Prabhupada: (leads chanting of oṁ namo bhagavate vasudevaya and Sanskrit verses:)

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

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

nidraya hriyate naktaṁ
vyavayena ca va vayaḥ;
diva carthehaya rajan
kuṭumba-bharaṇena va
[SB 2.1.3]

dehapatya-kalatradiṣv
atma-sainyeṣv asatsv api
teṣaṁ pramatto nidhanaṁ
pasyann api na pasyati
[SB 2.1.4]

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

Thank you.

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

(aside:) Give me water. Sukadeva Gosvami, sri-suka uvaca. Sukadeva Gosvami, the accepted spiritual master of King Parikṣit, is replying to his inquiry, "What is the duty of a person who is going to die?" Parikṣit Maharaja was going to die within seven days. He was cursed by a brahmaṇa boy to die within seven days. The reason is that the king was in the forest, engaged in hunting, and when he became tired he went to the cottage of a sage and asked him for water. But the sage was absorbed in meditation, could not hear him, so Parikṣit Maharaja, being thirsty, became angry, and there was a dead snake. So he, out of negligence, he took the dead snake and wrapped over the neck of the meditating sage. This news was spread and his son, twelve years old only, he heard that his father was insulted. So immediately he cursed that this snake would bit him within seven days. So this news was brought, although the father, after his meditation was over, he was very..., he was sorry that such a great king has been cursed. So he was very, very sorry, but what can be done? The brahmaṇa boy's curse must be effective. That because in those days brahmaṇas, even by caste, was very, very strong in spiritual strength. So when Parikṣit Maharaja was informed that he was to die within seven days, he accepted the curse: "Yes, I was wrong to insult the sage." Otherwise, he could counteract. He was also very powerful. But he did not. So this is the history.

So immediately he left his kingdom, family, children, and went to the bank of the Ganges and sat down there, being prepared for the coming imminent death, within seven days. So because he was emperor of the world... So he was going to die. This news was spread, and all big, big men, great saintly persons, even demigods, they also come to see him. And he was asking everyone, "What is my duty?" So at that time Sukadeva Gosvami also arrived there. Sukadeva Gosvami was young boy, but paramahaṁsa. So he was received in that big assembly as the great personality of knowledge. Even his father Vyasadeva was present. So everyone stood up. His father also stood up to receive him, he was such a great personality. And then he was given nice seat, as is the custom, to give advice to Maharaja Parikṣit: "What was my duty?" But Parikṣit Maharaja was, from the beginning of his life, was a devotee himself, a devotee of Lord Krṣṇa. And he inquired, "Whether I shall devote or I shall absorb my mind with Krṣṇa consciousness?" Because he was a devotee of Krṣṇa. Many people gathered. They gave different advices: "Maharaja, you do this at the time of death," and "Do that," "Do this." So there were many big, big persons. He was perplexed. But he was a devotee of Krṣṇa from the very beginning of his life, and thus he inquired, "Whether it is better to absorb the mind in Krṣṇa consciousness?" This was his question.

So in answer to this question, Sukadeva Gosvami replied, variyan eṣa te prasnaḥ;: [SB 2.1.1] "My dear King..." Variyan eṣa te prasnaḥ; krto loka-hitaṁ nrpa. Nrpa, "the king," address. "My dear king, your inquiry is very glorified," variyan eṣa te prasnaḥ; krto loka-hitam [SB 2.1.1], "because on account of this question, whatever I shall reply..." Means he knew. The reply is this Srimad-Bhagavatam. Question was about Krṣṇa, and the reply is Srimad-Bhagavatam, eighteen thousand verses. And each and every verse is so important that if a serious student studies each and every verse, each verse will take at least one month to understand. And there are eighteen thousand verses. So for serious study of Srimad-Bhagavatam, it will take eighteen thousand months. So eighteen thousand months meaning how many years? One thousand five hundred years. (laughter) It is such an important book, Srimad-Bhagavatam. Each verse is a new verse, not repetition of the same subject. And it is deeply thoughtful. And every verse is, as it is stated here, atmavit-sammataḥ;, approved by persons who are self-realized. Atmavit. Atmavit. Atma means self, and vit means one who knows, well aware of self-realization. They are called atmavit.

Generally people are atmavit, bodily conscious, mass of people or class of people also. Hardly you will find a person at the present moment atmavit, self-realized. Everyone is: "I am this body." "I am Indian," "I am American," "I am Canadian," "I am Australian," "I am white," "I am black," "I am brahmaṇa," "I am sudra," this way—"I am this body." Atmavit means "I am the self; I am the soul." Bhagavata... This is the Vedic word. If one understands that "I am not this body; I am spirit soul," he is called atmavit, or he is liberated. He is not bodily conscious platform. There are three platforms of identification with self. Those who are grossly in ignorance, exactly like animals... Just like a dog. A dog thinks that he is the body. He cannot think that he is not the body, he is the soul. That is not possible. Because he is born in such a body, he is entrapped in such a body, animal body, they cannot think that the animal, the cat and dog, is different from the body. But at the present moment, so many big, big scholars and professors and educationists, they are also the same category as the dog. As the dog is thinking, "I am this body," he is also thinking, "I am this body." And on this bodily concept there are so many nations, big, big nation, they are on the bodily concept of life. Not atmavit. Atmavit is different, that "I am not this body; I am soul," Bhagavata,.

So krṣṇa-prasna, inquiry about Krṣṇa, and to understand Krṣṇa means on the spiritual platform, atmavit. That is not material body, material platform. Material platform means "I am this body; you are this body. So Krṣṇa is also like us. Krṣṇa has a material body, and He is like me." Avajananti maṁ muḍhaḥ; [Bg. 9.11]. Krṣṇa should not be considered as ordinary being. We are worshiping Krṣṇa in this temple, not an ordinary being. But Krṣṇa is so kind. He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Aṇor aṇiyan mahato mahiyan. He is greater than the greatest and still, He can become smaller than the smallest. That is his greatness. He can become... He can show Arjuna the viraḍ-rupa, the universal form; at the same time, He can talk with Arjuna as ordinary friend. This is Krṣṇa. You have read Bhagavad-gita. He was talking on the chariot as his friend, but when there was need, He... Arjuna wanted to see the universal friend, and Krṣṇa showed him that universal form, gigantic form, everything including. So that Krṣṇa is atma, Paramatma, and Bhagavan and Brahman. Brahmeti paramatmeti bhagavan iti sabdyate [SB 1.2.11].

So krṣṇa-prasna means all-including, everything—past, present, future, moving, not moving, and big and small. This is Krṣṇa understanding. Krṣṇa understanding means past, present, future, small, large, moving, not moving. This is Krṣṇa understanding. But everything is in either of these categories. Everything must be either in the past or at present or in future. So this is past, present and future. And there are moving and... Just like we. We are, animals or man or birds and beasts and insect or aquatics, we are moving. And there are not moving, just like the hill, stones, the trees, plants, the grass. They do not move. But we are moving. So moving, unmoving. And we exist past, present, future. And there is biggest, bigger than the biggest, the whole universe. Although you have got airships, you cannot go, neither others. So many machines have been discovered, but go and see the... They cannot go even to the moon planet, what to speak of others. Therefore it is very big for us. When we speak of universe we cannot think of. They simply calculate, the scientists, by light year, and this year, that year, the speed. But we cannot approach even in this material world, and what to speak of Krṣṇa? Krṣṇa is in the spiritual world. We cannot calculate the length and breadth of this material world. Our knowledge is so imperfect and meager, and what we can understand of the spiritual world? The material world is a manifestation of Krṣṇa's one-fourth energy. And the three-fourths' energy is manifested in the spiritual world. This is the understanding of Krṣṇa.

Therefore when one inquires about Krṣṇa, he is very glorified. Therefore he says, variyan eṣa te prasnaḥ;. Variyan eṣa te prasnaḥ; krto loka-hitam [SB 2.1.1]. Because answer to this question will include everything, and people will profit, loka-hitam. The saintly person's duty is to do welfare to the people in general. That is saintly person. Lokanaṁ hita-kariṇau tri-bhuvane manyau saraṇyakarau. About the Gosvamis, ṣaḍ-gosvami, it is stated that nana-sastra-vicaraṇaika-nipuṇau. The six Gosvamis, they were very, very learned scholars, nana-sastra, various different scriptures, vicaraṇaika-nipuṇau, very expert in studying all the scriptures scrutinizingly, nipuṇau, expert. This is the, I mean to say, calculation of the Gosvamis. So why they are concerned about studying so many scriptures? Sad-dharma-saṁsthapakau. Nana-sastra-vicaraṇaika-nipuṇau sad-dharma-saṁsthapakau. Sad-dharma. Dharma means... The exact meaning of dharma is "occupational duty." People are... In English they translate dharma as "faith." Faith can be changed. I like this faith today. Tomorrow I may like another faith. So actually the translation of dharma is not "faith." It is "occupational duty."

So what should be our occupational duty? Sad-dharma. Sad-dharma means... Sat means eternal. Real occupational duty... Now I am working as American or others working as Indian or German or Englishmen, or this family men. Everyone has got some occupational duty. But this occupational duty... Suppose I am working as American or European or Australian. This is temporary, because this body is temporary. And I am in bodily concept of life. Therefore my duty, so-called duty, is also temporary. As soon as the body is finished, I begin another chapter of duty. Suppose this life I am human being; next life I may not be human being. This statement was not liked by the newspaper man. (laughing) He was told that next life you can become animal, so he has published in my name, "The swami can become animal." Also the swami can become also animal. The so-called swami, they will become animal. (laughter) So that is not wrong. But we devotees, we are not afraid of becoming animal. Our only ambition is that we become Krṣṇa conscious.

So the animals, the cows and calves, who are Krṣṇa conscious... You have seen the picture of Krṣṇa? Yes. So better that we shall become animal of Krṣṇa. So there is nothing wrong. Even if we become an animal of Krṣṇa, that is also very worthy. That is not ordinary thing. Krṣṇa is embracing. Krṣṇa... You see the picture. Krṣṇa is embracing. Surabhir abhipalayantam. Cintamaṇi-prakara-sadmasu kalpa-vrkṣa-lakṣavrteṣu surabhir abhipalayantam [Bs. 5.29]. Krṣṇa always tends the cows. His name is cowherd boy. To become animal of Krṣṇa is a great, great fortune. It is not ordinary thing. Any associate of Krṣṇa, either His cowherd boyfriends or calf or cows, or the Vrndavana trees, plants, flowers or water, they are all devotees of Krṣṇa. They like to serve Krṣṇa in different capacities. Somebody is serving Krṣṇa as animal. Somebody is serving Krṣṇa as fruits and flowers, as tree, as Yamuna water, or the beautiful cowherds men and damsels or Krṣṇa's father and mother, so many with Krṣṇa. Krṣṇa is not imperson. So He has got so many lovers. Krṣṇa also loves them. So Krṣṇa's another name is pasu-pala, pasu-pala-paṅkaja. He is, mean, tender of the animals. Surabhir abhipalayantam [Bs. 5.29]. He takes pleasure in tending the cows, surabhi. These are surabhi cows, not these ordinary cows, surabhi cows. Surabhi cows means you can milk the cow as many times as you like and as much milk as you like. That is surabhi.

So therefore Sukadeva Gosvami says "It is glorified question you have inquired about Krṣṇa." So about Krṣṇa, it is called krṣṇa-katha, topics about Krṣṇa. The topics or the instruction given by Krṣṇa is the Bhagavad-gita, and the topics about the activities of Krṣṇa is Srimad-Bhagavatam. So some way or other, let us always discuss about Krṣṇa. That should be the life of Krṣṇa conscious people. So this is life of Krṣṇa, worshiping Krṣṇa in the temple, to sell Krṣṇa's books, Srimad-Bhagavatam, Bhagavad-gita, to think of Krṣṇa—Hare Krṣṇa, Hare Krṣṇa—to eat krṣṇa-prasadam, to take all risk for Krṣṇa, to do work for Krṣṇa, as Arjuna, to fight for Krṣṇa. He did not like to fight, but for Krṣṇa's sake he fought. So fight for Krṣṇa, work for Krṣṇa, think of Krṣṇa, eat krṣṇa-prasadam, talk of Krṣṇa, read for Krṣṇa. So Krṣṇa, Krṣṇa, Krṣṇa, Krṣṇa, Krṣṇa. This is life. This is Krṣṇa consciousness.

So this is very glorified life. Here it is said that variyan eṣa te prasnaḥ; krto loka-hitaṁ nrpa [SB 2.1.1]. So atmavit-sammataḥ; puṁsaṁ srotavyadiṣu yaḥ; paraḥ;. Paraḥ; means the supreme perfect. You are hearing the Srimad-Bhagavatam about Krṣṇa. There are many subject matter of hearing. Just like in newspaper you hear so many news. But if you hear something about Krṣṇa, that is the only perfect thing. That news has been published in this morning, many papers, "Krṣṇa..., the leader of the Krṣṇa movement," or "This Hare Krṣṇa movement." There is some vibration of the word "Krṣṇa." That makes the atmosphere purified, surcharged. So many thousands and millions of people will read "Krṣṇa." Willing or unwillingly, they'll read "Krṣṇa." That is their profit. Variyan eṣa te prasnaḥ;, loka-hitam [SB 2.1.1]. Immediately, they once utter the word "Krṣṇa," they become benefited. Never mind what is the news. Oh, we don't care for that. (laughter) But because they will utter the word "Krṣṇa," that is our profit. That is our profit for Krṣṇa consciousness movement.

Thank you very much. (aside:) There is water? So chant Hare Krṣṇa. [break]

Madhudviṣa: More water? Pertaining to the lecture? Yes, Gopi-kanta?

Gopi-kanta: Srila Prabhupada, what is the exact benefit if a person just takes a Srimad-Bhagavatam on the street and gives some donation to help out the printing costs or whatever?

Prabhupada: That is already explained. They will read. They will see the picture of Krṣṇa. Immediate profit is: they will ask "What is this picture?" And you will say, "Krṣṇa." "Oh," they say, "it is Krṣṇa?" Then... (laughter) From the beginning of the, what is called, cover, the benefit begins, because the uttering the word "Krṣṇa" is benefit. Then, if he reads... Of course, if he pays for the book, he will read. So you give a chance to the person to know about Krṣṇa. Their life becomes sublime.

Hari-sauri: Srila Prabhupada, earlier you were speaking that Krṣṇa means everything past, present and future and...

Prabhupada: Everything, whatever you can think of. Krṣṇa includes everything. Without Krṣṇa, there is nothing. Because... Take anything. Take this table. This is stone. But the stone is also Krṣṇa. You have read in the Bhagavad-gita, bhumir apo 'nalo vayuḥ; khaṁ mano buddhir eva ca, bhinna me prakrtir aṣṭadha [Bg. 7.4]. Krṣṇa says that "These five gross material elements—earth, water, air, fire, ether—mind, intelligence and ego, they are My separated energies." Just like I am speaking. Now, this speaking recorded, when it will be replaced, the same sound will come. So that is my energy, but separated. I am on there, but still, the vibration is exactly what I am speaking because these words are emanated from me. Similarly, Krṣṇa says that "This earth is emanation of My energy. So therefore this earth... The stone is also earth, another form of earth. Therefore it is manifestation of Krṣṇa's energy. Therefore it is Krṣṇa. Energy and the energetic—no different. Just like the sun is situated 93,000,000's of miles away from you, but the sunshine, as soon as it reaches your body, you understand what is sun-heat and light-immediately. That is Krṣṇa consciousness. When one is learned about Krṣṇa, whatever He sees... When he sees the stone, he also sees Krṣṇa, immediately remembers the stone is manifestation of the energy of Krṣṇa. That is Krṣṇa consciousness. Nothing is different from Krṣṇa. This is Krṣṇa consciousness. When one understands that everything is manifestation of Krṣṇa, Krṣṇa's energy, the... Exactly the same: just like the fire is situated in somewhere, but the fire exhibits or demonstrates its energy, the light and heat, although fire is far away, just like the sun is far, far away, but still, by sun's light and heat, he is spread all over the universe, similarly, Krṣṇa, by His two energies, material energy and spiritual energy... That is stated in the Bhagavad-gita.

bhumir apo 'nalo vayuḥ;
khaṁ mano buddhir eva ca
ahaṅkara itiyaṁ me
bhinna prakrtir aṣṭadha
[Bg. 7.4]

apareyam itas tv anyaṁ
prakrtiṁ viddhi me param
jiva-bhutaṁ maha-baho
yayedaṁ dharyate jagat
[Bg. 7.5]

So there are two energies, exactly like heat and light. One, the spiritual energy, and the other is material energy. The material energy is inferior energy and the spiritual energy is the superior energy. What is the spiritual energy? Jiva-bhuta, these living entities. The living entity is superior because it is controlling the inferior energy, matter. These are very scientific. It is not sentiment. Everything Krṣṇa consciousness is scientific. Simply one requires the brain to understand. Then, when he understands, he will see Krṣṇa in everything. That is stated in the Caitanya-caritamrta: sthavara-jaṅgama dekhe na dekhe tara murti [Cc. Madhya 8.274]. When a devotee, advanced devotee, sees something, he does not see the formation of that thing. He sees the energy. A highly advanced devotee will not see the stone. He immediately will think of Krṣṇa, "Oh, Krṣṇa is so powerful that His energy is exhibited in stone." Therefore he does not see stone. He sees only Krṣṇa. That is Krṣṇa consciousness, perfection of.

sthavara-jaṅgama dekhe na dekhe tara murti
sarvatra haya nija iṣṭa-deva-sphurti
[Cc. Madhya 8.274]

Everywhere he sees Krṣṇa, nothing but Krṣṇa. That is Krṣṇa consciousness.

Madhudviṣa: Srila Prabhupada, you spoke of inferior energy and superior energy. Those are two general categories. Are there other categories of energies besides that, and specifically how could we understand Srimati Radharaṇi? Is She...

Prabhupada: She is spiritual energy.

Madhudviṣa: But is She jiva-bhuta or...

Prabhupada: No, no, no. She is Krṣṇa. If everything is Krṣṇa and Radharaṇi is not Krṣṇa, what is that? Krṣṇa. He (She) is Krṣṇa. She is the Krṣṇa's pleasure potency.

Madhudviṣa: She is not jiva?

Prabhupada: No, no, no. She is Krṣṇa. Krṣṇa divided Himself into His energy and Himself. That energy, original spiritual energy, is Radharaṇi. That is stated by Jiva Gosvami. Radha krṣṇa-praṇaya-vikrtir hladini saktir asmat. When Krṣṇa wants pleasure, He cannot accept the inferior energy. The same superior energy, Krṣṇa, is divided into two. That is Radha and Krṣṇa. And again, when they unite, that is Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Divided, they are Radha and Krṣṇa, and united, Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Sri-krṣṇa-caitanya radha-krṣṇa nahe anya. Anya means another. So Sri Krṣṇa Caitanya is combination of Radha and Krṣṇa. And when they are divided into two, that is Radha and Krṣṇa. This is the purport. Radha krṣṇa-praṇaya-vikrtir hladini saktir asmad ekatmanav api bhuvi pura deha-bhedaṁ gatau tau, sri-caitanyakhyaṁ prakaṭam adhuna tad-dvayaṁ caikyam aptam [Cc. Adi 1.5]. These are the conclusion. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu is Radha-Krṣṇa combination. But He is playing the part of Radharaṇi to understand Krṣṇa. This is Caitanya Mahaprabhu.

Madhudviṣa: One more question.

Devotee (1): Srila Prabhupada, if Krṣṇa is everywhere, why do we stress the importance of living a very strict life in the temple atmosphere?

Prabhupada: But have you got the eyes to see Krṣṇa everywhere?

Devotee (1): No, Srila Prabhupada.

Prabhupada: Then you must attention give to temple. When you have got the eyes to see Krṣṇa everywhere, you may not require temple worship. But why do you try to imitate that? You have no eyes to see that. Yes.

Devotee (2): Srila Prabhupada, you mentioned three states of identification. One was like the animals. What was the other two?

Prabhupada: What is that?

Devotee (2): One was to identify with the body as the self like the animals. And then you mentioned... You said there were three altogether.

Prabhupada: Oh, yes. Bodily conception, mental conception and spiritual conception. When one is ignorant, he is like animal. When he is farther advanced, he is a philosopher. And when he is farther advanced, he is a devotee. These are three different stages: like animal, like philosopher and like devotee. So when you think like devotee, that is perfection. And you think that "I am American," "I am Indian"—that is animal. So it is according to the advancement of one's life. There are three stages: animal conception, mental conception and spiritual conception. So spiritual conception is perfect, all perfect. Chant Hare Krṣṇa. (end)

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