Devotee:

yasyaṁ vai sruyamaṇayaṁ
krṣṇe parama-puruṣe
bhaktir utpadyate puṁsaḥ;
soka-moha-bhayapaha
[SB 1.7.7]

Translation: "Simply by giving aural reception to this Vedic literature, the feeling for loving devotional service to Lord Krṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, sprouts up at once to extinguish the fire of lamentation, illusion and fearfulness."

Prabhupada: Yasyaṁ vai sruyamaṇayam. The Satvata-saṁhita, we have already discussed yesterday morning. Vidvaṁs cakre satvata-saṁhitam [SB 1.7.6]. This is Vaiṣṇava. Vidvan. Vaiṣṇava is always vidvan. Vid means knowledge and van means one who has knowledge. That is called vidvan. Vidvan. So Vyasadeva, he's known as Veda-vyasa. He's the giver of Vedic knowledge. Vedic knowledge is not given by him. The Vedic knowledge is given by Krṣṇa Himself. Tene brahma hrda adi-kavaye [SB 1.1.1]. Krṣṇa, Vasudeva, oṁ namo bhagavate vasudevaya, He gave the knowledge to Lord Brahma. Tene brahma hrda adi-kavaye. Adi-kavi, the original learned person. Just like this modern nonsense theory that there was in the beginning no life. But that is nonsense. In the beginning there was Brahma, the most learned person.

So this theory, modern scientists, that there was no human being or there was no man, they are all rascal speculation. It has no value. Here we get the knowledge, that originally the Vedic knowledge was given to Lord Brahma, and from Lord Brahma, Narada received the knowledge, and from Narada Vyasadeva received the knowledge. And from Vyasadeva, by parampara disciplic succession, we have received this knowledge. The knowledge is the same. There is no alteration. Because it is coming through the parampara system there is no breakage. Just like from a very top height, if you give something, but if it is given hand to hand it does not break. But if you drop anything from very high place it will be spoiled. Therefore it comes through the parampara. Take for example one fruit, ripened fruit. This Bhagavatam is accepted as the ripened fruit of the Vedic desire tree. Nigama-kalpa-taror galitaṁ phalam idam [SB 1.1.3]. It is the ripened fruit of all Vedic knowledge. Because Vedic knowledge means to understand God. That is Vedic knowledge. Vedais ca sarvair aham eva vedyaḥ; [Bg. 15.15]. That is Vedic knowledge. To understand the Supreme Lord, the original person. That is the end of Vedic knowledge. So that Vedic knowledge is presented in the Srimad-Bhagavatam, and therefore in the beginning of Srimad-Bhagavatam Vyasadeva offers his respectful obeisances, oṁ namo bhagavate vasudevaya. Vasudeva is the origin. Vasudevaḥ; sarvam iti sa mahatma sudurlabhaḥ; [Bg. 7.19]. One who has known that vasudevaḥ; sarvam iti, "Vasudeva is everything," sa mahatma sudurlabhaḥ;. He's not only ordinary mahatma, he is su-durlabhaḥ;. Durlabhaḥ; means "very rare," and when you add this word su, it is "very, very difficult." Su-durlabhaḥ;. That kind of mahatma... (aside:) You sit down properly. Who is that man? You sit down properly. Vasudevaḥ; sarvam iti sa mahatma su-durlabhaḥ; [Bg. 7.19].

So how one can understand Vasudeva? Bahunaṁ janmanam ante jñanavan [Bg. 7.19]. After many, many births. Because we are—all living entities in this material world—we are all rascals. We must know it. All rascals. Abodha-jataḥ;. Everyone who is born in this material world, either he may be... Even Lord Brahma, and down to the small insect. Anyone who has come to this material world... Because we are not material. We are spiritual identity. Na jayate na mriyate va. Never takes birth, never dies. Na hanyate hanyamane sarire [Bg. 2.20]. This is the identification given by Lord Krṣṇa. But we are so foolish and rascals we never question that "My position is na jayate na mriyate va. I never take birth, never I die. Then why I am afraid of death and why I am actually undergoing birth and death? I am born, everyone knows. I come out from my mother. Therefore jayate. So why I have taken birth? And again everyone knows, 'As sure as death,' mriyate va. So why this discrepancy?" This is human being. The cats and dog, they cannot question these things.

So this question is called brahma-jijñasa, that "I am spirit soul, ahaṁ brahmasmi. So 'ham. I am the same quality as the Supreme Lord. So why I am put into this condition?" This is beginning of human life. This is the beginning of human life. And if one does not inquire this, then he is animal. Plain thing. Just like Sanatana Gosvami. He was minister, but he could understand that "What to speak of becoming a minister... Minister can become any rascal. I am the fool number one." Therefore he came to Caitanya Mahaprabhu, and the first question was ke ami kene amaya jare tapa-traya. He was never proud, that "I am minister, I am so learned scholar. Why shall I go to Caitanya Mahaprabhu and ask Him who am I?" This is humbleness, and this is the qualification of becoming a disciple. When one becomes humble, when actually one understands that he is fool number one, he has to go to guru to understand the value of his life. Then he is intelligent. And so long he keeps himself in the darkness, that "I know everything. Who is richer than me? Who is learned than me? Who is powerful than me? I am this, I am that," that means he is rascal. Abodha-jataḥ;. Parabhavas tavad abodha-jataḥ;. So long we keep ourself in this misunderstanding that "I know everything. I am very great person," then whatever he is doing, it is his defeat. Abodha-jataḥ;. Parabhavaḥ;. That is going on. The so-called leaders, they do not know what is their spiritual identification, and becoming unnecessarily proud, they are doing anything and everything. Abodha-jataḥ;. They do not know they'll have to suffer for this ignorance. We have repeatedly said that if you keep yourself in the ignorance and if you do... Because wrong thing is done by rascals and ignorant. No intelligent man will do any wrong thing. That's a fact. Violation of the law is done, either a criminal willfully doing or a person, one who does not know the law, he commits. But you know or not know, if you have violated the law, then you have to be punished.

prakrteḥ; kriyamaṇani
guṇaiḥ; karmaṇi sarvasaḥ;
ahaṅkara-vimuḍhatma
kartaham iti manyate
[Bg. 3.27]

You are not independent.

So Vyasadeva, he is giving us this knowledge. Vidvan lokasyajanataḥ;. The whole population, the total number of the living entities—either he is Brahma or a small—proportionately, they are all in ignorance. Otherwise why Brahma required Vedic knowledge? It is said, tene brahma hrda adi-kavaye [SB 1.1.1]. Adi-kavaye, Brahma, he is svayambhu. He's so great that he's directly born from Narayaṇa, svayambhu, not through any material mother. Just imagine how he is great. And Brahma is great, everyone knows. So he had to take knowledge also. Otherwise, why it is said tene brahma hrda adi-kavaye? Even though he's the most learned, adi-kavaye, he had to take knowledge. So you can say "He is the first creature, there was nobody there. How he took knowledge? Who gave him knowledge?" The answer is there in the Srimad-Bhagavatam, that Vasudeva gave him. "Where is Vasudeva? There was nothing." No. Isvaraḥ; sarva-bhutanaṁ hrd-dese 'rjuna tiṣṭhati [Bg. 18.61]. Vasudeva means who stays everywhere. Vasati sarvatra. Vasudevaḥ; sarvam iti sa mahatma su-durlabhaḥ; [Bg. 7.19]. So Vasudeva is there. So Brahma was, although there was nobody else except Brahma, he was in the darkness. Still, Vasudeva was there. Isvaraḥ; sarva-bhutanaṁ hrd-dese 'rjuna [Bg. 18.61]. So He gave the knowledge. Tene brahma. Brahma means Vedic knowledge.

So vasudevaḥ; sarvam iti [Bg. 7.19]. Vasudeva is everywhere, and He is ready to help us, and if we become sincere to take knowledge from Vasudeva... Even you are in the wilderness, anywhere you are, you are with Vasudeva. You are not alone. He is so friendly that He is living with you as your most intimate friend. That is described in the Vedic literature. Two birds are sitting in one tree. This is the tree, and two birds, atma and Paramatma, they are sitting in the same tree. One is acting according to his whims for enjoying senses, and another is simply looking over: "When this rascal will turn his face towards Me?" This is going on. (aside, referring to microphone:) Why it is stopped? Oh. So Vasudeva is always ready to help us, provided we want to take help from Him. And He, not only internally He is helping, externally also, He's sending His representative to teach us. And there is sastra, just like this Srimad-Bhagavatam. Sadhu, sastra, guru. Guru is there, sastra is there, saintly persons are there. You take advantage. And the Lord is there within yourself. So why don't you take? This is intelligence. If we don't take the advantage... And this is possible in the human form of life. A cat and dog cannot take advantage of the sadhu, sastra and guru. Only the human being can accept it. Therefore here it is said, yasyaṁ vai sruyamaṇayam. Yasyaṁ vai sruyamaṇayaṁ krṣṇe parama-puruṣe [SB 1.7.7]. The Srimad-Bhagavatam, satvata-saṁhitam, given by Vyasadeva... Not given by Vyasadeva. Vyasadeva is simply delivering what he has received from his guru, caitya-guru. He is delivering that knowledge. Vedic knowledge he is delivering, and he has written this book. Lokasyajanataḥ;. People are all rascals.

So the advantage we must take. What is that advantage? Yasyaṁ vai sruyamaṇayam. If you simply hear, that's all. Just like you are hearing. If you kindly come here and listen the instruction of the Srimad-Bhagavatam, you become perfect. Simply by hearing. You haven't got to make any gymnastic or any physical labor. Simply come into the temple. Man-mana bhava mad-bhaktaḥ;. Simply see the Deity. Naturally you will think of Deity: "Oh, how nicely the Lord is dressed." That is thinking. Man-manaḥ;. Immediately thinking. The temple is constructed after spending so much money. Why? To give you chance of thinking. Because there is the beginning. It is not the money is wasted. Rascals are thinking that "Unnecessarily they have spent so much money." No. Paropakara, giving chances to the rascal people to come here and see the Deity and think of Krṣṇa, this is wanted. If he simply thinks, "Oh, how Krṣṇa is nicely dressed," that is thinking. Man-manaḥ;. And if you offer little obeisances, maṁ namaskuru, then you still make further progress. Man-mana bhava mad-bhakto mad-yaji maṁ namaskuru [Bg. 18.65]. And if you hear about Himself, in this way you become perfect. There is no necessity of very high education, M.A., Ph.D., D.H.C. No. This simple. Yasyaṁ vai sruyamaṇayam. Here it is said, "Simply by hearing." Yasyaṁ vai sruyamaṇayaṁ krṣṇe parama-puruṣe [SB 1.7.7]. The whole idea is how to become Krṣṇa conscious. That is the perfection of life, how to become Krṣṇa conscious. So if we hear this literature given by Vyasadeva, satvata-saṁhita... Yasyaṁ vai sruyamaṇayam Simply by hearing. Krṣṇe parama-puruṣe bhaktir utpadyate. Because we require, man-mana bhava mad-bhaktaḥ;. Krṣṇa says directly. Bhava mad-bhaktaḥ;. So how you can become bhagavad-bhakta, here is the process: bhaktir utpadyate puṁsaḥ;.

Now what is the use of bhakti? Just see how Bhagavata is compiled, how nicely—because it is transcendental literature. You can say, "What is the use of bhakti? Why shall I waste my time, come in the temple and hear about Krṣṇa?" Actually they are doing that. Nobody is coming. Such a big temple. Of course, there are many temples they are going, but in other places also people have lost interest, all interest. Either temple or church or mosque, they do not go. Therefore they are surprised. In America the Christian priests are surprised because they are closing their churches. In London I have seen hundreds of churches are now closed. Nobody is going. If there is meeting, only the caretaker and few old ladies go. Because why they will go? That's a fact. And actually churches are being sold. It is not lying propaganda. Anyone, English boy, he'll confirm this statement. Yes. People are losing interest. So here it is said that bhaktir utpadyate. The bhakti can be awakened. It is not an artificial thing. If it was artificial thing, why the English and American boys... They had nothing to do with Krṣṇa, they never heard in their life about Krṣṇa. How... This is admitted by the Christian priest, that "These boys, they are our boys, and formerly, before this Krṣṇa consciousness movement, they never came to church, never inquired about God. Now how it is that these boys are mad after God?" They are surprised. And it is actually surprising. Why? Because the bhakti is there. It was not awakened by the so-called leaders and the priests. It was not awakened. Religion means to awaken that Krṣṇa consciousness. That is religion. Sa vai puṁsaṁ paro dharmo yato bhaktir adhokṣaje [SB 1.2.6]. That is religion. Religion is not formalities and ritualistic ceremonies. Religion means how to awaken the normal condition, to become lover of God. That is normal condition. Love is there, but because we have no objective, because we have no instruction where to place our love we are loving so many things—up to the dog. Instead of God we are loving dog. Love is there.

So bhakti means yato bhaktir adhokṣaje. That means..., bhakti means love. Unless you have bhakti... Just like you are giving me so many garlands. Why you are giving me? Because you love me. Otherwise there was no necessity. There was no necessity. A third person is not coming. But because you have got some love, therefore you are worshiping your spiritual master. So bhakti means love. Without love there is no question of bhakti. So this bhakti has to be awakened. That is stated in the Caitanya-caritamrta: nitya-siddha krṣṇa-bhakti. Bhakti is there. Otherwise as I have said many times, how you have become bhakta? There are European, American girls here present. For krṣṇa-bhakti they have sacrificed everything. Even they do not dress attractively so that they may be attractive to other boys, and their life may be spoiled. Why? For bhakti. For Krṣṇa. This is the bhakti. That is wanted. Krṣṇe parama-puruṣe bhaktir utpadyate. This is success of life. Krṣṇe parama-puruṣe, Krṣṇa says, and in the sastra it is said, and all the sages, all the learned scholars, acaryas, they accept krṣṇa parama-puruṣa. The Supreme Father:

isvaraḥ; paramaḥ; krṣṇaḥ;
sac-cid-ananda-vigrahaḥ;
anadir adir govindaḥ;
sarva-karaṇa-karaṇam
[Bs. 5.1]

Ahaṁ hi sarvasya prabhavaḥ;: "I am the origin of everything." Janmady asya yataḥ; [SB 1.1.1], the Vedanta-sutra. "Krṣṇa, Brahman, Parabrahman—He is the origin of everything." Vasudevaḥ; sarvam iti [Bg. 7.19]. One must know it. Vasudevaḥ; sarvam iti sa mahatma sudurlabhaḥ;. These things are there.

Therefore krṣṇe parama. The life, success of life means how you can awaken your love for Krṣṇa. Krṣṇe parama-puruṣe. Parama-puruṣe, that is explained in the Caitanya-caritamrta. Nitya-siddha krṣṇa-bhakti sadhya kabhu naya. It is not artificially awakened. There is, already nitya-siddha. As we are nitya-siddha... Nityo nityanaṁ cetanas cetananam (Kaṭha Upaniṣad 2.2.13). We are nitya; similarly krṣṇa-bhakti is also nitya. Krṣṇa consciousness is there along with the living entity; it is not an artificial thing. Just like sugar-sweetness is already there. It is the nature of sugar. It is not an artificial thing. Sugar means sweetness. Living entity means krṣṇa-bhakta. If he's not krṣṇa-bhakta, he's a rascal. Therefore Krṣṇa said na maṁ duṣkrtino muḍhaḥ; prapadyante naradhamaḥ; [Bg. 7.15]. Those who are naradhamas, lowest of the mankind, they do not become krṣṇa-bhakta. They become other. Therefore they are duṣkrtina. Why they are not krṣṇa-bhakta? Duṣkrtina, full of sinful activity.

So you cannot become krṣṇa-bhakta and indulge at the same time in sinful activities. Then it will be spoiled. You must be very careful. We have selected, summarized the essence of sinful activities is illicit sex, meat-eating, intoxication, and gambling. This is the essence. If you save yourself from these four principles, then you become sinless. And unless you become sinless, there is no question of krṣṇa-bhakta. Rest assured.

yeṣaṁ tv anta-gataṁ papaṁ
jananaṁ puṇya-karmaṇam
te dvandva-moha-nirmukta
bhajante maṁ drḍha-vrataḥ;
[Bg. 7.28]

One can be strictly engaged in Krṣṇa consciousness when he's free from all sinful activity. Otherwise not possible. Of course, Krṣṇa is very kind. If you are engaged in krṣṇa-bhakti sincerely, if by mistake you commit some sin, that can be excused. But if you purposefully commit sinful activities, you'll never get Krṣṇa's approach. That is a great... Namno balad yasya hi papa-buddhiḥ;. That is very great offense, that I am a devotee of Krṣṇa, and... Just like the Christian people go to church, that "I am a devotee of Christ. I can do any nonsense, and on Sunday I shall go, I shall admit, 'Yes, my Lord, I have done this.' " "All right. Excused." Then? Then I'll do again tomorrow." This is not wanted. That is papa-buddhiḥ;, that "Somehow or other let me be atoned today, and from tomorrow I shall begin my business. And again I shall come Sunday." This is papa-buddhiḥ;. Such persons are never excused, but they do not know. But by mistake or by chance, unknowingly if we commit some mistake, that is excused. Sapada-mulaṁ bhajataṁ priyasya. Because he is engaged in the service of the Lord. Not only that, one who is engaged, if you simply admit, "Sir, from today I shall be Your servant," immediately, immediately you become free from all... Krṣṇa said, sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekaṁ saraṇaṁ vraja: [Bg. 18.66] "You just surrender to Me." And you do it, and immediately ahaṁ tvaṁ sarva-papebhyo mokṣayiṣyami. Immediately. But don't commit again. He can excuse immediately. Api cet su-duracaro bhajate mam ananya-bhak sadhur eva sa mantavyaḥ; [Bg. 9.30]. Not that you take advantage of Him. Don't take advantage of Him, and "Because I have become so-called sadhu I can do all nonsense and Krṣṇa will excuse." No. That is nama-aparadha. If by mistake or by chance you do something wrong, that can be excused. That is natural. Suppose you are servant, you have committed some mistake. The master immediately does not dismiss. He warns you: "Why you have done this thing? Do not do it again." That is natural.

Similarly krṣṇa-bhakti is there. If we carefully study, yasyaṁ vai sruyamaṇayam... Study means you can say that it requires education. No. It doesn't matter. sruyamaṇayam. Krṣṇa has given you the ears. Therefore Vedic knowledge is called sruti. You go to a proper person, guru, and hear from him. Therefore this word is used: sruyamaṇayam. If you hear from the right person, then krṣṇe parama-puruṣe bhaktir utpadyate. Then you develop your Krṣṇa consciousness. And if you say, "What is the use of bhakti? Let me enjoy." No. It is required, if you are serious. What is that required? Soka-moha-bhayapaha. Things are going on soka, moha and bhaya. Bhaya means fearfulness. Even a small bird, he's also fearful. You see the bird is sitting up. It is not coming down. Why? Sometimes it comes down when we are not there. What is that? Fearfulness. Fearfulness. It is a small bird. We have nothing to do with them. Nobody has got... But still it is fearful. So any body, any material body you accept there will be fearfulness. And why you are fearful? There is loss and gain. So when there is loss there is soka, and the soka..., and fearfulness is moha, illusion—because I don't belong to this material world. Artificially you have accepted this body. On account of this body I am subjected to these principles: soka, moha, bhaya. So as you become advanced in Krṣṇa consciousness, more and more you advance, then these three things—soka, moha, bhaya—will be completely eradicated. That is the gain of bhakti-yoga.

Thank you very much. (end)

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