Krshna cleanses desire for material enjoyment from the heart of the devotee who has developed the urge to hear His messages, which are in themselves virtuous when properly heard and chanted, 23rd Aug

Krshna cleanses desire for material enjoyment from the heart of the devotee who has developed the urge to hear His messages, which are in themselves virtuous when properly heard and chanted. A person trying to be perfectly Krshna conscious by hearing the words of Krshna from Srimad-Bhagavatamor Bhagavad-gita certainly has all the dirty things cleansed from the core of his heart.

TRANSLATION

Because King Yayati completely surrendered unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Vasudeva, he was freed from all contamination of the material modes of nature. Because of his self-realization, he was able to fix his mind upon the Transcendence [Parabrahman, Vasudeva], and thus he ultimately achieved the position of an associate of the Lord.

PURPORT

The word vidhuta, meaning "cleansed," is very significant.

Everyone in this material world is contaminated (karanam guna-sango 'sya).

Because we are in a material condition, we are contaminated either by sattva-guna, by rajo-guna or by tamo-guna.

Even if one becomes a qualified brahmana in the mode of goodness (sattva-guna), he is still materially contaminated.

One must come to the platform of shuddha-sattva, transcending the sattva-guna.

Then one is vidhuta-trilinga, cleansed of the contamination caused by the three modes of material nature.

This is possible by the mercy of Krshna.

As stated in Srimad-Bhagavatam (1.2.17):

shrnvatam sva-katham krshnam

punya-shravana-kirtanam

hrdy antam-stho hy abhadrani

vidhunoti suhrt-satam

"Sri Krshna, the Personality of Godhead, who is the Paramatma [Supersoul] in everyone's heart and the benefactor of the truthful devotee, cleanses desire for material enjoyment from the heart of the devotee who has developed the urge to hear His messages, which are in themselves virtuous when properly heard and chanted." 

A person trying to be perfectly Krshna conscious by hearing the words of Krshna from Srimad-Bhagavatam or Bhagavad-gita certainly has all the dirty things cleansed from the core of his heart.

Caitanya Mahaprabhu also says, ceto-darpana-marjanam: the process of hearing and chanting the glories of the Supreme Lord washes away the dirty things accumulated in the core of the heart.

As soon as one is freed from all the dirt of material contamination, as Maharaja Yayati was, one's original position as an associate of the Lord is revealed.

This is called svarüpa-siddhi, or personal perfection.

Gita-shloka-5.2: Renunciation is complete when it is in the knowledge that everything in existence belongs to the Lord and that no one should claim proprietorship over anything,24th Aug

Gita-shloka-5.2: Renunciation is complete when it is in the knowledge that everything in existence belongs to the Lord and that no one should claim proprietorship over anything. One should understand that, factually, nothing belongs to anyone.Then where is the question of renunciation? One who knows that everything is Krsna's property is always situated in renunciation. Since everything belongs to Krsna, everything should be employed in the service of Krsna.

TRANSLATION

The Blessed Lord said: The renunciation of work and work in devotion are both good for liberation. But, of the two, work in devotional service is better than renunciation of works.

PURPORT

Fruitive activities (seeking sense gratification) are cause for material bondage. 

As long as one is engaged in activities aimed at improving the standard of bodily comfort, one is sure to transmigrate to different types of bodies, thereby continuing material bondage perpetually. Srimad-Bhagavatam confirms this as follows:

nunam pramattah kurute vikarma yad indriya-pritaya aprnoti

na sadhu manye yata atmano 'yam asann api klesada asa dehah

parabhavas tavad abodha-jato yavanna jijnasata atma-tattvam

yavat kriyas tavad idam mano vai karmatmakam yena sarira-bandhah

evam manah karma-vasam prayunkte avidyayatmany upadhiyamane

pritir na yavan mayi vasudeve na mucyate deha-yogena tavat

"People are mad after sense gratification, and they do not know that this present body, which is full of miseries, is a result of one's fruitive activities in the past.

Although this body is temporary, it is always giving one trouble in many ways.

Therefore, to act for sense gratification is not good.

One is considered to be a failure in life as long as he makes no inquiry about the nature of work for fruitive results, for as long as one is engrossed in the consciousness of sense gratification, one has to transmigrate from one body to another.

Although the mind may be engrossed in fruitive activities and influenced by ignorance, one must develop a love for devotional service to Vasudeva.

Only then can one have the opportunity to get out of the bondage of material existence." (Bhag. 5.5.4-6)

Therefore, jnana (or knowledge that one is not this material body but spirit soul) is not sufficient for liberation.

One has to act in the status of spirit soul, otherwise there is no escape from material bondage.

Action in Krsna consciousness is not, however, action on the fruitive platform.

Activities performed in full knowledge strengthen one's advancement in real knowledge.

Without Krsna consciousness, mere renunciation of fruitive activities does not actually purify the heart of a conditioned soul.

As long as the heart is not purified, one has to work on the fruitive platform.

But action in Krsna consciousness automatically helps one escape the result of fruitive action so that one need not descend to the material platform.

Therefore, action in Krsna consciousness is always superior to renunciation, which always entails a risk of falling.

Renunciation without Krsna consciousness is incomplete, as is confirmed by Srila Rupa Gosvami in his Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu.

prapancikataya buddhya hari-sambandhi-vastunah

mumuksubhih parityago vairagyam phalgu kathyate.

"Renunciation by persons eager to achieve liberation of things which are related to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, though they are material, is called incomplete renunciation." 

Renunciation is complete when it is in the knowledge that everything in existence belongs to the Lord and that no one should claim proprietorship over anything.

One should understand that, factually, nothing belongs to anyone.

Then where is the question of renunciation? One who knows that everything is Krsna's property is always situated in renunciation.

Since everything belongs to Krsna, everything should be employed in the service of Krsna.

This perfect form of action in Krsna consciousness is far better than any amount of artificial renunciation by a sannyasi of the Mayavadi school.

Bhagvat: One should be convinced that he is a spirit soul, part and parcel of the Supreme Brahman, Krshna, but has somehow or other been entrapped by the material coverings, 24th Aug

Bhagvat: One should be convinced that he is a spirit soul, part and parcel of the Supreme Brahman, Krshna, but has somehow or other been entrapped by the material coverings of the gross and subtle bodies, consisting of earth, water, fire, air, ether, mind, intelligence and false ego. One should know that the association of society, friendship, love, nationalism, religion and so on are nothing but creations of maya. One's only business is to become Krshna conscious and render service unto Krshna as extensively as possible for a living being.

TRANSLATION

Thereafter, Devayani, the daughter of Sukracarya, understood that the materialistic association of husband, friends and relatives is like the association in a hotel full of tourists.

The relationships of society, friendship and love are created by the maya of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, exactly as in a dream.

By the grace of Krshna, Devayani gave up her imaginary position in the material world.

Completely fixing her mind upon Krshna, she achieved liberation from the gross and subtle bodies.!!!

PURPORT

One should be convinced that he is a spirit soul, part and parcel of the Supreme Brahman, Krshna, but has somehow or other been entrapped by the material coverings of the gross and subtle bodies, consisting of earth, water, fire, air, ether, mind, intelligence and false ego.

One should know that the association of society, friendship, love, nationalism, religion and so on are nothing but creations of maya.

One's only business is to become Krshna conscious and render service unto Krshna as extensively as possible for a living being.

In this way one is liberated from material bondage.

By the grace of Krshna, Devayani attained this state through the instructions of her husband.

Gita shloka 5.1, Lord says that a person who is situated on the platform of knowledge no longer has any duties to perform. Arjuna appears not to have understood that work in full knowledge is nonreactive and is therefore the same as inaction, 23rd Aug

Gita shloka 5.1, Lord says that a person who is situated on the platform of knowledge no longer has any duties to perform. Arjuna appears not to have understood that work in full knowledge is nonreactive and is therefore the same as inaction

TRANSLATION

Arjuna said: O Krsna, first of all You ask me to renounce work, and then again You recommend work with devotion. Now will You kindly tell me definitely which of the two is more beneficial?

PURPORT

In this Fifth Chapter of the Bhagavad-gita, the Lord says that work in devotional service is better than dry mental speculation.

Devotional service is easier than the latter because, being transcendental in nature, it frees one from reaction.

In the Second Chapter, preliminary knowledge of the soul and its entanglement in the material body were explained.

How to get out of this material encagement by buddhi-yoga, or devotional service, was also explained therein.

In the Third Chapter, it was explained that a person who is situated on the platform of knowledge no longer has any duties to perform.

And, in the Fourth Chapter, the Lord told Arjuna that all kinds of sacrificial work culminate in knowledge.

However, at the end of the Fourth Chapter, the Lord advised Arjuna to wake up and fight, being situated in perfect knowledge.

Therefore, by simultaneously stressing the importance of both work in devotion and inaction in knowledge, Krsna has perplexed Arjuna and confused his determination.

Arjuna understands that renunciation in knowledge involves cessation of all kinds of work performed as sense activities.

But if one performs work in devotional service, then how is work stopped? In other words, he thinks that sannyasam, or renunciation in knowledge, should be altogether free from all kinds of activity because work and renunciation appear to him to be incompatible.

He appears not to have understood that work in full knowledge is nonreactive and is therefore the same as inaction.

He inquires, therefore, whether he should cease work altogether, or work with full knowledge.

Bhagvatam Whatever a devotee needs will be supplied by God. Therefore a pure devotee will not ask anything from the Lord. He simply offers the Lord his respectful obeisances, and the Lord is prepared to accept whatever the devotee can secure to worship Him, even patram pushpam phalam toyam—a leaf, flower, fruit or water. 22nd Aug

This chapter explains how Diti, Kashyapa Muni's wife, executed Kashyapa Muni's instructions on devotional service. During the first day of the bright fortnight of the moon in the month of Agrahäyana (November-December), every woman, following in the footsteps of Diti and following the instructions of her own husband, should begin this pumsavana-vrata. 

In the morning, after washing her teeth, bathing and thus becoming purified, she should hear about the birth mystery of the Maruts. Then, covering her body with a white dress and being properly ornamented, before breakfast she should worship Lord Vishnu and mother Lakshmi, the goddess of fortune, Lord Vishnu's wife, by glorifying Lord Vishnu for His mercy, patience, prowess, ability, greatness and other glories and for how He can bestow all mystic benedictions. 

While offering the Lord all paraphernalia for worship, such as ornaments, a sacred thread, scents, nice flowers, incense and water for bathing and washing His feet, hands and mouth, one should invite the Lord with this mantra: om namo bhagavate mahä-purushäya mahänubhäväya mahävibhütipataye saha mahä-vibhütibhir balim upaharämi. Then one should offer twelve oblations in the fire while chanting this mantra: om namo bhagavate mahä-purushäya mahävibhüti-pataye svähä. One should offer obeisances while chanting this mantra ten times. Then one should chant the Lakshmi-Näräyana mantra.

If either a pregnant woman or her husband regularly discharges this devotional service, both of them will receive the result. After continuing this process for one full year, the chaste wife should fast on the pürnimä, the full-moon day, of Kärttika. 

On the following day, the husband should worship the Lord as before and then observe a festival by cooking nice food and distributing prasäda to the brähmanas. Then, with the permission of the brähmanas, the husband and wife should take prasäda. This chapter ends by glorifying the results of the pumsavana function.

TRANSLATION

Mahäräja Parikshit said: My dear lord, you have already spoken about the pumsavana vow. Now I want to hear about it in detail, for I understand that by observing this vow one can please the Supreme Lord, Vishnu.

TRANSLATION

Sukadeva Gosvämi said: On the first day of the bright fortnight of the month of Agrahäyana [November-December], following the instructions of her husband, a woman should begin this regulative devotional service with a vow of penance, for it can fulfill all one's desires. Before beginning the worship of Lord Vishnu, the woman should hear the story of how the Maruts were born. Under the instructions of qualified brähmanas, in the morning she should wash her teeth, bathe, and dress herself with white cloth and ornaments, and before taking breakfast she should worship Lord Vishnu and Lakshmi.

TRANSLATION

[She should then pray to the Lord as follows.] My dear Lord, You are full in all opulences, but I do not beg You for opulence. I simply offer my respectful obeisances unto You. You are the husband and master of Lakshmidevi, the goddess of fortune, who has all opulences. Therefore You are the master of all mystic yoga. I simply offer my obeisances unto You.

PURPORT

A devotee knows how to appreciate the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

"The Personality of Godhead is perfect and complete, and because He is completely perfect, all emanations from Him, such as this phenomenal world, are perfectly equipped as complete wholes. Whatever is produced of the complete whole is also complete in itself. Because He is the complete whole, even though so many complete units emanate from Him, He remains the complete balance." Therefore, to take shelter of the Supreme Lord is required. 

Whatever a devotee needs will be supplied by the complete Supreme Personality of Godhead (teshäm nityäbhiyuktänäm yoga-kshemam vahämy aham). Therefore a pure devotee will not ask anything from the Lord. 

He simply offers the Lord his respectful obeisances, and the Lord is prepared to accept whatever the devotee can secure to worship Him, even patram pushpam phalam toyam—a leaf, flower, fruit or water. There is no need to artificially exert oneself. It is better to be plain and simple and with respectful obeisances offer to the Lord whatever one can secure. The Lord is completely able to bless the devotee with all opulences.