Puṣṭa Krṣṇa: "The great saint Narada Muni said: Being pacified in this way by the devotee Prahlada Maharaja with prayers offered from the transcendental platform, Lord Nrsiṁhadeva gave up His anger. Being very kind to Prahlada, who was lying prostrate, offering obeisances, the Lord spoke as follows."

Prabhupada:

sri-narada uvaca
etavad varṇita-guṇo
bhaktya bhaktena nirguṇaḥ;
prahradaṁ praṇataṁ prito
yata-manyur abhaṣata
[SB 7.9.51]

So Nrsiṁhadeva was very angry. Everything is natural. If somebody becomes angry, it takes some time to get out of the anger. So Nrsiṁhadeva was very, very angry because His devotee, Prahlada, was so much treated (indistinct) by his father, it became intolerable. (indistinct) children, they naturally attract the affection of the elder (indistinct). So whatever we see in our dealings within the material world, the same things are there in the spiritual world. Janmady asya yataḥ; [SB 1.1.1]. This affection of the Lord, of the superior person to the inferior children, is natural. So wherefrom this affection comes? It comes from the Supreme Lord. Everything. Yato va imani bhutani jayante. Whatever you see in this material world, same prototype of things are there in the spiritual world. Then what is the difference? The difference is, here everything is polluted, but in the material world..., in the spiritual world, there is no influence of the material qualities. Nirguṇa. This is nirguṇa. Here everything... Prakrteḥ; kriyamaṇani guṇaiḥ; [Bg. 3.27]. Guṇaiḥ; karmaṇi is here.

We should understand what is the difference between material and spiritual. Here in the material world, everything is polluted. What is this material pollution? Qualities, sattva-guṇa, rajo-guṇa, tamo-guṇa. Out of these three guṇas, sattva-guṇa is the best. If one is situated in sattva-guṇa, then there is chance of being promoted to the stage of nirguṇa. The sattva-guṇa is the (indistinct) and ignorance (indistinct) can be found in animals. This is tamo-guṇa. Papa-yoni, this is tamo-guṇa. Then if one is fortunate, he can be situated in the rajo-guṇa. Rajo-guṇa, at least there is some material interest (indistinct). So... But above that, there is sattva-guṇa, to understand things as they are. In this way, when you get full scope for understanding of things as they are, not falsely studying and speculating but proper (indistinct), that is called sattva-guṇa, (Sanskrit). Just like darkness at night, you cannot see anything. That is tamo-guṇa. Then in between the darkness and sunlight, there is a period early in the morning, it is not completely illuminated, but the darkness is not (indistinct). That is the mode of passion. Everyone gets up early in the morning and begins his work. And in the sunshine, one can work very nicely; he can see how nature is situated, how (indistinct). Similarly, one who is dominated by the tamo-guṇa, he is like animal. He is like animal. Taking this body as self, this is tamo-guṇa. Sa eva go-karaḥ;. Yasyatma-buddhiḥ; kuṇape.

So at the present moment we see that (indistinct), they are all in tamo-guṇa because they are taking this body as self. Anyone goes any part of the world, ask him, "Who are you?" He will say, "I am the material body, I am Mr. such and such, I am Russian" or "I am German," "I belong to this family" and so on, "this nation," all the body(?). That is our (indistinct) experience. Nobody knows that he is not this body. This is tamo-guṇa. And you maybe trying to speculate that he is not this body, he is something else. That's a fact. But because out of the influence of the tamo-guṇa, he cannot understand (indistinct). And we have to come to the stage of nirguṇa, even there will be no sattva-guṇa. Here sattva-guṇa, the mode of goodness, is sometimes not (indistinct), they are attracted by the lower qualities, by the rajo-guṇa and tamo-guṇa. Mixed. It becomes mixed. But if you want to become devotee, then you have to overcome even this mixed quality of sattva-guṇa, rajo-guṇa, tamo-guṇa. You have to come to the platform of nirguṇa, no more influenced by the material qualities. That is the bhakti stage, nirguṇa. Therefore, here it is said, bhaktya bhaktena nirguṇaḥ;.

So bhakti is the only platform which is nirguṇa, and from that platform you can please the Supreme Lord. Here it is clearly said, prahradaṁ praṇataṁ prito. You cannot satisfy the Supreme Personality of Godhead from the material platform of rajo-guṇa, tamo-guṇa, sattva-guṇa. That is not possible. You have to come to the platform of bhakti. Bhaktya. And who can come to the platform of bhakti? One who is bhakta. Not the others, namely karmi, jñani, yogi. No. They cannot. It is not possible. Therefore it clearly says here, bhaktya bhaktena. The same thing is confirmed in the Bhagavad-gita. Krṣṇa says, bhaktya mam abhijanati yavan yas casmi tattvataḥ; [Bg. 18.55]. If you want to understand the Supreme Lord, tattvataḥ;, in truth, not in your imagination, "God may be like this, God may be like that," these are all speculation... God the Supreme means isvaraḥ; paramaḥ; krṣṇaḥ; [Bs. 5.1]. Bahunaṁ janmanam ante jñanavan maṁ prapadyate, vasudevaḥ; sarvam iti [Bg. 7.19]. Vasudeva is the origin of everything. This knowledge. Vasudevaḥ; sarvam iti. Nothing else. That conclusion can be achieved when you are nirguṇa, not saguṇa.

So in the spiritual world, it is not void, not impersonal; it has everything exactly like this. There are (indistinct), trees, houses, everything. Cintamaṇi-prakara-sadmasu kalpa-vrkṣa-lakṣavrteṣu surabhir abhipalayantam [Bs. 5.29]. Surabhir abhipalayantam. Prakara-sadmasu kalpa-vrkṣa. This kalpa-vrkṣa, there is tree, but it is not like this tree. A different, kalpa-vrkṣa. From this tree, whatever you want you can get. That is called kalpa-vrkṣa. In the material world, because it is covered by the three guṇas, you can get the mango from the mango tree and the orange from the orange tree, not that any tree you have grown you get both the mango and the orange, that is not. That is there in the spiritual world. Just like if I ask you, "Please bring me a glass of water," you can give me. If I ask you, "Please bring me this little (indistinct)," you can give me. That means because you are spirit soul, whatever I ask from you, you can give me. Spirit soul. Whatever I order, you can supply because you are spirit soul. So the spiritual platform, you can get everything whatever you want. So there is no need of working for something. As soon as you desire, the things are there. That is called nirguṇa. Nirguṇa does not mean it is zero. That is the Mayavadi philosophy. They have no conception of the nirguṇa. Nirguṇa (Sanskrit), it is described in the Bhagavad-gita. Krṣṇa is always nirguṇa. He is not within anything of this material world. But fools and rascals, they cannot understand. They say that God is impersonal; when He comes He takes the help of material energy and gets a body, material body. This is their philosophy. No. Krṣṇa says that "I appear...," sa guṇan atma-mayaya.

These Mayavadis, they cannot understand what is atma-mayaya. Personally, atma-mayaya. Atma-mayaya means spiritual. He does not appear in material form. Those who are rascals and less intelligent, muḍhas, avajananti maṁ muḍha manuṣiṁ tanum asritam... [Bg. 9.11]. "Because I come exactly..." He is also... His form is like man. Dvibhuja, (Sanskrit). Krṣṇa has two hands and Narayaṇa (indistinct) Krṣṇa is always carrying His flute, this is Krṣṇa's lila, form.

veṇuṁ kvaṇantam aravinda-dalayatakṣaṁ
barhavataṁsam asitambuda-sundaraṅgam
kandarpa-koṭi-kaminiya-viseṣa-sobhaṁ
govindam adi...
[Bs. 5.30]

Veṇuṁ kvaṇantam. It is not that I can just imagine the God's form with a flute. No. It is confirmed in the Vedic literature. Veṇuṁ kvaṇantam aravinda-dalayatakṣaṁ barhavataṁsam asitam... This is His original form. It is not the imagination of Mayavadis. No. But they do not know, they cannot understand. God's form can be understood by the devotees only. It is... Krṣṇa is not exposed to anyone except His devotee. Therefore, bhaktya mam abhijanati [Bg. 18.55]. Krṣṇa clearly says, bhaktya mam abhijanati. And these bhaktas, Krṣṇa says, "This bhakta who has fully surrendered unto Me with full knowledge, not blindly," vasudevaḥ; sarvam iti [Bg. 7.19]. When one comes to this platform that Vasudeva is everything, (Sanskrit), simply by worshiping Vasudeva, you can worship everyone, all the demigods. There is no need of worshiping anyone else. Mam ekaṁ saraṇaṁ vraja, only Krṣṇa. This is Vasudeva.

So Prahlada Maharaja is such qualified devotee. Therefore, by his prayer, the Lord immediately became pleased. Pritaḥ;. Pritaḥ;. As soon as one is satisfied, naturally he will come out of(?) his angry mood. This is natural. Pritaḥ; yata-manyur abhaṣata. We can speak very nicely when we are not disturbed in mind or we are not in angry mood. In this way, Prahlada Maharaja was accepted. He was accepted (indistinct), especially by his prayer, which is nirguṇa. (Sanskrit) So we should always remember that nirguṇa means without any material qualities. Material quality is saguṇa, "with the material qualities." So nirguṇa means without any material qualities. So karma, jñana, and yoga, they are all material qualities. Only bhakti is spiritual. Even in that bhakti, if you bring in karma, jñana, or yoga, then it is mixed; it is not pure. Therefore, Rupa Gosvami gives definition of bhakti, anyabhilaṣita-sunyam [Brs. 1.1.11]. Anyabhilaṣita means no more jñana and yoga. If you want to be profited(?), bhakti-yoga or some yogic (indistinct)... The yogis, they (indistinct). If one thinks that because being a bhakta I shall also show some wonderful thing, then it is not nirguṇa, it is saguṇa. If you take it that "I shall become a devotee, I shall get all the material comfort," that is the desire of the karmis, (indistinct). This is mixed up. So long you are mixed up, you will get whatever you desire. Krṣṇa is quite competent to satisfy you in that (indistinct), not very difficult thing for Him. If becoming a bhakta, if you want some material comfort, it is not at all difficult for Krṣṇa, He can give you. But you are cheated. By your asking for material comfort from Krṣṇa, God, by exchange of service, you can get the material comfort, more than you get (indistinct), then you must know you are cheated. You are not cheated by Krṣṇa, but you cheat yourself. Krṣṇa is (indistinct). Whatever you want, He will give you. If you want to be cheated, He will cheat you. This is God. Ye yatha maṁ prapadyante taṁs tathaiva bhajamy aham [Bg. 4.11]. "If you want to be cheated, I will cheat you. If you don't want to be cheated, I will not cheat you." This is (indistinct).

So don't try to be cheated. That will spoil (indistinct). Don't ask anything from Krṣṇa. Simply you have to give everything to Krṣṇa, then that is bhakti. Don't try to take from Krṣṇa in exchange of your service. He can give you immediately. That is not difficult for Him. But don't do that. Prahlada Maharaja was offered, "Prahlada, you take one benediction. You take." Dhruva Maharaja also, he was pure devotee. Dhruva was offered that "If you want the largest kingdom than Brahma, I will create it. (indistinct) You go there, you will enjoy." So he was then very regretful, "How foolish I was. I came to offer my respects to the Supreme Lord for some material exchange." He became very regretful. He said, "My Lord, whatever I (indistinct), it was my ignorance. Now I don't want." (Sanskrit) "It was a mistake that I wanted some material benediction from You." This is pure, nirguṇa. This is nirguṇa. As soon as there is some demand, that is saguṇa, that is not pure. Simply (Sanskrit). Not mixed with (Sanskrit). Not (indistinct) jñana and karma and yoga. (Sanskrit) Bhukti-mukti-siddhi-kami, sakali 'asanta.' Bhukti and mukti, they want some material profit. So Krṣṇa gives. And mukti, liberation, they are wanted by the jñanis, to become free from this material botheration and become one with God. This is also another demand, jñani. So bhukti-mukti, mukti, they want mukti. A devotee doesn't want mukti or bhukti. (Sanskrit) One who is actually devotee, he doesn't care whether he is (indistinct) in the heaven or (indistinct). He doesn't care. He simply wants to serve Krṣṇa, never mind where (indistinct), not even heaven or hell. The same thing, because a devotee does not live either in hell or heaven, he lives in Vaikuṇṭha always. He doesn't care for hell and heaven. Just like Krṣṇa, isvaraḥ; sarva-bhutanaṁ hrd-dese [Bg. 18.61]. He is also lives within the core of the heart of the pig who is eating stool. Does it mean that Krṣṇa is in the stool? No.

So nirguṇa, we have to remain nirguṇa. Then it is bhakti, and by that bhakti you can please Krṣṇa. That is called prema-vilasa. The devotee is eager to please the Lord as He wants. (indistinct) When you are eager to satisfy the senses of Krṣṇa, that is called vilasa. And when you want to satisfy your senses, that is called kama. That is difference between kama and vilasa. So here within the material world, all activities are going on as (indistinct). You can expand. First of all you are satisfied by satisfying your senses. Just like a small child. You give you him something eatable, and immediately he puts it in the mouth. This is satisfaction. He wants to satisfy his senses. When he grows up, he may distribute that eatable to his other brother and sister. So this does not mean you have changed the quality of sense gratification. (indistinct) In the material world we see sometimes you are working for your family. But if you work for the nation, you become a very great man. But what is the basis? The basis is sense gratification. Very big, big politicians, they work for the nation, sacrifice their life, but that exalted politician, it is not nirguṇa, it is saguṇa. You can expand, expand, expand—unless you come to the point of satisfying the senses of Krṣṇa, you are saguṇa. And when you live to satisfy the senses of Krṣṇa, that is nirguṇa, that is (indistinct). In that state, you can satisfy Krṣṇa and your life is successful.

Thank you very much. (end)

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