English
11 May 2024
Krsna provides intelligence
Speaker: HG Vedanta Chaitanya Prabhu
HH Lokanath Swami Maharaj: Hare Krsna. Rub sandalwood, prepare paste and apply it on the beautiful form of the Lord. It enhances the beauty of the Lord multi-fold. There was a saint. He was performing yoga asanas and he was lamenting that, I passed my life without chanting the holy name of the Lord. Yesterday we celebrated Akshay Tritiya. I had initiated a disciple on Akshay Tritiya.
And I named her as Akshay Tritiya devi dasi. I received a letter from her in appreciation that I accepted her as my disciple and gave her the name "Akshay Tritiya". I remembered her yesterday.
This is how Paramatma inspired her to write and express this gratitude. Paramatma acted as witness and he inspired Akshay Tritiya devi dasi to contact me and he reminded me of her also. She is present in this conference. Keep chanting.
HG Vedanta Chaitanya Prabhu: Please accept my humble obeisances. As Guru Maharaj shared his realization, in relation to the same context once HH Radhanath Swami Maharaj shared that there is a spiritual communication channel between the spiritual master and disciple. It's beyond our material conception. That's why we can't apply much logic in spiritual concepts.
When we water the root, the complete tree gets nourished. Similarly when we worship Krsna, all the other demigods and living entities are satisfied. As a tree and its leaves get dried up when the root is not watered, similarly if we do not practice Krsna consciousness, then our soul will die.
Only a spiritually potent person can understand the creation of the creator Krsna. Rathangpane - this is a name given to Krsna, when he held the chariot wheel in order to kill Bhishma dev. A person who worships Krsna without any reservation. Amayaya means without any reservation. We should serve Krsna consistently and without any other motivation.
anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyaṁ
jñāna-karmādy-anāvṛtam
ānukūlyena kṛṣṇānu-
śīlanaṁ bhaktir uttamā (CC Madhya 19.167)
Translation: When first-class devotional service develops, one must be devoid of all material desires, knowledge obtained by monistic philosophy, and fruitive action. The devotee must constantly serve Kṛṣṇa favorably, as Kṛṣṇa desires.
When Narshimha dev asked Prahlad Maharaj to ask for a boon then in response Prahlad Maharaj said , do you think I am a businessmen? Our devotional service should be unflinching. We should stick to our pledges which are made in the service to Krsna.
ādau śraddhā tataḥ sādhu-
saṅgo ’tha bhajana-kriyā
tato ’nartha-nivṛttiḥ syāt
tato niṣṭhā rucis tataḥ (CC Madhya 23.14)
Translation: In the beginning there must be faith. Then one becomes interested in associating with pure devotees. Thereafter one is initiated by the spiritual master and executes the regulative principles under his orders. Thus one is freed from all unwanted habits and becomes firmly fixed in devotional service. Thereafter, one develops taste and attachment. This is the way of sādhana-bhakti, the execution of devotional service according to the regulative principles. Gradually emotions intensify, and finally there is an awakening of love. This is the gradual development of love of Godhead for the devotee interested in Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
Krsna says in the Bhagavad Gita that he awards intelligence to a person who tries to serve Krsna constantly to understand him.
teṣāṁ satata-yuktānāṁ
bhajatāṁ prīti-pūrvakam
dadāmi buddhi-yogaṁ taṁ
yena mām upayānti te (BG 10.10)
Translation: To those who are constantly devoted to serving Me with love, I give the understanding by which they can come to Me.
How to understand this. Consider I want to serve you. And you don't like to eat bitter gourd, but I am offering you bitter gourd repeatedly without considering your likes and dislikes. Then this is not favourable.
Though every living entity is serving Krsna but they are rendering this service unknowingly. As Krsna says in Bhagavad Gita, even those who are worshiping other Demigods, by default they are worshiping me only. If you like to drink mango shake then you will share instructions on how to prepare it. Similarly Krsna has shared his likes and dislikes in the scriptures like Bhagavad Gita and Srimad Bhagavatam.
patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyaṁ
yo me bhaktyā prayacchati
tad ahaṁ bhakty-upahṛtam
aśnāmi prayatātmanaḥ (BG 9.26)
Translation: If one offers me with love and devotion a leaf, a flower, a fruit or water, I will accept it.
He is not putting an emphasis on the menu, instead he is focusing more on the intention. He is the maintainer and provider of everything. So what can we offer to the Lord. Still when we offer what the Lord himself has provided to us then we are accompanying our love with the article. And Krsna accepts that love and devotion with which it's offered.
When Krsna accepts our services and he is pleased with our services, then it results in the destruction of all sorts of lamentations, fears and attachments.
yasyāṁ vai śrūyamāṇāyāṁ
kṛṣṇe parama-pūruṣe
bhaktir utpadyate puṁsaḥ
śoka-moha-bhayāpahā (SB 1.7.7)
Translation: Simply by giving aural reception to this Vedic literature, the feeling for loving devotional service to Lord Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, sprouts up at once to extinguish the fire of lamentation, illusion and fearfulness.
We should hear the glories of the Lord attentively and understand the favourable mood to render service to the Lord. Gradually it will result in the loss of all the lamentations, fears and attachments.
nehābhikrama-nāśo ’sti
pratyavāyo na vidyate
sv-alpam apy asya dharmasya
trāyate mahato bhayāt (BG 2.40)
Translation: In this endeavor there is no loss or diminution, and a little advancement on this path can protect one from the most dangerous type of fear.
Guru and Krsna are one team. Service to the spiritual master is service to Krsna and vice versa.
sa veda dhātuḥ padavīṁ parasya
duranta-vīryasya rathāṅga-pāṇeḥ
yo ’māyayā santatayānuvṛttyā
bhajeta tat-pāda-saroja-gandham (SB 1.3.38)
Translation: Only those who render unreserved, uninterrupted, favorable service unto the lotus feet of Lord Kṛṣṇa, who carries the wheel of the chariot in His hand, can know the creator of the universe in His full glory, power and transcendence.
We can take some questions as we have time.
Q :- You mentioned that Krsna gives intelligence to everyone. But we have seen many material scholars, they have crab mentality.
Ans:- There may be people, materially very intelligent but here Krsna is not talking about material intelligence. Krsna is talking about the intelligence needed to serve Krsna.
Q:- How to understand the fall downs of very sincere devotees?
Ans:- It happens due to bad association or committing offenses against the devotees which results in an increase in the material desires. We should be beware of the bad association.
asat-saṅga-tyāga, — ei vaiṣṇava-ācāra
‘strī-saṅgī’ — eka asādhu, ‘kṛṣṇābhakta’ āra (CC Madhya 22.87)
Translation: A Vaiṣṇava should always avoid the association of ordinary people. Common people are very much materially attached, especially to women. Vaiṣṇavas should also avoid the company of those who are not devotees of Lord Kṛṣṇa.
Q:- Even though we are following the process to the best of our abilities, we are unable to experience the bliss of practicing devotional service, why? It may be sentiment.
Ans:- Our understanding should be that the spiritual master knows Krsna and his likes and dislikes. So we should serve Krsna following the instructions given by our spiritual master. The devotees asked Srila Prabhupada what pleases you the most, Srila Prabhupada replied Book distribution, then we should distribute books. And that only we should do.
Hare Krsna.
