a butcher or one who is killing his own personal existence.
Glorification of the Supreme Personality of Godhead is performed in the parampara system; that is, it is conveyed from spiritual master to disciple. Such glorification is relished by those no longer interested in the false, temporary glorification of this cosmic manifestation. Descriptions of the Lord are the right medicine for the conditioned soul undergoing repeated birth and death. Therefore, who will cease hearing such glorification of the Lord except a butcher or one who is killing his own self?
10.02.32 Demigods to Shri Krishna
ye 'nye 'ravindaksha vimukta-maninas
tvayy asta-bhavad avishuddha-buddhayah
aruhya kricchrena param padam tatah
patanty adho 'nadrita-yushmad-anghrayah
ye anye—anyone, or all others; aravinda-aksha—O lotus-eyed one; vimukta-maninah—falsely considering themselves free from the bondage of material contamination; tvayi—unto You; asta-bhavat—speculating in various ways but not knowing or desiring more information of Your lotus feet; avishsuddha-buddhayah—whose intelligence is still not purified and who do not know the goal of life; aruhya—even though achieving; kricchrena—by undergoing severe austerities, penances and hard labor; param padam—the highest position (according to their imagination and speculation); tatah—from that position; patanti—they fall; adhah—down into material existence again; anadrita—neglecting devotion to; yushmat—Your; anghrayah—lotus feet.
[Someone may say that aside from devotees, who always seek shelter at the Lord's lotus feet, there are those who are not devotees but have accepted different processes for attaining salvation. What happens to them? In answer to this question, Lord Brahma and the other demigods said:] O lotus-eyed Lord, although nondevotees who accept severe austerities and penances to achieve the highest position may think themselves liberated, their intelligence is impure. They fall down from their position of imagined superiority because they have no regard for Your lotus feet.
