Srimad Bhagavatam – 1.18.35 | HH Bhanu Swami Maharaj | ISKCON Chennai | Dec 09, 2025
Om Namo Bhagavate Vāsudevāya
Om Namo Bhagavate Vāsudevāya
Om Namo Bhagavate Vāsudevāya
nama om vishnu-padaya krishna-preshthaya bhu-tale
srimate bhaktivedanta-svamin iti namine
namas te sarasvate deve gaura-vani-pracharine
nirvishesha-shunyavadi-pashchatya-desha-tarine
jaya sri-krishna-chaitanya
prabhu nityananda
sri-adwaita gadadhara
shrivasadi-gaura-bhakta-vrinda
Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare
Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare
Reading from Srimad Bhagavatam Canto 1 Chapter 18 Verse 35.
ŚB 1.18.35
कृष्णे गते भगवति शास्तर्युत्पथगामिनाम् ।
तद्भिन्नसेतूनद्याहं शास्मि पश्यत मे बलम् ॥ ३५ ॥
kṛṣṇe gate bhagavati
śāstary utpatha-gāminām
tad bhinna-setūn adyāhaṁ
śāsmi paśyata me balam
Synonyms
kṛṣṇe — Lord Kṛṣṇa; gate — having departed from this world; bhagavati — the Personality of Godhead; śāstari — the supreme ruler; utpatha-gāminām — of those who are upstarts; tat bhinna — being separated; setūn — the protector; adya — today; aham — myself; śāsmi — shall punish; paśyata — just see; me — my; balam — prowess.
Translation
After the departure of Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the Personality of Godhead and supreme ruler of everyone, these upstarts have flourished, our protector being gone. Therefore I myself shall take up this matter and punish them. Just witness my power.
Purport
The inexperienced brāhmaṇa, puffed up by a little brahma-tejas, became influenced by the spell of Kali-yuga. Mahārāja Parīkṣit gave license to Kali to live in four places as mentioned hereinbefore, but by his very expert government the personality of Kali could hardly find the places allotted him. The personality of Kali-yuga, therefore, was seeking the opportunity to establish authority, and by the grace of the Lord he found a hole in the puffed-up, inexperienced son of a brāhmaṇa. The little brāhmaṇa wanted to show his prowess in destruction, and he had the audacity to punish such a great king as Mahārāja Parīkṣit. He wanted to take the place of Lord Kṛṣṇa after His departure. These are the principal signs of upstarts who want to take the place of Śrī Kṛṣṇa under the influence of the Age of Kali. An upstart with a little power wants to become an incarnation of the Lord. There are many false incarnations after the departure of Lord Kṛṣṇa from the face of the globe, and they are misleading the innocent public by accepting the spiritual obedience of the general mass of people to maintain false prestige. In other words, the personality of Kali got the opportunity to reign through this son of a brāhmaṇa, Śṛṅgi.
HH Bhanu Swami Maharaj:
So, in the previous verses, we have seen that Srngi heavily criticized the action of Pariksit. Of course, we have seen that Pariksit did act improperly. But in general, in all of other activities, he had no fault at all. And in his criticism, the son of the brahmana talks about the insult that the king gave to his father. So the kings are the servants of the brahmanas. And the king therefore should not behave like this and put a snake around the brahmana’s neck. So, for that one action which is actually arranged by the Supreme Lord, Srngi became very angry. So, on one hand, yes, Pariksit had done some wrong, but then, if we examine Srngi, we also see that he has fault. We see that his father did not react in the same way. The son, on the other hand, just as Pariksit became angry, the son of the brahmana also became angry. And of course, he shouldn’t, because as a son of a brahmana, he should be very tolerant. So then why did he act in this way?
So in the purport, Prabhupada gives an explanation. And he says that this Srngi became influenced by Kali. We know that when Pariksit was reigning, Kali Yuga had no place to stay. But gradually, we see that influence of Kali began to increase. So, this is one sign of that increase of the influence of Kali. Of course, we would expect that the influence of Kali would be upon the sudras and the vaishyas, the lower gunas. But the nature of Kali Yuga is that it affects everybody. And thus it is also said in the scriptures that in Kali Yuga, nobody is really born as a brahmana, everybody is born as a sudra. There is no automatic qualification because of birth. Of course, whatever you are born as, by your education and your activities, you can manifest different types of qualities. But of course, the nature of Kali Yuga itself is to influence everything, including education, conduct, etc. So apart from birth being meaningless, it’s also very difficult for anyone to start cultivating brahminical qualities.
Although the father was a very proper brahmana, the son was inexperienced and he showed anger. And then this took the form of a curse on Pariksit Maharaj. So Prabhupada also explains in the purport that boy also was proud of his power. And this insult to his father gave him a chance to display that power. So he had anger, he also had pride. So, as a result, then this boy also acted in an unbecoming manner. Of course, that is to be expected in Kali Yuga. Everyone acts in the lowest manner. Here in Bhagavatam, it’s also described, in Kali Yuga, everybody is agitated. And slightest opportunity, they will show all sorts of faults. So thus, it is not surprising that this boy showed these faults because of the influence of Kali. If we look at the broad picture of course, we know that Kali Yuga begins, it cannot be prevented. This is also an arrangement of the Lord.
But this type of arrangement of the Yugas is not an irregular arrangement. We see a gradual destruction of qualities from Satya to Treta to Dvapara to Kali. And what this illustrates is that with time, everything gets destroyed. Brahma creates a material world, then it gets destroyed. After one day, there is a partial destruction. At the end of Brahma’s lifetime, there is a complete destruction. But within the day of Brahma, divided into 14 parts, after every Manvantara, there is also a partial destruction. And within each Manvantara, there are 71 rotations of Yugas and they also go down to destruction, from Satya to Kali, so Kali is the most destroyed part. However, the Supreme Lord restores everything, so after Kali Yuga, suddenly Satya Yuga appears.
So, this arrangement takes place every 4 million years. So we see repeated creation and destruction on smaller scales and bigger scales. Of course, within the Yugas, then we have even smaller destructions, that is, of the bodies themselves, bodies are born, bodies die, bodies are born, bodies die. So, this is actually one of the topics of Bhagavatam, Nirodha, destruction. And there it’s described there are four types of destruction: Destruction of each body; Destruction at the end of Brahma’s day; And the final destruction, Pralaya, at the end of Brahma’s life; There is another destruction, which is quite different. That is, if you practice spiritual life, you get out of the material world, that’s it, finished, no more material world. But as long as we don’t practice spiritual life and get out of the material world, then we are subject to all of these cycles of creation and destruction. And what is the purpose of all of this? It is to show that all living entities, from the smallest creatures up to Brahma, who lives for so long, it’s all destructible. And it’s all relative.
We may think Brahma’s life is very, very long. But for Brahma, it’s not so long, it’s just 100 years. We look at some insects, they only live for a few hours or a few days. But that’s their 100 years. So, therefore this cycle of creation, destruction is inbuilt into the material world. And why? It’s to show the human being that this world is not a place to stay in. Nobody likes the destruction. But destruction is inevitable on all levels. So thus we have Kali Yuga coming, it cannot be prevented, it’s just the nature of time that things gradually decrease. But at the end of Kali Yuga, then the Lord restores everything, and we’re back to Satya Yuga again. So, within these situations, the human being has to realize that creation, destruction is not favourable for the Jiva. But in spite of the different Yugas with their gradually decreasing qualities etc., the Lord makes arrangements for the Jivas.
So thus the Lord appears in every Yuga as the Yuga avatar. And what is the purpose of the avatar? He teaches the method to get out of the material world completely. So whether it is Satya Yuga or Kali Yuga, the Jivas have opportunity to get out. So in this way, human beings should not complain that they’re born in Kali Yuga. And in fact, Bhagavatam says that even the Devatas, they’re praying to be born in Kali Yuga. If they’re born in Kali Yuga, they get the opportunity to do Nama Sankirtana and very easily get into the spiritual world. So thus Bhagavatam says that Kali Yuga is full of faults, definitely true. But the one good quality is Nama Sankirtana. And that negates all of the faults. So therefore, no one in Kali Yuga should complain. In any case, here we see, yes, gradually, this is the beginning of Kali Yuga, gradually the faults begin to appear. And we cannot really cure the situation by trying to make nice brahmanas. We see here, brahmana’s son contaminated. So, we can make all sorts of attempts to prevent Kali, but Kali Yuga will spread. So the only solution is spiritual solution. And the spiritual solution for Kali Yuga is Nama Sankirtana. So this is the solution given in Srimad Bhagavatam.
So the sages ask the question, now that Krishna has gone and Dharma has also gone, what do the people of Kali Yuga do? And the answer given here is that Bhagavatam has arisen for the people of Kali Yuga in place of Krishna. But then what is the message of Srimad Bhagavatam? Of course, it is, worship Krishna. But how do we worship Krishna? And the answer is Sankirtana Yajna. So, Krishna has given a very simple solution to solve this problem of Kali Yuga. And this will solve all the problems. And that can happen on an individual level. We cannot prevent the progress of Kali Yuga. But the individuals can practice Nama Sankirtana to individually prevent the influence. So in this way, the Supreme Lord does not abandon the people of Kali Yuga. Rather, He gives them some advantage. Sankirtana is the easiest method. The people are the most disqualified. So, Krishna gives the easiest method for them.
Of course, 1000 times in the day of Brahma, we have Kali Yuga. And each time, the Lord appears and He gives Nama Sankirtana as the solution. However, our Kali Yuga is very special. The usual Yuga avatar is a Saktyavesa avatar. Why? Because scripture says, the Lord does not appear in Kali Yuga, therefore, Saktyavesa avatar, a Jiva, appears. So that Saktyavesa avatar spreads Nama Sankirtana. But this particular Kali Yuga in the 28th cycle of Vaivasvata Manvantara is special. In this cycle, Saktyavesa avatar does not appear, Lord Chaitanya appears. So Lord Chaitanya is not a Saktyavesa avatar. And He is not just a regular avatar also. He is non-different from Krishna, who is avatari, source of all avatars. So therefore, this Kali Yuga is very special, because we have a very special form of the Lord. He is not a Saktyavesa avatar, He is not avatar, He is also avatari. But then, how do we fulfill the prediction, or Lord only appears in three Yugas? So, though Chaitanya Mahaprabhu is avatari, a very very special form of the Lord, He covers Himself, becomes ‘Channa’, and He acts like an ordinary human being. So, the Yuga avatar for our Kali Yuga is very, very special.
The usual colour of the Kali Yuga avatar is black. But, the Yuga avatar this time is not black, He is golden yellow. So, why yellow? Yellow because He is avatari, same as Krishna, but covered, human in form, and with the mood of Radha. So Radha is golden because of her Prema. And Chaitanya Mahaprabhu has the mood of Radha, He also becomes golden. And He acts as the devotee of the Lord, to be ‘Channa’, to be covered. But, internally, He is actually Krishna. So, in Chaitanya Caritamrta, it is explained, internally, He is Krishna, externally, He is like Radha. Or, we can say, He is a combination of Radha and Krishna. So, this is the unique form that appears in Kali Yuga. And this makes this Kali Yuga very special. Of course, like the usual Yuga avatar in Kali Yuga, He spreads Nama Sankirtana.
But, this Kirtan is also related to Radha and Krishna. And thus, ‘Hare’ is Radha, and ‘Krishna and Rama’ are Krishna. So, the special mercy of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu is, not only He gives Yuga Dharma, Nama Sankirtana. But through that Nama Sankirtana of Radha and Krishna’s names, one can realize the love of Radha and Krishna. So that is the topmost realization in the spiritual world. We have on the cover of Bhagavatam here, see (Maharaj showing the cover page of Canto 1, Srimad Bhagavatam) Radha and Krishna in the centre of the lotus on top of the spiritual world. So, we have material world there, with Mahavishnu, etc., and we have all spiritual worlds, with all the different forms of the Lord in their separate Lokas. But the highest planet is Goloka. And then in Goloka, at the very top we have Radha and Krishna. So, this is the topmost position in the spiritual world. And we are in Kali Yuga, in the material world.
So, very difficult for the people of Kali Yuga to get that highest realization. But we attain it through mercy of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and Harinama Sankirtana. Therefore, you see in the picture, (Maharaj showing the cover page of Canto 1, Srimad Bhagavatam) Radha and Krishna right next down here is Chaitanya Mahaprabhu with Kirtan party. We do Nama Sankirtana like Chaitanya Mahaprabhu in the material world, we get to that spiritual world. So, this makes our Kali Yuga especially attractive.
Hare Krsna!
Q & A:
1.) Maharaj, you have explained in the beginning of the class that there’s four kinds of pralaya. nitya, naimittika, prākṛtika, ātyantika. So, now question is that, the nitya pralaya, we see it is happening every moment and naimittika is Brahma’s day and prākṛtika is end of the Brahma’s day and Brahma’s life. And ātyantika means they are free from the subtle and gross body. So now, what way we need to categorize this, that manvatara, there is, after every Manu, there is a pralaya. After every Manu, there is some pralaya happening. So, what category do you put it? In whose category? Pralaya.
We have a description of Matsya appearing when there was a flood, so it’s similar to that after each manvantara period. And each time, Matsya saves the people and the plants and the animals etc, and the sages and then they start over again [Laughs].
Devotee: Both pralayas?
HH Bhanu Swami Maharaj: Yeah, that’s not included there in that form. Of course, there is also some discrepancy. Sridhara Swami says, doesn’t appear every manvantara, but Jiva Goswami quoting purana, I think, which purana? Vishnu dharma I think, Vishnu dharma says, there is after every manvantara. Controversy [Laughs].
2.) Maharaj see, this getting cursed by Sringi, it was the arrangement of the Lord. So, the whole history if we see, that Bhagavatam has to be revealed through the Parikshit Maharaj. But here Sringi is the instrument to appear, you can see. So, is there any fault in the part of Sringi? Is there any fault?
So, in one sense we can say he has no fault because he is also part of this plan for Srimad Bhagavatam to be spoken and therefore he has to get, Parikshit has to get cursed and then Sukadeva comes to recite. So, in one sense also you know, arrangement of the Lord is there also.
Devotee: [Not audible].
HH Bhanu Swami Maharaj: No, we can say that that’s arrangement of the Lord also [Laughs].
3.) Hare Krishna Maharaj. You mentioned that only Shaktyavesa avatar appears in kali yuga. What about Ramanujacharya? Is he Shaktyavesa avatar or Lord himself, Ramanujacharya?
Yeah, he is considered to be like Lakshmana. Which would be, which form? Aniruddha, Pradyumna or Sankarshana? Sankarshana, like Sankarshana. Adisesha. Or he also considered to be Shaktyavesa avatar.
4.) Hare Krishna Maharaj. Maharaj, we heard during the class that kali yuga, the people, they are born sudras. So, now our mindset is so bad and then at the end of kali yuga, then everybody dies and then next satya yuga starts. So, how do we get brahminical people in satya yuga?
So, near the end of Kali Yuga, Kalki appears and He kills all the demoniac people. After that, there is a yuga sandhi or a period between end of kali yuga and beginning of satya yuga. So, that’s like the rest period. Everything gradually gets a little bit restored and then we have satya yuga and suddenly we see that brahmanas appear and they’re qualified or whatever and most people are brahminical. How it happens is the arrangement of the Lord [Laughs]. So, the Lord arranges in time that in satya yuga, sattva guna becomes prominent. As a result of sattva guna being prominent, then the human beings born are brahminical.
5.) Maharaj, my next question is, in this Sringi’s case, can we say that he was not acting as a brahmana but as a kshatriya because he could not take that insult of his father and he gets into cursing mood?
Well, we see both rajo guna and tamo guna and anger is tamo guna, rajo guna is, you know, anger. I mean, this pride.
6.) Maharaj, in third chapter of Bhagavad Gita where Krishna says that one should act according to his own nature, even if imperfectly, rather than doing somebody else’s nature perfectly. So, can we give this example of Sringi there?
So, acting according to nature, of course, is related to the varna. And according to that varna, then certain activities are permitted. So, the brahmana is supposed to be in sattva guna. So, he should display sattva guna qualities. And therefore, rajo guna and tamo guna should not manifest. If uncontrollably, he becomes prominently rajasic or tamasic, then he is no longer a brahmana. And then he has to act according to different rules for those particular varnas.
7.) Thank you Maharaj. Maharaj one last question. We have heard in your classes Maharaj that, the Gaudiya Vaishnavas if they perfect, if they go to spiritual world, then they are into Krishna lila and Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s pastimes. So now my question is Maharaj, that we also worship Jagannath, we also worship Narasimha Dev, we also sometimes worship Rama, Sita, Lakshmana, Hanuman. So, then where in all we will go if we perfect, Maharaj?
In Nectar of Devotion, there is one type of santa rasa described there. And in that santa rasa, one does not steadily worship one form, one temporarily worships all different forms. So, one day you worship Rama, the next day you worship Krishna, the next day you worship Varaha, like this. That’s called saanta because it’s quite weak in one sense, a little bit of everything. So, that is why in general, within a sampradaya, they encourage you to worship one form. And Lord Caitanya is mainly emphasizing Radha Krishna.
8.) Hare Krishna Maharaj. You were explaining how Lord is called triyuga. So, it is primarily because when it is referring to the incarnation of the Lord, not to the shaktyavesa avatar?
Yeah, so, the Lord is called triyuga, means the Lord appears in three yugas. But then of course, we have yuga avatars, one for each yuga, including kali yuga. So, how do we account for the kalli yuga avatar? So, then the solution is, a jiva, who in one sense is an avatar, but at the same time is an avatar [Laughs]. So, this is a way of compromising that situation.
9.) Maharaj, when the ceremony is happening, I think namakarana samskara is happening for Krishna, Gargamuni is explaining that Lord appears in four colors. But these colors are swapped in this particular cycle. The dark, black color appeared in dwapara and golden appeared in kali yuga. The usual color of the yuga avatar in kali yuga is dark, black. But when Gargamuni was talking about the colors, he said that black and yellow. Black appeared in dwapara, Lord Krishna.
Oh, I see. Gargamuni he was talking about?
Devotee: Yes.
HH Bhanu Swami Maharaj: So, that verse is used to show that the kali yuga avatar is golden or pita. So, when he says pita, and then he says now, He is kṛṣṇatam gata. Now, He is Krishna and next He will be pita, yellow. In other puranas and even I think Jiva Goswami mentions that the usual color for the dwapara yuga avatar is green.
10.) Hare Krishna Maharaj, what will happen at the end of one day of Brahma and one night of Brahma?
At the end of the day, the water rises up and covers svargaloka. So, the upper planets remain, they are not completely destroyed. However, everyone goes to sleep [Laughs]. And when Brahma wakes up, then he has to risk, the water goes down, he has to put all the planets in the proper places and then all the living beings go back to their planetary systems.
11.) What punishment did Sringi get?
That is not mentioned any punishment for Sringi.
Hare Krishna.
Devotees: Grantharaj Srimad Bhagavatam ki jai!!! HH Bhanu Swami Maharaj ki jai!!! Srila Prabhupada ki jai!!