Taking shelter of the Internal Energy!

Verse 1.5.31: Scriptures are perfect. The description of Srila Narada muni is given here in this verse.

Is there anyone in this material world, who is happy for 1 year. No, this is itself an indication that whatever is given in scriptures like Bhagavad-gita and Srimad Bhagavatam is absolutely true.
But the sadhus, the mahatma's, they take shelter of the internal energy of Krishna, Srimati Radharani and therefore they are eternally happy. But when we take shelter in the external energy of Krishna, we are always in anxiety.

Sometimes people question: Is God there? Can you show me?
But the actual question is: Do we have the capacity to see God. Can we see Ghee in the milk.

God is not a order-supplier, to come before us as and when we want. He places some qualifications, that are required to see Him. We need to do sadhana, complete surrender to Guru and Krishna, follow this process and slowly we get detached from this material world and one day we will surely see Krishna eye-to-eye. That is the power of Devotional Service. Only bhakti or the bhakta's can know Him as He is.

And how do we perform bhakti:
sravanam kirtanam visnoh
smaranam pada-sevanam
aracanam vandanam dasyam
sakyam atma-nivedanam

Follow these 9 processes of devotional service. And by the mercy of Krishna alone, we will get everything in Bhakti!

Most Confidential Knowledge!

Verse 1.5.30: Krishna is telling in the Bhagavad-gita to Arjuna, that this knowledge is most confidential.

Confidential: You are not this body, you are a spirit soul
More confidential: God is a person, He has a impersonal form pervading everywhere as Brahman, as Paramatma He is in everyone
Most confidential knowledge: We can attain to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, but pure devotional service. This is done by unalloyed pure devotional service.

Those who are bhaktivedanta's have this knowledge. Srila Prabhupada, he was given the title Bhaktivedanta, he know how to execute this pure knowledge and taught it also to so many many many of us.

We have to continue to execute the order of our spiritual master, at all times. Srila Prabhupada, during his vanaprastha time did not even have proper clothes, but still he continued just to serve his spiritual master.

Attachment to the Pure Devotees!

Verse 1.5.29: Advantage of getting attached to the devotees (Narada Muni is talking about what happened when he was attached to the Sages, he became to a Sage himself, a pure devotee).

Whatever we are attached to, we take birth accordingly. But if we are attached to Sages, we will automatically attached to Krishna, what is the advantage, we will be liberated.

Again and again we take birth in this world, because of attachments.

Greatest welfare work is of spreading Krishna Consciousness. Develop attachment to devotees and Krishna. Then one day, Krishna will take us back. And for this, our chanting, attachment of devotees, service attitude is good, then all this will happen.

Solution of Ignorance and Passion...

Verse 1.5.28: The only way to come out of modes of passion and ignorance is chanting the Holy Names of Krishna, in this age especially. This is the process of self-realization. In the association of devotees, when we execute devotional service, the hardest knot of material existence is cut off. The person who is in the mode of passion and ignorance is actually never happy, even though he has money, wealth etc.

The earning of money does not make the mind peaceful. But by taking shelter of the Holy Name of Krishna, the mind becomes peaceful.

The whole world actually is suffering, more and more. The solution is reading Srimad Bhagavatam everyday, chant the Holy name of Krishna everyday, serve the devotees everyday.

Realizing our Transcendental Nature!

Verse 1.5.27: First lesson in spirituality is: we are not this body, we are spirit soul. Because of our desires, we take up a gross body and a subtle body. Our gross body changes depending upon our desires, experiences and consciousness. But the subtle mind comprising mind, intelligence, false ego, is only one through all the life times. But the beauty is we are not the subtle body neither the gross body. These bodies are temporary, whereas we are eternal.

It is all like a dream. When we get up from the dream, are we really sad that somebody scolded us. When we wake to the reality, when we realize that we are not this body, we are spirit soul, we recognize that all this is a dream.

But to wake up, it is not easy. We have to do sadhana, we have to raise ourselves. Then we clearly see the demands of the mind, clearly see the agitations of the mind, then we can tell the mind to shut-up. For us to realize that we are transcendental, part and parcel of Krishna, we need to do good sadhana, our chanting should be really good.

Hearing from the Right Sources!

Verse 1.5.26: Sri Narada muni developed the taste for hearing from the bhakti-vedantas, thus developed his attraction of the Lord.

Rendering service, taste for hearing about the activities of the Lord, is the key trigger. This is an infinite cycle in devotional service, both increasing each other continuously.

Srila Prabhupada says: Everyone is always involved in hearing something or the other: movies or politics. They are not realizing that they are wasting their time in such non-useful activities. If one starts listening to the Lord and His pastimes, all the sins accumulated within are eradicated and apart from that, even the tendency to do sinful activities is also done.

From Nectar-of-Instruction: Neophyte Stage, constant hearing is required. Then second stage, the person gets attached to hearing Krishna's pastimes. Then stage of remembering Krishna comes in, interrupted first, but then soon it becomes uninterrupted remembering.

It is also important that we hear from the right sources. Association means senior associated. We have to attentively listen from them, so that all our misconceptions are eradicated.

Remnants of a Pure Devotee, Association!

Verse 1.5.25: Srila Naradamuni is continuing to tell Srila Vyasadeva, as to how he came into devotional service. He is saying: Once only, by their permission, I took the remnants of their food, and by so doing all my sins were at once eradicated. Thus being engaged, I became purified in heart, and at that time the very nature of the transcendentalist became attractive to me.

Key point: Unless one is purified in heart, one cannot be attracted to the transcendentalists.

Srila Prabhupada is saying, key thing is the association of pure devotees. He also says we should be careful of pseudo devotees.

Qualifications of a Pure Devotee
- Attracted to name, form, pastimes of Supreme Personality of Godhead
- Not at all attracted to material things
- steady in nature, perfect taste, transcendental emotions

All this is developed by association of pure devotees of the Lord. So what is this association? A: Key thing is one should approach a pure devotee, inquire submissively and serving humbly. We need to tune ourselves to their words. Unless we are tuned in, we cannot receive anything from them.

Association does not mean only physical association. Eg: Srila Prabhupada saying, so many big big Sannyasi's associating with his Guru Maharaj...

Nectar of Instruction: Srila Rupa Goswami in Text 5, talks on how to associate with devotees.

Finally, associating with the Holy Name. Each one of us has so many bad qualities like lust greed etc. Until and unless we associate with a person who does not have these qualities, we cannot purify ourselves. And who is the purest, Krishna. And He is in His Holy Name. So associating with Krishna through His Holy Name, will get rid of all these bad qualities.

Utilizing our skills in Krishna's service!

Verse 1.5.22: Krishna is telling Bhagavad-gita about the glories to Devotional Service. We have to utilize all energies that we have in the service of Krishna. Since bhakti is greatest, whatever skill that we have should be utilized in Krishna's service. In bhakti, it is not important what we are doing, but more important is with what motive we are doing.

Bhakti does not mean sitting in the corner and doing meditation, Bhakti means utilizing all energies and skills in Krishna's service.
Eg: George Harrison, utilized his skills of attracting people through his music, in Krishna's service.

When we have good sadhana, then we can use our skills very efficiently in Krishna's service, that's why our chanting should be very good.

Spiritual Master, Guru Maharaj!

Verse 1.5.21: The importance of accepting instructions from a Spiritual Master is highlighted here. Even The Lord, when He incarnates accepts a spiritual master, just to show its importance. Lord Ramachandra accepted Vasista Muni, Lord Krishna accepted Sandipani Muni, and later Vyasadev Himself, who is the literary incarnation of Krishna accepted Srila Narada Muni as his spiritual master.

Qualifications of a Spiritual Master:
- He should be in a disciplic succession
- He should be realized person
- ...

One should accept and serve the Spiritual Master. Pleasing the spiritual master should be the goal of one's life. That is done by serving him in any way possible.

Acintya beda-abeda Tattva!

Verse 1.5.20: That's why Srimad Bhagavatam is a purana, the scripture. Srila Bhaktisiddanta Saraswati Thakur said that even if all the literatures in this world are burnt and only Srimad Bhagavatam remains, then also it is no problem. From Srimad Bhagavatam, everything can be constructed back.

Krishna is separate from His expansions. He is in the spiritual world.
No matter what we try to do, we always have happiness and distress. Our time is running out. All our relationships have a start and an end. Time is running out. Our eternal relationship is only with Krishna.

We need to purify our heart. Everywhere it is give, 9th chapter of Bhagavad-gita, Krishna is telling, "in my unmanifested form, I am pervading everything. All the living entities are in Me, but I am not in them." How is this understood, the acharya's explained the acintya-beda-abeda tattva.

To understand all this, we should chant sincerely to purify our heart. Chanting is the core to self-realization.

Relishing the taste of Devotional Service!

Verse 1.5.19: Instructions about the glories to Devotional Service is given here. The devotee if he falls down, will never forget the taste of this devotional service. So definitely he will come back. It is being assured by Narada muni here.

In the purport, Srila Prabhupada explains how the Lord personally takes care of such a devotee. Krishna when very merciful, he puts us in situations where we can helplessly remember Him always.

Eg: So many incidents in our Krishna Consciousness movement, where devotees fell down, but were eventually taken back home.

We are always under the mercy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, whenever we are in difficulties. He puts us in situations that will enhance our devotional service and develop the taste for His lotus feet.

Happiness and Distress, both need no endeavor!

Verse 1.5.18: Actually Srila Prabhupada very often quoted this: Human life is meant for self-realization. We should know who we are. We should not be on the bodily platform. We have been hankering for enjoyment, but we time and again face miseries.

Living entity takes birth sometimes in earthly planets, sometimes in heavenly planets and sometimes in lower planets.

...

We have Caitanya Mahaprabhu's and Lord Nityananda's mercy. Please chant very nicely, the struggle should go on and we will surely get there.

Service to the Lord feteches Eternal Credit

Verse 1.5.17: So here, Narada muni is talking: What loss is there when you give up your occupation and surrender unto the lotus feet of the Lord. Even if you now fall down, still there is no loss. Since all the service you did has eternal credit and you will come back to the Lord.

Story: About a man, who at the moment of his death offered flowers to Krishna by saying: Krishnaye namaha, Govindaye namaha.

"One who has forsaken his material occupations to engage in the devotional service of the Lord may sometimes fall down while in an immature stage, yet there is no danger of his being unsuccessful. On the other hand, a nondevotee, though fully engaged in occupational duties, does not gain anything."

Qualifications and Vyasadev's Compassion

Verse 1.5.16: Two parts of this verse actually
1) What kind of person deserves to get this knowledge - Only a very expert personality, retired from the activities of material happiness, deserves to understand this knowledge of spiritual values.
2) Describe this pre-condition, giving knowledge of the transcendental activities of the Lord to the general people. That will be the greatest welfare for all living entities.

In the Bhagavad-gita it is clearly stated that out of many hundreds and thousands of men only one person deserves to enter into transcendental realization. And out of many thousands of such transcendentally realized persons, only a few can understand the theological science specifically dealing with God as a person.

Srimad Bhagavatam: reveals the most close pastimes of the Lord, for all people. Just due to compassion of Srila Vyasadev.

And the Supreme Personality of Godhead Himself came as Caitanya Mahaprabhu, to show how exactly to live by Srimad Bhagavatam and how a devotee is to behave.

Relationships are everything in the process of Krishna Consciousness. It is bi-directional.
Krishna is coming in so many ways for us to establish that relationship. He comes in the from of His Deity, the Holy Name, in the form of His pastimes through the Bhagavatam. He is waiting for us to re-establish that relationship with Him. A change in consciousness is required, to detach ourselves from Maya.

Appearance Day of Srila Gopala Bhatta Goswami!

Appearance of Gopala-bhatta Goswami:
* Was born in South India, in a Sri Vaishnava sampradaya (Sri Rangam)
* Even today, in south India, in his house, they worship the deity of Caitanya Mahaprabhu
* CM during his south India travels, stayed in Venkata Bhatta's (Gopala Bhatta Goswami's father) house for 4 months of caturmasya
* ... Reading about the appearance, pastimes of Srila Gopala Bhatta Goswami ...

Today is also the disappearance day of Srila Ramacandra Kaviraj and Srila Jayadeva Goswami.

Relationship is the key to KC!!!

Verse 1.5.15: Important for us to know the mood of Vyasadev. Srila Vyasadev spent major portion of his life in compiling all the Vedas and the Puranas, just for the benefit of mankind. And now Srila Narada muni comes and says that all that he has done is just misguided mankind. So it is important for us to understand the mood of Vyasadev and how he took the instructions of his spiritual master, for the best.

The human tendency is to enjoy, but actually we are suffering due to ignorance. So to come out of ignorance, we need knowledge from an authoritative source.
But to listen from someone and learn from it, 4 things required:
1) Personal relationship with a speaker is required, for the words to enter into our heart
2) Need to be ready to set our misconceptions on the side
3) To inquire submissively
4) Establishing a relationship, then maintain and enhance the relationship. This second thing can be performed only by performing service to him

We will notice that in the conversation between Narada muni and Vyasadev, all these 4 things exist and that is why Vyasadev takes to the instruction of his spiritual master nicely.

Same thing about these 4 points exist with
* Deity worship
* Chanting
* Relationship with devotees

Key thing in Krishna Consciousness is Relationship, it is very very essential for our life.

Bhagavata Purana, the only essential Purana!

Verse 1.5.14: Srila Narada muni is actually chastising Srila Vyasadev for the literatures he wrote for karmi's, gyani's, yogi's and bhakta's.

He is recommending him to write the Bhagavata Purana, which glorifies the Supreme Personality of Godhead alone.

Srila Prabhupada is making a point that it is the best process for directly glorifying the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Therefore, Srila Vyäsadeva should not have compiled any Puranas other than the Bhägavata Purana because a slight deviation from that may create havoc for self-realization. This is to say that there is no need for us to read any other Purana.

Anything that we try to do that is separate from Krishna, will only create unwanted reaction for us. Eg: Hiranyakashipu, had everything in this world, but still was not satisfied. He was agitated in his mind, since he did not have Krishna is that apparent everything that he had.
It's like chewing the chewed.

Dharma: Real dharma is to serve the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Our dharma is to simply serve the Supreme Personality of Godhead, if we don't then we are always in reactions and not satisfied. As soon as we serve, we get eternal bliss. And chanting is directly serving Krishna. Hence we should chant very very nicely.

Vedic Literature and Devotion

Verse 1.5.12: An instructive verse.
Context: Srila Vyasadev is feeling despondent, even after compiling the 4 vedas, puranas etc.
Why so (is explained here by Narada Muni): 2 kinds of literature - mundane literature used only for sense gratification and second type is Vedic literature
Even in the later,the literatures which are in the impersonal conception or which does not glorify the Supreme Lord, then he is condemning them.

So here, Narada muni is also condemning the fruitive work, since it is always painful. Eg: Process of acquiring is painful and process of maintaining it is also painful. However, fruitive work can be made fruitful also, by making is subservient to Krishna, with devotional service.
Another example is Prasadam. Everything is given back by Krishna to us, just by doing this attachment to the Supreme Personality of Godhead develops, at the same detachment from material things develop too.

And material attachment creates bondage to the material world, which will continue to keep us in the cycle of birth and death.

Verse 1.5.11: Here, Srila Naradamuni is saying, that any literature that does not describe the glories of the Lord, is a waste. And in this verse, he is saying that such a literature which talks about the glories of the Lord, even though is imperfectly said, are heard, sung and accepted by purified men who are thoroughly honest.

Srila Prabhupada is further making these wonderful points:
* This Srimad Bhagavatam will create a revolution, not just bring a change in heart or something like that
* Without God or Krishna in the center, because of the age of Kali, a little provocation can cause major disturbances in this world
* We have attempted to translate this message of SB to English, it will definitely be imperfect. This is because Sanskrit is such a language, it has so much meaning, it is tough to express the same in English. But because of the purity of this literature, even though it might be not so perfectly expressed, it will still bring about a revolution in the lives of people who come in association with it
* If one is not gaining knowledge from such a literature as Srimad Bhagavatam, then people of this age are stuck with lower literatures aimed at sense gratification. In the beginning they may not like it because one suffering from jaundice is reluctant to take sugar candy, but we should know that sugar candy is the only remedy for jaundice. When men have a taste for this literature (Srimad Bhagavatam), the other literatures, which are catering poison to society, will then automatically cease.
* Motto of our movement: Preaching is the essence, utility is the principle, books are the basis, purity is the force.

Hearing, speaking and Association

Verse 1.5.10: Srila Prabhupada is talking about 3 different activities...hearing, speaking and association.
There are different kinds of literature for different types of men of different mentality. Mostly the market literatures which attract men of the crow's categories are literatures containing refused remnants of sensuous topics. They are generally known as mundane talks in relation with the gross body and subtle mind. Spiritually advanced men who are compared to the swans do not take pleasure in such dead literatures, which are sources of pleasure for men who are spiritually dead.

NOI also describes on this, about activities that helps people in Krishna Consciousness
Verse 1) Vacho-vegam: everyone wants to speak, unless one person controls the urge to speak, one cannot understand Krishna Consciousness. Otherwise it is toad croaking.
If we control this urge, then the rest of the urges can be controlled.
Activities that kill out Krishna Consciousness:
Verse 2) Attyahara, prajalpa (speaking about mundane matters)

Srila Prabhupada is then saying association is important. Materially minded take of worldy minded people or on the other hand spiritually oriented people take association of Krishna's devotees.
Verse 3) Association of the right quality should be picked.

One should therefore pick association of paramhamsa's, wrt hearing, speaking and association.

Bhakti means devotional SERVICE!

Verse 1.5.9: There are 4 things, dharma artha kama moksa, which is sought after. But topmost to these is Bhakti. When we understand the power of Bhakti, then we attain to self-realization, we enjoy the service of Krishna, giving us eternal bliss or happiness.

Srila Prabhupada translates Bhakti as Devotional Service. The love is expressed through service to Krishna.
Eg: There is no one in the universe who could control Krishna as Mother Yasoda, which she did because of her intense love to her child.

...
...
...

Pure devotee does not need liberation also. They do not want to do business with Krishna, all they yearn for is eternal service to the Lord, in any circumstance and in any place. That's why a devotee is compassionate, devotional service is ultimate. Chant very nicely, because chanting is the ultimate part of devotional service.

Naradamuni answers Vyasadev!

Verse 1.5.6-8:
* Supreme Personality of Godhead is the last step in self-realization
* Pure devotee does everything for Krishna
* Naradamuni is mildly chastising Vyasadev for not having glorified the pastimes of the Lord and His devotees and says that this is the main reason for his despondence

Eg: Srila Prabhupada in the pandal, for a lecture, was offered money for the program as a test (Previous day, another sadhu had given lecture and rejected the money, so they thought he passed their test). Srila Prabhupada accepted the money, he said: Take a picture with me with the money, and I am holding the money. Srila Prabhupada said: Personally I don't need, it is all Krishna's money, if it is utilized 100% for Krishna, then you should take.
Srila Prabhupada said to his disciples: Pure devotional service is rare to achieve, if you need it, follow me to India. Although living conditions were very austere, his disciples came .

* Devotee is para-dhuka-dhuki, compassion. Naradamuni is going to people's houses just to awaken them in their Krishna consciousness.

Devotional Service is bliss!

Verse 1.5.3 to 5: Vyasadev was sitting on the banks of Saraswati, after having written all the Vedic literature. He was not happy though. So here, Srila Prabhupada writes that a person who knows all the knowledge, why is he unhappy? For example, if a person achieves the success of such a huge task of compilation of Vedic literature, then how come he is miserable.
It is explained again and again, Pure Devotional Service is very very pleasing to the heart.
A person who executes devotional service, gets a drop of Krishna's mercy, then he is submerged in the ocean of transcendental bliss.
Eg: Shyamananda Pr, Srinivas Acharya and ... were students under Jiva Goswami. When Shyamananda Pr touched the anklets of Srimati Radharani, we was totally submerged in spiritual bliss, then he knew this ankle bell was not of some ordinary woman. Lalita-sakhi's transcendental form was seen in due course by Shyamananda Pr. It was so beautiful transcendental form.

In that way, devotional service brings complete bliss.
Likewise, chanting initially it bitter. But when we keep on chanting, we completely purify ourselves, and we see Krishna and Krishna's lila when chanting, and hence we enthusiastically chant the Hare Krishna Maha mantra.

So here, Vyasadev wrote only about the business dealings of the material world, so he was not happy internally. Only after writing about Krishna and His pastimes, did he get that satisfaction that he was missing.

Happy Krishna Conscious New Year!!!

Verse 1.4.25: Wishing everyone a very happy Krishna Conscious New Year.
Srila Vyasadev describes the types of people:
- Twice-born
- Dvija-bandhus
- Women
- Sudras

Speaking on New Year!
* Krishna says Time I am. How powerful this time is. Our bodies turn into dust, great great mountains become dried up. What to speak of you and me.
* For a devotee, he is one year closer to Krishna, for a non-devotee, he is one year closer to death.
* So many of our acharya's are Grhastha's. Eg: Srila Bhakti-Vinoda Thakur. So meticulously used his time for Krishna, although a father to 10 children
* Choice is definitely ours. We should see what we want. If we keep Krishna in the center of our life, and work accordingly, then everything will fall into place.
* Story of Kailash. Narada muni, Kailash saying that he will come after 1 child, etc.
Moral: We have so many attachments, unlimited. We don't have one thousandth of an attachment to Krishna.
* Mountains are being powdered. Time is powerful. That's why we should make a resolution today. Of becoming serious and sincere. This year, Yes I will try to
- develop faith in Holy name
- serve all vaishnavas
- definitely check anger, greed
- definitely complete reading these books
* Then we are one year closer to Krishna. If not, we are one year closer death. Choice is ours.
* Srila Prabhupada says, if we genuinely take to this Krishna Consciousness path, take shelter of Krishna, then He will protect and help us in this.
* How much responsibility you shoulder will determine our progress in Krishna Consciousness this year.