Prabhupada:

svayambhur naradaḥ; sambhuḥ;
kumaraḥ; kapilo manuḥ;
prahlado janako bhiṣmo
balir vaiyasakir vayam
[SB 6.3.20]

Twelve mahajanas, authorities, we have discussed yesterday morning.

dvadasaite vijanimo
dharmaṁ bhagavataṁ bhaṭaḥ;
guhyaṁ visuddhaṁ durbodhaṁ
yaṁ jñatvamrtam asnute
[SB 6.3.21]

So the science of Krṣṇa is very difficult to understand. Durbodham. Durbodham. Durbodham means very, very difficult to understand. Therefore you have to approach the mahajanas. People, they try to understand which is impossible to understand by their own effort. That is a great mistake. Therefore this very word is used, durbodham. What is religion and what is God, that is very, very difficult to understand. The Vedic injunction is, in order to understand, one must approach a bona fide spiritual master, durbodham. Guhyaṁ visuddham. Why durbodham? Why it is very difficult to understand? Because it is transcendental, visuddham, beyond the range of this material atmosphere. Our knowledge is... We get knowledge after creation of this body; therefore all knowledge is material. We tax our brain, which is a material production only. So there is no possibility of understanding religion or God by taxing the material membrane. What is called?

Haṁsaduta: Membrane.

Prabhupada: Yes. That is not possible. But those who are grossly materialistic, those who do not know that beyond this materialistic body there is the soul, they cannot understand, for them, this yogic principle is recommended, to exercise this body. As if by exercising the body he will understand God and understand religion.

Therefore the yoga system is not recommended for the first-class men. First-class men, they know that by gymnastic process of exercising the material senses, one cannot understand God or religion. Visuddham. It is beyond. Therefore another name of Krṣṇa, or God, is Adhokṣaja. Adhaḥ;. Adhaḥ; means falls down, and akṣaja, akṣaja means... Akṣa means direct experience, direct seeing, direct touching. And ja means born. Knowledge born of direct perception of the senses—this is called akṣaja. And adhaḥ; means where akṣaja, the direct perception of material senses, is cut down. (curbed?) There is no possibility. He is called adhokṣaja. Therefore, Krṣṇa's another name is Adhokṣaja, "beyond the sense perception knowledge." Panthas tu koṭi-sata-vatsara-sampragamyaḥ;. We cannot understand God or religion by our mental speculation even by the speed of mind, manasa. Panthas tu koṭi-sata-vatsara. And the speculation continues by, continues to hundreds and hundreds of years. Panthas tu koṭi-sata-vatsara. Sata means hundred, and koṭi means ten million. So ten million into hundred—unlimited time. If you go on speculating, by speculation, panthas tu koṭi, still, your conception of God or religion will remain incomplete. Panthas tu koṭi-sata-vatsara-sampragamyo vayor athapi [Bs. 5.34]. By airplane, with the speed of the mind... There are different airplanes, and they have got different speeds. Now, if you manufacture an airplane which runs with the speed of the mind... You know the speed of the mind. Within a second, you can travel millions of miles. So an airplane running on, on that speed, and thinking for millions of years, still, you cannot approach the abode of Krṣṇa or understand Krṣṇa. Only you can understand by His mercy. Only by the mercy of... Bhaktya mam abhijanati. Bhaktya mam abhijanati [Bg. 18.55]. Just like Krṣṇa is voluntarily offering Arjuna to understand Bhagavad-gita. He's not going to canvass anyone. "Arjuna, you understand it. You'll be able to understand because you are My devotee."

So for a devotee only, the door of God is open. For others, there is no possibility. Therefore, He's called durbodham. Durbodhaṁ yaṁ jñatva. But somehow or other, if he can understand the principles of religion and God, then immediately he becomes immortal. Immortal means he's no more going to accept any material body. That is also stated in the Bhagavad-gita:

janma karma me divyaṁ
yo janati tattvataḥ;
tyaktva dehaṁ punar janma
naiti mam eti kaunteya
[Bg. 4.9]

Anyone who can understand in truth, not ephemerally, substantially, if one understands what is Krṣṇa, how He appears, what are His activities, what is our relation—these things, when one understands, immediately he becomes liberated. Tyaktva dehaṁ punar janma [Bg. 4.9]. Such person, giving up this body, no more comes into this material world. The same thing is herein: jñatva. If one can understand what is religion and what is Krṣṇa, only by this understanding, jñatva amrtam asnute. Amrtam. Mrtam means death. A means "none," "not," negation. So amrtam asnute: he drinks nectarine. The word nectarine, sudha. You know there was fight between the demons and the demigods, who will drink the amrta, the nectarine. Because by drinking nectarine one becomes immortal. So here it is said, amrtam asnute. As by drinking nectarine, one can become immortal, similarly, by drinking the nectarine of devotion, one becomes immortal. Therefore we have named the book Nectar of Devotion. You drink it and become immortal. That's all. Amrtam asnute.

etavan eva loke 'smin
puṁsaṁ dharmaḥ; paraḥ; smrtaḥ;
bhakti-yogo bhagavati
tan-nama-grahaṇadibhiḥ;
[SB 6.3.22]

So dharma, this religion, so although it is very difficult to understand, still, by the grace of Krṣṇa, it has been made very simple and easy. Unfortunately, people have no faith. They do not believe. They think something cumberous, something speculative, something very difficult is the process of executing religion. No. Yamaraja says that etavan eva loke 'smin puṁsaṁ dharmaḥ; paraḥ; smrtaḥ;: "The highest principle of religion is this." What is that? Bhakti-yogaḥ; bhagavati. Bhakti-yoga. One may... Just like some people, some foolish say, "Bhakti-yoga... I have got very much devotion to Goddess Kali, to Goddess Durga, or so many demigods. This is also bhakti." No. Bhakti-yoga means bhagavati. Love means love of Godhead. Otherwise, there is no love—only lust. Similarly, bhakti means, when this word used, bhakti-yoga, that is only in relationship with the bhakta, or devotee, and Bhagavan. That is called bhakti-yoga. Nama, harer nama, not that any name. Harer nama harer nama [Cc. Adi 17.21]. Any name can be applied to Krṣṇa indirectly, but directly... We are concerned directly. Anukulyena krṣṇanusilanam [Cc. Madhya 19.167]. We have to cultivate Krṣṇa not indirectly. Indirectly, everything is worshiping Krṣṇa, because there is nothing but Krṣṇa everywhere. Just like Kaṁsa. Kaṁsa, he was thinking of Krṣṇa indirectly as enemy. Therefore, that is not bhakti. Bhakti means Krṣṇa consciousness favorably, directly.

So if somebody says, "If everything is Bhagavan, why not worshiping the Goddess Kali and Durga becomes bhakti?" No. That is not. Here it is distinctly stated, bhakti-yogaḥ; bhagavati. Bhakti-yogaḥ; bhagavati. And that bhakti-yoga, how it begins? Tan-nama-grahaṇadibhiḥ;. Tan-nama, His name, His holy name, grahaṇa, chanting. The method is very simple. Tan-nama-grahaṇa-adibhiḥ;. Adibhiḥ; means beginning is chanting. There are other processes. Chanting, sravaṇaṁ kirtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ; smaraṇaṁ pada-sevanam, arcanaṁ vandanaṁ dasyam... [SB 7.5.23]. There are different processes, but the beginning is chanting and hearing. Tan-nama-grahaṇadibhiḥ;. Nama-grahaṇa. Bhaktivinoda Ṭhakura says, nama saya sari tako apana karya.(?) So this, our process, first of all, we give the chanting process. Sixteen rounds. That whole process of bhakti-yoga begins from that point. And the more you become experienced and more you relish the chanting, the more you become advanced. Other things will automatically come and make you perfect. Tan-nama. Therefore we should be very much, I mean to say, strict in the principle of following the regulative principles and avoiding offenses and chant the mantra faithfully. That is the beginning of religion, and that is the beginning of liberation. And Caitanya Mahaprabhu blesses that iha haite sarva-siddhi haibe tomara. If you chant the holy name of Krṣṇa in faith and according to rules and regulations... Even rules and regulation fails, but chanting may not be stopped. Even sometimes we fail. There is possibility of failing, because we are conditioned, and there is every chance of falling down. So despite you are fallen down, still, you should go on chanting.

This verse Narada Muni's instruction, we were discussing the last meeting. Tyaktva sva-dharmaṁ caraṇambujaṁ harer bhajann apakvo 'tha patet tato yadi [SB 1.5.17]. One has taken to this Krṣṇa consciousness cult and is chanting as far as possible, but there is possibility, because one is not mature, there are so many attraction of maya, he may fall down. But Narada Muni says, "Still, he is not in loss." It is so powerful. "Still he is in gain. And one who does not take to Krṣṇa consciousness, if he is following the religious principles... Everyone has got some religion. Still, what does he gain? He does not gain anything." That is the verdict of Narada Muni. A person who has taken to Krṣṇa consciousness, giving up his all religious principles and occupations, even he falls down on account of his immature position, he is much gainer than the person who is sticking to his religious principle, so-called religious principle, but does not know what Krṣṇa consciousness. He does not gain anything. That is the verdict of Narada Muni.

namoccaraṇa mahatmyaṁ
hareḥ; pasyata putrakaḥ;
ajamilo 'pi yenaiva
mrtyu-pasad amucyata
[SB 6.3.23]

So the evidence is that Ajamila, simply by his chanting "Narayaṇa," he became saved from imminent danger, being arrested by the Yamadutas, or death.

etavatalam agha-nirharaṇaya puṁsaṁ
saṅkirtanaṁ bhagavato guṇa-karma-namnam
vikrusya putram aghavan yad ajamilo 'pi
narayaṇeti mriyamaṇa iyaya muktim
[SB 6.3.24]

This is the conclusion, that etavatalam agha-nirharaṇaya puṁsaṁ saṅkirtanaṁ bhagavato guṇa-karma-namnam. Therefore Yamaraja is recommending that by our fruitive activities we are implicated in so many sinful reaction of life, so saṅkirtanaṁ bhagavato guṇa-karma-namnam. Not only the chanting of Hare Krṣṇa mantra is called saṅkirtana of the holy name of the Lord, but here it is said, guṇa-karma-namnam. Saṅkirtanaṁ bhagavato guṇa-karma-namnam. Not that when you read Krṣṇa, the book which is full of Krṣṇa's activities... That is also saṅkirtana. That is also saṅkirtana. Saṅkirtana does not mean simply chanting the holy name of Krṣṇa. Saṅkirtana means you discuss Krṣṇa's activities, that is also saṅkirtana. That is not different from saṅkirtana. It is clearly stated here that bhagavato guṇa-karma-namnam. Nama means name, and guṇa means quality, and karma means activities. That is not ordinary karma. Just like when we read Krṣṇa book, Krṣṇa is killing so many demons, He is kidnapping somebody, He is... So many things. It appears just like ordinary, I mean to say, malpractices in the material world. It appears like that. "So what is this God? He is killing so many persons, He is kidnapping some woman. What is this God?" they may say. But they do not know that that is also transcendental. That is as pure as chanting Hare Krṣṇa mantra. It is as pure as. Otherwise, what interest we have got to read Bhagavad-gita? It is in the battlefield. Senayor ubhayor madhye. Combination of two parties, soldiers, and they are fighting, they are killing.

Therefore those who are sahajiyas, they simply go to the pastimes of Lord Krṣṇa with the gopis. Other things, "Oh, no, no. That is not Krṣṇa's pastimes. That is not Krṣṇa's pastimes." That is, they differentiate the absolute activities of the Absolute. That is called sahajiya. The sahajiyas will never read Bhagavad-gita, will never read. (sarcastic:) Because they have been elevated to the mellows of conjugal love. Therefore they have no interest in Bhagavad-gita. They say... Or when you discuss Srimad-Bhagavatam on the philosophical point, janmady asya [SB 1.1.1], they also do not attend. If you discuss on the philosophy of Upaniṣad and Vedanta, they'll not attend. I have seen it. In Radha-kuṇḍa, sometime in 1934, my Guru Maharaja was living, and he was discussing Upaniṣad. He was discussing Upaniṣad regularly. And the babajis... There are many babajis in Radha-kuṇḍa. First of all, they came, that "Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Ṭhakura has come, such a learned scholar and the establisher of Gauḍiya Maṭha." So out of curiosity they came. And when they saw that he was discussing Upaniṣad, gradually they stopped coming. So my Guru Maharaja recommended that "These people are not living in Radha-kuṇḍa. They are living in Naraka-kuṇḍa." I have heard it personally.

So those persons distinguish. Just like Bhiṣma. Bhiṣma is stated here as one of the authority, mahajanas. But what did he do? He fought against Krṣṇa and pierced with his arrows. You know, in the... We have stated in the Srimad-Bhagavatam. Krṣṇa became so much disturbed that... Not disturbed. That is also another... He's pleased. He became pleased, rather. Being pierced by the arrows of Bhiṣma, He became pleased. That I have described in my translation. So being pleased, He came before him. He came before him as if angry, but not... He was so pleased, that "You wanted to break My promise. I have broken it! Please save Arjuna; that is My request to you.' " He promised that "Now tomorrow I shall fight in such a way that either Krṣṇa has to break His promise, either, or His most intimate friend, beloved friend, Arjuna, will be killed." So this person is determining to kill Krṣṇa's friend, most intimate friend, and he's a mahajana. Just try to understand. Bhiṣma is accepted here as mahajana, as authority. And what was his business? He wanted to kill Krṣṇa and Arjuna. Just try to understand. Therefore, we have to follow only the instruction of mahajana; otherwise, we'll be bewildered. Vaiṣṇave kriya mudra vijñeha na bujhaya [Cc. Madhya 23.39]. We cannot understand what are the activities of Krṣṇa and His devotees. We have to simply follow their instruction. That's all. The sahajiyas, they do not follow the instruction. They imitate only: "Krṣṇa has made rasa-lila; so why not we also make rasa-lila?" It is going on, regularly.

So etavatalam agha-nirharaṇaya puṁsaṁ saṅkirtanam [SB 6.3.24]. If you actually want to become free from the contamination of this material world, then you should always be engaged in chanting, saṅkirtanam. Not only the holy name, but reading the Krṣṇa book, The Nectar of Devotion, Teachings of Lord Caitanya. If you feel tired chanting, you read these books. Sometimes there is psychology, transfer. You are reading some book, you want to read another book. So we have got so many books. If you feel tired this book, then transfer your attention to another book, or another book, or chant. Find out. Simply, not to waste a single moment. Kirtaniyaḥ; sada hariḥ; [Cc. Adi 17.31]. Caitanya Mahaprabhu says sada. Sada means always. So we have got materials for engaging ourself always in Krṣṇa consciousness. Not that we have got only this one item. No. We have got so many items. That is also accepted.

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

In whatever activities you are engaged... My Guru Maharaja condemns the... Mana tumi kisera vaiṣṇava, pratiṣṭhara tare nirjanera ghare, tara hari-nama kevala kaitava, He says that in a corner, in a secluded place, you are chanting in a cheating process for cheap adoration. Why? Because he knows that those who are neophytes, if they imitate the chanting, they simply waste their time. Therefore, he should be engaged in other activities because he has got the power at the present moment, karma... Karma means activities. This whole world is full of activities. Therefore this karma should be changed into bhakti, in devotional service. He..., one must be engaged in that... It appears like karma, but it is not karma. It is bhakti. Here also... Just like Krṣṇa is doing something. That is not karma. That is transcendental. Similarly, a devotee in Krṣṇa consciousness, for service of Krṣṇa, if he is engaged which looks superficially as karma, that is not karma. That is bhakti.

The sahajiyas, they do not know it. They think that "We shall sit in a secluded place and chant, imitating Haridasa." We have seen it. Their imitation is useless. They fall down. Therefore, they must be always engaged in some activities. Otherwise, he'll be attracted by the modes of ignorance and passion. Etavatalam agha-nirharaṇaya. Agha means the reaction of sinful activities. Every one of us, anyone who is in this material world, he is sinful. Without being sinful, nobody is here in this material world. If he's not sinful, then he'll be immediately transferred. Yeṣam anta-gataṁ papaṁ jananaṁ puṇya-karmaṇam. Immediately transferred to the spiritual world. He has... Just like a person who has finished his criminal punishment, immediately he is released from the prison. Similarly, a person who is freed from the resultant action of sinful activities, he immediately becomes liberated. Therefore anyone who is in this material world engaged in fruitive activities... Not the devotees. That is another mistake. The devotees are also here, but they are always in Vaikuṇṭha. Brahma-bhuyaya kalpate [Bg. 14.26]. So anyway, the general process is that instead of, I mean to say, following the religious rituals for diminishing or getting out of the sinful reaction, one is recommended to accept bhakti-yoga, beginning with the chanting of the holy name of Krṣṇa. That is the conclusion.

Thank you very much. Hare Krṣṇa. (end)

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