Srīmad bhāgavatam – 11.11.5 | HH Bhānu Swāmī Mahāraj | ISKCON Chennai | April 26, 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 śrīmad bhāgavatam Canto 11 Chapter 11 Verse 8.
SB 11.11.5
atha baddhasya muktasya
vailakṣaṇyaṁ vadāmi te
viruddha-dharmiṇos tāta
sthitayor eka-dharmiṇi
Synonyms
atha — thus; baddhasya — of the conditioned soul; muktasya — of the liberated Personality of Godhead; vailakṣaṇyam — different characteristics; vadāmi — I will now speak; te — unto you; viruddha — opposing; dharmiṇoḥ — whose two natures; tāta — My dear Uddhava; sthitayoḥ — of the two who are situated; eka-dharmiṇi — in the one body which manifests their different characteristics.
Translation
Thus, My dear Uddhava, in the same material body we find opposing characteristics, such as great happiness and misery. That is because both the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is eternally liberated, as well as the conditioned soul are within the body. I shall now speak to you about their different characteristics.
Purport
In verse 36 of the previous chapter, Uddhava inquired about the different symptoms of liberated and conditioned life. Śrīla Śrīdhara Svāmī explains that the characteristics of bondage and liberation may be understood in two divisions — as the difference between the ordinary conditioned soul and the eternally liberated Personality of Godhead, or as the difference between conditioned and liberated living entities in the Jīva category. The Lord will first explain the difference between the ordinary living entity and the Supreme Personality of Godhead, which may be understood as the difference between the controlled and the controller.
HH Bhanu Swami Maharaj
So here we’ll find a discussion of the difference between the Jīva and the Supreme Lord. As explained in the purport, we have two explanations, One is the difference between the Jīva and the Supreme Lord. The other is the difference between the Jīva in bondage and Jīva in liberation. So, the Lord is ever-liberated, and the Jīva has the two states because he’s taṭastha – in bondage or liberation.So, the liberated Jīva and the Supreme Personality of Godhead, they’re quite similar. But there are also differences.
However, the difference between the Supreme Lord and the liberated Jīva and the Jīva in bondage is quite different. So, the Jīva in the material world is quite different from the Jīva in the spiritual world. At the same time, we say the Jīva and the Supreme Lord are similar. So that similarity takes place in the spiritual world. So there, the Jīva has an eternal spiritual body and has eternal bliss. The Supreme Lord has an eternal body and also eternal bliss. But the Jīva in the material world has got a temporary material body and he does not have eternal bliss. He gets material happiness. So the similarity of the Jīva with the Supreme Lord is very prominent in the spiritual world.
However, there are differences. So, the scriptures describe that though there are many similarities, the Lord also is different from the Jīva and that difference is never removed. We see in Nectar of Devotion, there Rūpa Goswāmi outlines how the Jīva has 50 qualities and viṣṇu has 60 qualities and kṛṣṇa has 64 qualities. So, the Jīva with 50 qualities cannot suddenly manifest 60 qualities like viṣṇu. So this indicates that the Jīva as taṭastha , is always taṭastha. Of course if we examine the qualities of Viṣṇu that make him different from the Jīva, we’ll see that the Supreme Lord manifests all the material worlds, he’s the source of all avatars. These are things that the Jīva does not do, even if he’s in liberated state. Jīva is always an Amśa, that means he is dependent upon the Supreme Lord.
So the Jīva in the spiritual world, in spite of having these differences, also due to the mercy of the Lord has great similarity. The closer the similarity, the more bliss. Therefore, in Goloka with kṛṣṇa, the similarity is the most and therefore the bliss is the most. So, though at times the people of Goloka recognize the greatness of kṛṣṇa, their usual mode of behaviour is to see Kṛṣṇa as their relative and friend. And because of that similarity of qualities and forms, that friendship becomes very strong. And furthermore, Kṛṣṇa does not display his powers all the time. And furthermore, Kṛṣṇa does not display his powers all the time. So therefore the relationship of love can be very intense and intimate.
If there is more difference, then the relationship is also not more intense and of course in the material world, the difference between the Jīva is very great. So, we have very little relationship with the Lord. So, it is very important to make the distinctions between the Jīva and the Supreme Lord. Without that distinction, we cannot have Bhakti. At the same time, if we emphasize the difference too much, then the relationship of Bhakti also becomes weakened. The basis of our Bhakti of course is to recognize the difference. But in cultivating Bhakti, particularly in cultivating Bhakti with kṛṣṇa, then we do not emphasize the differences so much.
Of course we have two modes of Bhakti. In sādhana we have Vaidhi Bhakti and Rāgānuga Bhakti. So, in Vaidhi Bhakti we emphasize the difference. And therefore, we have more respect. In Rāgānuga Bhakti the difference becomes minimized and therefore the aspect of Kṛṣṇa’s greatness disappears and the Bhakti can be more intense. But in either case, whether it is in Vaidhi Bhakti or Rāgānuga Bhakti, there is an implicit understanding of the difference between the Lord and the devotee. That is the only way in which the devotee can serve us. So, from the beginning of Bhakti, this is also emphasized. So, therefore we serve the Lord. So that means we are separate, the Lord is separate. And through this we establish a relationship of Bhakti with the Lord. So even though one may practice Rāgānuga in which the relationship is more intimate, that service to the Lord is never given up. One continues to serve the Lord. So, the difference between the Lord and the devotee is always implicit in all types of Bhakti and for that reason we have a discussion of philosophy.
So even Rāgānuga is based upon philosophy. First, we have to admit the difference between the Lord and the Jīva. Once we accept that difference, then we can do either Vaidhi Bhakti or Rāgānuga Bhakti. The difference is implicit in all types of Bhakti. Although we have different vaiṣṇava Sampradayas, all of the vaiṣṇava Sampradayas agree that Jīva is different from the Supreme and that Jīva never becomes the Supreme Lord. So, this is a fundamental difference. So, the Jīva is different from the Supreme Lord.
Then we have another difference. The Jīva’s may be in bondage or in liberation. So that is the discussion of this chapter. The Jīva cannot claim that I am already liberated. Life at material world is completely different from life in spiritual world. We have Jīva’s in bondage and ignorance and they are quite different from the Jīva’s in the spiritual world. Now of course, whether one has a Jīva in the material world or spiritual world, there are common characters. So thus the Jīva in liberation, still he remains the taṭastha śaktī and he does not give up that possession. So whether one is in the material world or the spiritual world, that quality remains. taṭastha śaktī never becomes the Supreme Lord , nor does he become the cit śaktī, Nor does he become the Māyā śaktī. He remains in that position of taṭastha śaktī at all times.
But in spite of that, we have two very different conditions. The Jīva in bondage and the Jīva in liberation. How can they be so different? So, this difference is, we could say, not an intrinsic difference like different types of Jīvas. But the difference manifested by through Bhakti and the mercy of the Lord. So, in the previous chapter, we discussed how the Jīva in the material world has a material body and is covered by ignorance and that Jīva experiences birth and death because of material bodies. That is completely absent in the spiritual world. But the Jīva remains the same. So how the change takes place? The change takes place simply by a change of consciousness of the Jīva. So, by a change of consciousness, the condition of the Jīva can be completely different – opposite.
We can say that the process of changing that consciousness from material consciousness to spiritual consciousness is the process of Bhakti. So, we find that this Bhakti Yoga process is very, very astonishing. It completely transforms the Jīva. Of course, as Lord caitanya says, the Jīva changes its nature from having kāma to having prema. So, the Jīva never changes, but the content of the Jīva, that is, his consciousness changes. Another way of saying it is in the material world, the Jīva is bahirmukha and in the spiritual world, it is antarmukha. In the material world, the Jīva is turned away from the Lord and is trying to get enjoyment from material energy. In the spiritual world, the Jīva is facing the Lord and simply serves the Lord. So, all this is because the Jīva changes his consciousness.
That change takes place by practice. The Jīva in the material world is called in bondage or conditioned. That means that the Jīva has very strong habits and because the Jīva has these habits birth after birth, it is very difficult to get rid of them. Therefore, to get rid of those bad habits, we have to have practice. We have to have repetition. As in the material world, to learn something new, you have to repeat it over and over. That’s why children are taught to repeat things over and over. That way they learn it. So, in the same way, the Jīva has to learn new habits. And of course, those new habits are all directed toward the Lord for prema.
So that process of producing new habits is that process of sādhana. By this means, the Jīva transforms. So, it is just a change of consciousness. A consciousness in which one is turned away from the Lord and self-centered, selfish and in this transformed state, the Jīva faces the Lord and is full of love for the Lord. So, these are the two conditions of Jīva and how to change.
Q&A
1.) Mahārāj, you mentioned that the Jīva in the spiritual world, the more it is similar, the more the bliss is. On one side, the nature of the Jīva is “jivera svarūpa hoi nityera kṛṣṇa dās” the more it is servant, that’s the nature of the Jīva. But here we see the more it is similar; the bliss is more. How to understand this contradiction?
Well, by nature, yes – the Jīva is a dāsa, a servant of Lord.
If we have great prominence of that mood, then we end up in vaikuṇṭha. Although we are naturally servants of the Supreme Lord by our nature or svarūpa, still with Kṛṣṇa, over that aspect, we have other relationships become very prominent. Those relationships do not give prominence to just the idea, ‘I am the servant of the Lord’. And the emphasis is more on the loving relationship.
Of course, in any type of loving relationship, one wants to give to the object of love. So, in that sense, there is always some Dāsya of some sort in relationship. However, the people of Vṛndāvan, though they have this desire always to serve Kṛṣṇa, it is not influenced by respect and reverence, which will interfere with their love. The fear of Kṛṣṇa does not interfere with their love.
2.) Similarities like same form of the Lord also makes the bliss more intense. We see the forms of Gopīs are completely different from that of the Lord. Still their bliss is the highest. How to understand this ?
When I say similar, I don’t mean exactly the same form. But at least in Vṛndāvan, everybody is cowherd. And therefore the wives of the Brāḥmanas could not have a relationship with Kṛṣṇa in Vṛndāvan. And therefore Lakṣmī cannot join the rāsalīlā. So in order to join the rāsalīlā, you do have to have a cowherd type form.
3.) Mahārāj, we are often told to consider ourselves the servant of the servant of the servant. Wouldn’t that create a lot of distance from the Lord, since direct service seems to be missing when one becomes servant of servant.
By nature, of course, in all types of bhakti, we want to serve. And the higher we go in bhakti, the more we consider ourselves inferior. In that sense, we become servant of the servant of the servant. However, at the same time, we can say that the Gopīs will have that type of attitude. That does not interfere with their intimacy with Kṛṣṇa.
4.) Kṛṣṇa is unlimited and Jīva is limited. However, as discussed, Jīva can manifest 50 qualities. śiva can manifest 55, Viṣṇu 60. Apparently Kṛṣṇa qualities amounting to 64 seems to be limited. How do you understand this Maharaj?
Well, numbers of course are limitations by nature. But Rūpa Goswāmi enumerates just for easy understanding. Obviously, no one can enumerate kṛṣṇa’s qualities.
Similarly, the spiritual world is unlimited, but then we say it is three times the size of the material realm. So that is just to give us an understanding that it is much greater than the material realm.
5.) In our Sampradāya, Kṛṣṇa is the source of incarnations. But in other Sampradāyas, like śrī Sampradāya, Viṣṇu is considered to be the source of incarnations. Can we reconcile by saying that since material world is under control of Mahā Viṣṇu, all incarnations have to come to material world through Mahā Viṣṇu. So, in that sense, Viṣṇu is also the source of incarnation ?
It is said, that is one of the qualities of Viṣṇu distinguishing from śiva or Jīvas. But at the same time, all the forms of Lord are eternal and they are all in the spiritual world. So, we cannot say that one creates the other. So therefore, Kṛṣṇa does not create Viṣṇu.
But the one Lord is distinguished in different forms and in different forms, different amounts of qualities are manifested. Otherwise, it wouldn’t be different forms. So that form of Kṛṣṇa manifests more spiritual qualities than all the other forms.
6.) Maharaj, in the last few classes, you had mentioned Jīva has a portion of cit śakti in Prema. Can we say, is it like a localized Paramātma accompanying each Jīva in the material world? Paramātma is neutral here whereas cit śaktī in Prema is possessive. So no fall down?
Well, the function of Paramatma is quite different. He witnesses and permits the Jīvas activities in the material world.
Devotee: Thank you, Maharaj. Hare Kṛṣṇa,
Devotees: Grantharaj Srimad Bhagavatam ki jai!!! HH Bhanu Swami Maharaj ki jai!!! Srila Prabhupada ki jai!!! Nitai Gaura premanande Hari Haribol!!!