Srimad Bhagavatam – 11.10.30 | HH Bhanu Swami Maharaj | ISKCON Chennai | April 12, 2021
nama oṁ viṣṇu-pādāya kṛṣṇa-preṣṭhāya bhū-tale
śrīmate bhaktivedānta-svāmin iti nāmine
namas te sārasvate deve gaura-vāṇī-pracāriṇe
nirviśeṣa-śūnyavādi-pāścātya-deśa-tāriṇe
śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanya prabhu-nityānanda
śrī-advaita gadādhara śrīvāsādi-gaura-bhakta-vṛnda
Hare Kṛṣṇa Hare Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Hare Hare
Hare Rāma Hare Rāma Rāma Rāma Hare Hare
Reading from Srimad Bhagavatam Canto 11 Chapter 10 Verse 30.
SB_11.10.30
lokānāṁ loka-pālānāṁ
mad bhayaṁ kalpa-jīvinām
brahmaṇo ’pi bhayaṁ matto
dvi-parārdha-parāyuṣaḥ
Synonyms
lokānām — in all the planetary systems; loka-pālānām — and for all the planetary leaders, such as the demigods; mat — of Me; bhayam — there is fear; kalpa-jīvinām — for those who live for a kalpa, or a day of Brahmā; brahmaṇaḥ — of Lord Brahmā; api — even; bhayam — there is fear; mattaḥ — from Me; dvi-parārdha — two parārdhas, totalling 311,040,000,000,000 years; para — supreme; āyuṣaḥ — whose duration of life.
Translation
In all the planetary systems, from the heavenly to the hellish, and for all of the great demigods who live for one thousand yuga cycles, there is fear of Me in My form of time. Even Brahmā, who possesses the supreme life span of 311,040,000,000,000 years, is also afraid of Me.
Purport
There are many statements throughout Vedic literature proving that even the great demigods fear the time potency of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Even in the heavenly planets there is no relief from the miseries of material life. No conditioned soul can live eternally, as clearly demonstrated by the deaths of Hiraṇyakaśipu and other demons. Since even the demigods fear the time potency of the Personality of Godhead, one may easily conclude that Kṛṣṇa is the Absolute Truth and that He is eternally the supreme controller of everything and everyone. Lord Kṛṣṇa is the only real shelter.
HH Bhanu Swami Maharaj
These verses have been speaking of the temporary nature of the material world and the uselessness of karma yoga to elevate oneself in this world. So one of the main problems is death, and of course, we hate death, and we want to have a very, very long life span, and if possible, no death at all. And sometimes that is called Amrita, no death, and Amrita also means nectar. And the devatās and demons fought for this nectar, and the reason is if they drink this nectar, they can come back to life after dying in the war; however, they are not actually dead, so means that they can recover and prolong their life to some degree. So, therefore, the demons and the devatās aspire to live a very long life. So that Amrita, that cannot make one eternal, but sometimes the Vedic literatures particularly Karma-kāṇḍa they speak of Svarga-loka as the Amrita, with Svarga-loka you become immortal, but that is exaggeration, by going to Svarga-loka you still have to die. By taking the Amrita from the milk ocean, you still have to die. But the longer we can live then this gives us some hope.
So generally, if you have a longer life span, that’s considered to be more fortune. A human being can live a hundred years. That’s considered to be very wonderful. May be as Yuga cycles they live much longer – thousands and thousands or hundred thousands of years. We see that the Manus and their descendants live for thousands and thousands of years. So this is on the earth planet. We find that other living entities they may have a much shorter life span. But on higher planets their life span is much longer. In Svarga-loka, Indra rules for 71 Yuga cycles and above that the inhabitants live longer. The topmost planet is Brahma-loka and Brahma lives for 100 of his years. So that figure is mentioned here in the purport of trillions of years. So definitely that’s considered to be more fortunate than being a human being. But still Brahma also has to give up that material body. So this indicates that no matter where we go in this material world and how long our life span is, eventually we have to give up the material body.
Of course, in the second chapter of the Bhagavad Gita, Krishna consoles Arjuna, actually, you don’t die at all. So you lament death, you take so many bodies in the past and the future, so it doesn’t really matter. This of course, is based on the acceptance that we’re not the body at all, we’re the soul. If we’re more intelligent, then we will realise, that simply going from body to body to body is useless. We should not identify with the body at all. Then we become very peaceful, we don’t fear death. Unfortunately to come to that realisation is very difficult. It is very difficult to give up identity with our material body. So those who strive, they take a long, long time Jnanis and Yogis, just to reach the stage of not identifying with the material body, which takes a long time. But the Jnanis and Yogis feel that that is very valuable, once they do that, they get happiness.
The people on the lower stage of course they don’t even believe in the atma. So all they can do is, try to prolong the body that they are living in. So even in the material world, the human beings they strive to make this body live as long as possible. This is one factor in the happiness, that is not the all factor. Even if you live a long time, you can also be completely depressed. So the scriptures encourage us not just to have long life, but to have other factors that will make us happy. So if we read the Karma scriptures, they will always give blessings for long life, wealth, a nice family, etc. So, the people who are following Karma Kanda or Karma Yoga, then they aspire for these material goals related to the material world. So this striving for material comforts through various factors is encouraged at the lowest level. It is encouraged, but one must do it regularly.
So therefore, we have great glorification of the Grhastha Ashram. So there, one is allowed to enjoy. But it should be regulated. In the other ashrams, the enjoyment is restricted. So the Brahmachari should not wear shoes, should not use umbrella, should not cut his hair, should not wear perfumes, etc. The Vanaprastha sleeps on the earth. He eats roots and fruits from the forest. He wears bark clothing. And the Sannyāsi gives up even more. So, the Grhasthas, among all those four ashrams, Grhasthas are allowed to enjoy. He is encouraged to have a nice house, to have wealth, to have family. However, it is done with regulation. And with the understanding that all of this is temporary. This puts the sense gratification of the Grhastha above just unrestricted sense gratification. However, we know that the system is ultimately rejected as a whole.
So the same result of getting detached from all of these different items like the wealth, family, long life, etc. The same result is achieved by an easier program. And therefore, it is said in the first canto, that Jnanam and Vairagyam, they arise along with the practice. So the process of bhakti has detachment from everything as a natural result. And an understanding that we are not the body, but we are the atma. So this process of detachment can be cultivated by anyone. Therefore, the Grhastha, he can take up the process of bhakti and through that he can reach renunciation and detachment. So, in this way, whatever result one can achieve through karma yoga and jnana yoga and astanga yoga is automatically achieved.
Now, of course, the devotee is detached from everything, but he can also use everything. So, generally, if you are renounced, you should give up everything. ‘Sannyās’ means to reject everything. However, in the process of bhakti, we accept everything. Yet, this produces renunciation. So this is difficult for people to understand. And therefore, people would criticize Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Thakur sometimes. If he used a car or printing press, then people would criticize. If he wore a western overcoat, people would criticize. However, the principle is that, the devotee could use these things, but the devotee also should not become attached to them. If he uses them and becomes attached to them, then he can’t become detached at all. He will become more of a materialist. So, therefore, in the definition of Yukta Vairagya, it says that, everything should be constantly related to Krishna. If we use it for our own enjoyment, it is no longer related to Krishna. Then it becomes anartha. So the devotee is free to use everything, but he also has to be careful.
In any case, the process of bhakti is much more adaptable to all circumstances. We don’t have to change our life completely in order to practice bhakti. But we have to make some small changes. And in this way, it is ideal for the modern world. So, like wealth, it can be used for Krishna. A long lifespan can also be used for Krishna. One can live for the length of Brahma’s life, as long as he serves Krishna. But if one were to live the lifespan of Brahma and not serve the Lord, that would be useless. However, if the Lord makes an arrangement, that cannot happen. If you are a big materialist, you cannot become Brahma. And you cannot go to Brahma-loka. If you want to extend your lifespan, you cannot be a demon. You have to become Deva. So, of course, the Devatās are all devotees. But then again, there are different types of devotees. Some devotees have mixed devotion. Others will have pure devotion.
Pure devotion is the aspiration of the devotees following Caitanya Mahaprabhu. One can be a Devata, one can be in hell, one can live billions of years, one can live 50 years or whatever. Whatever lifespan, the devotee uses that for Krishna. Therefore, lifespan, like wealth and other things, it can be useful for devotional service. Therefore, the Supreme Lord makes an arrangement. I wish His exalted devotees up to the level of Brahma get very, very long lifespans.
Hare Krsna !
Q&A
1.) Maharaj, you mention that long life can also be used in the service of Krishna, however from the aspect of pure devotee, they do not desire to have either a long life or short life, its all upto the will of the Lord, that’s how do they approach Maharaj?
Yeah. Of course, if they have a certain mission to achieve on earth, then they would want to complete that mission first.
2.) Maharaj mentioned about from Srimad Bhagavatam by performance of devotional service, Jnanam and Vairagyam as a byproduct, but when a group of devotees come together as a family and perform devotional service, the level of progression is different to that extent, the detachment and knowledge is also varying, Maharaj. So in that sense, there is a kind of possible mismatch among the members.
HH Bhanu Swami Maharaj: So what’s the question?
Devotee: So there is a challenge in that, because, everyone is at a different level, even amongst a family of five, six people. And then, everyone’s knowledge and detachment and their attraction to Krishna varies. So, there is a kind of mismatch, Maharaj, in progression, because one has to slow down or one has to cope up or something like that.
HH Bhanu Swami Maharaj: Everyone progresses at their own speed, according to their natures and whatever, and their background of bhakti. And we have to tolerate the differences with other persons. Of course, more important than the detachment part is the attachment to Krishna. So if we encourage that, then naturally, the other things like detachment and knowledge will also arise automatically.
3.) Where does the current Manu live?
I just mentioned, I think, that Vaivasvatha Manvantara Manu, that Manu, he’s living in one of the other Varshas above, on the top, on Bhu-mandala.
4.) Kali Yuga people are not even ready to take up the simple process of Nama Sankirtan. In such a condition, what is the hope for deliverance from this material world?
If they can’t take it up directly, then all we can do is expose them, that’s all, Nothing.
5.) Maharaj, so in this material world, people do not like to have a temporary house, temporary transport, or a car, or a temporary anything for that matter, Maharaj. But when it comes to this body, where they have an opportunity for an eternal body, there seems to be no inclination towards that. Why is that, Maharaj?
Well, they would like an eternal body in the material world with an eternal car, an eternal house. But if they want to give everything to Krishna, that is difficult. But that’s the only way you get an eternal body and an eternal place.
6.) Maharaj, isn’t staying in Grhastha life an austerity? Because there are so many compromises we make to ensure that we take everyone along in bhakti. Example, Brahmachari doesn’t need to compromise much in sadhana. Like working in a corporate world in such an austerity to deal with so many materialistic people.
Well, yes, automatically, as a Grhastha, one has to accept some austerity. Along with every advantage, you have disadvantages. Along with their limited sense gratification, Grhastha life, they have all these other inconveniences. So as long as we’re in the material world, there will always be inconvenience. So the Grhastha may think, well, it’s better to be renounced and then I won’t have these people. But still, even in sannyāsa ashram or any other ashram, there are inconveniences. So as long as one is in the material world, there will always be inconvenience. Still have the botheration of the body and the mind and the weather and so many other things. So as long as one is in the material world, even as the highest devotee. Material world will give problem. So the advice that Krishna gives in Bhagavad Gita is, tolerate !
7.) Maharaj mentioned that we don’t need to change ashram and even Grahastha can adapt bhakti. But Prabhupad told once for Grahastha less chance to go back to God head compared to the other ashrams. How to understand this Maharaj?
That’s the general view as far as the Varnashram system. So sannyāsi is the one that gets liberation. However, with the process of bhakti, this changes. And therefore, Lord Caitanya didn’t necessarily emphasize the sannyāsa ashram over the other ashram. He just encouraged them all to take up the process of chanting. And whatever situation they are in, they just simply perform sankirtan and progress in that.
8.) We say simple living and high thinking but to apply in a day to day life, is not so easy for devotees staying in modern cities.
Well, as I said in practicing bhakti, we have to be careful that people may become too attatched and use all the objects for our own sense gratification. As much as possible we try to use everything for Krishna.
9.) Maharaj, you mentioned in another class to practice Raghanuga bhakti, Grahastha ashram may not be suitable. How to understand this Maharaj?
Of course we will see it after Lord Chaitanya. Most of the devotees there were Grhastha and they were all practicing Raghanuga bhakti. But a lot of the practice is internal. It requires a lot of meditation. So to reach that level of internal worship and meditation, it takes some practice. It may be difficult for the Grhastha to implement that in his life, in the modern world especially.
It appears in Lord Caitanya’s time, all those Grhastha had plenty of time. They would all march off to Puri for four months. So they didn’t have problems of no time. But in the modern world, everybody is struggling to make a little bit of time.
Devotee: Thank you Maharaj.
HH Bhanu Swami Maharaj: Hare Krishna !
Devotees: Grantharaj Srimad Bhagavatam ki jai!!! HH Bhanu Swami Maharaj ki jai!!! HDG AC Bhakti Vedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada ki jai!!!