The following is a class given by His Holiness, Jayapataka Swami Maharaja on December 21st, 1980, in Mumbai, India. The class begins with a reading from the Srimad-Bhagavatam Canto 1, Chapter 7 Text 6.

Jayapataka Swami: “The material miseries of the living entity, which are superfluous to him, can be directly mitigated by the linking process of devotional service. But the mass of people do not know this, and therefore the learned Vyāsadeva compiled this Vedic literature, which is in relation to the Supreme Truth.”

Translation with repetition: The material miseries

Devotees: The material miseries

Jayapataka Swami: of the living entity

Devotees: of the living entity,

Jayapataka Swami: which are superfluous

Devotees: which are superfluous

Jayapataka Swami: to him,

Devotees: to him,

Jayapataka Swami: can be directly mitigated

Devotees: can be directly mitigated

Jayapataka Swami: by the linking process

Devotees: by the linking process

Jayapataka Swami: of devotional service.

Devotees: of devotional service.

Jayapataka Swami: But the mass of people

Devotees: But the mass of people

Jayapataka Swami: do not know this,

Devotees: do not know this,

Jayapataka Swami: and therefore

Devotees: and therefore

Jayapataka Swami: the learned Vyāsadeva

Devotees: the learned Vyāsadeva

Jayapataka Swami: compiled this Vedic literature,

Devotees: compiled this Vedic literature,

Jayapataka Swami: which is in relation

Devotees: which is in relation

Jayapataka Swami: to the Supreme Truth.

Devotees: to the Supreme Truth.

Jayapataka Swami: Purport by Srila Prabhupada:

Śrīla Vyāsadeva saw the all-perfect Personality of Godhead. This statement suggests that the complete unit of the Su… of the Personality of Godhead includes His parts and parcels also. He saw, therefore, His different energies, namely the internal energy, the marginal energy and the external energy. He also saw His different plenary portions and parts of the plenary portions, namely His different incarnations also, and he specifically observed the unwanted miseries of the conditioned souls, who are bewildered by the external energy. And at last he saw the remedial measure for the conditioned souls, namely, the process of devotional service. It is a great transcendental science and begins with the process of hearing and chanting the name, fame, glory, etc., of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Revival of the dormant affection or love of Godhead does not depend on the mechanical system of hearing or chanting, but it solely and wholly depends on the causeless mercy of the Lord. When the Lord is fully satisfied with the sincere efforts of the devotee, He may endow him with His loving transcendental service. But even with the prescribed forms of hearing and chanting, there is at once mitigation of the superfluous and unwanted miseries of material existence. Such mitigation of material affection does not wait for development of transcendental knowledge. Rather, knowledge is dependent on devotional service for the ultimate realization of the Supreme Truth.”

Thus end the purports on text 6 by His Divine Grace, Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada.

anarthopaśamaṁ sākṣād

bhakti-yogam adhokṣaje

lokasyājānato vidvāṁś   cakre sātvata-saṁhitām

Anartha-nivrtti, or destruction of the obstacles and unwanted things which have accumulated in our heart is necessary to come to the platform of nistha, bhajana-kriya, or fixed devotional service. Rupa Gosvami has described that there are eight levels of advancment in devotional service in the conditioned state.

This begins with sraddha, further progresses with association with devotees, sadhu-sanga, sat-sanga, and further increases by anartha-nivrtti, bhajana-kriya — by performing devotional service and eradicating the unwanted obstacles. So, immediately when one accepts a bona fide spiritual master, he will describe so many anarthas, (inaudible) like attachment to meat-eating, illicit sex, intoxication and gambling, and beyond that, so many other types of unwanted things, anarthas are to be destroyed.

Mahaprabhu has said the same thing, Ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanaṁ bhava-mahā-dāvāgni-nirvāpaṇam. Bhava-davanala means… or bhava-davagni, same thing: forest fire. Dava means forest. In the forest there are so many creatures living: Deers, snakes, rats, bears, tigers, rhinocerous, elephants. When this forest catches on fire, then all the animals flee because they’re afraid to become burned to death.

And under such a circumstance, the animals become mad pagala, crazy, running here, there and everywhere, trying to find an avenue for escape, you see. Sometimes they run in the fire and they perish. Sometimes they escape. In Vrndavana, there was… a forest fire came after Krishna killed the Kaliya snake. All the residents of Vrndavana, where did they run? Where did they run from that forest fire?

This, we should know.

Pran Govinda, you know where they ran? Where did they run? They all ran to Krishna and Balarama. “Oh Krishna, Oh Balarama! You are our only shelter. [aside] Can the sleepy people stand up, in the back? I don’t want to disturb their rest, dandiye thakun. (Bengali for “keep standing.”) We’ve got about a dozen people here crashed out, can they just stand in the back? Dandiye thakun.

They all ran to Krishna and Balarama. “Please. You’re our only shelter. We are simply taking shelter of You.” You see. This was their plea. So, what to Krishna do? (inhales sharply) He devoured the whole forest fire, you see. For Krishna, the biggest danger is nothing: insignificant.

So, we are faced with so many difficulties in material life, and we are thinking, “How to solve these problems.” We are overwhelmed by the concept, “How to overcome these difficulties.” You see. Just like an animal in the forest fire, he’s overwhelmed. He’s mad. “Which way to go? Where to turn? Where is the safe way?” But, for Krishna, there is no such difficulty.

He can easily, you see, remove all the difficulites, so why do we recommend… why does the scripture recommend taking shelter of bhakti-yoga? Because bhakti-yoga is non-different from Krishna. Bhakti-yoga means connection with Krishna. Therefore, immediately, one is saved from so many anarthas, so many unwanted, unnecessary dangers and fears.

They disappear, just like in the dark we are… go into a dark room, and we’re trying to find the light, and suddenly we put our foot on some furry thing and we go, “Ah! What is that?” and then, finally the light comes on, you see, but we see that it’s nothing. Someone has left their furry glove on the floor, you see. And we start… we thought maybe it was a rat or some animal.

Because we are in ignorance, therefore, everything is potential danger. Everything is fearful. But, when we are connected with Krishna,

īhā yasya harer dāsye

karmaṇā manasā girā

nikhilāsv apy avasthāsu

jīvan-muktaḥ sa ucyate

we are liberated from all these dangers. We’re situated in a transcendental position.

māṁ ca yo 'vyabhicāreṇa

bhakti-yogena sevate

sa guṇān samatītyaitān

brahma-bhūyāya kalpate

We’re beyond these three modes when we fully dedicate ourselves to Krishna. So, the goal is to come to fixed devotional service. That sounds like throwing oneself into the process of bhakti-yoga, but what is the process of bhakti? This we should understand. What is the process of bhakti-yoga?

brahmāṇḍa bhramite kona bhāgyavān jīva

guru-kṛṣṇa-prasāde pāya bhakti-latā-bīja

We’re wandering about in this material world, from universe to universe. Somehow or another, we come in contact with the guru. That is by Krishna’s mercy, because Krishna is in our heart, as the Supersoul. He brings us to the pure devotee guru, you see. And by guru’s planting this seed, you see, he’s giving the seed of devotion to the devotee, and the devotee, he takes the seed, you see, and he plants it.

mālī hañā kare sei bīja āropaṇa

śravaṇa-kīrtana-jale karaye secana

And he waters that seed. He waters that root, of that seed with sravana-kirtana-jala: The water, that hearing and chanting, and nine-fold devotional service. So, one has to get the seed of devotion. That seed is in the form of the order of the spiritual master to chant so many rounds, to perform certain devotional services, in so many ways the spiriutal master gives the process and gives specific instructions. This is the seed of devotion, you see, in the form of the mercy of the spiriutal master and Krishna. That is watered by hearing and chanting, daily: Daily hearing and chanting.

mālī hañā kare sei bīja āropaṇa

śravaṇa-kīrtana-jale karaye secana

upajiyā bāḍe latā ‘brahmāṇḍa’ bhedi’ yāya

‘virajā’, ‘brahma-loka’ bhedi’ ‘para-vyoma’ pāya

The mali, or devotee, we say… mali means gardener, so the devotee has become a gardener of his bhakti-lata, so he takes a divine spiritual tree and he puts water of hearing, chanting and devotional service on that plant. So, what does the plant do? It begins to grow, and grow, and grow, and grow! How does it bhedi’ yaya? How does it increase? It increases right through the very boundary. Through the very boundary of this material universe, you see.

That is known as brahma… that is… this universe is known as brahmanda: fourteen planetary systems. In each universe there’s one Brahma, so therefore, this is known as the Brahmanda. So, ‘brahmāṇḍa’ bhedi’ yāya, it breaks through this brahmanda. ‘virajā’, ‘brahma-loka’ bhedi’ it goes beyond the causal ocean. Beyond the brahmajyoti, ‘para-vyoma’ pāya, it gets to the Vaikuntha-lokas.

tabe yāya tad-upari ‘goloka-vṛndāvana’

It goes beyond the Vaikuntha-lokas to Goloka Vrndavana.

‘kṛṣṇa-caraṇa’-kalpa-vṛkṣe kare ārohaṇa

It takes shelter of the lotus feet of Sri Krishna. Those lotus feet are kalpa-vṛkṣa, all-fulfilling desire trees of transcendental, eternal, blissful knowledge, you see. Taking shelter at the lotus feet of Krishna, what happens?

tāhāṅ vistārita hañā phale prema-phala

The lata, the tree begins to expand in all directions, and flowers and fruits of love of God start to come out, you see.
  There, in the spiriutal world: iha

ihāṅ sece nitya śravaṇādi jala

And here, the devotee, he continues. ihāṅ mālī sece nitya śravaṇādi jala, daily hearing, chanting, rendering, serving all the nava-vidha bhakti, nine-fold devotional service, headed by hearing and chanting. With those waters, he continues daily watering, you see.

This is not very hard to understand. You plant the tree. The tree is growing. The tree, when it begins to expand, finally it takes good shelter, you see, then it starts to produce flowers and fruits, but those fruits are not yet ripe. Those fruits are kāňcā. Those fruits are green, unripened fruits. But they’re starting to, you see, grow and grow and become more, uh, luxurious and more ripe, day by day, you see.

But there are certain things that one has to watch out because the root, the root of this tree is still… is situated in the material world, in the heart of the devotee until the fruits are fully ripened, you see. Until the fruits are fully ripened, the roots are coming down from the material world from that devotee, you see. yadi vaiṣṇava-aparādha uṭhe hātī mātā

yadi vaiṣṇava-aparādha uṭhe hātī mātā

upāḍe vā chiṇḍe, tāra śukhi’ yāya pātā

Don’t commit offence to a Vaisnava, to a pure devotee, you see, then that devotional creeper is destroyed, just like a mad elephant entering into the village. Very recently in the area of my zone, North Bengal and Assam, there was mad elephant, that’s known as rogue. Rogue elephant is very dangerous. The rogue elephant will strike and kill human beings. They will go and destroy crops, tear down houses and whole villages. They’re very dangerous, so there was one such rogue elephant, you see. Somehow some human being treats them badly, offends them in some way, and then they start to take vengence, and they start to destroy humankind, you see.

So, there was this one rogue elephant recently, and suddenly in the middle of the night, he would go and tear down all of the… all of the grass huts and stomp on the people, crunching them and tearing down the whole village and he’d run off. And they were complaining to the government, “You must do something to protect our lives from this rogue.” You see.

So, the government, they sent out special śikārīs, hunters to kill, but they could not get near this elephant. He was very clever. Whenever they came, he would go away. Finally, they took the most experienced hunter and the superintendent of police, actually the district… the DIG, Deputy Inspector General, he himself decided to go out with him, and they raised big bamboo platform, you see.

And so, they went and the day after they erected the bamboo platform and tore them down and ran off. They had not yet gone there. So, then again they rebuilt that some other place, you see. They were studying how the elephant was moving, because he was very difficult to catch, so they studied his movements and they found that one particular village, he repeatedly came back to. So, then again, this time they erected those big, you see, bamboo structures, and they waited and waited and finally at 2:00 at night, the elephant came and they were able to shoot him, you see.

These rogue elephants are very dangerous, you see, because they are typcially weighing about four and five tons or more, you see. They can easily smash down vehicles or cars or houses without much difficulty. So, in our spiriutal garden, you see, we do not have some superintendent of police and also professional hunters, neither there’s any kind of weapon for shooting down the elephant, you see. Rather, the system is that one has to protect, you see.

One has to protect his bhajan by simply building a very tall fence, a very tall wall that no mad elephant can enter within, you see.

aparādha-hastīra yaiche nā haya udgama

tāte mālī yatna kari’ kare āvaraṇa’

The devotee builds this wall so that such elephants of aparadha, in other words the devotee’s very careful that no such offence to guru, vaisnava, to nama, to sastra can enter within his garden of bhakti. Otherwise, one’s devotional creeper becomes destroyed. This is very important. Mahaprabhu also gave instruction that one has to watch out for weeds. Kabe yabe upaśākhā

[aside] what’s that noise?

If there are upaśākhā, you see, these upaśākhās, or weeds, they take the strength from the original plant, the original devotional creeper.

seka-jala pāñā upaśākhā bāḍi’ yāya

stabdha hañā mūla-śākhā bāḍite nā pāya

You see, getting the waters of chanting and hearing, the weeds grow, but the original tree remains.

bhukti-mukti-vāñchā, yata asaṅkhya tāra lekhā

That there is material desire, liberation, so many kinds of desire which can come up in the mind, you see. There are a… unlimited in their varieties and kinds.

‘niṣiddhācāra’, ‘kuṭīnāṭī’, ‘jīva-hiṁsana’

‘lābha’, ‘pūjā’, ‘pratiṣṭhādi’ yata upaśākhā-gaṇa

Mahaprabhu has explained to Rupa Gosvami six prinicple type of weeds we have to be careful of. First one is niṣiddhācāra forbidden activities, those activities which are forbidden by the Vedas, just like the four regulative principles. All these type of forbidden acts. If they are performed, those pure desires… these are all upasakhas or weeds.

‘niṣiddhācāra’, ‘kuṭīnāṭī’

Kuṭīnāṭī means to be deceitful, to be deceptive and up hypocritical or diplomatic in one’s devotional dealings. Just like Prabhupada said, “Don’t drink water underwater on a fast day.” Meaning, say there’s a fast day, one has to do (indistinct) but he goes to the bath in the river and he takes his dip. Naturally when he’s taking a dip, nobody’s watching underwater, he can take a drink and come up and maintain his whole fast without taking water, but actually he’s taking water under water on a fast day. So, Prabhupada says, “Don’t take water under water on a fast day.” Because Krishna’s watching.

Amongst Godbrothers, disciples of guru, one may be able to superficially, you see, make some temporary deception. Even that, Supersoul reveals to the other parties in a very short time, but nobody can, you see, even for a moment, deceive Krishna. So, someone is trying to, you see, make some type of show at the same time, his mind is somewhere else. And so all the subsequent cover-up tactics and deceiptful and other things to reach whatever is his desired object. All these things are kuṭīnāṭī, and these kuṭīnāṭī is another type of weed.

Then there’s jīva-hiṁsana. Sometimes a devotee may want to simply cause pain to others. Either by actual homicide, by killing or by injury or by mental torture. One is feeling bad. Someone does something, rubs the wrong way, say something and cut him deep in the heart and rub it in. Make some wound and then rub salt on it, you see. Then one feels very satisfied, “I got back my vengence.” You see.

All these type of activities are different forms of jiva-himsa, enviousness and uh, cruelty to others. These are always avoided, you see. They are dangerous weeds. Even to be callous when someone is suffering is a type of jiva-himsa. If we can do something to alleviate someone’s pain, and we do not do something, that is also jiva-himsa.

Then, ‘lābha’, ‘pūjā’, ‘pratiṣṭhādi’. These three are brothers and sisters: Profit, worship, adoration, and distinction and power. To desire some personal profit in exchange for my service to guru and Krishna, “Let me get something in return: Some material benefit.” That is known as lābha. We should never serve Krishna or the guru with some idea that, “In exchange, I should get some material benefit.” That will stop our devotional creeper from going to Krishna.

Instead, we have to get that material thing, but we won’t get Krishna. Prabhupada was one day giving a lecture, “If you want to serve Krishna and have nice sense gratification, nice fame, you want to have good material situation, then you’ll get that, but you won’t get Krishna. You won’t get Krishna.” If you want Krishna, then you cannot desire all these things. You must simply desire to please Krishna. That is known as   anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyaṁ   jñāna-karmādy-anāvṛtam

That is known as pure devotional service. If you want to get some ‘lābha’, ‘pūjā’. We want to be worshipped. “My Godbrother’s being worshipped. Why I’m not being worshipped? I should also be worshipped. I’m as good as he is. I should be worshipped. Why my guru is being worshipped? I should also become, you see worshipped, even in his presence.” Or, “I should get some special distinction.” You see. “My name should be in lights. I should be a famous movie star.” You see. “My name should be in all… in newspapers.” All these things are contaminated by pūjā.

The devotee simply serves Krishna. Whatever honor, distinction comes, whatever uh, infamy and uh, badanama, or criticism comes, he accepts as Krishna’s mercy. Mam aphalam. Whatever. Fame or infamy. The devotee’s simply fixed in serving Krishna. Pratiṣṭhādi, to increase your dominion. I have to have, you see, so many material acquisitions, material positions, independent of devotional desire. These things are called pratistha, you see.

Mahaprabhu advises:

prathamei upaśākhāra karaye chedana

tabe mūla-śākhā bāḍi’ yāya vṛndāvana

First, first cut the weeds. Cut the weeds. Then, the original… the original plant of bhakti goes to Vrndavana.

‘prema-phala’ pāki’ paḍe, mālī āsvādaya

Then the devotional fruit ripens, falls down and the mali, the devotee, he consumes that with great transcendental joy.

sukhe prema-phala-rasa kare āsvādana

Great joy he tastes that krsna-bhakti. All these things are attainable simply by connection with devotional service. Simply by the connection with devotional service. But we have the follow what is the system. We cannot do devotional service, but we’re still nourishing so many weeds. We are committing so many offenses. How will our devotional creeper grow? How will that devotional creeper grow? We have to be very careful to be expert gardeners to always protect our devotional creeper. This is the warning and instruction given by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu to Rupa Gosvami for all of us.

Lord Caitanya’s come down simply to give mercy to His devotees. In fact, His Deity has come here also. We are serving the Deity of Gaura-Nitai. His Deity is non-different from Himself. Just like when Gauridas Pandit had special Deities made of Lord Caitanya, Lord Nityananda. Lord Caitanya, Nityananda were the dear friends of Gauridas Pandit. They were going to leave. He said, “No. No. You don’t leave. You please stay.”

“How can We stay here? We have to go and see so many devotees.”

“Alright. At least You let me make one Deity of both of You.” You see. Gauridas Pandit was Subala Sakha in Krishna lila. So, they said, “How is it possible? We are coming here in the form of devotees. You will worship Our Deity. This is not very good.” You see.

“No no. But who will I speak with? Who will I offer my bhoga to? Who will I discuss with, all these things? I cannot just be left here all alone. At least you must leave me with some Deities.” So they agreed finally, and he went to Navadvipa, got some neem wood brought down and in the presence of Nitai-Gaura, two Deities were carved.

When these Deities were finished, Lord Caitanya said, “Alright. These Deities are non-different from Us. And you take these and worship, and We will receive.”

So, Gauridas Pandit, “Yes, yes. These Deities are non-different so let the Deities go. You stay. They’re non-different so You let the Deities go and You stay.” You see. So, then Lord Caitanya said, “Alright.” And He stood, and He became just wooden, and the Deities began moving, and They walked out. Then Gauridas Pandit, he said, “No. No. No. No.” He ran after those walking forms of Caitanya and Nitai, “No no. You stay. Let them go!” He wanted the moving form. Not the immovable thing.

So, then Lord Caitanya says, “Alright.” He stood. The other set became movable and then walked away. Again, Gauridas said, “No no no no! You stay. Let them go! Let the Deities go.”

Lord Caitanya, “Alright.” Again He became. Again He became Deity and the other set became like moving Caitanya. Again, he called. So finally, Gauridas Pandit fell down, said, “Alright. You win. What can I do?” So then he installed those Deities, you see and he was worshipping wonderfully.

One day, he went out for preaching, and his disciple Hrdayananda dasa, he decided that it would be very nice day to celebrate a festival, you see, for Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu because Gaura Purnima was coming. Guru has been out preaching for some time, let me make one festival. So, he told all the local villages, “You bring dal. You bring rice. You bring all kinds of sweets. You bring sugar, you bring gur, you bring different kinds of milk, channa. You make one huge feast and in a big sankirtan offer everything to Nitai-Gaura.”

So all the villagers became excited and they went back to the village and they began to prepare, you see, to bring all the different offerings. IN the meantime, Gauridas Pandit came back and he saw a few people coming with offerings. He said, “What’s going on?”

They said, “We’re going to put on a big festival. We’re going to put on a festival. I thought we would put on a festival.”

He said, “What? You didn’t ask me? You’re just going ahead and doing a festival without taking permission of guru? How can you do something without taking permission from your guru?” He became very externally angry. Of course, with a service desire, he was inside somewhat pleased, but disciple should never do something independent of order of guru. Disciple independent of order of guru is dead. No life. Like a tree cut off from the root.

So, Hrdayananda was feeling great anxiety. So, he said, “Whatever is your order, I have to do.” And he went to the ganga and was just chanting japa. In the meantime, while this boatload of so much milk rice, everything was coming, cartloads, bullock carts, they’re all bringing headloads. Huge mountain of provisions started to accumulate.

He was, “I’ll call back.” He called back. Hrdayananda said, “Alright, you go do your stuff.” Hrdayananda was overjoyed. He got guru’s order then he did. Of course, he never went against the order, you see. But he did not have permission when he was instructed he followed, but when he got the order, immediately he then continued with his festival, you see. Which was all in the service of the spiritula master. He got a huge sankirtana first. All the local people were jumping and dancing.

The khol and kartalas. About eight mrdangas were playing and almost 32 kartalas. Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare. And they’re chanting and jumping. Just at that time, Nitai-Gaura ran outside from the platform, and ran into the sankirtana! “Haribol! Haribol!” And started to jump and chant.

Meantime, Gauridas Pandit was bringing the offering in the temple. He put the offering down, and looked up. “Nitai-Gaura! Nitai-Gaura, They’re gone! They’re gone! Nitai-Gaura, they’re gone! Where did they go?” He ran out, looking everywhere? “Where are the Deities? The Deities, they’ve disappeared. Who’s stolen the Deities? Someone has stolen the Deities.” He said, “Who has stolen?”

He ran out. He looked everywhere. Then he saw Nitai-Gaura. He could realize everything. “They’ve ran out and They joined the sankirtana party. They’re jumping with the devotees.” No one could see them but Gauridas Pandit. He became very disturbed at this point, “Then they go out with the sankirtana like They did once before and never come back.” Completely absorbed in his mood as Subala-sakha, he picked up his stick, then he ran out there, “Nitai-Gaura, You right now get back in the temple! Immediately You get back in the temple.”

Nitai-Gaura, seeing Their friend coming in that mood, Lord Caitanya came so fearful, hid Himself in the heart of Hrdayananda. From that moment Hrdayananda was known as Hrdaya Caitanya. Gauridas Pandit, “You cannot hide in the heart of my disciple. You get back in the temple. Don’t try to cheat me again, and leave me alone. Your prasada is waiting.” So They ran back in the temple and they stood.

Gauridas had closed the door and offered them pra… said, “Don’t! Whatever you do.” You see. “Cheat me like this and run out! How would I live without you?” His mood was of course out of pure love, you see. So, in this way they were having their daily pastimes serving Lord Caitanya and Lord Nityananda. So, we should also be very careful, you see to also satisfy the Lord so they don’t run off. They can do that.

So, Lord Caitanya’s come down here anyway to benefit all of us. Now we should go and greet Them at the sandhya-arati and take Their lotus feet dust on our head.

Devotees: Jaya! Srila Acaryapada ki, Jaya!

Transcribed by

H.G. Jagannatha Dasa Brahmacari