Pradyumna: (leads chanting, etc.) Translation: "Sri Sukadeva Gosvami said: My dear King, your question is glorious because it is very beneficial to all kinds of people. To hear the answer to this question is the prime subject matter of hearing, and it is approved by all transcendentalists."

Prabhupada:

variyan eṣa te prasnaḥ;
krto loka-hitaṁ nrpa
atmavit-sammataḥ; puṁsaṁ
srotavyadiṣu yaḥ; paraḥ;
[SB 2.1.1]

Srotavyadiṣu yaḥ; paraḥ;. The... Here in this material world we are busy in questioning and answering, or hearing. Question, hearing, and answering. This is the whole world. Even in the material field. You go to the market, you inquire, "What is the price of this thing?" and you hear the description of the thing and the price of the thing. So the prasnaḥ;, the question was made by Maharaja Parikṣit just at the point of his death, "What I have to do now?" This is very intelligent. Only intelligent man can understand what is the value of this question, "What I have to do now?" Because intelligent person knows that "I am going to leave this body."

I am speaking... Parikṣit Maharaja is talking with Sukadeva Gosvami at the point of death. He was given notice that "Within seven days you'll be bitten by a snake and you'll die." This was a curse by a brahmaṇa boy. So he was ready. He was not afraid. Narayaṇa-paraḥ; sarve na kutascana bibhyati [SB 6.17.28]. He could retaliate. He was a great devotee. He could counteract the cursing of the brahmaṇa boy, but he did not do so. Because he was cursed, the Srimad-Bhagavatam came. He was perplexed what to do, and Sukadeva Gosvami appeared there, and everyone accepted the verdict of Sukadeva Gosvami, "Maharaja, you are a great devotee. So I shall quote from Srimad-Bhagavatam, and you hear only. That's all. You have nothing to do. Simply you hear."

sravaṇaṁ kirtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ;
smaraṇaṁ pada-sevanam
arcanaṁ vandanaṁ dasyaṁ
sakhyam atma-nivedanam
[SB 7.5.23]

These are the nine different processes of devotional service. So generally, we are expected to execute all the nine different processes. Sravaṇaṁ kirtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ;. Sravaṇaṁ kirtanam about Viṣṇu, not for any other demigods. No, Viṣṇu. The Mayavadis, they take it that "We can hear of any demigod, of anyone," because they are Nirakaravadi. So "You can imagine anyone and hear about him." But sastra does not say. Sastra does not say that you can hear about anybody. No. Sastra says, sravaṇaṁ kirtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ;, about Viṣṇu.

harer nama harer nama harer namaiva kevalam
kalau nasty eva nasty eva nasty eva gatir anyatha
[Cc. Adi 17.21]

This is the sastra's injunction, that if you have to chant, if you have not to chant, means you must chant. Kalau nasty eva gatir anyatha. You cannot avoid it. If you actually want relief from this conditional life, duḥ;khalayam asasvatam [Bg. 8.15], then you must... This is the only means. Kalau nasty eva nasty eva gatir anyatha. Karma-jñana-yoga, there are different processes of self-realization, karma-jñana-yoga, but it is stressed, nasty eva nasty eva nasty eva, not karma, not jñana, not yoga. Simply chanting Hare Krṣṇa. That is required. That is the preaching of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, this, this verse of Agni Puraṇa:

harer nama harer nama harer namaiva kevalam
kalau nasty eva nasty eva nasty eva gatir anyatha
[Cc. Adi 17.21]

So this is the bhakti process, chanting and hearing. So chanting, hearing, or questioning and answering, the same thing. So when Parikṣit Maharaja was perplexed what to do at the time of death, so many great sages and saintly persons, brahmaṇas, they came there. Because the king is going to die. So not only of this planet, from other planets also, many, many exalted persons came. Somebody prescribed something, somebody prescribed something. So he was perplexed. Fortunately, Sri Sukadeva Gosvami arrived there, and he advised, "Maharaja, you simply hear harer nama, the name, the form, the quality, the pastimes. About Krṣṇa, you simply hear." That was the... Therefore... And Parikṣit Maharaja was a devotee from the very beginning of his life. He's a grandson of Arjuna and Maharaja Yudhiṣṭhira. Naturally, he was krṣṇa-bhakta. He, Krṣṇa was his grandmother's brother also. There was family relation. And he studied thoroughly... Although, when he was born, he did not see Krṣṇa, but still, he knew that Krṣṇa saved the whole Paṇḍava family.

Krṣṇa, when brahmastra was released by Asvatthama to kill the Maharaja Parikṣit while he was within the womb of his mother, Krṣṇa personally saved him. Because... He wanted because in the Battlefield of Kurukṣetra, everyone died, of the Kuru dynasty. Only the son, this Abhimanyu's son, Krṣṇa, uh, Arjuna's grandson, was within the womb of his mother. Therefore he was not killed in the battlefield. Still, Asvatthama, the son of Droṇacarya wanted to kill him, and he released brahmastra, and it was going to kill the child. At that time his mother, Uttara, approached Krṣṇa, that "I am feeling that my womb will be..., abortion there may be." So Krṣṇa saved. This is the history. So after his birth, because he saw Krṣṇa within the womb, so after his birth, as soon as he came out of the womb of his mother, he was looking here and there, "Where is that personality?" Therefore his name is Parikṣit. Parikṣit means he was examining, "Who is that? Who is that man?"

So Parikṣit Maharaja was so fortunate, so fortunate. From the very beginning of his life, he saw Krṣṇa. Just like this child. These are fortunate children. Yoginam... That... Sucinaṁ srimataṁ gehe yoga-bhraṣṭo 'bhijayate [Bg. 6.41]. This child who was dancing before me, he's not ordinary child. Otherwise how he could dance symmetrically? He had his practice in his previous life, and he has got the chance to get Vaiṣṇava father and mother, and from the very beginning of his life, he is chanting, dancing. So Parikṣit Maharaja was like that. So to get the chance of having good father, sucinaṁ... Sucinam means brahmaṇa-vaiṣṇava, especially brahmaṇa. And srimatam. Srimatam means very rich. Bhaktivinoda Ṭhakura has given his comment: sucinam means highly cultured brahmaṇa, and srimatam means highly rich vaisya. So to take birth in this family, cultured family, rich family, is not ordinary thing. It is not ordinary thing. It is the result of pious activities, pious activities. The pious activities means you get your birth in a very good, aristocratic family, rich family or brahmaṇa family. That is the result of pious activities. You become very beautiful. You become very learned. Janmaisvarya-sruta-sri [SB 1.8.26]. Four things. Janma means birth. Aisvarya means riches, wealth. Aisvarya. Janma aisvarya and sruta. Sruta means education. To become learned man, to become very educated, that is also a result of pious activities. To take birth in rich family, that is also result of pious activities. To become very beautiful, that is also result of pious activities. Janmaisvarya-sruta-sribhir edhamana-madaḥ; puman. Unfortunately... When we get these opportunities, very nice family or nice nation, beautiful body, education, we should consider that it is due to our past pious activities. Therefore they should be utilized for Krṣṇa. Because pious activities means to approach Krṣṇa. Those who are impious, sinful, they cannot approach Krṣṇa. Na maṁ duṣkrtino muḍhaḥ; prapadyante naradhamaḥ; [Bg. 7.15]. Those who are naradhamaḥ;, lowest of the mankind, always engaged in sinful activities, and rascals, may be very educated-mayaya apahrta-jñanaḥ;, their educational value has been taken away by maya... As, just like nowadays it has become. The more one is educated, the more one is atheist. We have received one report just now, Bombay. They are... That singing, Hare Krṣṇa singing, nuisance, they say. You see. How degraded human being has become: "Hare Krṣṇa singing is nuisance. And cinema singing is very good." Just see. They have become simply rascals, dogs and hogs. Simply.

So we should be very much careful of our next birth. Because... Yaṁ yaṁ vapi smaran bhavaṁ tyajaty ante kalevaram [Bg. 8.6]. This is the verdict of Krṣṇa. At the time of death, whatever thought is there, you get next birth a similar body. The mind, mind creates the body, gross body. As we have got this gross body, so within this gross body there is the subtle body: mind, intelligence and ego. These rascals, they do not know that when the gross body is annihilated, it does not mean that the soul is finished. No. Na hanyate hanyamane sarire [Bg. 2.20]. This is the verdict. Don't think because the gross body is now finished, therefore the person is finished. No. The person is there within the subtle body. And the subtle body will carry him. Just like the fragrance is carried by the air. You cannot see what is this fragrance, but you can smell. A very good smell, wherefrom it came? That is subtle carrying. Similarly, the soul is carried after annihilation of this body, gross body, material... Mind, intelligence, ego—that is also material, but subtle. You cannot see. Everyone knows that I have got mind. I have got soul, but you cannot see. Neither I can see. But there is. But one who does not know what is soul, what is subtle body, they become perplexed. Therefore Krṣṇa says, dhiras tatra na muhyati. Dhira, those who are sober, one who knows how things are going on, dhiras tatra na muhyati.

dehino 'smin yatha dehe
kaumaraṁ yauvanaṁ jara
tatha dehantara-praptir
dhiras tatra na muhyati
[Bg. 2.13]

So one has to become dhira. These, nowadays, the modern civilization is a rascaldom. Everyone is adhira. He does not know... In the Western countries, big, big, professors, they do not know how the soul is existing, how the transmigration of the soul is taking place, how the body is changed, what is the purpose of life, what is the perfection of... Nothing they... Simply like cats and dogs. Work very hard like an ass and enjoy like cats and dogs, ahara-nidra-bhaya-maithunaṁ ca samanyam etat pasubhir naraṇam. This life is most degraded life, that at the present moment we see that people are suffering because they have simply become animals, all over the world. Simply taking care of this body. But here Parikṣit Maharaja, now he knows that "Taking part of the body is now finished; I have to take care of the soul." Therefore he wanted to ask from Sukadeva Gosvami, "Now what I have to do? Shall I fully think of Krṣṇa?" Because he was a Krṣṇa devotee. Naturally, he was thinking of Krṣṇa. Satataṁ kirtayanto maṁ yatantas ca drḍha-vrataḥ; [Bg. 9.14]. A devotee, he always thinks of Krṣṇa. That is devotee.

So we have to practice: Hare Krṣṇa, Hare Krṣṇa, Krṣṇa Krṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare. This is the chance, this is the chance for remembering Krṣṇa. Satataṁ smartavyaṁ viṣṇum. Viṣṇu, Lord Krṣṇa or Lord Viṣṇu, has to be remembered always. Here... The sloka is there: tasmad bharata sarvatma.

tasmad bharata sarvatma
bhagavan isvaro hariḥ;
srotavyaḥ; kirtitavyas ca
smartavyas cecchatabhayam
[SB 2.1.5]

Icchata abhayam. Abhayam means fearlessness. One should be... Abhayaṁ sattva-saṁsuddhiḥ;. There are three necessities, four necessities of conditioned life: eating, sleeping, mating and fearing. So one has to become abhayam, no more fear. How? When you take shelter of Krṣṇa's lotus feet. Narayaṇa-paraḥ; sarve na kutascana bibhyati [SB 6.17.28]. If you take shelter of the lotus feet of Krṣṇa, then... Therefore Parikṣit Maha..., er, Sukadeva Gosvami: icchata abhayam. Those who are actually willing to become fearless, hero, they must always... Satataṁ kirtayanto mam [Bg. 9.14]. Always chanting and hearing about Krṣṇa. That is wanted. This Krṣṇa consciousness movement is meant for that purpose, to become abhayam, no more fear. Why one should fear? Krṣṇa assures, kaunteya pratijanihi na me bhaktaḥ; praṇasyati [Bg. 9.31].

So if we take shelter of the supreme abhayam, Krṣṇa... Therefore one Vaiṣṇava kavi has sung, bhaja huṅ re mana sri-nanda-nandana, abhaya-caraṇaravinda re. Abhaya-caraṇa. Krṣṇa's lotus feet is to become free from fearfulness. Bhaja huṅ re mana sri-nanda-nandana. Particularly sri-nanda-nandana. Nanda-nandana means that Krṣṇa has got many forms: Vasudeva, Saṅkarṣaṇa, Pradyumna, Aniruddha, then Viṣṇu, Maha-Viṣṇu. Ananta, advaitam acyutam anadim ananta-rupam [Bs. 5.33]. But His real form is in Vrndavana, the son of Nanda Maharaja. Therefore he is advising, bhaja huṅ re mana sri-nanda-nandana. Krṣṇa... There are Mayavadi philosophers, they say that the Absolute Truth, the Supreme, has no name. Yes. For the persons with poor fund of knowledge, they may not find out Krṣṇa's name. But in the sastra we have got thousands of name. Viṣṇu-sahasra-nama. But what are those names? Name means His behavior with His devotees. Just like "Nanda-nandana." Krṣṇa is the father of everyone—ahaṁ bija-pradaḥ; pita [Bg. 14.4]—everyone. So how He has got a father? Oh, that is His mercy. He accepts one devotee as His father. And when He's addressed in relationship with His devotee... Nanda Maharaja wanted Krṣṇa as his son. Krṣṇa agreed, "Yes, I shall become your son." So everyone, if you want Krṣṇa as your son... Not to become God, but to become the father of God. The Mayavadi philosophers, they want to become God. But we Vaiṣṇavas, we want to become the father of God. This is Vaiṣṇava philosophy. Father of God means he controls God. He's not controlled by God. So a devotee can get such position. Everyone is being controlled by God, but a devotee is so exalted that Krṣṇa says that "I wish to be controlled by you." This is Krṣṇa's position. Therefore the Vaiṣṇava kavi advises, bhaja huṅ re mana sri-nanda-nandana, abhaya-caraṇaravinda re. Durlabha manava, durlabha manava-janama sat-saṅge taraha e.

Now we have got this human form of body, durlabha, very, very rare. This human form of body is obtained after many millions of years. Not very easily. Because we had to come through the evolutionary process, 8,400,0000 species of life. Jalaja nava-lakṣaṇi sthavara lakṣa-viṁsati. Therefore this human form of life should not be wasted. Here is the solution of all the problems of life. Don't neglect it. Therefore it is advised, durlabha manava-janama sat-saṅge taraha e bhava-sindhu re. E bhava-sindhu. This is the ocean, this is the ocean of nescience, ignorance. What is that? Bhava. Bhava-sindhu means take birth again and again. Bhutva bhutva praliyate [Bg. 8.19]. This is very botheration. And there is no guarantee what kind of... Therefore Parikṣit Maharaja... He's also devotee. He's going to Vaikuṇṭha. There was no doubt about it. Still, for our lesson, he inquired from Sukadeva Gosvami that "What is my duty now, now I am going to die?" This is intelligence.

So Parikṣit Maharaja had a notice of death for seven days, but we do not know what is the notice. We can die immediately. So how much for us it is necessary to chant Hare Krṣṇa mantra. Parikṣit Maharaja had some time. This Bhagavata-saptaha is imitated under Parikṣit Maharaja's... Parikṣit Maharaja had only seven days' time, so he might have listened to the Bhagavata lesson for seven days. But for us, it is not that we observe a Bhagavata-saptaha and finish our business. No. Our business is nityaṁ bhagavata-sevaya.

srṇvataṁ sva-kathaḥ; krṣṇaḥ;
puṇya-sravaṇa-kirtanaḥ;
hrdy antaḥ;-stho hy abhadraṇi
vidhunoti suhrt satam
[SB 1.2.17]

naṣṭa-prayeṣv abhadreṣu
nityaṁ bhagavata-sevaya
[SB 1.2.18]

Nityam. Not that for seven days. Seven days is meant for Parikṣit Maharaja because he had no more time. His seven days was sufficient nityam. So we should not imitate that, that "I'll hear seven days." That is also a formality. Actually to understand one verse of Srimad-Bhagavatam it requires at least seven months. Janmady asya yataḥ; anvayad itaratas ca artheṣu abhijñaḥ; sva-raṭ [SB 1.1.1]. My Guru Maharaja explained this verse in Dacca for three months. Janmady asya. Actually, it is so important. The beginning.

So we must be very serious to understand Bhagavatam. If we can understand even one line, one verse, our life becomes sublime. It is so nice. There is no comparison of this literature, Srimad-Bhagavatam. That we are actually finding in the Western countries, how nicely they are receiving these granthas. We have translated into English, and they're enjoying. Actually that is the fact. Nityaṁ bhagavata-sevaya [SB 1.2.18]. Now, our problem, what is this problem? Problem is that we have got so many dirty things within the heart. The first dirty thing is that "I am this body." "I am Indian," "I am Englishman," "I am American," "I am brahmaṇa," "I am kṣatriya," "I am sudra," "I am fat," "I am thin," "I am black and white..." These conceptions, these are all dirty things. "I am not this body," that is real knowledge. Therefore Sri Krṣṇa Caitanya Mahaprabhu said, ceto-darpaṇa-marjanam [Cc. Antya 20.12], to cleanse the dirty things from the heart, that is my first business. And what is that dirty things? To identity myself with this body. That is the dirty things. The whole world is in distressed condition on account of this dirty thing, that "I am this body." This is the conception of the ass.

It is said in the...

yasyatma-buddhiḥ; kuṇape tri-dhatuke
sva-dhiḥ; kalatradiṣu bhauma ijya-dhiḥ;
yat-tirtha-buddhiḥ; salile na karhicij
janeṣv abhijñeṣu sa eva go-kharaḥ;
[SB 10.84.13]

Go-kharaḥ;. Go-kharaḥ; means... Go means cow, and kharaḥ; means ass. Yat-tirtha-buddhiḥ; salile. Now many persons come here in Vrndavana, tirtha, but what do they think? They think, "Let me take bathing in the Yamuna River. Then my business is finished." But no. Sastra says that you should approach to a bhagavata, a devotee who is living in Vrndavana, pure devotee, and surrender unto him. That is tirtha-yatra. Not that coming here and taking bathing in the Ganges or... They are going to dure vary-ayanaṁ tirtham. General people think, in this Kali-yuga, at least, that if you go thousand miles away from your home, then your tirtha is finished. Just like in Calcutta there is Ganges, but people come to Hardwar to take bathing in the Ganges. Now, what is the difference between the Hardwar Ganges and Calcutta Ganges? But he thinks, "If I go three thousand miles and take bathing there, that is real Ganges." So dure vary-ayanaṁ tirtham. These are the symptoms of the Kali-yuga. Yat-tirtha-buddhiḥ; salile na karhicit. Many thousands of people come to Vrndavana, but they think by taking bathing in the Yamuna, his tirtha is finished. Or going to Prayaga, taking... Christian also, they go. They take bathing in the...? Water of...? Jordan?

Devotee: Jordan River.

Prabhupada: Yes. So... No. Nityaṁ bhagavata-sevaya [SB 1.2.18]. If you have to cleanse your heart from all misgivings, then you have to do this: srṇvataṁ sva-kathaḥ; krṣṇaḥ; puṇya-sravaṇa-kirtanaḥ; [SB 1.2.17]. You hear about Krṣṇa. Where? Krṣṇa is speaking about Himself in the Bhagavad-gita. "I am this. I am that." You hear. Or you hear about Krṣṇa from Srimad-Bhagavatam. Srṇvataṁ sva-kathaḥ; krṣṇaḥ;. So if you hear... Krṣṇa is within your heart. He can understand. If you are seriously hearing, then Krṣṇa can understand. Not that karma-kaṇḍiya-vicara. "Let me hear on Srimad-Bhagavatam for seven days, and I'll get... I have got now one lakh of rupees. I'll get three lakhs." That is karma-kaṇḍiya-vicara. That is not wanted. The hearing of Bhagavatam means to cleanse your heart, that you are not this body, you are spirit soul, eternal servant of Krṣṇa. That is purification. When you come to this understanding, that "I am not this body, I am spirit... Ahaṁ brahmasmi," then... Brahmasmi, finished? The Mayavadi says as soon as you come to this conclusion, brahma-bhutaḥ;, then your business is finished. No. Your business begins there. That is the verdict of Bhagavad-gita.

brahma-bhutaḥ; prasannatma
na socati na kaṅkṣati
samaḥ; sarveṣu bhuteṣu
mad-bhaktiṁ labhate param
[Bg. 18.54]

After being liberated, brahma-bhutaḥ;, then bhakti begins. People misunderstand that by bhakti one gets mukti. No. One who is engaged in bhakti, he is always... He has already got mukti. Muktir mukulitañjali sevate 'sman. Bilvamaṅgala Ṭhakura says that if one has attained to the platform of bhakti, then mukti is hankering after his feet: "What can I do for you?" Muktiḥ; svayaṁ mukulitañjali sevate 'sman dharmartha-kama-gatayaḥ; samaya-pratikṣaḥ;.

So bhakti is above mukti. Therefore a pure devotee does not aspire for mukti. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu says, na dhanaṁ na janaṁ na sundariṁ kavitaṁ va jagadisa kamaye [Cc. Antya 20.29, Sikṣaṣṭaka 4]. Na dhanaṁ na janaṁ na sundariṁ kavitaṁ va jagadisa kamaye, mama janmani janmani. He says, janmani janmani. Janmani, when He says janmani, it is not mukti. Because mukti means you stop your material transmigration from one body to another. That is mukti. So Caitanya Mahaprabhu: mama janmani janmani. A devotee doesn't require mukti. Janmani janmani tvayi bhaktiḥ;. If you are situated in the devotional service of the Lord, then you are already mukta. Avyabhicariṇi.

maṁ ca yo 'vyabhicareṇa
bhakti-yogena sevate
sa guṇan samatityaitan
brahma-bhuyaya kalpate
[Bg. 14.26]

Brahma-bhutaḥ; prasannatma... [Bg. 18.54]. This is the verdict. So for a devotee mukti is not very big thing. Mukti's already there if he's actually a pure devotee. A pure devotee means just like Caitanya Mahaprabhu says. He has no other desire. Na dhanaṁ na janaṁ na sundarim [Cc. Antya 20.29, Sikṣaṣṭaka 4]. Everyone is desiring in this material world for riches, wealth, dhanam, and janam, good family, high aristocratic family, or good followers, leader, minister. Janam. They are aspiring popular votes. Na dhanaṁ na janaṁ na sundariṁ kavitam. And next is to have a very beautiful, obedient wife. These are the aspirations of material life. But Caitanya Mahaprabhu said, "I do not want all these things." Na dhanaṁ na janaṁ na sundarim. This is bhakti life. When one is free from all such material desires, he's fit for executing devotional service. That is mukti.

Therefore we have to cleanse our heart. Our heart is always aspiring how to get money, how to get women, how to get prestige, how to become leader, how to become minister, how to become guru. These are the things, always hankering in our heart. Therefore Caitanya Mahaprabhu says, ceto-darpaṇa-marjanam [Cc. Antya 20.12]. First of all cleanse your heart. And that is also said in the Srimad-Bhagavatam, that naṣṭa-prayeṣv abhadreṣu nityaṁ bhagavata-sevaya [SB 1.2.18]. Nityam. Not seven days. Nityam. Read every day. Especially those who are in Vrndavana. Every day, as much as possible, read Srimad-Bhagavatam, Bhagavad-gita. Nityam. Then our heart will be cleansed, and we shall know what is our constitutional position, what is our relationship with Krṣṇa, and then if we serve in that relationship, our life is perfect.

So here Parikṣit Maharaja asked that "Shall I think of Krṣṇa, or I shall hear about Krṣṇa?" And Sukadeva Gosvami's congratulating him, variyan eṣa te prasnaḥ;: [SB 2.1.1] "Yes, it is very nice." Variyan, first class, glorious. Variyan eṣa te prasnaḥ; krto loka-hitam. "Now, your question is so nice that when I shall answer, it will be beneficial for the whole universe, loka-hitam." Loka-hitam. Because this Bhagavata is so nice, transcendental subject matter discussed about Krṣṇa, it is loka-hitam. It should be spread all over the world. Loka does not mean your country or your society, brahmaṇa society, gosvami society. No. Loka-hitam, for the benefit of the whole world. That is loka-hitam. Not only of this world, but other worlds also. Of the whole universe. Loka-hitaṁ nrpa. "My dear King, your prasna..." So this message of Srimad-Bhagavatam should be spread all over the world.

ya idaṁ paramaṁ guhyaṁ
mad-bhakteṣv abhidhasyati
[Bg 18.68]

na ca tasman manuṣyeṣu
kascin me priya-krttamaḥ;
[Bg. 18.69]

Don't make it stagnant, that "This Bhagavata is meant for a certain class of men, and it is to be recited by certain professional men, and make some money, and provide your family, and you become... Bas. Very good, religious." No. Loka-hitam. Bhagavata should be spread.

That is Caitanya Mahaprabhu's mission. Yare dekha tare kaha krṣṇa-upadesa [Cc. Madhya 7.128]. Whole world, whomever you meet, you speak of Krṣṇa. That is guru. That is gosvami. Not that gosvami profession means that I make a means of my livelihood, and I bring money from outside and engage in my son's marriage and daughter's marriage. That is not gosvami. One who is engaged in loka-hitam, spreading Srimad-Bhagavatam all over the world, that is gosvami. Gosvami means... Go means indriya. Svami means... Indriya means senses, and svami means the master. One has to control. If one is busy only family matters... What is this family? It is simply sense gratification, sexual intercourse. Yan maithunadi-grhamedhi-sukhaṁ hi tuccham [SB 7.9.45]. So if one is engaged in these family affairs only, sexual affairs, he's not a gosvami. Gosvami means who has, one who has... Wherefrom this gosvami comes? Rupa Gosvami. Vande rupa-sanatanau raghu-yugau sri-jiva... They, they were not family men. They were not in sense gratification. They were in the service of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and Krṣṇa. That is gosvami. We must know what is gosvami. Loka-hitaṁ ratam. Everyone who is on behalf of Krṣṇa, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, is engaged to preach Srimad-Bhagavatam, Bhagavad-gita, throughout the whole world... Prthiviṁ sa siṣyat. A gosvami means he must have disciples all over the world. That is gosvami. Not that within some area. These are the things.

We should scrutinizingly study what is Srimad-Bhagavatam, what is Bhagavad-gita, what is a preacher, what is gosvami. These things we must study. Loka-hi... These will be discussed by Sukadeva Gosvami, that what is what. You'll find in the Srimad-Bhagavatam. Therefore it is our duty: nityaṁ bhagavata-sevaya. Nityam. Not that seven days. Nityam. Naṣṭa-prayeṣv abhadreṣu [SB 1.2.18]. First of all we have to hear. Srṇvataṁ sva-kathaḥ; krṣṇaḥ; puṇya-sravaṇa-kirtanaḥ;. We acquire pious result of hearing. And the result will be manifested... Hrdy antaḥ;-stho hy abhadraṇi...

srṇvataṁ sva-kathaḥ; krṣṇaḥ;
puṇya-sravaṇa-kirtanaḥ;
hrdy antaḥ;-stho hy abhadraṇi
vidhunoti suhrt satam
[SB 1.2.17]

Then he must be free from the material bondage. That is called hrdy antaḥ;-stho hy abhadraṇi vidhunoti, washed off. If it is not completely washed off, if it is partially washed off, naṣṭa-prayeṣu... Naṣṭa-praya means we have got all these filthy things within the heart. It is not yet cleansed fully, but even some percentage is cleansed, then... Nityaṁ bhagavata... But how it can be cleansed? The process is to hear Srimad-Bhagavatam. That will be explained:

srotavyadini rajendra
nrṇaṁ santi sahasrasaḥ;
apasyatam atma-tattvaṁ
grheṣu grha-medhinam
[SB 2.1.2]

These verse are very nice, I mean to say, instructive verses, and you try to read them regularly, every morning. Or whenever you find time. Then you will understand Srimad-Bhagavatam. Everything is explained there. Then the dirty things in our heart will be cleansed, and then we will understand what is our constitutional position, and what is our duty, and how to execute it.

Thank you very much. (end)

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