Bhagvatam:- If one desires all opulences, his duty is to daily worship Lord Vishnu with His wife, Lakshmi. With great devotion one should worship Him according to the above-mentioned process. Lord Vishnu and the goddess of fortune are an immensely powerful combination, 2nd Sept

Bhagvatam:- If one desires all opulences, his duty is to daily worship Lord Vishnu with His wife, Lakshmi. Lord Vishnu and the goddess of fortune are an immensely powerful combination. They are the bestowers of all benedictions and the sources of all good fortune. Therefore the duty of everyone is to worship Lakshmi-Näräyana.

TRANSLATION

[After profusely offering obeisances unto Lord Vishnu, the devotee should offer respectful obeisances unto mother Lakshmi, the goddess of fortune, and pray as follows.]

O wife of Lord Vishnu, O internal energy of Lord Vishnu, you are as good as Lord Vishnu Himself, for you have all of His qualities and opulences.

O goddess of fortune, please be kind to me. O mother of the entire world, I offer my respectful obeisances unto you.

PURPORT

The Lord has multifarious potencies (paräsya shaktir vividhaiva shrüyate).

Since mother Lakshmi, the goddess of fortune, is the Lord's very precious potency, she is addressed here as mahä-mäye.

The word mäyä means shakti.

Lord Vishnu, the Supreme, cannot exhibit His power everywhere without His principal energy.

It is said, shakti shaktimän abheda: the power and the powerful are identical.

Therefore mother Lakshmi, the goddess of fortune, is the constant companion of Lord Vishnu; they remain together constantly.

One cannot keep Lakshmi in one's home without Lord Vishnu.

To think that one can do so is very dangerous.

To keep Lakshmi, or the riches of the Lord, without the service of the Lord is always dangerous, for then Lakshmi becomes the illusory energy.

With Lord Vishnu, however, Lakshmi is the spiritual energy.

TRANSLATION

"My Lord Vishnu, full in six opulences, You are the best of all enjoyers and the most powerful. O husband of mother Lakshmi, I offer my respectful obeisances unto You, who are accompanied by many associates, such as Vishvaksena. I offer all the paraphernalia for worshiping You." One should chant this mantra every day with great attention while worshiping Lord Vishnu with all paraphernalia, such as water for washing His feet, hands and mouth and water for His bath. One must offer Him various presentations for His worship, such as garments, a sacred thread, ornaments, scents, flowers, incense and lamps.

PURPORT

This mantra is very important. Anyone engaged in Deity worship should chant this mantra, as quoted above, beginning with om namo bhagavate mahä-purushäya.

TRANSLATION

Sukadeva Gosvämi continued: After worshiping the Lord with all the paraphernalia mentioned above, one should chant the following mantra while offering twelve oblations of ghee on the sacred fire: om namo bhagavate mahä-purushäya mahävibhüti-pataye svähä.

TRANSLATION

If one desires all opulences, his duty is to daily worship Lord Vishnu with His wife, Lakshmi. With great devotion one should worship Him according to the above-mentioned process. Lord Vishnu and the goddess of fortune are an immensely powerful combination. They are the bestowers of all benedictions and the sources of all good fortune. Therefore the duty of everyone is to worship Lakshmi-Näräyana.

PURPORT

Lakshmi-Näräyana—Lord Vishnu and mother Lakshmi—are always situated in everyone's heart (ishvaram sarva-bhütänäm hrd-deshe 'rjuna tishthati). However, because nondevotees do not realize that Lord Vishnu stays with His eternal consort, Lakshmi, within the hearts of all living entities, they are not endowed with the opulence of Lord Vishnu. 

Unscrupulous men sometimes address a poor man as daridra-näräyana, or "poor Näräyana." 

This is most unscientific. Lord Vishnu and Lakshmi are always situated in everyone's heart, but this does not mean that everyone is Näräyana, especially not those in poverty. This is a most abominable term to use in connection with Näräyana. Näräyana never becomes poor, and therefore He can never be called daridra-näräyana. Näräyana is certainly situated in everyone's heart, but He is neither poor nor rich. Only unscrupulous persons who do not know the opulence of Näräyana try to afflict Him with poverty.

GITA-SHLOKA-4.14- ONE WHO UNDERSTANDS THIS TRUTH ABOUT TRANSCENDENTAL NATURE OF GOD ALSO DOES NOT BECOME ENTANGLED IN THE FRUITIVE REACTIONS OF WORK (& CONSEQUENT RE-BIRTH & DEATH CYCLE),29th July

GITA-SHLOKA-4.14- ONE WHO UNDERSTANDS THIS TRUTH ABOUT TRANSCENDENTAL NATURE OF GOD ALSO DOES NOT BECOME ENTANGLED IN THE FRUITIVE REACTIONS OF WORK (& CONSEQUENT RE-BIRTH & DEATH CYCLE)

TRANSLATION

THERE IS NO WORK THAT AFFECTS ME; NOR DO I ASPIRE FOR THE FRUITS OF ACTION. ONE WHO UNDERSTANDS THIS TRUTH ABOUT ME ALSO DOES NOT BECOME ENTANGLED IN THE FRUITIVE REACTIONS OF WORK.

PURPORT

As there are constitutional laws in the material world stating that the king can do no wrong, or that the king is not subject to the state laws, similarly the Lord, although He is the creator of this material world, is not affected by the activities of the material world.

He creates and remains aloof from the creation, whereas the living entities are entangled in the fruitive results of material activities because of their propensity for lording it over material resources.

THE PROPRIETOR OF AN ESTABLISHMENT IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR THE RIGHT AND WRONG ACTIVITIES OF THE WORKERS, BUT THE WORKERS ARE THEMSELVES RESPONSIBLE.

THE LIVING ENTITIES ARE ENGAGED IN THEIR RESPECTIVE ACTIVITIES OF SENSE GRATIFICATION, AND THESE ACTIVITIES ARE NOT ORDAINED BY THE LORD.

FOR ADVANCEMENT OF SENSE GRATIFICATION, THE LIVING ENTITIES ARE ENGAGED IN THE WORK OF THIS WORLD, AND THEY ASPIRE TO HEAVENLY HAPPINESS AFTER DEATH.

The Lord, being full in Himself, has no attraction for so-called heavenly happiness.

THE HEAVENLY DEMIGODS ARE ONLY HIS ENGAGED SERVANTS.

THE PROPRIETOR NEVER DESIRES THE LOW-GRADE HAPPINESS SUCH AS THE WORKERS MAY DESIRE.

HE IS ALOOF FROM THE MATERIAL ACTIONS AND REACTIONS.

FOR EXAMPLE, THE RAINS ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR DIFFERENT TYPES OF VEGETATION THAT APPEAR ON THE EARTH, ALTHOUGH WITHOUT SUCH RAINS THERE IS NO POSSIBILITY OF VEGETATIVE GROWTH.

Vedic smrti confirms this fact as follows:

nimitta-matram evasau srjyanam sarga-karmani

pradhana-karani-bhuta yato vai srjya-saktayah

IN THE MATERIAL CREATIONS, THE LORD IS ONLY THE SUPREME CAUSE.

The immediate cause is material nature by which the cosmic manifestation is visible.

THE CREATED BEINGS ARE OF MANY VARIETIES, SUCH AS THE DEMIGODS, HUMAN BEINGS AND LOWER ANIMALS, AND ALL OF THEM ARE SUBJECT TO THE REACTIONS OF THEIR PAST GOOD OR BAD ACTIVITIES.

The Lord only gives them the proper facilities for such activities and the regulations of the modes of nature, but He is never responsible for their past and present activities.

In the Vedanta-sutras it is confirmed that the Lord is never partial to any living entity.

The living entity is responsible for his own acts.

THE LORD ONLY GIVES HIM FACILITIES, THROUGH THE AGENCY OF MATERIAL NATURE, THE EXTERNAL ENERGY.

Anyone who is fully conversant with all the intricacies of this law of karma, or fruitive activities, does not become affected by the results of his activities.

IN OTHER WORDS, THE PERSON WHO UNDERSTANDS THIS TRANSCENDENTAL NATURE OF THE LORD IS AN EXPERIENCED MAN IN KRSNA CONSCIOUSNESS, AND THUS HE IS NEVER SUBJECTED TO THE LAWS OF KARMA.

ONE WHO DOES NOT KNOW THE TRANSCENDENTAL NATURE OF THE LORD AND WHO THINKS THAT THE ACTIVITIES OF THE LORD ARE AIMED AT FRUITIVE RESULTS, AS ARE THE ACTIVITIES OF THE ORDINARY LIVING ENTITIES, CERTAINLY BECOMES ENTANGLED HIMSELF IN FRUITIVE REACTION.

BUT ONE WHO KNOWS THE SUPREME TRUTH IS A LIBERATED SOUL FIXED IN KRSNA CONSCIOUSNESS.

GITA-SHLOKA-4.13- the four divisions of human society were created by God - BRAHMANAS , KSATRIYAS , VAISYAS ,SUDRAS BUT ONLY A MAN WHO TRANSCENDS THE LIMITED KNOWLEDGE OF A BRAHMANA  AND REACHES THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE SUPREME PERSONALITY OF GODHEAD, LORD SRI KRSNA, BECOMES A PERSON IN KRSNA CONSCIOUSNESS—OR, IN OTHER WORDS, A VAISNAVA  28th July

TRANSLATION

According to the three modes of material nature and the work ascribed to them, the four divisions of human society were created by Me. And, although I am the creator of this system, you should know that I am yet the non-doer, being unchangeable.

PURPORT

THE LORD IS THE CREATOR OF EVERYTHING.

EVERYTHING IS BORN OF HIM, EVERYTHING IS SUSTAINED BY HIM, AND EVERYTHING, AFTER ANNIHILATION, RESTS IN HIM.

HE IS THEREFORE THE CREATOR OF THE FOUR DIVISIONS OF THE SOCIAL ORDER, BEGINNING WITH THE INTELLIGENT CLASS OF MEN, TECHNICALLY CALLED BRAHMANAS DUE TO THEIR BEING SITUATED IN THE MODE OF GOODNESS.

NEXT IS THE ADMINISTRATIVE CLASS, TECHNICALLY CALLED THE KSATRIYAS DUE TO THEIR BEING SITUATED IN THE MODE OF PASSION.

THE MERCANTILE MEN, CALLED THE VAISYAS, ARE SITUATED IN THE MIXED MODES OF PASSION AND IGNORANCE, AND THE SUDRAS, OR LABORER CLASS, ARE SITUATED IN THE IGNORANT MODE OF MATERIAL NATURE.

In spite of His creating the four divisions of human society, Lord Krsna does not belong to any of these divisions, because He is not one of the conditioned souls, a section of whom form human society.

HUMAN SOCIETY IS SIMILAR TO ANY OTHER ANIMAL SOCIETY, BUT TO ELEVATE MEN FROM THE ANIMAL STATUS, THE ABOVEMENTIONED DIVISIONS ARE CREATED BY THE LORD FOR THE SYSTEMATIC DEVELOPMENT OF KRSNA CONSCIOUSNESS.

THE TENDENCY OF A PARTICULAR MAN TOWARD WORK IS DETERMINED BY THE MODES OF MATERIAL NATURE WHICH HE HAS ACQUIRED.

Such symptoms of life, according to different modes of material nature, are described in the Eighteenth Chapter of this book.

A PERSON IN KRSNA CONSCIOUSNESS, HOWEVER, IS ABOVE EVEN THE BRAHMANAS, BECAUSE A BRAHMANA BY QUALITY IS SUPPOSED TO KNOW ABOUT BRAHMAN, THE SUPREME ABSOLUTE TRUTH.

Most of them approach the impersonal Brahman manifestation of Lord Krsna, but ONLY A MAN WHO TRANSCENDS THE LIMITED KNOWLEDGE OF A BRAHMANA AND REACHES THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE SUPREME PERSONALITY OF GODHEAD, LORD SRI KRSNA, BECOMES A PERSON IN KRSNA CONSCIOUSNESS—OR, IN OTHER WORDS, A VAISNAVA.

Krsna consciousness includes knowledge of all different plenary expansions of Krsna, namely Rama, Nrsimha, Varaha, etc.

However, as Krsna is transcendental to this system of the four divisions of human society, a person in Krsna consciousness is also transcendental to all divisions of human society, whether we consider the divisions of community, nation or species.

BHAGVAT GOD SAID: “MY DEAR LORD BRAHMA, BECAUSE OF MATERIAL OPULENCE A FOOLISH PERSON BECOMES DULL-WITTED AND MAD , 28TH JULY

BHAGVAT GOD SAID: “MY DEAR LORD BRAHMA, BECAUSE OF MATERIAL OPULENCE A FOOLISH PERSON BECOMES DULL-WITTED AND MAD. THUS HE HAS NO RESPECT FOR ANYONE WITHIN THE THREE WORLDS AND DEFIES EVEN MY AUTHORITY. TO SUCH A PERSON I SHOW SPECIAL FAVOR BY FIRST TAKING AWAY ALL HIS POSSESSIONS”, 28TH JULY

TRANSLATION

THE SUPREME PERSONALITY OF GODHEAD SAID: MY DEAR LORD BRAHMA, BECAUSE OF MATERIAL OPULENCE A FOOLISH PERSON BECOMES DULL-WITTED AND MAD. THUS HE HAS NO RESPECT FOR ANYONE WITHIN THE THREE WORLDS AND DEFIES EVEN MY AUTHORITY. TO SUCH A PERSON I SHOW SPECIAL FAVOR BY FIRST TAKING AWAY ALL HIS POSSESSIONS.

PURPORT

A CIVILIZATION THAT HAS BECOME GODLESS BECAUSE OF MATERIAL ADVANCEMENT IN OPULENCE IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS. BECAUSE OF GREAT OPULENCE, A MATERIALIST BECOMES SO PROUD THAT HE HAS NO REGARD FOR ANYONE AND EVEN REFUSES TO ACCEPT THE AUTHORITY OF THE SUPREME PERSONALITY OF GODHEAD. THE RESULT OF SUCH A MENTALITY IS CERTAINLY VERY DANGEROUS. TO SHOW SPECIAL FAVOR, THE LORD SOMETIMES MAKES AN EXAMPLE OF SOMEONE LIKE BALI MAHARAJA, WHO WAS NOW BEREFT OF ALL HIS POSSESSIONS.

TRANSLATION

WHILE ROTATING IN THE CYCLE OF BIRTH AND DEATH AGAIN AND AGAIN IN DIFFERENT SPECIES BECAUSE OF HIS OWN FRUITIVE ACTIVITIES, THE DEPENDENT LIVING ENTITY, BY GOOD FORTUNE, MAY HAPPEN TO BECOME A HUMAN BEING. THIS HUMAN BIRTH IS VERY RARELY OBTAINED.

PURPORT

THE SUPREME PERSONALITY OF GODHEAD IS FULLY INDEPENDENT. THUS IT IS NOT ALWAYS A FACT THAT A LIVING BEING'S LOSS OF ALL OPULENCE IS A SIGN OF THE SUPREME LORD'S MERCY UPON HIM. THE LORD CAN ACT ANY WAY HE LIKES. HE MAY TAKE AWAY ONE'S OPULENCE, OR HE MAY NOT. THERE ARE VARIETIES OF FORMS OF LIFE, AND THE LORD TREATS THEM ACCORDING TO THE CIRCUMSTANCES, AS HE CHOOSES. GENERALLY IT IS TO BE UNDERSTOOD THAT THE HUMAN FORM OF LIFE IS ONE OF GREAT RESPONSIBILITY.

"THE LIVING ENTITY IN MATERIAL NATURE FOLLOWS THE WAYS OF LIFE, ENJOYING THE THREE MODES OF NATURE. THIS IS DUE TO HIS ASSOCIATION WITH THAT MATERIAL NATURE. THUS HE MEETS WITH GOOD AND EVIL AMONGST VARIOUS SPECIES." (BG. 13.22) AFTER THUS ROTATING THROUGH MANY, MANY FORMS OF LIFE IN THE CYCLE OF BIRTH AND DEATH, THE LIVING BEING GETS A CHANCE FOR A HUMAN FORM. THEREFORE EVERY HUMAN BEING, ESPECIALLY ONE BELONGING TO A CIVILIZED NATION OR CULTURE, MUST BE EXTREMELY RESPONSIBLE IN HIS ACTIVITIES. 

HE SHOULD NOT RISK DEGRADATION IN THE NEXT LIFE. BECAUSE THE BODY WILL CHANGE (tatha dehantara-praptir), WE SHOULD BE EXTREMELY CAREFUL. TO SEE TO THE PROPER USE OF LIFE IS THE PURPOSE OF KRSHNA CONSCIOUSNESS. THE FOOLISH LIVING ENTITY DECLARES FREEDOM FROM ALL CONTROL, BUT FACTUALLY HE IS NOT FREE; HE IS FULLY UNDER THE CONTROL OF MATERIAL NATURE. HE MUST THEREFORE BE MOST CAREFUL AND RESPONSIBLE IN THE ACTIVITIES OF HIS LIFE.

GITA-SHLOKA-4.12 THE DEMIGODS ARE NOT DIFFERENT FORMS OF GOD, BUT THEY ARE GOD'S DIFFERENT PARTS AND PARCELS. GOD IS ONE, AND THE PARTS AND PARCELS ARE MANY. ANYONE WHO THINKS THAT GOD AND THE DEMIGODS ARE ON THE SAME LEVEL IS CALLED AN ATHEIST 27th July

TRANSLATION

MEN IN THIS WORLD DESIRE SUCCESS IN FRUITIVE ACTIVITIES, AND THEREFORE THEY WORSHIP THE DEMIGODS.  QUICKLY, OF COURSE, MEN GET RESULTS FROM FRUITIVE WORK IN THIS WORLD.

PURPORT

THERE IS A GREAT MISCONCEPTION ABOUT THE GODS OR DEMIGODS OF THIS MATERIAL WORLD, AND MEN OF LESS INTELLIGENCE, ALTHOUGH PASSING AS GREAT SCHOLARS, TAKE THESE DEMIGODS TO BE VARIOUS FORMS OF THE SUPREME LORD.

ACTUALLY, THE DEMIGODS ARE NOT DIFFERENT FORMS OF GOD, BUT THEY ARE GOD'S DIFFERENT PARTS AND PARCELS.

GOD IS ONE, AND THE PARTS AND PARCELS ARE MANY.

THE VEDAS SAY, NITYO NITYANAM: GOD IS ONE.

Isvarah paramah krsnah.

THE SUPREME GOD IS ONE—KRSNA—AND THE DEMIGODS ARE DELEGATED WITH POWERS TO MANAGE THIS MATERIAL WORLD.

THESE DEMIGODS ARE ALL LIVING ENTITIES (NITYANAM) WITH DIFFERENT GRADES OF MATERIAL POWER.

THEY CANNOT BE EQUAL TO THE SUPREME GOD—NARAYANA, VISNU, OR KRSNA.

ANYONE WHO THINKS THAT GOD AND THE DEMIGODS ARE ON THE SAME LEVEL IS CALLED AN ATHEIST, OR pasandi.

EVEN THE GREAT DEMIGODS LIKE BRAHMA AND SIVA CANNOT BE COMPARED TO THE SUPREME LORD.

IN FACT, THE LORD IS WORSHIPED BY DEMIGODS SUCH AS BRAHMA AND SIVA (SIVA-VIRINCI-NUTAM).

YET CURIOUSLY ENOUGH THERE ARE MANY HUMAN LEADERS WHO ARE WORSHIPED BY FOOLISH MEN UNDER THE MISUNDERSTANDING OF ANTHROPOMORPHISM OR ZOOMORPHISM.

Iha devatah denotes a powerful man or demigod of this material world.

But Narayana, Visnu or Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, does not belong to this world.

He is above, or transcendental to, material creation.

Even Sripada Sankaracarya, the leader of the impersonalists, maintains that Narayana, or Krsna, is beyond this material creation.

HOWEVER, FOOLISH PEOPLE (hrt-anjana) WORSHIP THE DEMIGODS BECAUSE THEY WANT IMMEDIATE RESULTS.

THEY GET THE RESULTS, BUT DO NOT KNOW THAT RESULTS SO OBTAINED ARE TEMPORARY AND ARE MEANT FOR LESS INTELLIGENT PERSONS.

THE INTELLIGENT PERSON IS IN KRSNA CONSCIOUSNESS, AND HE HAS NO NEED TO WORSHIP THE PALTRY DEMIGODS FOR SOME IMMEDIATE, TEMPORARY BENEFIT.

THE DEMIGODS OF THIS MATERIAL WORLD, AS WELL AS THEIR WORSHIPERS, WILL VANISH WITH THE ANNIHILATION OF THIS MATERIAL WORLD.

THE BOONS OF THE DEMIGODS ARE MATERIAL AND TEMPORARY.

BOTH THE MATERIAL WORLDS AND THEIR INHABITANTS, INCLUDING THE DEMIGODS, AND THEIR WORSHIPERS, ARE BUBBLES IN THE COSMIC OCEAN.

IN THIS WORLD, HOWEVER, HUMAN SOCIETY IS MAD AFTER TEMPORARY THINGS SUCH AS THE MATERIAL OPULENCE OF POSSESSING LAND, FAMILY AND ENJOYABLE PARAPHERNALIA.

TO ACHIEVE SUCH TEMPORARY THINGS, THEY WORSHIP THE DEMIGODS OR POWERFUL MEN IN HUMAN SOCIETY.

IF A MAN GETS SOME MINISTERSHIP IN THE GOVERNMENT BY WORSHIPING A POLITICAL LEADER, HE CONSIDERS THAT HE HAS ACHIEVED A GREAT BOON.

All of them are therefore kowtowing to the so-called leaders or "big guns" in order to achieve temporary boons, and they indeed achieve such things.

SUCH FOOLISH MEN ARE NOT INTERESTED IN KRSNA CONSCIOUSNESS FOR THE PERMANENT SOLUTION TO THE HARDSHIPS OF MATERIAL EXISTENCE.

THEY ARE ALL AFTER SENSE ENJOYMENT, AND TO GET A LITTLE FACILITY FOR SENSE ENJOYMENT THEY ARE ATTRACTED TO WORSHIP EMPOWERED LIVING ENTITIES KNOWN AS DEMIGODS.

THIS VERSE INDICATES THAT PEOPLE ARE RARELY INTERESTED IN KRSNA CONSCIOUSNESS.

THEY ARE MOSTLY INTERESTED IN MATERIAL ENJOYMENT, AND THEREFORE THEY WORSHIP SOME POWERFUL LIVING ENTITY.