Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.13.19-20

Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya Nārājā namāś krītya Nārājā namāś krītya Nārājāiva nārātama Vēvīṃ sarasvatīm vyaasam Tato jaya mudīraye Nāśta praeśvabhadrīśu Nityam bhāgavata sevaya Bhagavati Uttama Shlokem Bhaktir Bhavatina Iṣṭhikim Yampravra-janta manupetama peta-kṛtyam dvaipāyano virāha-kātara juhāva putreti tan mayataya utaravodī meyus tam sarva-bhūta-kṛda-nāmu māna-tosmī Hare Krishna. Hare Krishna. Great fortune to be with all of you this morning. So we will read Srimad Bhagavatam Mahapurana, Kyan 1, chapter 13, Ditarashera Kriks, text 19 and 20, let's chant. Pratikriya Nama Yasyadiha Buddha-sci Karhichi Prabhu Saha Esha Bhagavan Halaha Sarvesham Naha Samagadaha Pratikriya Nayaseha Kutashchit Karhichit Prabhu Sāesha Bhagavan Kālaha Sarvesham nāk samāgataha Pratikriya naya siedam Kutashchit Karhichit Prabhu Sarvesha Bhagavan Kādaha Sarvesha mna samāgataha Pratikriya remedial measure Na there is known yasya of which Iha in this material world Kutashchit by any means Karhichi or by anyone Rabho O my Lord Saha Deh Eshaha Positively Bhagavan The Personality of Godhead Halaha Eternal time Sarvesham Of all Naha Of us Samagataha Aray translation and purport by His Divine Grace this frightful situation cannot be remedied by any person in this material world. My Lord it is the Supreme Personality of Godhead as Eternal Time, Allah that has approached us all. There is no superior power which can check the cruel hands of death. No one wants to die. However acute the source of bodily suffering may be, even in the days of so-called scientific advancement of knowledge, there is no remedial measure, either for old age or for death. Old age is the notice of the arrival of death served by cruel time. And no one can refuse to accept either summon calls or the supreme judgment of eternal time. This is explained before Dhritarashtra because he might ask Vidura to find out some remedial measure for the imminent fearful situation as he had ordered many times before before ordaining however Vidura informed Dhritarashtra there is no remedial measure by anyone or from any source in this material world and because there is no such thing in the material world Death is identical with the Supreme Personality of Godhead, as it is said by the Lord Himself in the Bhagavad Gita. Death cannot be checked by anyone or from any source within this material world. Hiranyakashipu wanted to be immortal and underwent a severe type of penance by which the whole universe trembled. and Brahma himself approached him to dissuade Hiranyakashipu from such a severe type of penance. Hiranyakashipu asked Brahma to award him the blessings of immortality, but Brahma said that he himself was subject to death. Even in the topmost planet, so how could he award him the benediction of immortality? so there is a death even in the topmost planet of this universe and what to speak of other planets which are far far inferior in quality to Brahma Loka the resisting planet the residing planet of Brahma wherever there is the influence of eternal time there is this set of tribulations namely birth, disease, old age and death and all of them are invincible. And then the next verse, right? Therefore, this is your wish? You want to take one or you want to take two? One is fine. Yeah, yeah. And then already Hirta Kashyap is coming so you can stop to Kashyap. This frightful situation cannot be remedied by any person in this material world. My Lord, it is the Supreme Personality of Godhead as eternal time that has approached all of us. Vipassar Kadesparine, mancha-phokvata-dumyashya, vipassindu-bevacya, patithanam kāne-pyo-vesmari-pyo-namo-maha, jai-sri-krishna-caetanya-prabhuni-tyananda, siyadvaita-gadāpara-sivastati-gōna-vaktaminta, Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Krishna Hare, Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Hare So this is a very beautiful verse from beautiful Śrīmat Bhāgavatam. Śrīmat means beautiful. Śrīmat Bhāgavatam is beautiful from beginning to end. and every verse is very beautiful reflecting this eternal beauty of the Lord. So in this first canto of Simad Bhagavatam actually the history of this book is being described just to give little background of this verse and in the fourth chapter of the first canto of Simad Bhagavatam Shona Karishi, the representative of the sages in the Misharandhya, he asked many many questions after hearing the statement of Sutta Goswami that in the sage of Kali there is only one means to see this is Shimababa. Like when there is no sun, it's very difficult to see. You might have some land here and there, but still the situation is very frightful. And it's very easy to lose the way. Like a few days back, I went from, a couple of days back, I went from 6-7 in Dubai for a walk. And I know the way, I know the area, but I totally lost my way because it was late. And I was frightened. Because I don't have my phone and I'm in the middle of Dubai. How can I find my way? So that's exactly the situation in Kali Yuga. Because there is no sun, if there is no sun, it's dark. And it's very easy to lost your way, even if you think you know the way. But it's very easy to lose the way. And all of a sudden you find yourself in the middle of a completely unknown situation and where do you go? So when Suttagaswami beautifully said that Puranarpa do not it aha, that in this age of Kali, for those people who are blinded by this darkness of this age. And this is a very dark age, it's really very, very dark age. So, people are so bewildered, so confused. And with the arrival of internet, people are much more confused than before. There's so much rubbish and false information on the internet. So people know, think that they are much more advanced and knowledgeable, but actually they are much more ignorant now. It's so bewildered. They don't know the way. So when the sages of Naimisharani, they heard Puranakadunaulitaha, kala nashtadrisham, esha. The nashtadrisham people, their vision is completely nashta. It's destroyed. Nashta. There's no vision. They're totally blind. and Purana Arka. This Purana is like Arka, it's like the sun and it arisen on the horizon of Kali-yuga. So when Sonata Rinpoche heard this, he became extremely enthusiastic. Please tell us about Shimon Prabhupada. Because they were eagerly waiting how to counteract this dark influence. like people in this age are very much in anxiety because they don't know what's going to happen tomorrow now this start this war between india and pakistan started and both countries have nuclear weapons and both countries have very strong leaders so nobody knows what's going to happen Maybe tomorrow we'll wake up and there is nuclear Armageddon. Because they decided... So, and the sages of Nei Misharani, they're in this anxiety. What to do? And he says, yes, there is one measure which will help. This is Sriman Bhagavatam, which has reason to help us. And therefore, Rushama Karisha asks, please tell us about Sriman Bhagavatam. What is this book? And Sutta Goswami starts the long story of appearance of Sriman Bhagavatam. Actually, he could have said, oh, yeah, Sukadeva Goswami came to the bank of Ganga. And it so happened that Maharaja Pariksit was also sitting on the bank of Ganga. They met together and Shukadeva Goswami started describing Srimad Bhagavatam. But no, it would not have the proper effect for us to understand the depths and the influence and the meaning of Srimad Bhagavatam. We have to understand under which circumstances it appeared. and who are the speaker of Srimad Bhagavatam and foremost who is the listener, hearer of Srimad Bhagavatam. So that's very important. And most of this, starting from the fifth chapter, the story of Srimad Bhagavatam is being described. But most of the chapters of the story of Srimad Bhagavatam, how she might appear. Some of the statements are there about Shukadev Gaspani, but mostly it's about Maharaja Pariksha. Because it's not so important who speaks. What is much more important to whom he speaks. The speaker may be very good and very knowledgeable, but for example, I know something. I know very little, but I know something. But if I must speak in front of the children who are five years old, will I be able to speak what I know to them? I will say, Jai, how are you? How are you doing? So, to understand the depths of the book, you have to understand who is the speaker. Like this Prabhu said that I am a scientist and he said that and by the way it's all false it's all totally outdated information but it doesn't matter you have to have some idea who is the speaker there is no doubt about it the level of the speaker determines but the level of the audience is also very important if the audience if I am to speak in front of scientists on this verse I will speak differently if I am to speak in London about this verse I will speak differently but I am speaking in front of you whatever will happen let's see but what Sutta Goswami wants to explain is that please try to understand how highly realized the listener of Srimad Bhagavad Gita was who was Maharaja Pariksit Maharaja Pariksit the influence there is a subtle influence of the hearers on the speaker if the hearers those who hear, eager to hear then the speaker is inspired if they really understand that this is something very important he has to say that he is inspired, but if they kind of semi-sleepy condition and looking at the watch the speaker will also say ok, ok, so this is just some ritual, Shima Pahgatam ritual so therefore this whole story is so important for us to understand the depth and the magnitude of this book, this is the book which is supposed to save us from death this book saved Maharaja Pariksit from death who was destined to death in seven days and we all destined to death in seven days because our death will come either on Monday or on Sunday or on Tuesday you know you can choose no problem within seven days but there is not much choice you know it will come like it is it is said here that Krishna, Bhagavan, in the form of time has already come to all of us. Sarvesham nak. There's nobody who is exceptional here. Even these little children, the death has already come. In the form of time. Because it is very nicely described in English language that somebody is one year old or three year old. So he may consider himself very young but he's already three year old. Old age has already come! He's already three year old! Somebody is twenty year old, he's already 20 years old. And somebody like me is almost 70 years old. But we're all old. Bhagavan in the form of time has already come to all of us. There is no exception. And we have to recognize this fact. And Siman Bhagavatam is warning us. And Didura is warning us. And he's warning Dhritarashtra. because usually people do not want to recognize this fact. Everyone is just, you know, down there there is beauty parlor. And then somebody, some lady who is 65 years old, she goes to the beauty parlor. There is no beauty when you are 65 years old. no matter how much how do you say this? yeah, tenicure or whatever tenicure everyone looks in the mirror and he's looking at his or her reflection with a special look and there is a special program which is inside our brain this brain photoshop is there you know that photoshop is a program which can make you look younger on the picture so the same program much better program is there in the brain when you look at yourself you don't see the reality other people see how you really look but you always look and you see oh yeah I'm still young no problem but here Midura says no no no old age has already come It has already come to all of us. Sarvesham nakh samagata It's already here. The old age is already here. Because you are already five years old. No? Seven. Twelve? Seven. Seven. Seven years old. You are really old. So, Vidura is making this very important point to Dhritarashtra because every one of us has this special program which makes us blind to this fact. We all say, no, no, it's not so bad. I still have so many years to live. You don't know when you will leave this body. So, Priterashtrate is in this denial. And we are all in this denial. And some people are most seriously mad, some people have slight psychiatric diagnosis, but everyone is in denial. I will not die. This is Maharaja Yudhishthira's statement. What is it? So, he says, what is the most amazing thing in this world is that everyone is dying but still nobody is thinking I will also die. Yam-yam stavaram is Chhanti. Anyway, he says, you see that everyone is going to the kingdom of Yamarachi. And then somehow you say, oh no, I'm still stable. Yam-yam stavaram is Chhanti. Everyone wants to stay stable and people they invented so many different means to give the illusion of stability in this world. You know, you may do some cosmetic operation and old age means that there are some wrinkles and you know the people will just... you go to a surgeon and the surgeon will you know somehow or other make you without wrinkles. You're still old. And as Srila Prabhupada says very beautifully in the beginning of this report, he says that old age is just a notice from death. It's just a warning letter. My dear sir, this is the warning. Please know that I'm coming to meet with you. There is a date and we are supposed to meet on this date and it will be a beautiful meeting with you. So the old age is sending us letters all the time. You know, every gray hair in our head is a little letter from this. I'm here, I'm coming, don't worry. I'm a little delayed, but very soon I will come, no problem. But we look at our, you know, I remember my mother and I was very young and I couldn't understand what she was doing. She was sitting in front of the mirror and she was plucking the gray hairs from her head because she didn't want to get these letters. Sometimes, you know, the desk has her means to, his means to inform us about the arrival. Sometimes the ears are becoming you know, they were losing things when they had this dumb drug. So, yeah, no problem. You go to a clinic and they will plant the new hairs on your head. Just to increase your illusion. I am okay, no problem. The death will not come to you. No, but the death will come to everyone. And if you are in denial, Simad Bhagavatam is waking you up. Wake up, wake up, wake up. The death has come already. Saeśa Bhagavan Kalaha, in the form of time, because we are all living in this time. We are living in time and time is discounted. For everyone there is this clock. When you go to astrologer, astrologer looks at your kundalini. What is your kundalini? Your kundalini is the clock. It's actually a labored clock with nine different arrows. It's ghost, you know, the moon is moving and the sun is moving and Saturn is moving. It's very frightening how Saturn is moving in our child. But it all indicates, here it is, the old age is coming. And when you are 60, it's very difficult to deny. Still people try to deny, still people try to take some remedial measures. But Vidura very aptly, and Siddha Prabhupada points out in the Purport, says pratekriya na yasiya iha iha in charger iha means here in charger or in emirates there is no pratekriya no pratekriya because uh usually people they ask they're looking for pratekriya they are looking for remedial measures please give me some upaya my dearest coach what is the upaya and Vidura comes to the interaction and says there is no upaya there is no practically no way there is no chance for you because Bhagavan is already here he is here in the form of time He has already come here to all of us, he says. So please don't be in denial and please act appropriately. Those people who are intelligent, they understand this. Like Maharaji Pariksha, he is supremely intelligent. That's actually the idea or the message of this section of Srimad Bhagavatam. How differently Dhritarashtra and Pandavas and the only son, the only grandson of Pandavas were behaving in relationship to the time. Those people who understand that God is there, they don't try to humiliatingly cling to the life. It's actually a very humiliating position, Srila Prabhupada, assessing the purport that no matter how difficult your situation is in this world, you still cling to the life. Please give me some time, a little time. You know, sometimes people, they come to a doctor, they have some problems, something is uncomfortable, all of a sudden they go to the doctor. Doctor looks at their MRI or whatever, he says it's cancer. And then, cancer. And what did they do? Oh, please give me some chemotherapy. My dear doctor, how much chemotherapy will give me life? Well, two months of mission. Well, yeah, yeah, please, two months of mission. People are so, instead of, you know, accepting the fact. I don't say that you don't have to take chemotherapy. Please don't take me wrong. But please know that death has already come. The time is already appointed to all of us. And don't be in illusion. And if you know that this fact, if you are very clear about this fact, already now you will start acting in such a way that this is inevitable. And then you will live your life wisely and when the final example comes, you will be very happy. Because you know this is my meeting with the Lord. This is my appointed meeting with the Lord. Because Kala means time, but Kala also means God. Krishna says, Prabhupada quotes this in the 10th chapter of Bhagavad Gita, he says that among the destroyers Destroyers are under death. Everything is being destroyed in this world. But there is final destruction. And for us the final destruction is death. And we have to be very clear. Then we will not be fearful. If we are not clear, we are always living in the fear of death. And yes, externally we are not fearful. Internally we are fearful. Like Dhritarashtra, he does not admit that he is fearful, but he is fearful. Because he knows the death is coming. I remember, this is very interesting how the psychology works. You know, we all know the death is coming, right? Everyone admits, yes I will die, but not so soon, not so soon. But then something I remember when I started noticing the visible signs of old age in my body, it was not pleasant. I was not so happy about this. But if you are very clear, like Maharaja Pariksit. Maharaja Pariksit said, he heard that he was very confused. confused. He put this garland in the form of snake on the neck of the sage and he went back to his palace and he started thinking what did I do? Why was I so foolish? Why did I put this garland on the snake on the neck of the sage? I never did this before. Something is wrong. There must be God. Otherwise, why did I make this mistake? See how he is thinking. This is a very important point which we all have to understand that what is happening with us, there is a hand of God in everything which is happening. So, Maharaja Pariksit, he is thinking, I did this foolish mistake. There must be direct involvement of God. He is there. He forced me. He pushed me to act against my nature. So he's thinking about this and then the messenger comes, Gormukha, Shamika Rishi, he sends one of his disciples, Gormukha, to Maharaja Pariksit. This is not described in Shema Bhagavad, but it's described in Mahabharata. Gormukha says, you know, Bob, you are going to die in seven days. And he doesn't go to a doctor and say, give me some chemotherapy, I'm going to die in seven days. No, he says, okay, clear, seven days, I have to become sober. I have to concentrate my mind. And he's heavily listening to Shimon Bhagavata because he understands this is the only measure against death. There is no other measure. This is what I have to hear very carefully every day because the death can come any day. So, but because Dhritarashtra is foolish and Vidura knows he is foolish. He starts his saying, his sermon, his preaching to Dhritarashtra, Pratikriya Na. Yasya Inava. Karhichit, Kutashchit. There is no means. Nobody can save you. And Kutashchit, no one, no one will be saved. And Karhichit, there is no other means. Karhichit, Kutashchit, no chance to be saved. So, please know this very clearly. and act accordingly. But, see, there is a very important difference which we have to understand about this 13th chapter. 13th chapter is definitely important for us to understand. But, for us to understand what? Not for us to understand that death is coming. The 13th chapter in Shema Bhagavad is not about this. this is ABC of spiritual life this verse which Vidura is telling to Dhritarashtra is actually not for us to understand it's for Dhritarashtra to understand what we should understand we should understand that we should not be like Dhritarashtra that's the message of the Sergent's chapter these teachings of Vidura is important but you know supposedly it's only important for those who like Dhritarashtra. So the main message of this chapter is that don't be like Dhritarashtra, don't be the will of Dhritarashtra, do Bhakti. Because Dhritarashtra didn't do Bhakti. He heard the sermon, he heard the preaching of Vidura and he He said, okay, no, please tell me Srimad Bhagavatam. No, he went to Himalayas and started practicing meditation and yoga. He went to Ramdev Baba's school and told Ramdev, please teach me what to do. You know, Vidura is there. Vidura knows Srimad Bhagavatam. Dhritarashtra could have told him, please tell me Srimad Bhagavatam. No, he didn't behave. So the main message of this chapter is not to hear what Vidura is saying to Dhritarashtra, but to understand we should not react like Dhritarashtra. Because the Dhritarashtra's understanding of what Vidura is saying, okay, this is coming, so I should do some yoga, I should do meditation, I should, somehow rather, I should detach myself from the body. Detachment or renunciation by Raghya is not bhakti. Detachment or renunciation on the path of bhakti is not necessary. It's not sadhana. Sometimes people, devotees, they will have this wrong conception that we should be detached. Yes, we should be detached, but detachment is not sudden, it's not practice. We should not practice detachment. Sometimes people like Hiranyaka Siddhpul, they practice some austerities. This austerity or that austerity. Chil Prabhupada, when he was already old, you know, once he had a good meal and he was in a very good mood and he smiled and he told, I don't remember who was there, he said, from my childhood I hated astiratis. I didn't like tapasya. So, what it means? It means that our practice is bhakti, but vairagya is a natural outcome of bhakti. It's not sadhana, it's by-product of bhakti. Vasudev bhagva bhakti, bhakti-yoga-prayon-jitaha, janayati ashu vairagyam. Ashu, very soon janayati being produced, vairagyam. Vyana and Vairagya by-products of bhakti. So, the message of this chapter is that by hearing Vidura we should practice bhakti very intensely. Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama, Hare Hare. So, that would be the proper reaction to this message. this message. Yes, death is coming. Yes, old age is coming. Yes, this is the notice from death as children, but so beautifully, poetically described. And I should not try to find some other means. Pratikriya, there is no Pratikriya. Naya Seha. Iha in this world, you should not behave like Hiranya Kasyipu. we will talk about it properly. But it means that I should concentrate on Bhakti. Bhakti is so important. And Bhakti there are two primary means. There are three, five, whatever. But two primary means of Bhakti. One is chanting, another one is hearing. Yes, Sravanam and Kirtanam. So Kirtanam means we should chant Hare Krishna. And hearing means we should hear Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Not only chant, hear Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Not only hear Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam chant. Without chanting we will never be able to understand Srimad Bhagavatam. Without Srimad Bhagavatam we will never be able to chant properly. We will chant as a... and the mind will be working its ways. Srimad Bhagavatam is actually the guidance for chanting. It's a guidebook to explain to us how to chant. You know, there are so many different Japa retreats and Japa retreats they give some techniques. There is only one Japa retreat technique with Shima Hamad and Chet. Everything else is just artificial. You sit like this and it's all okay. I'm not against Japa retreats. But actually, there is only one proper Japa guidebook. It's a big guidebook. It's 12 characters guidebook. Shri Matpagavatam. How to check properly. So, that's the verse which has to warn us, I have to check in a very proper way, because Bhagavan is already here. If you don't see him in the form of Gopal or Radham Adhova, then at least you should feel his presence in the form of time. He is there in the form of time, and in the form of time he is giving us warning there is a war between India and Pakistan. In the form of time he is giving us the warning there is a war between Russia and Ukraine. and so many people are dying all the time, all of a sudden and who knows, maybe soon there will be war between Saudi Arabia and Dubai or whatever you know you can't imagine it now but nobody could imagine that there will be a war between Russia and Ukraine just a few years back nobody could imagine that it will happen because this is the time The time is the power of God to warn us. This is not the place where we can live permanently. Wars, famines, diseases, Srila Prabhupada says, this is the constant feature of this world. Birth, death, old age, disease, this is the constant, permanent, inevitable, unreconcilable or whatever, you cannot count, uncontractable feature of this world. We have to be very clear because it's God. If you don't want to pay dandavad to God, then you know, you may be like Hiranyakasipu, still he had to pay dandavad to God. Everyone was, you know, at least one dandavad everyone pays when we are dead, the body falls dead, and this is our final dandavad, final surrender. But we should not be forced to do. It's actually... It's so much different when you do something voluntarily because you understand the need. You can do it pleasantly. like There is a interesting story Just little story there was this famous Henry Ford the founder of Ford and pirates in America and he was very passionate person so he was he hated heat he couldn't stand heat and he so much hated he that everything was air conditioned his Ford car was air conditioned, his home was air conditioned and even the passage between his home and the car was also air conditioned he was always in this air conditioned condition and ultimately he became sick and he came to a doctor and doctor examined him and Henry Ford asked doctor what's wrong with me I'm so sick he said because you're not sweating that's why you're sick now you have to sweat and he put him in a very hot condition to sweat something which he wanted to avoid so the point here is that when we understand the reality and we act according to this reality voluntarily by accepting this reality. Like the reality is there that on a kardeshi we have to fast. That's the law of God. It's a very important law of God. He created our body in such a way that on a kardeshi we have to fast. And if we don't fast then it's better to fast completely not just to eat four times sabudana. fasting doesn't mean this it's not fasting is fasting to do some austerity a little bit because this is how our body is created this is how designers made our body then you you will be very happy you know by by doing little austerity voluntarily and you will avoid so many problems because then you know ultimately you will come to a doctor and say doctor what is wrong with me and the doctor will say because you ate too much sabudana that's your problem that's what you will say so and that's exactly the message of Vidura there is no pratikliya against fear in the previous verse he said the fear has come what is the cause of fear? the cause of fear is imminent death and there is no pratikliya against this accept this fact and do bhakti and he hears He accepts this fact that goes to the forest to Himalas to perform a stance. So this is the message of this verse. Yes Bhagavan is here. Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare If we don't want to meet Bhagavan in an ugly form of old age, death and disease, we can meet Bhagavan in his beautiful form of Radha Shama Sundar by chanting his holy name Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Hare Hare Hare Hare Hare Hare Hare Rama Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare in a joyful manner because everything else is useless you know, Hiranyika Shippu tried why this story of Hiranyika Shippu is there in Shimat Bhagavatam because actually again what is the message why Narada Muni described this story Hiranyika Shippu was standing with his raised arms on one leg on Mandara mountain for many years and at the end he only had bones nothing else remained the ants ate the flesh because it was sati yuga or trata yuga whatever yuga it was then the life force it is explained in dharma shastras that in different ages life force has different locations In Satya Yuga, life force is in the bones. Therefore, even if you have only bones, you are still alive. In Tretta Yuga, I think it's in blood, in any way. In Kadhi Yuga, it's in the food. That's where life force is. If we don't have one day food, we are completely, there is no life force. We are like dead. But Hiranyakashipu, he could be alive just having bones. Nobody, no one of us can be alive just having bones. He was alive by having bones. He was performing such severe austerities that ultimately Lord Brahma, he became worried and pleased. And he said, my goodness, my dear child, you're performing such an incredible, impressive act. And please ask me a boon. And Hiranyakashipu praised him and said, Oh my Lord, yes, please give me so many boons. I don't want to be this. I don't want to die this way. I don't want to die this way. And Lord Brahma was saying, yes, yes, yes. You will not die this way. You will not die that way. my dear sir you will not die from animals you will not die from demigods you will not die inside you will not die outside you will not die in the morning you will not die at night you will not die during the day you will not die when the sun is there you will not die when the moon is there but you will die what he was saying but he couldn't hear this He only heard I will not die. So we should not be foolish, we should not be bewildered in the same way. We will die. And at that moment, you know, if all life we were expecting meeting with Krishna, Krishna will come to meet with us. It will be the happiest moment of our life. Yes, Krishna, you are coming. Whereas if you are just trying to avoid it by all means, and he says there is no means. Nobody can escape this. So please accept this fact and don't behave like Dhritarashtra or Hiranyaka Shriku. At least Dhritarashtra, because Dhritarashtra had saintly association, he was saved. But Hiranyakashipu, well, he did have saintly association with pravata, but he didn't appreciate this saintly association. At least Dhritarashtra was listening very carefully to Vidura. Hiranyakashipu didn't have intelligence, even enough intelligence, enough brain to listen pravata. Can you imagine how different the seven skirta of would be if Pralat would? Pralat told him, Anyway, he said, go to the forest, go to Vrindavan, as Srila Prabhupada translates. Hironikishipu asked Pralat, please. Tell me the best thing which you learned in the school. And he said, yes, the best of the demons. I will tell you the best thing which I learned from the school. The best thing is just give this up and go to Rendau. That's the best thing which I learned. And, you know, can you imagine if Hironikov's school said, Oh really? Can you tell me more? This is such a good advice. Yes, I have to hit-va, I have to give up on this patam grihadande kumpam, this tip. Well, please tell me more. Because he said that this life is so flickering. This is exactly the same thing Prahlad Maraj told him. Because, you know, you're living in this world and the life is so temporary. So flickering. Please get serious and practice some bhakti. You know, because Hiranyakashipu didn't appreciate this advice. You know, he had to meet with Nrisimhadev. And it was not a very happy meeting between Hiranyakashipu and Nrisimhadev. Tomorrow we will celebrate the disappearance day of Hirani Kashifnik. That is Tirabav Maholsov. This is a big festival. So it was not a very pleasant meeting. But if you are mentally prepared for this, it will be a very pleasant experience. It will be amazingly joyful experience. This will be Mahotsub, the real festival in your life. We should be very clear about this. And this is how this message should be understood by us. Not like Brita Raskar understood this message, but how we should understand this very important message. Not trying to find some solution. There is no solution. Pratikriya, now you see that. But there is Pratikriya. And we know what is the Pratikriya. Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna, Hare Hare. Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare. So, thank you very much. Thank you, Maharaj. Thank you. Thank you. As you said, my point is that our brain has one sort of job that makes us very beautiful in our own mind, always. And makes us look that when we are still young, we are still tired, lot of time to enjoy this routine. So how to activate this thing in order to get in the reason of this thing? How to not get in the reason of this brain? Just reach in my bubble. See, we have certain software in our brain or hardware, whatever it is. Some problems is there. But by the mercy of God, we can change this program. And to change the software to reinstall the setup in our brain, is Shiman Bhagavatam. That's the different software given by the best software engineer. who is uh shukadeva beswami himself he gave us this software but it has to be installed properly it has to be done properly and for that you need to study it in a certain way with a certain this whole first canto of shimad bhagavata very important because it explains the way of of reprogram ourselves with the means of Srimad Bhagavatam. It is explaining how careful we should be by listening to Srimad Bhagavatam. How much own reverence we have to have towards this book. Because sometimes, you know, I stayed in many Griphastha's homes and they all have the whole Srimad Bhagavatam set because they took part in the Bada Purnima program or whatever program it is. But most of the books are not touched by any humans. So the first canto of Srimad Bhagavatam is to explain how we should listen, from whom we should listen, in which mood we should listen. Srimad Bhagavatam, hear Srimad Bhagavatam, how important it is to hear Srimad Bhagavatam regularly. So that's the meaning of this first canton. The methodology of understanding Srimad Bhagavatam, that's the message of the first canton. And here you have to hear Srimad Bhagavatam from the proper source from somebody who has some deeper understanding that's very important because if you only read it uh you will not you will not see what is there because again you will you will read it through the lens of your own mind and your own program so to be reprogrammed by shima bhagavatam you have to hear somebody like shima who is explaining this and installing this program within you. So that's the methodology of installation of new software. Thank you. Regularly here, Sima Bhagavan, from Proposource. Hi, Smarag. Smarag, we are not really on the topic, But then yes, we let you do. Pranath Maharaj had so many difficulties, which was given by Mune Kashyapur. So, we also read when you started movement in Russia, there were so many difficulties. Maybe you can relate one or two incidents with that. How the difficulties came and how we found a practical solution which can help all of us. The difficulties keep on coming, but how to become and how to still attach to the bhakti and find a solution with that. As I tried to explain, thank you very much for this very important question. It's actually right on the topic of the course. The difficulties are destined to come in our life. Everyone has difficulties. I know little astrologers, I do so many charts, I read some in the chart. I have not seen any chart where there is no Saturn in the chart. Somehow or other he is always there. Rahul and Ketu is in everyone's chart. And Mars, who is called beautifully Mongol, is in everyone's chart. It's actually, sometimes people wonder, Mars is the most ferocious and the most inauspicious planet in the chart. Why it is called Mongol? Mongol means auspicious. why Mars is called Mongol because by its presence he forces people to do some auspicious activities therefore he is very auspicious people when they are in this situation of war or whatever when the power of Mars is very prominent they become very fearful and they try to take some remedial measures So the difficulties are there. And sometimes we may try to counteract difficulties. But, you know, but when we understand that the difficulty of higher power. And in most cases, you know, there are some little difficulties which we can counteract. But when it comes to dealing with the government, like in our case, we had to deal with the huge machine of the Soviet Union, the atheistic state, which hated any religion. any religion was not allowed in the Soviet Union. It was strictly forbidden. In the beginning of the 30s, in the 1930s, Stalin, who was the ruler of the Soviet Union, he proudly declared that by such and such year, year 1936 or 38 i don't remember there will be not a single believer in the whole soviet union among the hundreds of millions of people nobody will believe in god it didn't work uh luckily but uh that's that's the level of atheism which was proclaimed this is an atheistic country if somebody who is young will start believing in god he would he would have zero chances to make it in this world he could only be i don't know night guard or something like this had some very low paid job and then all of sudden you know young intelligent people start practicing some Hare Krishna exotic religion. It was such a show for the whole machine that the secret police, KGB in the Soviet Union, there was a special department created in this police just to eradicate Hare Krishna's. And at one point in the beginning of 90s, much later, there was an article, it was the end of communist era, but still it was communism. The chief of the KGB, he published an article and he wrote that there are three main threats to communist regime in Soviet Union. One is rock music, like Beatles and everything else. Another one, I think, was Coca-Cola or something like this. And the third one was Harry Christian. So we had the third place as the most dangerous influences. So yeah, and there was severe persecution. but when it's coming from such powerful source and in many cases it is like this, you know this, because it's in the chart. The time, you know, species time has come. So what should we do? Just accept it. Accept it as the will of God. God is trying to teach us very important lessons. He is trying to give us some, mercifully trying to give us some faith to develop certain qualities which we may know. This is why this difficulty has come. Maybe I should become more humble. Maybe I should become more tolerant. Maybe I should become more kind. Difficulty is merciful involvement of the Lord within our life. This is how we should accept it. And the moment we accept it, the difficulties will become less. When we try to resist these difficulties with all our strengths, we will just waste our energy. sometimes people just resist and resist and resist and ultimately they just they are crushed by the difficulties instead of accepting the reality of these difficulties and trying to adjust and to understand what the Lord wants to teach us and the moment we understand this lesson we become happy this is the lesson this is a very nice lesson and this is what I mean. And you start laughing. You know, like I was detained in the airport and I was put in one room with 14 Arab people. It was room probably this size. And Arab and Chinese and Bangladeshis and Pakistanis. And it was a dirty room. they were smoking in this room and all the sofas were occupied by them and there was nothing to eat of course I was happy because it was a hardship so I sat there and I had to sit there for 12 hours and there was no windows in this room it was totally smoky, bad, dirty, with all these people who are sitting there. And, you know, I start laughing. What else can you do? The Lord is trying to teach you a very important lesson. Here it is. He has come in this form. So, what can I do? And at one point there was one French person also was pushed into this room. He was young and he was so morose that he said, Oh, what are they doing? What are they doing to me? I said, I just love this. Why are you so morose? What can you do? You cannot do anything. If you become grieving about it, it will only become worse. just laugh at it and accept this reality and adjust to this reality and continue with your mission in life, with your spiritual practice but of course it's not easy sometimes but ultimately that's what we should do accept this reality and try to understand what Krishna wants me to do in these circumstances no matter how difficult they are. So what is the teachings of the world? What quality I have to develop? It's difficult but it's actually, it could be very pleasant. Thank you. Thank you, Maharaj. So, may I have one question? Thank you Maharaj. Thank you Maharaj. For this question I was actually also hoping that you will tell the story when KGB was more confident of Krishna than yourself. So even if you don't answer my question please tell that story again. My question Maharaj is that I understand that we need spiritual body because this material body is made out of matter and without the soul, without me, this matter will decompose and it is useless. so I need the spiritual body but my question is that why a spiritual body which is which is the same like the Lord why does the spiritual body need me? why does the spiritual body need a soul? spiritual body is not different from the soul our soul is underdeveloped it's like little seed like in tiny banyan seed the whole DNA or all genetic information for the full body of banyan is there. In the same way our soul in the material condition is suppressed by material atmosphere so it's a tiny little spiritual seed but when it develops completely it becomes full-blown spiritual body and it's not different from the soul it is this soul it's it's the spirit there's no soul in the spiritual body it is the soul as far as this part of the question is concerned as far as the other part of the question is concerned it was like this I was I was in the very beginning I was just trying to practice something but i was not really convinced about harikrishna i was looking at the people who were practicing harikrishna first devotees i was not impressed at all by them they were just very inexperienced young people enthusiastic but not very impressive and I was from this scientific background, I was doing my PhD degree and I was proud as anyone, as any young intelligent person, I was proud of myself and I was looking at these people who are from very low kind of background and not very established in the society, had no chances. I was not impressed about the devotees at all. And then at one point the KGB came to my work and started asking me and they said, we know that you're going to this Hare Krishna's and we know that you're very intelligent young boy and I was and you definitely wants to go upward in the ladder in the society you definitely want to become PhD and this and that they asked me yes of course that's why I'm doing this and you don't want to finish it abruptly all of a sudden and you don't want to go to to prison. I said, no, I don't want to go to prison. So they told me, now you have a choice. You can report to us regularly what's going on with this Hare Krishna secretly. You continue going to them, but inform us where do they gather together, where there is Namahata or Bhakti Bhikshara, because there was no Namahatas and Bhakti Bhikshara at that time, but when they have secret meetings, when they play who is the leader just report us regularly and then you will have all the benefits of this life and we will help you even you know you will go further or you can choose the other way and then you know inevitably you will never be able to do your PhD we will make sure it will not happen and And I was 24 years old at that time. Your whole life will be ruined. And eventually we will put you in prison and labor camp. So you have this nice choice. Please think a little bit about it. What do you choose? And we hope that you have enough intelligence to make the right choice. So that was the choice, which was not easy for me. to deal with and it was very real it was not a job these people they were not jokers they didn't have a sense of humor when they would say you would take it literally not without some interpretation it was very real so and I started thinking what shall I do and I thought okay maybe I should take this choice or that choice but then I thought you know these people they know better they they take this Hare Krishna movement so seriously and I don't take it so seriously The whole machine of government is trying to stop this Hare Krishna. There must be something much more important behind this Hare Krishna, which I know. So I should practice more seriously. That was my conclusion from this. I should take it more seriously because these people must be better informed than themselves. that they consider this bunch of useless in my estimation people as a threat to the whole government so you know and in this way i consider kgb is one of my six gurus thank you very much