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BY: SUN STAFF
 Apr 06, 2011 — CANADA (SUN) — A serial exploration of Srila Prabhupada's preaching on Srimad Bhagavatam. Following is the translation to Srimad Bhagavatam 1.1.3 and beneath that, a breakdown of the statements contained therein. Under each statement from the translated sloka, we have included various related points that Srila Prabhupada made in his lectures on SB 1.1.3, as we paraphrased them in previous segments. Of course, each one of Srila Prabhupada's statements contains so much information, they could rightly be applied to more than one phrase from the sloka. We have simply divided them into obvious categories in order to point out the comprehensiveness of Srila Prabhupada's instructions on this single verse. Srimad Bhagavatam 1.1.3 Translation: "O expert and thoughtful men, relish Srimad-Bhagavatam, the mature fruit of the desire tree of Vedic literatures. It emanated from the lips of Sri Sukadeva Gosvami. Therefore this fruit has become even more tasteful, although its nectarean juice was already relishable for all, including liberated souls." O expert and thoughtful men, relish Srimad-Bhagavatam, If anyone wants happiness, santi, peace, then he must know that Krsna is the enjoyer of everything. bhoktaram yajna-tapasam sarva-loka-mahesvaram (Bg 5.29). You can perform yajna, you can perform austerities, penances, but the result should be enjoyed by Krsna. That is Krsna consciousness. The karmis, they are working so hard, day and night. The ultimate aim is that he will enjoy, he'll satisfy his senses. Therefore he's working so hard. nayam deho deha-bhajam nrloke (SB 5.5.1) "Simply for sense gratification we should not work so hard, because these things are done by even hogs and dogs." Krsna consciousness movement means we have to change the account, not for sense gratification. Because real proprietor is Krsna. When I think I am proprietor, I am enjoyer, that is illusion. janasya moho 'yam aham mameti (SB 5.5.8). In the cintamani-dhama, Krsna's abode, everything is there, but the account is different. Krsna is the supreme enjoyer, bhokta; He's friend also. Krsna is so nice friend that... isvarah sarva-bhutanam hrd-dese 'rjuna tisthati (Bg 18.61). Krsna, or the Supreme Lord, is situated in everyone's heart as friend. That is stated in the Upanisads. Two birds are sitting on one tree as friend. One bird is eating the fruit of the tree, and the other friend is simply witnessing. He is friend, He's supreme friend, not so-called friend. He's always trying to get us back to home, back to Godhead. Not only He's sitting within our hearts, but He's descending as Krsna. yada yada hi dharmasya (Bg 4.7) He comes and canvasses. What is that canvassing? sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja (Bg 18.66). "Why you are engaged in so many so-called occupations? You simply surrender unto Me." We are so engulfed in matter that we cannot take the advice of Krsna. Therefore Krsna again comes as a devotee, Lord Caitanya. Krsna said, "You surrender unto Me." Same Krsna came as devotee of Lord Krsna. panca-tattvatmakam krsnam (Sri Panca-tattva Pranama) Lord Caitanya's prayer. ahara-nidra-bhaya-maithunam (Mahabharata) -- bodily necessities of life. The animals also have bodily necessities of life. Ahara, eating; nidra, sleeping; and bhaya, fearing or defending; and maithuna, sexual intercourse. The cats and dogs, they have got all these functions. Human being has the same functions, maybe a little polished. The only difference is athato brahma-jijnasa. A man can come here in this temple and he can inquire about Krsna or the Absolute Truth. That is the difference. There are different stages of inquiring about the Absolute Truth. vadanti tat tattva-vidas (SB 1.2.11). Some are accepting the Absolute Truth as impersonal Brahman, some are accepting the Absolute Truth as localized Paramatma, and some, like this Krsna consciousness movement, are understanding the Absolute Truth as Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krsna or Visnu. dharmah projjhita-kaitavah atra (SB 1.1.2), "In the Srimad-Bhagavatam the cheating type of religious system is rejected." Dharma does not mean a kind of faith, blind faith. Dharma means the real characteristic. Nobody can say that "I am not serving anyone." If somebody is not serving anyone, then he must be serving his own senses. The whole material world is going on because the people are engaged in the service of the senses. jivera svarupa haya nitya-krsna-dasa (Cc. Madhya 20.108-9) means our real characteristic is to serve God. But we have given up the service of God, therefore we are now engaged in the service of the senses. Because we are constitutionally servant, therefore either we shall serve the Supreme Personality of Godhead, or the Absolute Truth, or we must serve our senses. Why I serve my wife? Because she gives me facility of sense gratification. Actually, I do not serve even my wife, but I will serve my own senses. If you make an analytical study, you will find that everyone is engaged to serve his senses. dharmah projjhita-kaitavah atra (SB 1.1.2). Kaitavah means cheating. Everyone is serving his senses, but he is thinking that he is master. We are constitutionally servant, we must remain a servant, not try falsely to become master. By experience we see that by giving service to so many things, nobody is satisfied. A man has served the family with heart and soul throughout the whole life, and when he is old man, if he asks permission from his wife, "My dear wife, now I have served so much. Let me take sannyasa now," the wife will never give permission. Actually, he is the servant of the wife, but he is thinking, "I am master of the family." This is called maya. And any religious system on the platform of this false understanding is also cheating. Instead of serving God, if I serve the dog, that is called cheating religion. If I haven't got sufficient engagement as servant of God, then I keep a dog to serve him. Q: Is it possible to achieve liberation with other religious….? A: There is no other religion except Krsna consciousness. All cheating religion. Veda means knowledge. vetti veda-vido jnanam. Anything from which you get knowledge, that is called Veda. There are four Vedas and many branches, eighteen Puranas 108 Upanisad. All combined together, the essence is taken as the Srimad-Bhagavatam. What is the ultimate knowledge? That is called Vedanta. Ultimate knowledge means to inquire about the Supreme. vedais ca sarvair aham eva vedyah (Bg 3.26). sarvasya caham hrdi sannivisto (Bg 15.15) People are after so-called Vedantists, but they do not know Krsna, so-called Vedantist. But one who is actually Vedantist, he knows Krsna. Therefore some times ago some of these Vaisnavas, they gave me this title, Bhaktivedanta. Bhaktivedanta means ultimate understanding of Vedanta is bhakti, not to become impersonalist. nigama-kalpa-taror galitam phalam (SB 1.1.3) -- all the Vedas, they are summarized in the Vedanta-sutra. This Srimad-Bhagavatam is explanation of the Vedanta-sutra. In Vedanta-sutra the first quote is athato brahma-jijnasa, "Now we have to inquire about Brahman, the Absolute Truth." That is the business of human being. Vyasadeva is the author of all these literatures. Not author, he has written. Formerly there was no need of writing because people were very intelligent. As soon as one hears from the spiritual master, he remembers. That was five thousand years ago, not now. Now the memory is not sharp. Srimad-Bhagavatam is describing the Absolute Truth in the beginning, om namo bhagavate vasudevaya. Vasudeva means Krsna, the son of Vasudeva. Vasudeva is the name of suddha-sattva, pure goodness. Not contaminated goodness. The symptom of ignorance and passion is greediness and lust. Above this greediness and lust there is another platform, which is Vedanta platform--to understand everything clearly. That is called goodness. Pure goodness means one has to transcend even this material platform of goodness, because in the material platform of goodness there is possibility of being contaminated by the other two qualities, passion and ignorance. Material type of goodness is just like a pure brahmana--satyam samo damas titiksa-- with all the good qualities: truthfulness, controlling the senses, controlling the mind, full of knowledge, tolerance, and knowledge. In material goodness there is possibility of being attacked with the other two qualities, thereby falling down, but when you come to the transcendental platform of goodness, then you cannot fall down. sattvam visuddham vasudeva-sabditam (SB 4.3.23). isvarah sarva-bhutanam hrd-dese 'rjuna tisthati (Bg 18.61). Vasudeva is already there within your heart, but you simply realize it by placing yourself in the pure consciousness, pure platform. This can be done simply by our discussion of Srimad-Bhagavatam. the mature fruit of the desire tree of Vedic literatures. We have no experience of kalpa-taru within this material world, but in the spiritual world there is kalpa-taru. Kalpa means "desire" and taru means "tree." The description of kalpa-taru is there in the Brahma-samhita. cintamani-prakara-sadmasu kalpa-vrksa (Bs 5.29). nigama-kalpa-taror galitam phalam (SB 1.1.3): "This real service is enunciated here as the essence of all Vedic knowledge." Nigama means the Vedas, and it is called kalpa-taru, desire tree. Desire tree means just like here in this material world you go to the mango tree, you cannot get samosa. But in the spiritual planets there are desire trees. Whatever you want, you can get from that tree. So these Vedas are compared with the kalpa-taru because you can derive any kind of knowledge from Vedic literature. This Bhagavatam is the fruit of the Vedic tree. Vedic literature is just like the desire tree, and the Bhagavatam is the ripened fruit. For business purpose, unripe fruits are taken from the tree, and artificially kept to ripe. That is not so tasteful. If the fruit is ripened in the tree fully, then it is very delicious. If any fruit in the tree, when it is ripened, is tasted by the parrot, it becomes more delicious. Vedanta-sutra is the cream of all Vedic literature, and Srimad-Bhagavatam is the further explanation of this Vedanta-sutra. Vyasadeva knew that "Later on this Vedanta-sutra will be misinterpreted by so many rascals," therefore he left the comment on the Vedanta-sutra in the form of Srimad-Bhagavatam. Vedic knowledge is so perfect that you can receive from the Vedas all different types of knowledge. Medical science is called Ayur-veda; Dhanur-veda, military science; kapota-vahi, how to manufacture the airship; train up pigeons to carry you from one place to another, akasa-yanam, fly with any vehicle. There are mantras. In the Vedas there is direction how to prepare gold by chemical process. Mix three metals -- nickel, copper, and mercury -- you'll get gold. The direction is there, and many saintly persons, yogis, know how to prepare it, and they do it to meet their expenditures. Krsna's planet is made of touchstone. You touch on iron, it becomes gold. We should not think that we have imagined something artistic and created a Krsna. No. It is completely supported by Vedic literature, Brahma-samhita. This is also Krsna's place. That is also Krsna's place. But here, because we are forgetful of Krsna, therefore we are accepting this place as material. But Krsna is the proprietor. It emanated from the lips of Sri Sukadeva Gosvami. nigama-kalpa-taror galitam phalam idam. It is the mature fruit of Vedic knowledge. suka-mukhad amrta-drava-samyutam. This Srimad-Bhagavatam was written by Vyasadeva. It was spoken for the first time by Sukadeva Gosvami, his son. He wrote Bhagavatam under the instruction of his spiritual master, Narada, and he taught his son, Sukadeva Gosvami, that "You preach. I am writing; you preach." That is the duty of the student. The spiritual master writes, and it is a duty of the disciple to preach. If the student is as pure as the spiritual master, very nice. suka-mukhat. suka-mukhad amrta-drava-samyutam (SB 1.1.3). Srimad-Bhagavatam is not only the ripened fruit of the Vedic tree, but it is tasted by Sukadeva Gosvami. Sukadeva Gosvami is the liberated, realized person. To hear Bhagavatam from him is immediately delicious and effective. suka-mukhad amrta-drava-samyutam SB 1.1.3). Because it is explained by Sukadeva Gosvami, not a professional, third-class man. Hearing Bhagavata from Sukadeva Gosvami or his representative is recommended. Representative means one who is strictly following the principle adopted by Sukadeva Gosvami. Sukadeva Gosvami spoke Bhagavatam before Maharaja Pariksit, and Suta Gosvami was present. suta uvaca, Suta Gosvami, after hearing from Sukadeva Gosvami, repeated the same Bhagavata recitation at Naimisaranya. vidya bhagavatavadhih, means "Your education should be up to Srimad-Bhagavatam." Then you will have complete education. One should not hear hari-kathamrtam from a non-realized avaisnava. Professional Bhagavata reciters make contract that he shall recite Srimad-Bhagavatam, finish within a week, and he should be rewarded. These things are not recommended in the authoritative scriptures. Bhagavata-saptaha is going on in India in village to village, but we see the effect is that they are not Krsna conscious. They take it as a matter of some refreshment. No. It should be taken very seriously and should be heard from the right source. If we hear Srimad-Bhagavatam from Sukadeva Gosvami and his disciplic succession, then we shall enjoy life even after liberation. Rasam alayam. Q: How can the people in general recognize when a devotee is pure? A: He has no material desire, except to serve Krsna. muhur aho rasika bhuvi bhavukah (SB 1.1.3), those who are very thoughtful and rasika, humorous, transcendentally humorous, they can understand Srimad-Bhagavatam and enjoy it. Therefore this fruit has become even more tasteful, Any fruit ripened in the tree is already very nice, very sweet. If you take an unripe fruit from the tree and keep at your home it also ripens, but is not so tasteful. If that fruit is cut by the lips or by the beaks of the parrot, which is called suka, it becomes still more tasteful. This fruit, the ripened fruit of Vedic knowledge, Srimad-Bhagavatam, is already very tasteful because it is the ripened fruit, but it has been tasted by the lips of Sukadeva Gosvami; therefore it is still more tasteful. "Now, this ripened fruit, just taste it," pibata, "drink it." pibata bhagavatam rasam (SB 1.1.3). Sukadeva Gosvami is explaining Srimad-Bhagavatam from the very beginning. janmady asya yatah (SB 1.1.1). Try to understand the philosophy of Bhagavata. although its nectarean juice was already relishable for all, Everyone is trying to get out of the painful situation, the struggle for existence. But they do not know what is the ultimate life, free from all painful activities. That is called liberation. The whole Vedic civilization is based on this point, how to get liberated and enjoy eternal happiness. ramante yogino 'nante (Bg 5.22) in this material world they are also engaged in ram, ramana, but that is sex life. But there is another ramana, that is Rama. If you take the shelter of Rama, that is real happiness. The yoga system that is practiced generally, hatha-yoga, astanga-yoga, that is preliminary. Nobody gets perfection even in the preliminary yoga system, what to speak of further progress. Those who are engaged in this bhakti-yoga system... mam ca yo 'vyabhicarena bhakti-yogena sevate (BG 14.26). That is yogi. A pigeon and crow does not fight. A pigeon and pigeon fights. So this is also another indirect way of love. You'll see the pigeons, they will fight and again sit down in the assembly of the pigeons, not that the pigeon is going to the assembly of crows. What is that bhakti-yoga system? sravanam kirtanam visnoh smaranam pada-sevanam arcanam vandanam dasyam, sakhyam atma-nivedanam (SB 7.5.23). One who is engaged in the service of the Lord by accepting the bhakti-yoga system, sa gunan samatityaitan brahma-bhuyaya kalpate (Bg 14.26) immediately becomes transcendental to the three material qualities: sattva-guna, rajo-guna, and tamo-guna. And that is called mukti. pibata bhagavatam rasam alayam (SB 1.1.3). We are also merged into this material world. Just like your body, my body is material. But I am the soul, you are the soul. I am merged into this material... But because I am spirit, although I am merged, I am not getting happiness. You have to merge into the spiritual existence; then you'll be happy. That is bhagavatam rasam alayam. In the Vedas you will find knowledge of both mundane necessities and spiritual realization. Vedic knowledge gives one the chance to enjoy this material world under some principles, so that some day he may again come back to home, back to Godhead. The chance is given because he wanted to enjoy. One who is obstinate, he wants to enjoy, so he's given some Vedic direction: "You enjoy like this." When there is allowance for sex life or drinking or meat-eating or even gambling, that is not encouraging, but rather minimizing the tendency under discipline. Gradually, when you are accustomed to understand what is Krsna, then go to the Tenth Canto, wherein Krsna's rasa dance is described. Without reading in the beginning what is Krsna, if we all of a sudden jump over to understand the rasa dance... That is a very natural tendency. The ultimate goal is to enter into the pastimes of Lord Krsna. But not by speculation or by material misconception. Gradually, step by step. pradurbhave bhavet kramah (Bg 4.10). There is a chronological way or gradual process. First sraddha, faith, then sadhu-sanga, then anartha-nivrttih syat (Cc. Madhya 23.14-15) -- things which are not wanted in our life become vanquished. anartha-nivrttih syat. If one is actually initiated and follows the rules and regulations, he'll no more be attached with these unwanted things. Just like you are sitting here. Unless you have got some taste to understand Krsna consciousness, you could not sit down. Tato rucih. tato nistha rucis tatah, athasaktih (Cc. Madhya 23.14-15). Then attachment. Instead of being attached to this material enjoyment, one becomes attached to Krsna consciousness. In this way, tato bhavah. Then ecstasy. Then love of Krsna. People are not interested the philosophy. They immediately jump over the rasa dance, and they think, "Oh, Krsna is enjoying with the gopis." Just like we read some novel. That is degradation. avaisnava-mukhodgirnam putam hari-kathamrtam, sravanam naiva kartavyam (Hari-bhakti-vilasa). One should not hear from him. including liberated souls. Pravrtti means the living entity has come here to enjoy this material world. The other side is nivrtti, become detached from material life. So long he'll be attached to the materialistic way of life, there is no question of liberation. He will be more and more entangled. Vedic literature gives us the opportunity to gradually renounce. The ants want to be very much intoxicated. So this intoxication is not only in the human society, but also in animal society, bird society, beast society. loke vyavayamisa-madya-seva nitya hi jantor na hi tatra codana (SB 11.5.11). vyavaya, sex intercourse, vyavaya; amisa, meat eating; madya-seva, intoxication--they are there everywhere, not only in human society. Material civilization is like fever. We should not increase it. Neither we should decrease it to such an extent that we shall die. Just like fever. Fever, 105, 107 degrees, reduce it. But it must stay at 98 degrees. If you reduce to 97, that is also not good. Similarly, our program is not to increase to the death point, neither to decrease it to the death point. Yuktahara-viharasya. We don't say, "Don't eat." Eat, but don't eat more or don't eat less. That is our program. Everything should be regulated. yuktahara-viharasya yogo bhavati duhkha-ha (Bg 6.17). We are executing yoga. anasaktasya visayan, visaya, material enjoyment. Eating, sleeping, mating and defending. One has to give up this visaya. visaya chariya, se rase majiya, mukhe bolo hari hari (Sri Sri Gaura-Nityanander Daya). Unless you are detached from the visaya... Visaya is there even in birds' life, beasts' life. One should be unattached, that "I have to eat something for maintaining the body and soul together." Not that to the excess. anasaktasya visayan yatharham upayunjatah (SB 9.4.27). visaya enjoyment should be in connection with Krsna. Just like we eat and others also eat, but we eat in relationship with Krsna. Srimad-Bhagavatam defines mukti as this: muktir hitva anyatha rupam sva-rupena vyavasthitih (SB 2.10.6), means mukti means giving up, giving up our unreal engagement and to be situated in the real original characteristic engagement, eternal servant of Krsna. sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja (Bg 18.66), all kinds of these bogus religious system. Give it up. Real dharma is mam ekam saranam vraja: "Only surrender unto Me." yada yada hi dharmasya glanir bhavati bharata (Bg 4.7), "Whenever there is mismanagement of the word dharma, or pure characteristic, at that time I appear." In India there is a class of men called Mayavadis. They recommend that "You worship any demigod. The result is the same." This is false religion. kanksantah karmanam siddhim yajanta iha devatah (Bg 4.12): "Those who are desirous of getting success in this material life, for them the different demigod worship is recommended." kamais tais tair hrta-jnana yajante anya-devatah (Bg 7.20), "Those who are engaged in worshiping other demigods, their sense is lost by lusty desires." But we are above this discipline. A Vaisnava is transcendental. He hasn't got to train under this discipline, because he takes shelter of Krsna directly and he's given immediately all protection. aham tvam sarva-papebhyo moksayisyami (Bg 18.66): "I shall give you all protection from sinful life." yasyasti bhaktir bhagavaty akincana sarvair gunais tatra samasate surah (Bg 5.18.12). If one becomes Krsna conscious, then all the good qualities of the demigods will automatically manifest in Him. harav abhaktasya kuto mahad-guna manorathenasati dhavato bahih (SB 5.18.12). Those who are not Krsna conscious have no good qualification. They are simply hovering on the mental platform, and therefore they fall down. One should be interested for eternal things because every one of us is eternal. So if we want a beautiful wife or wealth, that is simply for this body only. In next body our desires will be different. Suppose next body I get an animal body. Then I will require a wife in different type. antavat tu phalam tesam tad bhavaty alpa-medhasam (Bg 7.23), the material desires persons, they get some benefit for this short duration of life, but that will be ended. With the end of the body, everything will be finished. Therefore these desires, "Let me have wealth. Let me have nice wife, these are not permanent. Even if you go to the heavenly planet, because these things are promised in the Vedic literature, that is also temporary. Liberation does not mean that when you get liberation you will have four hands, no. Liberation means change of consciousness. The definition of bhakti means anyabhilasita-sunyam, no other material desires. bhakti-marga, means simply to satisfy Krsna. na dhanam na janam na sundarim (Siksastakam, 4). na janam: "I don't want any so-called followers." Na sundarim kavitam: "Neither I want a very beautiful wife." mama janmani janmanisvare bhavatad bhaktih (Cc. Antya 20.29): "Even I don't want liberation." janmani janmani: "Life after life, I want to be engaged in Your devotional service." Q: A person who takes to devotional service with the idea of liberation? A: That is not pure bhakti. jnana-misra-bhakti, means bhakti adulterated with jnana. Real bhakti, as I have explained, anyabhilasita-sunyam jnana-karmady-anavrtam (Cc. Madhya 19.167), means no other desire than to serve Krsna. Liberation means to be situated on the Brahman platform. So for a bhakta, the liberation is already there. muktih svayam mukulitanjali sevate asman (Bilvamangala Thakur): "We are devotees, so mukti, liberation, is standing on my door with folded hands, 'What can I do for you?' " Q: Until you have arrived here, there was no possibility of liberation for humanity? A: That you can judge. If I say, it will be self-advertisement. But you are intelligent. You can judge. But I have not brought something invented by me. I have brought the Bhagavatam and Bhagavad-gita. That's all.
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