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yat—of whom (the devotees); sanga-labdham—achieved by the association; nija-virya-vaibhavam—whose influence is uncommon; tirtham—holy places like the Ganges; muhuh—repeatedly; samsprsatam—of those touching; hi—certainly; manasam—the dirty things in the mind; harati—vanquishes; ajah—the supreme unborn one; antah—in the core of the heart; srutibhih—by the ears; gatah—entered; anga-jam—dirty things or infections of the body; kah—who; vai—indeed; na—not; seveta—would serve; mukunda-vikramam—the glorious activities of Mukunda, the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

By associating with persons for whom the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Mukunda, is the all in all, one can hear of His powerful activities and soon come to understand them. The activities of Mukunda are so potent that simply by hearing of them one immediately associates with the Lord. For a person who constantly and very eagerly hears narrations of the Lord’s powerful activities, the Absolute Truth, the Personality of Godhead in the form of sound vibrations, enters within his heart and cleanses it of all contamination. On the other hand, although bathing in the Ganges diminishes bodily contaminations and infections, this process and the process of visiting holy places can cleanse the heart only after a long time. Therefore who is the sane man who will not associate with devotees to quickly perfect his life?

Bathing in the Ganges can certainly cure one of many infectious diseases, but it cannot cleanse one’s materially attached mind, which creates all kinds of contaminations in material existence. However, one who directly associates with the Supreme Lord by hearing of His activities cleanses the dirt from his mind and very soon comes to Krsna consciousness. Suta Gosvami confirms this in Srimad-Bhagavatam (1.2.17):

srnvatam sva-kathah krsnah
punya-sravana-kirtanah
hrdy antah-stho hy abhadrani
vidhunoti suhrt-satam

The Supreme Lord within everyone’s heart becomes very pleased when a person hears narrations of His activities, and He personally cleanses the dirt from the mind of the listener. Hrdy antah-stho hy abhadrani vidhunoti: He washes off all dirt from the mind. Material existence is caused by dirty things within the mind. If one can cleanse his mind, he immediately comes to his original position of Krsna consciousness, and thus his life becomes successful. Therefore all the great saints in the devotional line very strongly recommend the process of hearing. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu introduced the congregational chanting of the Hare Krsna mantra to give everyone a chance to hear Krsna’s holy name, for simply by hearing Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare, one becomes purified (ceto-darpana-marjanam [Cc. Antya 20.12]). Therefore our Krsna consciousness movement is chiefly engaged in chanting the Hare Krsna mantra all over the world.

After one’s mind becomes cleansed by chanting Hare Krsna, one gradually comes to the platform of Krsna consciousness and then reads books like Bhagavad-gita, Srimad-Bhagavatam, Caitanya-caritamrta and The Nectar of Devotion. In this way, one becomes more and more purified of material contamination. As stated in Srimad-Bhagavatam (1.2.18):

nasta-prayesv abhadresu
nityam bhagavata-sevaya
bhagavaty uttama-sloke
bhaktir bhavati naisthiki

“By regularly hearing the Bhagavatam and rendering service unto the pure devotee, all that is troublesome to the heart is practically destroyed, and loving service unto the glorious Lord, who is praised with transcendental songs, is established as an irrevocable fact.” In this way, simply by hearing of the powerful activities of the Lord, the devotee’s heart becomes almost completely cleansed of material contamination, and thus his original position as an eternal servant who is part and parcel of the Lord becomes manifest. While the devotee engages in devotional service, the passionate and ignorant modes of material nature are gradually vanquished, and then he acts only in the mode of goodness. At that time he becomes happy and gradually advances in Krsna consciousness.

All the great acaryas strongly recommend that people be given a chance to hear about the Supreme Lord. Then success is assured. The more we cleanse the dirt of material attachment from our hearts, the more we will be attracted by Krsna’s name, form, qualities, paraphernalia and activities. This is the sum and substance of the Krsna consciousness movement.

SB5.18.12

TEXT 12

yasyasti bhaktir bhagavaty akincana

sarvair gunais tatra samasate surah

harav abhaktasya kuto mahad-guna

manorathenasati dhavato bahih

yasya—of whom; asti—there is; bhaktih—devotional service; bhagavati—to the Supreme Personality of Godhead; akincana—without any motive; sarvaih—with all; gunaih—good qualities; tatra—there (in that person); samasate—reside; surah—all the demigods; harau—unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead; abhaktasya—of a person who is not devoted; kutah—where; mahat-gunah—good qualities; manorathena—by mental speculation; asati—in the temporary material world; dhavatah—who is running; bahih—outside.

All the demigods and their exalted qualities, such as religion, knowledge and renunciation, become manifest in the body of one who has developed unalloyed devotion for the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Vasudeva. On the other hand, a person devoid of devotional service and engaged in material activities has no good qualities. Even if he is adept at the practice of mystic yoga or the honest endeavor of maintaining his family and relatives, he must be driven by his own mental speculations and must engage in the service of the Lord’s external energy. How can there be any good qualities in such a man?

harir hi saksad bhagavan saririnam

As explained in the next verse, Krsna is the original source of all living entities. This is confirmed in Bhagavad-gita (15.7), wherein Krsna says:

mamaivamso jiva-loke
jiva-bhutah sanatanah
manah sasthanindriyani
prakrti-sthani karsati

“The living entities in this conditioned world are My eternal, fragmental parts. Due to conditioned life, they are struggling very hard with the six senses, which include the mind.” All living entities are part and parcel of Krsna, and therefore when they revive their original Krsna consciousness, they possess all the good qualities of Krsna in a small quantity. When one engages himself in the nine processes of devotional service (sravanam kirtanam visnoh smaranam pada-sevanam/ arcanam vandanam dasyam sakhyam atma-nivedanam [SB 7.5.23]), one’s heart becomes purified, and he immediately understands his relationship with Krsna. He then revives his original quality of Krsna consciousness.

In the Adi-lila of Caitanya-caritamrta, Chapter Eight, there is a description of some of the qualities of devotees. For example, Sri Pandita Haridasa is described as being very well-behaved, tolerant, peaceful, magnanimous and grave. In addition, he spoke very sweetly, his endeavors were very pleasing, he was always patient, he respected everyone, he always worked for everyone’s benefit, his mind was free of duplicity, and he was completely devoid of all malicious activities. These are all originally qualities of Krsna, and when one becomes a devotee they automatically become manifest. Sri Krsnadasa Kaviraja, the author of Caitanya-caritamrta, says that all good qualities become manifest in the body of a Vaisnava and that only by the presence of these good qualities can one distinguish a Vaisnava from a non-Vaisnava. Krsnadasa Kaviraja lists the following twenty-six good qualities of a Vaisnava: (1) He is very kind to everyone. (2) He does not make anyone his enemy. (3) He is truthful. (4) He is equal to everyone. (5) No one can find any fault in him. (6) He is magnanimous. (7) He is mild. (8) He is always clean. (9) He is without possessions. (10) He works for everyone’s benefit. (11) He is very peaceful. (12) He is always surrendered to Krsna. (13) He has no material desires. (14) He is very meek. (15) He is steady. (16) He controls his senses. (17) He does not eat more than required. (18) He is not influenced by the Lord’s illusory energy. (19) He offers respect to everyone. (20) He does not desire any respect for himself. (21) He is very grave. (22) He is merciful. (23) He is friendly. (24) He is poetic. (25) He is expert. (26) He is silent.

SB5.18.13

TEXT 13

atma jhasanam iva toyam ipsitam

hitva mahams tam yadi sajjate grhe

tada mahattvam vayasa dampatinam

harih—the Lord; hi—certainly; saksat—directly; bhagavan—the Supreme Personality of Godhead; saririnam—of all living entities who have accepted material bodies; atma—the life and soul; jhasanam—of the aquatics; iva—like; toyam—the vast water; ipsitam—is desired; hitva—giving up; mahan—a great personality; tam—Him; yadi—if; sajjate—becomes attached; grhe—to household life; tada—at that time; mahattvam—greatness; vayasa—by age; dam-patinam—of the husband and wife.

Just as aquatics always desire to remain in the vast mass of water, all conditioned living entities naturally desire to remain in the vast existence of the Supreme Lord. Therefore if someone very great by material calculations fails to take shelter of the Supreme Soul but instead becomes attached to material household life, his greatness is like that of a young, low-class couple. One who is too attached to material life loses all good spiritual qualities.

Although crocodiles are very fierce animals, they are powerless when they venture out of the water onto land. When they are out of the water, they cannot exhibit their original power. Similarly, the all-pervading Supersoul, Paramatma, is the source of all living entities, and all living entities are part and parcel of Him. When the living entity remains in contact with the all-pervading Vasudeva, the Personality of Godhead, he manifests his spiritual power, exactly as the crocodile exhibits its strength in the water. In other words, the greatness of the living entity can be perceived when he is in the spiritual world, engaged in spiritual activities. Many householders, although well-educated in the knowledge of the Vedas, become attached to family life. They are compared herein to crocodiles out of water, for they are devoid of all spiritual strength. Their greatness is like that of a young husband and wife who, though uneducated, praise one another and become attracted to their own temporary beauty. This kind of greatness is appreciated only by low-class men with no qualifications.

Everyone should therefore seek the shelter of the Supreme Soul, the source of all living entities. No one should waste his time in the so-called happiness of materialistic household life. In the Vedic civilization, this type of crippled life is allowed only until one’s fiftieth year, when one must give up family life and enter either the order of vanaprastha (independent retired life for cultivation of spiritual knowledge) or sannyasa (the renounced order, in which one completely takes shelter of the Supreme Personality of Godhead).

SB5.18.14

TEXT 14

tasmad rajo-raga-visada-manyu-

mana-sprha-bhayadainyadhimulam

hitva grham samsrti-cakravalam

nrsimha-padam bhajatakutobhayam iti

tasmat—therefore; rajah—of passion or material desires; raga—attachment for material things; visada—then disappointment; manyu—anger; mana-sprha—the desire to be respectable in society; bhaya—fear; dainya—of poverty; adhimulam—the root cause; hitva—giving up; grham—household life; samsrti-cakravalam—the cycle of repeated birth and death; nrsimha-padam—the lotus feet of Lord Nrsimhadeva; bhajata—worship; akutah-bhayam—the shelter of fearlessness; iti—thus.

Therefore, O demons, give up the so-called happiness of family life and simply take shelter of the lotus feet of Lord Nrsimhadeva, which are the actual shelter of fearlessness. Entanglement in family life is the root cause of material attachment, indefatigable desires, moroseness, anger, despair, fear and the desire for false prestige, all of which result in the repetition of birth and death.

SB5.18.15

TEXT 15

ketumale ’pi bhagavan kamadeva-svarupena laksmyah priya-cikirsaya prajapater duhitrnam putranam tad-varsa-patinam purusayusaho-ratra-parisankhyananam yasam garbha maha-purusa-mahastra-tejasodvejita-manasam vidhvasta vyasavah samvatsarante vinipatanti.

SYNONYMS

ketumale—in the tract of land known as Ketumala-varsa; api—also; bhagavan—the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Visnu; kamadeva-svarupena—in the form of Kamadeva (Cupid or Pradyumna); laksmyah—of the goddess of fortune; priya-cikirsaya—with a desire to bring about the satisfaction; prajapateh—of Prajapati; duhitrnam—of the daughters; putranam—of the sons; tat-varsa-patinam—the ruler of that land; purusa-ayusa—in a human lifetime (about one hundred years); ahah-ratra—the days and nights; parisankhyananam—which equal in number; yasam—of whom (the daughters); garbhah—fetuses; maha-purusa—of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; maha-astra—of the great weapon (the disc); tejasa—by the effulgence; udvejita-manasam—whose minds are agitated; vidhvastah—ruined; vyasavah—dead; samvatsara-ante—at the end of the year; vinipatanti—fall down.

TRANSLATION

Sukadeva Gosvami continued: In the tract of land called Ketumala-varsa, Lord Visnu lives in the form of Kamadeva, only for the satisfaction of His devotees. These include Laksmiji [the goddess of fortune], the Prajapati Samvatsara and all of Samvatsara’s sons and daughters. The daughters of Prajapati are considered the controlling deities of the nights, and his sons are considered the controllers of the days. The Prajapati’s offspring number 36,000, one for each day and each night in the lifetime of a human being. At the end of each year, the Prajapati’s daughters become very agitated upon seeing the extremely effulgent disc of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and thus they all suffer miscarriages.

PURPORT

This Kamadeva, who appears as Krsna’s son named Pradyumna, is visnu-tattva. How this is so is explained by Madhvacarya, who quotes from the Brahmanda Purana: kamadeva-sthitam visnum upaste. Although this Kamadeva is visnu-tattva, His body is not spiritual but material. Lord Visnu as Pradyumna or Kamadeva accepts a material body, but He still acts spiritually. It does not make any difference whether He accepts a spiritual or a material body; He can act spiritually in any condition of existence. Mayavadi philosophers regard even Lord Krsna’s body as material, but their opinions cannot impede the spiritual activity of the Lord.

SB5.18.16

TEXT 16

ativa sulalita-gati-vilasa-vilasita-rucira-hasa-lesavaloka-lilaya kincid-uttambhita-sundara-bhru-mandala-subhaga-vadanaravinda-sriya ramam ramayann indriyani ramayate.

ativa—very much; su-lalita—beautiful; gati—with movements; vilasa—by pastimes; vilasita—manifested; rucira—pleasing; hasa-lesa—mild smiling; avaloka-lilaya—by playful glancing; kincit-uttambhita—slightly raised; sundara—beautiful; bhru-mandala—by the eyebrows; subhaga—auspicious; vadana-aravinda-sriya—with His beautiful lotuslike face; ramam—the goddess of fortune; ramayan—pleasing; indriyani—all the senses; ramayate—He pleases.

In Ketumala-varsa, Lord Kamadeva [Pradyumna] moves very graciously. His mild smile is very beautiful, and when He increases the beauty of His face by slightly raising His eyebrows and glancing playfully, He pleases the goddess of fortune. Thus He enjoys His transcendental senses.

SB5.18.17

TEXT 17

tad bhagavato mayamayam rupam parama-samadhi-yogena rama devi samvatsarasya ratrisu prajapater duhitrbhir upetahahsu ca tad-bhartrbhir upaste idam codaharati.

SYNONYMS

tat—that; bhagavatah—of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; maya-mayam—full of affection for the devotees; rupam—form; parama—highest; samadhi-yogena—by absorption of the mind in the service of the Lord; rama—the goddess of fortune; devi—divine woman; samvatsarasya—known as Samvatsara; ratrisu—during the nights; prajapateh—of Prajapati; duhitrbhih—with the daughters; upeta—combined; ahahsu—during the days; ca—also; tat-bhartrbhih—with the husbands; upaste—worships; idam—this; ca—also; udaharati—chants.

TRANSLATION

Accompanied during the daytime by the sons of the Prajapati [the predominating deities of the days] and accompanied at night by his daughters [the deities of the nights], Laksmidevi worships the Lord during the period known as the Samvatsara in His most merciful form as Kamadeva. Fully absorbed in devotional service, she chants the following mantras.

PURPORT

The word mayamayam used in this verse should not be understood according to the interpretations of the Mayavadis. Maya means affection as well as illusion. When a mother deals with her child affectionately, she is called mayamaya. In whatever form the Supreme Lord Visnu appears, He is always affectionate toward His devotees. Thus the word mayamayam is used here to mean “very affectionate toward the devotees.” Srila Jiva Gosvami writes in this regard that mayamayam can also mean krpa-pracuram, deeply merciful. Similarly, Srila Viraraghava says, maya-pracuranatmiya-sankalpena parigrhitam ity arthah jnana-paryayo’tra maya-sabdah: when one is very affectionate due to an intimate relationship, one is described as mayamaya. Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura explains mayamayam by dividing it into the words maya and amayam. He explains these words to indicate that because the living entity is covered by the disease of illusion, the Lord is always eager to deliver His devotee from the clutches of maya and cure him of the disease caused by the illusory energy.

SB5.18.18

TEXT 18

om hram hrim hrum om namo bhagavate hrsikesaya sarva-guna-visesair vilaksitatmane akutinam cittinam cetasam visesanam cadhipataye sodasa-kalaya cchando-mayayanna-mayayamrta-mayaya sarva-mayaya sahase ojase balaya kantaya kamaya namas te ubhayatra bhuyat.

om—O Lord; hram hrim hrum—the seeds of the mantra, chanted for a successful result; om—O Lord; namah—respectful obeisances; bhagavate—unto the lotus feet of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; hrsikesaya—unto Hrsikesa, the Lord of the senses; sarva-guna—with all transcendental qualities; visesaih—with all varieties; vilaksita—particularly observed; atmane—unto the soul of all living entities; akutinam—of all kinds of activity; cittinam—of all kinds of knowledge; cetasam—of the functions of the mind, such as determination and mental effort; visesanam—of their respective objects; ca—and; adhipataye—unto the master; sodasa-kalaya—whose parts are the sixteen original ingredients of creation (namely the five objects of the senses and the eleven senses, including the mind); chandah-mayaya—unto the enjoyer of all ritualistic ceremonies; anna-mayaya—who maintains all living entities by supplying the necessities of life; amrta-mayaya—who awards eternal life; sarva-mayaya—who is all-pervading; sahase—the powerful; ojase—who supplies strength to the senses; balaya—who supplies strength to the body; kantaya—the supreme husband or master of all living entities; kamaya—who supplies all necessities for the devotees; namah—respectful obeisances; te—unto You; ubhayatra—always (during both day and night, or both in this life and the next); bhuyat—may there be all good fortune.

Let me offer my respectful obeisances unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Hrsikesa, the controller of all my senses and the origin of everything. As the supreme master of all bodily, mental and intellectual activities, He is the only enjoyer of their results. The five sense objects and eleven senses, including the mind, are His partial manifestations. He supplies all the necessities of life, which are His energy and thus nondifferent from Him, and He is the cause of everyone’s bodily and mental prowess, which is also nondifferent from Him. Indeed, He is the husband and provider of necessities for all living entities. The purpose of all the Vedas is to worship Him. Therefore let us all offer Him our respectful obeisances. May He always be favorable toward us in this life and the next.

striyo vratais tva hrsikesvaram svato

In this verse the word mayamaya is further explained in regard to how the Lord expands His mercy in different ways. parasya saktir vividhaiva sruyate: the energies of the Supreme Lord are understood in different ways. In this verse He is described as the original source of everything, even our body, senses, mind, activities, prowess, bodily strength, mental strength and determination for securing the necessities of life. Indeed, the Lord’s energies can be perceived in everything. As stated in Bhagavad-gita (7.8), raso ’ham apsu kaunteya: the taste of water is also Krsna. Krsna is the active principle of everything we need for our maintenance.

This verse offering respectful obeisances unto the Lord was composed by Rama, the goddess of fortune, and is full of spiritual power. Under the guidance of a spiritual master, everyone should chant this mantra and thus become a complete and perfect devotee of the Lord. One may chant this mantra for complete liberation from material bondage, and after liberation one may continue to chant it while worshiping the Supreme Lord in Vaikunthaloka. All mantras, of course, are meant for this life and the next life, as Krsna Himself confirms in Bhagavad-gita (9.14):

satatam kirtayanto mam
yatantas ca drdha-vratah
namasyantas ca mam bhaktya
nitya-yukta upasate

“Always chanting My glories, endeavoring with great determination, bowing down before Me, the great souls perpetually worship Me with devotion.” A devotee who both in this life and the next chants the maha-mantra, or any mantra, is called nitya-yuktopasaka.

SB5.18.19

TEXT 19

hy aradhya loke patim asasate ’nyam

tasam na te vai paripanty apatyam

priyam dhanayumsi yato ’sva-tantrah

striyah—all women; vrataih—by observing fasting and other vows; tva—you; hrsikesvaram—the Supreme Personality of Godhead, master of the senses; svatah—of your own accord; hi—certainly; aradhya—worshiping; loke—in the world; patim—a husband; asasate—ask for; anyam—another; tasam—of all those women; na—not; te—the husbands; vai—indeed; paripanti—able to protect; apatyam—the children; priyam—very dear; dhana—the wealth; ayumsi—or the duration of life; yatah—because; asva-tantrah—dependent.

My dear Lord, You are certainly the fully independent master of all the senses. Therefore all women who worship You by strictly observing vows because they wish to acquire a husband to satisfy their senses are surely under illusion. They do not know that such a husband cannot actually give protection to them or their children. Nor can he protect their wealth or duration of life, for he himself is dependent on time, fruitive results and the modes of nature, which are all subordinate to You.