SB 08 12 09-10 - Candramauli Swami - ISKCON Chowpatty 2010-02-07.MP3	33.2 MB
SB 08 12 10 - Hanumat Presaka Swami - ISKCON Chicago 2016-11-01.mp3	21.7 MB

naham parayur rsayo na marici-mukhya

 jananti yad-viracitam khalu sattva-sargah

yan-mayaya musita-cetasa isa daitya-

 martyadayah kim uta sasvad-abhadra-vrttah

 

Translation by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada: 

 

O my Lord, I, who am considered to be the best of the demigods, and Lord Brahma and the great rsis, headed by Marici, are born of the mode of goodness. Nonetheless, we are bewildered by Your illusory energy and cannot understand what this creation is. Aside from us, what is to be said of others, like the demons and human beings, who are in the base modes of material nature [rajo-guna and tamo-guna]? How will they know You?

 

Purport by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada: 

 

Factually speaking, even those who are situated in the material mode of goodness cannot understand the position of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. What then is to be said of those who are situated in rajo-guna and tamo-guna, the base qualities of material nature? How can we even imagine the Supreme Personality of Godhead? There are so many philosophers trying to understand the Absolute Truth, but since they are situated in the base qualities of material nature and are addicted to so many bad habits, like drinking, meat-eating, illicit sex and gambling, how can they conceive of the Supreme Personality of Godhead? For them it is impossible. For the present day, the pañcaratriki-vidhi as enunciated by Narada Muni is the only hope. Srila Rupa Gosvami, therefore, has quoted the following verse from the Brahma-yamala:

 

sruti-smrti-puranadi-

 pañcaratra-vidhim vina

aikantiki harer bhaktir

 utpatayaiva kalpate

 

“Devotional service of the Lord that ignores the authorized Vedic literatures like the Upanisads, Puranas and Narada-pañcaratra is simply an unnecessary disturbance in society.” (Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu 1.2.101) Those who are very advanced in knowledge and are situated in the mode of goodness follow the Vedic instructions of the sruti and smrti and other religious scriptures, including the pañcaratriki-vidhi. Without understanding the Supreme Personality of Godhead in this way, one only creates a disturbance. In this Age of Kali, so many gurus have sprung up, and because they do not refer to the sruti-smrti-puranadi-pañcaratrika-vidhi, they are creating a great disturbance in the world in regard to understanding the Absolute Truth. However, those who follow the pañcaratriki-vidhi under the guidance of a proper spiritual master can understand the Absolute Truth. It is said, pañcaratrasya krtsnasya vakta tu bhagavan svayam: the pañcaratra system is spoken by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, just like Bhagavad-gita. Vasudeva-sarana vidur añjasaiva: the truth can be understood only by one who has taken shelter of the lotus feet of Vasudeva.

 

bahunam janmanam ante

 jñanavan mam prapadyate

vasudevah sarvam iti

 sa mahatma sudurlabhah

 

“After many births and deaths, he who is actually in knowledge surrenders unto Me, knowing Me to be the cause of all causes and all that is. Such a great soul is very rare.” (Bg. 7.19) Only those who have surrendered to the lotus feet of Vasudeva can understand the Absolute Truth.

 

vasudeve bhagavati

 bhakti-yogah prayojitah

janayaty asu vairagyam

 jñanam ca yad ahaitukam

 

“By rendering devotional service unto the Personality of Godhead, Sri Krsna, one immediately acquires causeless knowledge and detachment from the world.” (Bhag. 1.2.7) Therefore, Vasudeva, Bhagavan Sri Krsna, personally teaches in Bhagavad-gita:

 

sarva-dharman parityajya

 mam ekam saranam vraja

 

“Abandon all varieties of religion and just surrender unto Me.” (Bg. 18.66)

 

bhaktya mam abhijanati

 yavan yas casmi tattvatah

 

“One can understand the Supreme Personality as He is only by devotional service.” (Bg. 18.55) The Supreme Personality of Godhead is not properly understood even by Lord Siva or Lord Brahma, what to speak of others, but He can be understood by the process of bhakti-yoga.

 

mayy asakta-manah partha

 yogam yuñjan mad-asrayah

asamsayam samagram mam

 yatha jñasyasi tac chrnu

 

(Bg. 9.7)

 

If one practices bhakti-yoga by taking shelter of Vasudeva, Krsna, simply by hearing Vasudeva speak about Himself, one can understand everything about Him. Indeed, one can understand Him completely (samagram).