The Hare Krishna Experience

स वै निवृत्तिधर्मेण वासुदेवानुकम्पया । भगवद्भक्तियोगेन तिरोधत्ते शनैरिह ॥ १२ ॥ sa vai nivṛtti-dharmeṇa vāsudevānukampayā bhagavad-bhakti-yogena tirodhatte śanair iha Synonyms saḥ — that; vai — also; nivṛtti — detachment; dharmeṇa — by engagement; vāsudeva — the Supreme Personality of Godhead; anukampayā — by the mercy of; bhagavat — in relation with the Personality of Godhead; bhakti-yogena — by linking up; tirodhatte — diminishes; śanaiḥ — gradually; iha — in this existence. Translation But that misconception of self-identity can be diminished gradually by the mercy of the Personality of Godhead, Vāsudeva, through the process of devotional service to the Lord in the mode of detachment. Purport The quivering quality of material existence, which comes from identification with matter or from thinking oneself, under the material influence of philosophical speculation, to be God, can be eradicated by devotional service to the Lord, by the mercy of the Personality of Godhead, Vāsudeva. As discussed in the First Canto, because the application of devotional service to Lord Vāsudeva invites pure knowledge, it quickly detaches one from the material conception of life and thus revives one’s normal condition of spiritual existence, even in this life, and frees one from the material winds which cause one to quiver. Only knowledge in devotional service can elevate one towards the path of liberation. The development of knowledge for the purpose of knowing everything, without rendering devotional service, is considered fruitless labor, and one cannot get the desired result by such labor of love. Lord Vāsudeva is pleased by devotional service only, and thus His mercy is realized by association with pure devotees of the Lord. Pure devotees of the Lord are transcendental to all material desires, including the desire for the results of fruitive activities and philosophical speculation. If one wants to acquire the mercy of the Lord, he has to associate with pure devotees. Such association alone can, by degrees, release one from the quivering elements.

विशोऽवर्तन्त तस्योर्वोर्लोकवृत्तिकरीर्विभो: । वैश्यस्तदुद्भवो वार्तां नृणां य: समवर्तयत् ॥ ३२ ॥ viśo ’vartanta tasyorvor loka-vṛttikarīr vibhoḥ vaiśyas tad-udbhavo vārtāṁ nṛṇāṁ yaḥ samavartayat Synonyms viśaḥ — means of living by production and distribution; avartanta — generated; tasya — His (the gigantic form’s); ūrvoḥ — from the thighs; loka-vṛttikarīḥ — means of livelihood; vibhoḥ — of the Lord; vaiśyaḥ — the mercantile community; tat — their; udbhavaḥ — orientation; vārtām — means of living; nṛṇām — of all men; yaḥ — one who; samavartayat — executed. Translation The means of livelihood of all persons, namely production of grains and their distribution to the prajās, was generated from the thighs of the Lord’s gigantic form. The mercantile men who take charge of such execution are called vaiśyas. Purport Human society’s means of living is clearly mentioned here as viśa, or agriculture and the business of distributing agricultural products, which involves transport, banking, etc. Industry is an artificial means of livelihood, and large-scale industry especially is the source of all the problems of society. In Bhagavad-gītā also the duties of the vaiśyas, who are engaged in viśa, are stated as cow protection, agriculture and business. We have already discussed that the human being can safely depend on the cow and agricultural land for his livelihood. The exchange of produce by banking and transportation is a branch of this type of living. The vaiśyas are divided into many subsections: some of them are called kṣetrī, or landowners, some are called kṛṣaṇa, or land tillers, some of them are called tila-vaṇik, or grain raisers, some are called gandha-vaṇik, or merchants in spices, and some are called suvarṇa-vaṇik, or merchants in gold and banking. The brāhmaṇas are the teachers and spiritual masters, the kṣatriyas protect the citizens from the hands of thieves and miscreants, and the vaiśyas are in charge of production and distribution. The śūdras, the unintelligent class of men who cannot act independently in any of the above-mentioned activities, are meant for serving the three higher classes for their livelihood. Formerly, the brāhmaṇas were given all the necessities of life by the kṣatriyas and vaiśyas because they had no time to spend making a living. The kṣatriyas would collect taxes from the vaiśyas and śūdras, but the brāhmaṇas were exempt from paying income tax or land revenue. That system of human society was so nice that there were no political, social and economic upheavals. The different castes, or varṇa classifications, are therefore essential for maintaining a peaceful human society.

देवा ऊचु: नमाम ते देव पदारविन्दं प्रपन्नतापोपशमातपत्रम् । यन्मूलकेता यतयोऽञ्जसोरु- संसारदु:खं बहिरुत्क्षिपन्ति ॥ ३९ ॥ devā ūcuḥ namāma te deva padāravindaṁ prapanna-tāpopaśamātapatram yan-mūla-ketā yatayo ’ñjasoru- saṁsāra-duḥkhaṁ bahir utkṣipanti Synonyms devāḥ ūcuḥ — the demigods said; namāma — we offer our respectful obeisances; te — Your; deva — O Lord; pada-aravindam — lotus feet; prapanna — surrendered; tāpa — distress; upaśama — suppresses; ātapatram — umbrella; yat-mūla-ketāḥ — shelter of the lotus feet; yatayaḥ — great sages; añjasā — totally; uru — great; saṁsāra-duḥkham — miseries of material existence; bahiḥ — out; utkṣipanti — forcibly throw. Translation The demigods said: O Lord, Your lotus feet are like an umbrella for the surrendered souls, protecting them from all the miseries of material existence. All the sages under that shelter throw off all material miseries. We therefore offer our respectful obeisances unto Your lotus feet. Purport There are many sages and saints who engage in trying to conquer rebirth and all other material miseries. But of all of them, those who take shelter under the lotus feet of the Lord can completely throw off all such miseries without difficulty. Others, who are engaged in transcendental activities in different ways, cannot do so. For them it is very difficult. They may artificially think of becoming liberated without accepting the shelter of the lotus feet of the Lord, but that is not possible. One is sure to fall again to material existence from such false liberation, even though one may have undergone severe penances and austerities. This is the opinion of the demigods, who are not only well versed in Vedic knowledge but are also seers of the past, present and future. The opinions of the demigods are valuable because the demigods are authorized to hold positions in the affairs of universal management. They are appointed by the Lord as His confidential servants.

श्री शुक उवाच स एवं भगवान् पृष्ट: क्षत्‍त्रा कौषारवो मुनि: । पुंसां नि:श्रेयसार्थेन तमाह बहुमानयन् ॥ १७ ॥ śrī-śuka uvāca sa evaṁ bhagavān pṛṣṭaḥ kṣattrā kauṣāravo muniḥ puṁsāṁ niḥśreyasārthena tam āha bahu-mānayan Synonyms śrī-śukaḥ uvāca — Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī said; saḥ — he; evam — thus; bhagavān — the great sage; pṛṣṭaḥ — being requested; kṣattrā — by Vidura; kauṣāravaḥ — Maitreya; muniḥ — the great sage; puṁsām — for all people; niḥśreyasa — for the greatest welfare; arthena — for that; tam — unto him; āha — narrated; bahu — greatly; mānayan — honoring. Translation Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: The great sage Maitreya Muni, after honoring Vidura very greatly, began to speak, at Vidura’s request, for the greatest welfare of all people. Purport The great sage Maitreya Muni is described here as bhagavān because he surpassed all ordinary human beings in learning and experience. Thus his selection of the greatest welfare service for the world is considered authoritative. The all-inclusive welfare service for the entire human society is devotional service to the Lord, and, as requested by Vidura, the sage described the same very appropriately.

सोऽहं तद्दर्शनाह्लादवियोगार्तियुत: प्रभो । गमिष्ये दयितं तस्य बदर्याश्रममण्डलम् ॥ २१ ॥ so ’haṁ tad-darśanāhlāda- viyogārti-yutaḥ prabho gamiṣye dayitaṁ tasya badaryāśrama-maṇḍalam Synonyms saḥ aham — thus myself; tat — His; darśana — audience; āhlāda — pleasure; viyoga — without that; ārti-yutaḥ — afflicted by distress; prabho — my dear sir; gamiṣye — shall go; dayitam — so instructed; tasya — His; badaryāśrama — Badarikāśrama, in the Himālayas; maṇḍalam — association. Translation My dear Vidura, now I am mad for want of the pleasure of seeing Him, and just to mitigate this I am now proceeding to Badarikāśrama in the Himālayas for association, as I have been instructed by Him. Purport A pure devotee of the Lord of the standard of Uddhava constantly associates with the Lord in the double perception of simultaneous separation and meeting. The pure devotee is not for a moment unengaged in the transcendental service of the Lord. Execution of the Lord’s service is the main occupation of the pure devotee. Uddhava’s separation from the Lord was unbearable, and therefore he started to Badarikāśrama in obedience to the Lord’s order because the order of the Lord and the Lord Himself are identical. As long as one is engaged in the execution of the order of the Lord, there is no factual separation from Him.

स्‍निग्धस्मितावलोकेन वाचा पीयूषकल्पया । चरित्रेणानवद्येन श्रीनिकेतेन चात्मना ॥ २० ॥ snigdha-smitāvalokena vācā pīyūṣa-kalpayā caritreṇānavadyena śrī-niketena cātmanā Synonyms snigdha — gentle; smita-avalokena — by a glance with a sweet smile; vācā — by words; pīyūṣa-kalpayā — compared to nectar; caritreṇa — by character; anavadyena — without flaw; śrī — fortune; niketena — residence; ca — and; ātmanā — by His transcendental body. Translation He was there in His transcendental body, the residence of the goddess of fortune, with His usual gentle and sweetly smiling face, His nectarean words and His flawless character. Purport In the previous verse it is described that Lord Kṛṣṇa, being situated in the truths of Sāṅkhya philosophy, is detached from all kinds of matter. In the present verse it is described that He is the residence of the goddess of fortune. These two things are not at all contradictory. Lord Kṛṣṇa is detached from the variegatedness of the inferior nature, but He is in eternal, blissful enjoyment of the spiritual nature, or His internal potency. One who has a poor fund of knowledge cannot understand this distinction between the external and internal potencies. In Bhagavad-gītā, the internal potency is described as the parā prakṛti. In the Viṣṇu Purāṇa also, the internal potency of Viṣṇu is described as parā śakti. The Lord is never detached from the association of parā śakti. This parā śakti and her manifestations are described in the Brahma-saṁhitā (5.37) as ānanda-cinmaya-rasa-pratibhāvitābhiḥ. The Lord is eternally joyful and cognizant in the taste derived from such transcendental bliss. Negation of the variegatedness of the inferior energy does not necessitate negation of the positive transcendental bliss of the spiritual world. Therefore the Lord’s gentleness, His smile, His character and everything related to Him are all transcendental. Such manifestations of the internal potency are the reality, of which the material shadow is only a temporary representation from which everyone with proper knowledge must be detached. PRABHUPADA

भगवानपि विश्वात्मा लोकवेदपथानुग: । कामान् सिषेवे द्वार्वत्यामसक्त: सांख्यमास्थित: ॥ १९ ॥ bhagavān api viśvātmā loka-veda-pathānugaḥ kāmān siṣeve dvārvatyām asaktaḥ sāṅkhyam āsthitaḥ Synonyms bhagavān — the Personality of Godhead; api — also; viśva-ātmā — the Supersoul of the universe; loka — customary; veda — Vedic principles; patha-anugaḥ — follower of the path; kāmān — the necessities of life; siṣeve — enjoyed; dvārvatyām — in the city of Dvārakā; asaktaḥ — without being attached; sāṅkhyam — knowledge in Sāṅkhya philosophy; āsthitaḥ — being situated. Translation Simultaneously, the Personality of Godhead enjoyed life in the city of Dvārakā, strictly in conformity with the Vedic customs of society. He was situated in detachment and knowledge, as enunciated by the Sāṅkhya system of philosophy. Purport While Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira was the Emperor of the earth, Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa was the King of Dvārakā and was known as Dvārakādhīśa. Like other subordinate kings, He was under the regime of Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira. Although Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa is the supreme emperor of the entire creation, while He was on this earth He never violated the principles of the Vedic injunctions because they are the guide for human life. Regulated human life according to the Vedic principles, which are based on the system of knowledge called Sāṅkhya philosophy, is the real way of enjoyment of the necessities of life. Without such knowledge, detachment and custom, the so-called human civilization is no more than an animal society of eat, drink, be merry and enjoy. The Lord was acting freely, as He willed, yet by His practical example He taught not to lead a life which goes against the principles of detachment and knowledge. Attainment of knowledge and detachment, as very elaborately discussed in Sāṅkhya philosophy, is the real perfection of life. Knowledge means to know that the mission of the human form of life is to end all the miseries of material existence and that in spite of having to fulfill the bodily necessities in a regulated way, one must be detached from such animal life. Fulfilling the demands of the body is animal life, and fulfilling the mission of the spirit soul is the human mission.

कालमागधशाल्वादीननीकै रुन्धत: पुरम् । अजीघनत्स्वयं दिव्यं स्वपुंसां तेज आदिशत् ॥ १० ॥ kāla-māgadha-śālvādīn anīkai rundhataḥ puram ajīghanat svayaṁ divyaṁ sva-puṁsāṁ teja ādiśat Synonyms kāla — Kālayavana; māgadha — the King of Magadha (Jarāsandha); śālva — King Śālva; ādīn — and others; anīkaiḥ — by the soldiers; rundhataḥ — being encircled; puram — the city of Mathurā; ajīghanat — killed; svayam — personally; divyam — transcendental; sva-puṁsām — of His own men; tejaḥ — prowess; ādiśat — exhibited. Translation Kālayavana, the King of Magadha and Sālva attacked the city of Mathurā, but when the city was encircled by their soldiers, the Lord refrained from killing them personally, just to show the power of His own men. Purport After the death of Kaṁsa, when Mathurā was encircled by the soldiers of Kālayavana, Jarāsandha and Sālva, the Lord seemingly fled from the city, and thus He is known as Ranchor, or one who fled from fighting. Actually, the fact was that the Lord wanted to kill them through the agency of His own men, devotees like Mucukunda and Bhīma. Kālayavana and the King of Magadha were killed by Mucukunda and Bhīma respectively, who acted as agents of the Lord. By such acts the Lord wanted to exhibit the prowess of His devotees, as if He were personally unable to fight but His devotees could kill them. The relationship of the Lord with His devotees is a very happy one. Actually, the Lord descended at the request of Brahmā in order to kill all the undesirables of the world, but to divide the share of glory He sometimes engaged His devotees to take the credit. The Battle of Kurukṣetra was designed by the Lord Himself, but just to give credit to His devotee Arjuna (nimitta-mātraṁ bhava savyasācin), He played the part of the charioteer, while Arjuna was given the chance to play the fighter and thus become the hero of the Battle of Kurukṣetra. What He wants to do Himself by His transcendental plans, He executes through His confidential devotees. That is the way of the Lord’s mercy towards His pure unalloyed devotees.

उद्धव उवाच तत: स आगत्य पुरं स्वपित्रो- श्चिकीर्षया शं बलदेवसंयुत: । निपात्य तुङ्गाद्रिपुयूथनाथं हतं व्यकर्षद् व्यसुमोजसोर्व्याम् ॥ १ ॥ uddhava uvāca tataḥ sa āgatya puraṁ sva-pitroś cikīrṣayā śaṁ baladeva-saṁyutaḥ nipātya tuṅgād ripu-yūtha-nāthaṁ hataṁ vyakarṣad vyasum ojasorvyām Synonyms uddhavaḥ uvāca — Śrī Uddhava said; tataḥ — thereafter; saḥ — the Lord; āgatya — coming; puram — to the city of Mathurā; sva-pitroḥ — own parents; cikīrṣayā — wishing well; śam — well-being; baladeva-saṁyutaḥ — with Lord Baladeva; nipātya — dragging down; tuṅgāt — from the throne; ripu-yūtha-nātham — leader of public enemies; hatam — killed; vyakarṣat — pulled; vyasum — dead; ojasā — by strength; urvyām — on the ground. Translation Śrī  Uddhava said: Thereafter Lord Kṛṣṇa went to Mathurā City with Śrī  Baladeva, and to please Their parents They dragged Kaṁsa, the leader of  public enemies, down from his throne and killed him, pulling him along  the ground with great strength.

स्वशान्तरूपेष्वितरै: स्वरूपै- रभ्यर्द्यमानेष्वनुकम्पितात्मा । परावरेशो महदंशयुक्तो ह्यजोऽपि जातो भगवान् यथाग्नि: ॥ १५ ॥ sva-śānta-rūpeṣv itaraiḥ sva-rūpair abhyardyamāneṣv anukampitātmā parāvareśo mahad-aṁśa-yukto hy ajo ’pi jāto bhagavān yathāgniḥ Synonyms sva-śānta-rūpeṣu — unto the peaceful devotees of the Lord; itaraiḥ — others, nondevotees; sva-rūpaiḥ — according to their own modes of nature; abhyardyamāneṣu — being harassed by; anukampita-ātmā — the all-compassionate Lord; para-avara — spiritual and material; īśaḥ — controller; mahat-aṁśa-yuktaḥ — accompanied by the plenary portion of mahat-tattva; hi — certainly; ajaḥ — the unborn; api — although; jātaḥ — is born; bhagavān — the Personality of Godhead; yathā — as if; agniḥ — the fire. Translation The  Personality of Godhead, the all-compassionate controller of both the  spiritual and material creations, is unborn, but when there is friction  between His peaceful devotees and persons who are in the material modes  of nature, He takes birth just like fire, accompanied by the  mahat-tattva.