Understanding the behavior of Sringi...

Verse 1.18.38 (Mohan Prji):

* Question is why did Sringi do such a thing to MP
- 1) He did not understand the position of MP and He did not know his own position,
- 2) the behavior of MP offended him
* Similar example in another place of Prajapati Daksha
- He wanted his sons to become nice grhasthas, but they became brahmachari's under the instruction of Narada muni
- So because they did not behave according to his ideas, he got angry and cursed Narada muni, thus causing a Vaisnava aparadha
* Coming to our context
- We also don't understand the position of other devotees
- And we expect them to behave in a certain way and if they don't, then we get upset
* So for this, we can nice instructions from NOI
- One should always honor the devotee who is always engaged in chanting of the holy name, or is in Deity worship
- One should always honor a pure devotee
* There are 3 types of devotees
- Kanishta, Madhyama and Uttama adhikari
- Based on their position, a devotee should always behave in the appropriate way
- One has to always mentally honor the kanishta adhikari
- One has to pay obeisances and physically honor too the madhyama adhikari, who is initiated and performing service unto Deities
- And for an Uttama adhikari, we must serve them very nicely
* SP in this purport, again mentions, that a devotee must be intelligent enough to distinguish these 3 types in devotees and a devotee must also never try to imitate a higher devotee's position
* Meditating on this verse, we can try to avoid offending devotees
- by understanding our own position and knowing the position of the other devotees
* Because offending devotees will be offending the holy name and that will make us lose our KC very soon
* From the book - Art of Chanting
- The main cause for offending devotees is asat sangha, the association of materialistic people
- It increases our envious nature
- As a solution, it is told that one has to give up material associations
* Sri CM: first business of a vaisnava is that he gives up materialistic association
* In this verse too, Sringi was in association with inexperienced boys, so we can see how his bad behavior came out.

Pride is the problem...

Verse 1.18.36 (SaciSuta Prji):

* As we know, the vedas are divided into 4.
- in Atharva veda, many mantras are given using which we can create or destroy things.
* Here, SP is mentioning the brahman boy to be impudent
* Qualities of APACHE,, which will surely bring our downfall.
* Story: Rooster, fighting, eagle - Pride comes before the fall.
* Unless we act according to the will of the Lord...
* One should not be puffed up with one's qualities. It is all the power of the Supreme Lord only and He can
withdraw them at any time.
* Realize that whatever we may do is due to the mercy of Guru and Krishna only.
* Pride is the reason why we might be not doing sadhana well. Pride is the reason why we may not be getting up early to greet the Lord at Mangala arati.
* The mood of a devotee, he never takes credit for anything
- Eg: Lord Brahma, Yamaraja in Ajamila story
* When you take credit for everything, you lose your common sense.
- nice panchatantra story of the brahmana who had a nice garden, killed the cow, Indra came down...
* Whatever position we may have, is to be used for the well-being of others.
* If one engages his possessions in the service of the Lord, then he will always be happy. Cause wealth in Mother Lakshmi and she will be happy only in service of the Lord, Krishna!

Kaliyuga Brahmanas

Verse 1.18.34 (Srinivas Pendyala Prji):

1. Justification -
Anything we do, we philosophize and give justifications including giving lectures, quoting wrong contexts etc.

2. Characteristics of Kaliyuga brahmanas :
In kali yuga, bramhanas are practically not seen.

3.Insulting : compared King to a watchdog.
- End result of vaishnava aparadh.
- another sign of sadhakas.
- quality and quantity of chanting decreases.
- slowly previous habits will start surfacing…
ex: eating outside, watching movies. ==> justification.
- finally, we start criticizing devotees.

4. Mentality of false prestige ==> cause of downfall of society.
- devotional service ==> is a show.

Apparent bewilderment of Maharaj Parikshit

Verse 1.18.30-31 (Mohan Prji):

* Here, Maharaj Parikshit is placed into bewilderment into putting a garland of a dead snake around the sage.
* Here Srila Prabhupada is mentioning about Srila Viswanath Chakravarthy Thakur who tells why he behaved like that.
- They do not believe that the King's action was due to his past misdeeds. The arrangement was so made by the Lord just to call the King back home, back to Godhead.
* If we perform such a thing, we should always repent for it. But if another devotee performs this, we should be much tolerant.
* The Lord puts forth His pure devotees in such difficulties just to bring out something good for the mankind.
- The Pandavas being put into so much frustration, just so that BG can come about
- Another situation, HG Aindra Pr leaving his body. Krishna surely has his ways to bring devotees back to Him.
* The Lord performs such actions just to give us some benedictions.

Ordained by the Lord...

Verse 1.18.29 (Krishna Patro Prji):

* Here the sages are coming to know why and how MP met Sukadeva Goswami.
* In this verse, it is being told as to why MP became angry on the sage.
* When MP was born, the brahamanas and the sages prophesied about the wonderful qualities of Maharaj Parikshit (MP).
* The only justification for MP's anger against the sage was that this was ordained by the Lord Himself.
* Another questions ppl can ask is how come pure devotees also appear to be suffering from old age etc.
- the answer is that they are always in the shelter of the spiritual energy and all the suffering is all arrangement of the Lord for specific purposes.
* Lord is all auspicious.

Receiving Guests in Vedic Times...

Verse 1.18.28 (-- Prji):

* Srila Prabhupada is explaining the law of reception, according to Vedic times.
- Example of Jarasandha honoring Krishna, Bhima and Arjuna is described here.
* To practically how do we apply this
- if a person is unkind to us, then how can we receive him
- if our KC will be affected by their presence, then we can reject their association
* If we are on the receiving end, just apply "trnad api...", so we don't have any attachments
* Next, Srila Prabhupada is telling about how a pure devotee is always protected by the Lord.
* Here too, in MP's case, everything is by the will of the Lord, not a karmic reaction of some sort. Here, Krishna's will was now MP should detach himself from all attachments, so he can completely surrender to the Lord.
* Frustration is also taken by the pure devotees as the mercy of the Lord.
* Activities of a pure devotee cannot be easily understood, cause Krishna is actually acting through them.
* Here, MP knew that in 7 days he is going to die. But how many of us know when we are going to die, we might in the next moment.
- So we have to be very serious in KC and apply in our day to day life.
* WE are enjoying the material comforts of this world and forget the urgency to surrender to Krishna. But it is very important. So we must be very serious.

Yoga Ladder explained...

Verse 1.18.26 (Ganesh Prji)

* Srila Prabhupada says this yoga system can be treated as a stepped ladder. Different yogi's on the different rungs are on different levels.
* Not all of them have achieved the absolute Truth.
* Yoga ladder
- only involved in sense gratification of eating, sleeping, mating and defending
- karma kanda (Fruitive activies for a better life in the next life by going to heavenly systems)
- karma yoga (two types - sakama karma yoga (attached to the fruits and work), niskama karma yoga (detached to fruits, but attached to work)
- gyana yoga (spiritual and philosophical knowledge to merge with the Lord)
- astanga yoga ( concentrating on the paramatma through physical yogic processes)
- bhakti yoga (topmost yoga system, devotional service to the Lord)
* All the rungs of the yoga ladder lead to Bhakti yoga.
* If one is fortunate enough to come to the bhakti yoga stage, then it is confirmed that he has already gone through all the other rungs of the ladder.
* Personality of Godhead, sat-chit-ananda vigraha.
* SP also gives eg: sun, sunshine and sun planet. Realization of impersonal feature, paramatma feature and bhagavan feature of the absolute truth.
* Bhakta's who have realized the bhagavan feature of the absolute truth are topmost.
* We should have superior engagement, that is devotional service.
* Mother Yasoda, ultimate prema bhakti's example!

Greatness of a person...

Verse 1.18.24-25 (Sundari Mji):

* Here Srila Prabhupada is talking about the reason why we suffer. The reason is our attachment to material things.
* Chewing the chewed, as told by Prahlada Maharaj.
* ...
* ...
* But for surrendered devotees, Krishna takes care of everything. Krishna says in the BG that he will preserve what we have and carry what we lack.
* Krishna has given us determination, qualities, will power. So if we use it 100% in his service, then even if we lack in something, He will provide that also to us. IMP
* Another nice example: of the sage who gives his blessing to the prince, the brahmachari, the butcher and a vaisnava.
* Dying means the false ego should die.
* How do we really make progress? Greatness of a person has to be estimated by how one tolerates provoking situations.
* In today's verse, we see how Maharaj Parikshit was tolerating the provoking situation which was apparently brought by Krishna's yogamaya potency.
* Nothing happens by chance, everything happens by Krishna's mercy.
* We cannot make any spiritual progress unless we forgive anyone who has troubled us.
* Humility and tolerance is required, for taking shelter of the holy name.
* At difficult situations, how we take shelter of the Supreme Lord, makes our progress stronger in Krishna Consciousness.

Description of the Lord by His devotees...

Verse 1.18.23 (Ashish Prji):

* Krishna says in BG: tesam satata yuktanam...
- about Buddhi Yoga
* The great rishi Suta Goswami tells that he will explain about the Lord as much as he knows
* The supreme truth is realized in 3 phases
- impersonal brahman, localized paramatma and personal bhagavan
* The supreme truth is self-sufficient. Srila Vyasadeva explains in SB that Krishna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead (SPG), the cause of all causes.
* It is only by Him that everyone is placed in illusion. All the demigods work for Him alone.
* Only by reading Vedic literature, all the illusion goes away. Only through devotional service will Krishna reveal Himself to His devotees.
* So the best way is: satatam kirtayanto maam....

Self-control leads to Renunciation and Nonviolence!

Verse 1.18.22 (Yugal Kishore Prji):

* Wonderful shloka emphasizing on sense control.
* One of the reasons why people hesitate to come to ISKCON is this.
* But sincere people who are attracted to good qualities naturally come to ISKCON. The advantage is you develop renunciation, causeless knowledge and
* Probably, many or all of us might have heard the word sense-gratification, first time in ISKCON only. Until then, we might have not even known the word, although we were engaged in the same.
* So if we want self-realization, we need to practice self-control, you will get lot of energy, then use it in Krishna's service. Then you will be able to make progress.
* Then what happens, when time comes, u will be able to connect to Krishna only and disconnect from everything else. eg: Maharaj Parikshit, since he was always in service to Krishna, when he was cursed to die in 7 days, he relinquished everything in a moment and left to listen to the pastimes of Krishna.
* That is possible due to renunciation developed through Krishna consciousness.
* Renunciation means developing attachment to Krishna and connecting everything (children, money, etc) to Krishna.
* In our movement, even grhasthas are so self-controlled. They are able to do this because they have a strong attachment for Krishna.
* This makes you progress to the highest stage.
* If you become a devotee of Krishna, all the good qualities manifest in you, SB says.
* With self-control, pridelessness, freedom from envy comes (nonviolence). Irrespective of which ashrama, they are becoming paramahamsa's.
* Genuinely control the senses, on the other hand, the energy that we get must be used in service for Krishna, develop love and attraction for Krishna.
* Chant the rounds nicely, sincerely, vaishnava seva and humility of course!

Conception of the Supreme Personality of Godhead!

Verse 1.18.21 (Mohan Prji):

* Analogy of unlearning and learning the right thing.
* Similarly, we had all different conceptions
- like trumurti, Krishna is incarnation of Vishnu, etc.
* But however Srila Prabhupada mentions that if one wants to know who one's father is, one must ask the mother.
* Similarly, the Vedic literature reveal our eternal father, the SPG.
* Krishna is the SPG. And it is important for us to understand how Krishna is the SPG.
* For that, we need to inquire who we are, what is our relationship, then we will come to know the position of Krishna.
* From the chatur-shloki Bhagavatam
- Initially Krishna spoke these verses to Brahma
- Here, Krishna is saying that He alone is the end of self-realization
* If Krishna is the SPG, then He must be the origin of everything.
- to prove Krishna is the beginning of everything, it is from BG
- aham bija pratapita...
- "neither the hosts....i am the source of all the demigods and all the sages"
* Within all avatars of Krishna
- again SB explains clearly that Krishna is the source of all incarnations.
* So we come to the conclusion that who is the SPG and why is He so!
* BG As It Is: so how is it we know that it is "as it is"
- Arjuna at the end of BG concludes that Krishna is the supreme (parabrahman....) and therefore engages in His service. Similarly, when we read SP's BG As It Is and if we come to the same conclusion, then definitely it is "As It Is"!

3 Qualities of the Lord...

Verse 1.18.20 (Sacisuta Prji):

* 3 Points come out from this verse
- the Lord is unlimited
- no one is equal to Him
- He is full in Himself, He has nothing to accept from anyone
* ...
* BG 5.29, bhoktaram....
* BG 9.4
* Opulence of the Lord is also seen in the 10th chapter of the BG.
* Krishna is yogeshwara, the Lord of all mystic processes.
* Describing the glorious departure of HG Achyuta Jagannath Prabhu, father of HG Gauranga Prabhu from Sri Sri Radha Gopinath Temple.

Varnashrama Dharma and Chanting!

Verse 1.18.19 (Srinivas Acharya Prji):

* Srila Prabhupada is explaining two things here
- the apparent implementation of varnashrama dharma in modern society and its exploitation
- how powerful and purifying is the chanting of the holy names.
* First thing he mentions about is the dvija-bandhu's. One section of the society was exploiting this varnashrama dharma for their own benefit.
* To explain how Lord Krishna only sees the qualification, not birth, SP explains the story
- of the cobbler and the brahmana, and Narada muni....threading an elephant through the eye of the needle.
- Moral: what Krishna sees is the heart, not the external designation
* In history too, both CC and SB, so many stories are there of devotees born in lower caster, they were able to put more influence than the upper caste. Haridas Thakur, Ambarish and Durvasa muni.
* Unfortunately this dharma established by the Lord is exploited by humans, which was actually meant to elevate people in their consciousness.
* Second, how purifying is the chanting of the holy name.
- Chanting under the direction of a pure devotee is automatically offense-less. Then the person will surrender to Krishna for sure. This is most important.
- The holy name is non different from the Lord Himself.
* In Kaliyuga, the Hare Krishna Maha mantra is the best method. It will remove all the disqualifications of a lower birth and we can achieve the same level of perfection as the rishi's of the previous ages and finally attain to the lotus feet of Krishna!

Association of Pure Devotees!

Verse 1.18.18 (Ramana Prji):

* Srimad Bhagavatam full of nectar.
* This sampradaya is giving us so many values.
* It really doesn't matter who is speaking as long as he is speaking about Krishna!
* Whether born as brahamanas, ksatriyas, vysasa's or sudra's, in Kali Yuga, everyone is a sudra. But the essence is that even a sudra can be heard from, if he is qualified or if he knows the science of Krishna.
* Pure devotees change everything for us in a few minutes association with them. They are walking places of pilgrimage.
- Association of pure devotees is totally purifying. We become energized and we enjoy such association.
- Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur says, just drag your bodies to their association. Just a few minutes of their association can cleanse your heart like anything.
* SP also is telling that Sri Suta Goswami had this association in both hearing and speaking.

Coming to the Right Conclusion...

Verse 1.18.17 (Mohan Prji):

* "Thus please narrate to us the narrations of the Unlimited, for they are purifying and supreme. They were spoken to Mahārāja Parīksit, and they are very dear to the pure devotees, being full of bhakti-yoga."
* Srila Prabhupada is hearing telling that it is Srimad Bhagavatam (SB).
* SB is called puranam amalam. The ripened fruit of Vedic literature is SB!
* Sri Iso - Mantra
- somebody who is trying to cultivate knowledge is worse. Why? Because if he does not conclude that Krishna is the SPG, then such a person is worse than one who is involved in material sense gratification.
* Coming to the right conclusion that Krishna is the SPG is most important.
* We are actually very lucky that we have come in contact with the SB.
* Even here we saw that Vyasadeva was unhappy until he wrote SB. All this is because SB is glorifying the pastimes of the Lord.

Authoritative and Attentive Hearing!

Verse 1.18.16 (Kasi Prji):

* Here we see that the sages in Naimisharanya are very interested in hearing Krishna Katha from Suta Goswami.
* It is also seen how Maharaj Parikshit hears so well from Sukadeva Goswami that he becomes a Maha-bhagavatha.
* Sravanam and Kirtanam are very imp for the ppl of this age of kaliyuga.
* Key points from this verse
- hearing from authoritative sources, through bona fide disciplic succession
- being very attentive in hearing Krishna Katha
* Authoritative sources is very important
* Nice pastime of Srila Prabhupada narrated: of a small boy giving paratha to his elder brother who had jaundice.
- similarly, if we hear from an authority, then chance of misinterpretation is lesser
* Second, is attentively hearing Krishna katha
- then holy name will cleanse the desire of our material enjoyment
* One should therefore practice hearing the holy name attentively, then all anartha's will be cleansed out.
* All other activities which does not favor service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, are basically useless acts.
* Krishna also says in BG: one who knows the transcendental......attains my eternal abode O Arjuna.
* SP also says: Impersonalists became devotees, but no devotee so far has become an impersonalist.
* Eg: Sukadeva Goswami, Dhruva Maharaj
* Atmarama verse of SB, the Lord can attract even impersonalist devotees.
* Compassion of a Mahabgavatha is also discussed here, in giving Krishna to others. Eg: Srila Prabhapada is a the best example in this regard.

Speaker and Audience Benefitted!

Verse 1.18.15 (Sacisuta Prji):

* We notice that the sages of Naimisharanya was asking Suta Goswami to describe the pastimes of the Lord because he is a pure devotee of the Lord. And for him, personality of Godhead is his only object of service.
* Essence is knowing the difference between maya and absolute truth. That is knowledge!
* Spiritual shelter, following the instructions of the Guru is required.
* As audience, we need the eagerness to hear.
* In BS, Lord Brahma says:...worship the Supreme Lord...
- so we cannot capture the Lord by material endeavor, but by devotion only
* Here, another point mentioned by SP: speaker and audience must be qualified, then that discussion will lead to transcendence.
* NOI: 3 types of bhakti
- sadhana bhakti, bhava bhakti, -
* We are not in the process of defeating others, but to transform them.
* Nice pastime of Sri CM and Sarvabhowma Battacharya. Same with Prakashananda Saraswati.
* Rupa Goswami - humility and eagerness to serve, Sri CM instructed him for 10 days in Prayag
* Sanatana Goswami - Sri CM instructed him for 2 months
* A preacher doesn't talk for name and fame, only for the service of the Lord and His pleasure.
* Another eg: Thakur Bhaktivinoda, SBSST, Srila Prabhupada.
* SP took the message of Rupa, Sanatana, all the acharya's, prayed to them and wrote them in English for all of us.
- Unless we read, we will fall down. Read SB in morning and BG in evening.
* To make us strong spiritually - reading, listening and chanting is most important.
* Message: We have this greatest treasure available to us. We should be a good audience and make every effort to listen to our acharya's.

Supreme Lord Krishna, the Demigods!

Verse 1.18.14 (Srinivas Acharya Prji):

* Here Suta Goswami is trying to explain the supremacy of Lord Krishna while explaining the positions of Lord Brahma and Lord Siva.
* SP mentions in many places, especially we know that is one of the namaaparadha to consider the demigods equal to or greater than Lord Krishna.
* In the scriptures too, there are so many references of how Lord Krishna time and again saves Lord Brahma and Lord Siva from their own actions
- Boon given by Lord Brahma to Hiranyakashipu, Lord Krishna had to finally come to save the world
- Lord Siva giving boon to Banasura and Basmasura, then Krishna had to come down
* In this purport, the glories to Lord Siva is also being mentioned by Srila Prabhupada, just to show the power of Lord Siva, then what to say of the power of Lord Krishna who is far greater than him.
- Lord Siva being called Neelakanta
* Similarly, the two demons Madhu and Kaitabha stole the Vedic knowledge from Lord Brahma, Lord Krishna killed the demons and saved the world.
* So we see from all these are that these demigods are practically invincible, but still when they cannot solve the problem, Lord Krishna is the ultimate savior.
* All Vishnu-tattva are equivalent to Lord Krishna!

Chanting of the holy Name!

Verse 1.18.12 (Padma Mataji):

* ...
* Kali, no religious principles
* The sages doing the sacrifices, suffering from the smoke of the sacrificial fires
* Nice pastime from Krishna's pastime
- Brahamanas doing sacrifice, but their wives left everything just to satisfy Krishna by giving Him all kinds of foodstuffs.
* In DS, satisfaction is immediate.
* Therefore focus is always concentrate on Krishna. Then knowledge and detachment automatically come.
* In this age, Krishna has incarnated in His holy name!
* ...
* ...
* ...

Attaining perfection by Hearing!

Verse 1.18.10 (Krishna Patro Prji):

* Here, perfection of life is attaining loving service of SPG.
* Systematic hearing about the SPG will help in this way.
* Krishna as paramatma within the heart, cleanses our material contamination. When we develop the urge to hear the activities of the SPG, then paramatma cleanses our heart.
* Then one gradually comes to know of the Absolute Truth.
* Even Lord Brahma and Lord Siva cannot understand the SPG, so knowing Him is not easy. It is only by hearing about Him, will He reveal Himself to us.
* The remedy to birth, death, old age and disease, is to hear and chant the Lord's holy name.
* In the previous verse, Suta Goswami was explaining about MP, but still it is transcendental because Krishna and Krishna's devotees present the same remedies.
* So MP pastimes is also transcendental because it is connected to the Supreme Lord.
* SP's pastimes too, very special. He transformed the hippies into happies.
- One pastime of when Jagannath's Deities were originally installed. Devotees took Jagannath out without his permission. But he corrected them in such a nice way. Now, when we hear it, it is so sweet.
* How to attain perfection?
- By surrendering oneself to the Spiritual Master.
- MP also understand the SPG only after he surrendered to Srila Sukadeva Goswami.