It Is a Very Important Question
BY: APRAKRITA DASA
Aug 04, 2011 — MONTREAL, QUEBEC, CANADA (SUN) —
Here is a very interesting part of a lecture from Srila Prabhupada, April 20, 1973, Tokyo:
Karandhara: "Anjasa -- completely. Translation: Sri Sukadeva Gosvami said: O King, unless one is influenced by the energy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, there is no
meaning to the relationship of the pure soul in pure consciousness with the
material body. It is just like the dreamer seeing his own body
working."
Prabhupada: So,
purport?
Karandhara: "Purport. The
question of Maharaja Pariksit is perfectly answered as to how a living entity
began his material life, although he is apart from the material body and the
mind."
Prabhupada: It is a very
important question. Pariksit Maharaja inquired... Many people inquired that "How
the living entity was with Krsna, he became fallen in this material world?" Is
not done? This question is raised? So this question is answered here, that "How
the living entity who was with Krsna became fallen down in contact with this
material qualities?" So this is the answer. Read the translation.
Karandhara: "Sri Sukadeva Gosvami
said: O king, unless one is influenced by the energy of the Supreme Personality
of Godhead..."
Prabhupada: It is simply the
influence of the material energy, nothing. Actually he has not fallen. Another
example given is given. Just like the moon is covered with scattered cloud, the
passing cloud. You have seen. Everyone has experience. The cloud passes, and it
appears that the moon is moving. Have you seen this?
Devotees: Yes.
Prabhupada: Actually the moon is
not moving. It is a maya, illusion. It appears that the moon is moving. But
similarly, the living entity, because he is spiritual spark of the Supreme, it
has not fallen. It has not fallen. But he is thinking, "I am fallen. I am
material." That is the reason. He is thinking, "I am this body." Actually the
body has no connection with me. That is experienced, that the body has no
connection with the soul. The body is changing, dying. But I am the same. The
same example, the moon: The cloud is passing over in different way. The moon is
far away from the cloud, and it has nothing to do with the cloud, but it appears
the moon is moving. [break] Try to understand. Have questions and answer. It is
very important thing. Atma-mayam rte rajan. Except atma-maya, the illusory
energy... It is the maneuver or handling of the illusory energy of Krsna. This
illusory energy develops when we forget Krsna. That's all. It is... In other
words, this illusory identification of me with the body is simply due to my
forgetfulness. We wanted to forget, we wanted to give up Krsna and wanted to
enjoy this material world. Therefore Krsna is giving us...
Just like when you play some part
in a drama, if you feel that "I am king," then you can talk very nicely. And if
you feel that "I am Karandhara," then you cannot play nicely king. Is it not?
Feeling must be there. If you are playing the part of a king, then you must have
the same courage and belief that "I am king." You have to forget that you are
Karandhara. Then your part will be very nicely played. It will be appreciated.
But if you think simultaneously that "I am Karandhara. I am taking, playing the
part of the king," then you cannot play. So because we wanted to play the part
of Krsna, enjoyer, Krsna is giving us chance that "You feel like Me." -- "I am
king. I am Krsna. I am God." (laughter) All these rascals, those who are feeling
like that, "I am master. I am king. I am Krsna. I am God," they are all simply
in that feeling only. That's all. And this feeling is created by Krsna: "All
right. You want to play the part of a king. I shall train you in such a way."
Just like director means, dramatic director means, he creates a feeling. His
direction is nothing but how to feel.
Sometimes we played in our
younger age Caitanya-lila. I introduced. And one big director, Amrtalal Chosa,
he was just like grandfather. He was one of the, just like in England
Shakespeare and others, big, big dramatic, well-known persons. This Amrtalal
Chosa and Girish Chandra Chosa, they introduced in India theatric... So we
called him to give us direction. He was giving us direction, and repeatedly he
was telling that "You feel like that," especially to me. "You feel like that."
So actually, when we played according to his direction, the audience were all
crying. And we could not understand how they cried. We could not understand. On
the stage when we played, it was so perfect that all audience were crying.
Actually we saw they were smearing over their eyes with... But the whole thing
is artificial, but the effect to the audience became so nice. So similarly, we
are... Actually we have nothing to do with this material world, But we have been
trained by the illusory energy in such a way that we are thinking, "I am Indian.
I am American. I am this. I am that. I am brahmana. I am sudra. I have to do
this. I have got so much duty," all these illusions, simply thinking. We have
nothing to do with all this nonsense, but still, we are taking it very serious.
"I have to do like that. I have to do like that. I am this. I am that." That's
all. That is explained. Atma-mayam rte rajan: "Except the influence of that
atma-maya, the illusory energy of Krsna..." Atma-maya. Read. Atma-mayam rte
rajan parasyanu. Read it?
Karandhara:
Parasyanubhavatmanah.
Prabhupada: Parasyanubhavatmanah.
Na ghateta artha-sambandha. There cannot be any relation at all. Na ghateta.
Cannot be. Artha sambandhah. Svapna-drastur ivanjasa. The very exact example is
given, svapna-drastuh. Just like a man seeing dream: "Oh, there is tiger, tiger,
tiger, tiger! Save me!" He is crying. Another man is, "Where is tiger? Why you
are crying? Where is tiger?" But he, in the dream, he is actually feeling: "The
tiger has attacked me." Therefore this example is given, na
ghatetartha-sambandhah. There cannot be any meaning of this relationship except
like a man dreaming and he is creating a situation. He is dreaming there is a
tiger and he is creating a situation, fearful situation. Actually there is no
cause of fear. There is no tiger. That situation is created by dream. Actually
there is no tiger. Similarly we have created this material world and activity.
People are running, "Oh..., sonh, sonh, sonh, sonh, sonh, sonh, sonh,"
identifying that "Oh, I am the manager. I am the factory owner. I am this, I am
that. We have got his politics. We have to defeat such competitors." All these
things are created exactly like that, svapna-drastur ivanjasa, just like a man
is creating his particular situation simply by dream. That's all.
So the answer is, when somebody
asks you that "When one has become in contact with this material nature?" He has
not become in contact. He is thinking by the influence of the external energy.
Just like the same example: A man is dreaming; there is no contact with tiger.
Actually he has no contact with that. Similarly, actually we are not fallen. We
cannot be fallen. But we have created a situation that we are, become... Try to
understand understand. It is very important point. We have simply created a
situation. We have not created a situation, Krsna has given us a situation.
Because we wanted to imitate Krsna, so Krsna has given an opportunity: "All
right. Imitate. You want to be imitation king in the stage. So feel like this.
Play like this. Do like this. People will applaud. 'Oh, a very nice king, very
nice.' " That is the... So everyone in this material world, they are playing
some part. They wanted, "I want to be prime minister." "All right." "I want to
become very big business magnate." "I want to be leader." "I want to be a
philosopher." "I want to be a scientist." So all this nonsense, they are trying
to play -- Krsna is giving him the opportunity: "All right." But it is a
nonsense, all nonsense. Simple dreaming. Just like you are dreaming. Next moment
when the dream is gone, everything is finished. No more tiger, no more jungle,
no more... Everything is finished. Similarly, so long this body is continuing, I
am thinking, "I am a responsible leader, I am this, I am that." But as soon as
this body is finished, oh, these are (indistinct) gone.
Bhaktivedanta Book Trust
