Srimad-Bhagavatam: Canto 7: “The Science of God”
by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Chapter Fifteen
SB7.15.60
TEXT 60
dhatavo ’vayavitvac ca
tan-matravayavair vina
na syur hy asaty avayaviny
asann avayavo ’ntatah
SYNONYMS
dhatavah—the five elements; avayavitvat—being the cause of the bodily conception; ca—and; tat-matra—the sense objects (sound, taste, touch, etc.); avayavaih—the subtle parts; vina—without; na—not; syuh—can exist; hi—indeed; asati—unreal; avayavini—in the formation of the body; asan—not existing; avayavah—the part of the body; antatah—at the end.
TRANSLATION
Because the body is formed of the five elements, it cannot exist without the subtle sense objects. Therefore, since the body is false, the sense objects are also naturally false or temporary.
SB7.15.61
TEXT 61
syat sadrsya-bhramas tavad
vikalpe sati vastunah
jagrat-svapau yatha svapne
tatha vidhi-nisedhata
SYNONYMS
syat—it so becomes; sadrsya—similarity; bhramah—mistake; tavat—as long as; vikalpe—in separation; sati—the part; vastunah—from the substance; jagrat—waking; svapau—sleeping; yatha—as; svapne—in a dream; tatha—similarly; vidhi-nisedhata—the regulative principles, consisting of injunctions and prohibitions.
TRANSLATION
When a substance and its parts are separated, the acceptance of similarity between one and the other is called illusion. While dreaming, one creates a separation between the existences called wakefulness and sleep. It is in such a state of mind that the regulative principles of the scriptures, consisting of injunctions and prohibitions, are recommended.
PURPORT
In material existence there are many regulative principles and formalities. If material existence is temporary or false, this does not mean that the spiritual world, although similar, is also false. That one’s material body is false or temporary does not mean that the body of the Supreme Lord is also false or temporary. The spiritual world is real, and the material world is similar to it. For example, in the desert we sometimes find a mirage, but although the water in a mirage is false, this does not mean that there is no water in reality; water exists, but not in the desert. Similarly, nothing real is in this material world, but reality is in the spiritual world. The Lord’s form and His abode—Goloka Vrndavana in the Vaikuntha planets—are eternal realities.
From Bhagavad-gita we understand that there is another prakrti, or nature, which is real. This is explained by the Lord Himself in the Eighth Chapter of Bhagavad-gita (8.19–21):
bhuta-gramah sa evayam
bhutva bhutva praliyate
ratry-agame ’vasah partha
prabhavaty ahar-agame
paras tasmat tu bhavo ’nyo
’vyakto ’vyaktat sanatanah
yah sa sarvesu bhutesu
nasyatsu na vinasyati
avyakto ’ksara ity uktas
tam ahuh paramam gatim
yam prapya na nivartante
tad dhama paramam mama
“Again and again the day of Brahma comes, and all living beings are active; and again the night falls, O Partha, and they are helplessly dissolved. Yet there is another nature, which is eternal and is transcendental to this manifested and unmanifested matter. It is supreme and is never annihilated. When all in this world is annihilated, that part remains as it is. That supreme abode is called unmanifested and infallible, and it is the supreme destination. When one goes there, he never comes back. That is My supreme abode.” The material world is a reflection of the spiritual world. The material world is temporary or false, but the spiritual world is an eternal reality. SB7.15.62 TEXT 62 bhavadvaitam kriyadvaitam dravyadvaitam tathatmanah vartayan svanubhutyeha trin svapnan dhunute munih SYNONYMS bhava-advaitam—oneness in one’s conception of life; kriya-advaitam—oneness in activities; dravya-advaitam—oneness in different paraphernalia; tatha—as well as; atmanah—of the soul; vartayan—considering; sva—one’s own; anubhutya—according to realization; iha—in this material world; trin—the three; svapnan—living conditions (wakefulness, dreaming and sleep); dhunute—gives up; munih—the philosopher or speculator. TRANSLATION After considering the oneness of existence, activity and paraphernalia and after realizing the self to be different from all actions and reactions, the mental speculator [muni], according to his own realization, gives up the three states of wakefulness, dreaming and sleep. PURPORT The three words bhavadvaita, kriyadvaita and dravyadvaita are explained in the following verses. However, one has to give up all the nonduality of philosophical life in the material world and come to the actual life of reality in the spiritual world in order to attain perfection. SB7.15.63 TEXT 63 karya-karana-vastv-aikya- darsanam pata-tantuvat avastutvad vikalpasya bhavadvaitam tad ucyate SYNONYMS karya—the result or effect; karana—the cause; vastu—substance; aikya—oneness; darsanam—observation; pata—the cloth; tantu—the thread; vat—like; avastutvat—because of being ultimately unreality; vikalpasya—of differentiation; bhava-advaitam—the conception of oneness; tat ucyate—that is called. TRANSLATION When one understands that result and cause are one and that duality is ultimately unreal, like the idea that the threads of a cloth are different from the cloth itself, one reaches the conception of oneness called bhavadvaita. SB7.15.64 TEXT 64 yad brahmani pare saksat sarva-karma-samarpanam mano-vak-tanubhih partha kriyadvaitam tad ucyate SYNONYMS yat—that which; brahmani—in the Supreme Brahman; pare—transcendental; saksat—directly; sarva—of all; karma—activities; samarpanam—dedication; manah—by the mind; vak—the words; tanubhih—and the body; partha—O Maharaja Yudhisthira; kriya-advaitam—oneness in activities; tat ucyate—it is called. TRANSLATION My dear Yudhisthira [Partha], when all the activities one performs with his mind, words and body are dedicated directly to the service of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, one reaches oneness of activities, called kriyadvaita. PURPORT The Krsna consciousness movement is teaching people how to come to the stage of dedicating everything to the service of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Krsna says in Bhagavad-gita (9.27): yat karosi yad asnasi “O son of Kunti, all that you do, all that you eat, all that you offer and give away, as well as all austerities that you may perform, should be done as an offering unto Me.” If whatever we do, whatever we eat, whatever we think and whatever we plan is for the advancement of the Krsna consciousness movement, this is oneness. There is no difference between chanting for Krsna consciousness and working for Krsna consciousness. On the transcendental platform, they are one. But we must be guided by the spiritual master about this oneness; we should not manufacture our own oneness. SB7.15.65 TEXT 65 atma-jaya-sutadinam anyesam sarva-dehinam yat svartha-kamayor aikyam dravyadvaitam tad ucyate SYNONYMS atma—of one’s self; jaya—wife; suta-adinam—and children; anyesam—of one’s relatives, etc.; sarva-dehinam—of all other living entities; yat—whatever; sva-artha-kamayoh—of one’s ultimate goal and benefit; aikyam—oneness; dravya-advaitam—oneness of interest; tat ucyate—it is called. TRANSLATION When the ultimate goal and interest of one’s self, one’s wife, one’s children, one’s relatives and all other embodied living beings is one, this is called dravyadvaita, or oneness of interest. PURPORT The actual interest of all living entities—indeed, the goal of life—is to return home, back to Godhead. This is the interest of one’s own self, one’s wife, one’s children, one’s disciples and one’s friends, relatives, countrymen and all humanity. The Krsna consciousness movement can give directions for management by which everyone can partake in Krsna conscious activities and reach the ultimate goal, which is known as svartha-gatim. This objective of everyone’s interest is Visnu, but because people do not know this (na te viduh svartha-gatim hi visnum [SB 7.5.31]), they are making various plans by which to fulfill so many concocted interests in life. The Krsna consciousness movement is trying to bring everyone to the highest interest. The process may be differently named, but if the aim is one, people should follow it to achieve the ultimate goal in life. Unfortunately, people are thinking of different interests, and blind leaders are misleading them. Everyone is trying to reach the goal of complete happiness materially; because people do not know what complete happiness is, they are materially diverted toward different interests. SB7.15.66 TEXT 66 yad yasya vanisiddham syad yena yatra yato nrpa sa teneheta karyani naro nanyair anapadi SYNONYMS yat—whatever; yasya—of a man; va—either; anisiddham—not forbidden; syat—it is so; yena—by which means; yatra—in place and time; yatah—from which; nrpa—O King; sah—such a person; tena—by such a process; iheta—should perform; karyani—prescribed activities; narah—a person; na—not; anyaih—by other ways; anapadi—in the absence of danger. TRANSLATION In normal conditions, in the absence of danger, O King Yudhisthira, a man should perform his prescribed activities according to his status of life with the things, endeavors, process and living place that are not forbidden for him, and not by any other means. PURPORT This instruction is given for men in all statuses of life. Generally society is divided into brahmanas, ksatriyas, vaisyas, sudras, brahmacaris, vanaprasthas, sannyasis and grhasthas. Everyone must act according to his position and try to please the Supreme Personality of Godhead, for that will make one’s life successful. This was instructed in Naimisaranya: atah pumbhir dvija-srestha “O best among the twice-born, it is therefore concluded that the highest perfection one can achieve, by discharging his prescribed duties [dharma] according to caste divisions and order of life, is to please the Lord Hari.” (Bhag. 1.2.13) Everyone should act according to his occupational duties just to please the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Then everyone will be happy. SB7.15.67 TEXT 67 etair anyais ca vedoktair vartamanah sva-karmabhih grhe ’py asya gatim yayad rajams tad-bhakti-bhan narah SYNONYMS etaih—by these ways; anyaih—by other ways; ca—and; veda-uktaih—as directed in the Vedic literatures; vartamanah—abiding; sva-karmabhih—by one’s occupational duties; grhe api—even at home; asya—of Lord Krsna; gatim—destination; yayat—can reach; rajan—O King; tat-bhakti-bhak—who renders devotional service unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead; narah—any person. TRANSLATION O King, one should perform his occupational duties according to these instructions, as well as other instructions given in the Vedic literature, just to remain a devotee of Lord Krsna. Thus, even while at home, one will be able to reach the destination. PURPORT The ultimate goal of life is Visnu, Krsna. Therefore, either by Vedic regulative principles or by materialistic activities, if one tries to reach the destination of Krsna, that is the perfection of life. Krsna should be the target; everyone should try to reach Krsna, from any position of life. Krsna accepts service from anyone. The Lord says in Bhagavad-gita (9.32): mam hi partha vyapasritya “O son of Prtha, those who take shelter in Me, though they be of lower birth—women, vaisyas [merchants], as well as sudras [workers]—can approach the supreme destination.” It does not matter what one’s position is; if one aims at reaching Krsna by performing his occupational duty under the direction of the spiritual master, his life is successful. It is not that only sannyasis, vanaprasthas and brahmacaris can reach Krsna. A grhastha, a householder, can also reach Krsna, provided he becomes a pure devotee without material desires. An example of this is cited in the next verse. SB7.15.68 TEXT 68 yatha hi yuyam nrpa-deva dustyajad apad-ganad uttaratatmanah prabhoh yat-pada-pankeruha-sevaya bhavan aharasin nirjita-dig-gajah kratun SYNONYMS yatha—as; hi—indeed; yuyam—all of you (Pandavas); nrpa-deva—O lord of the kings, human beings and demigods; dustyajat—insurmountable; apat—dangerous conditions; ganat—from all; uttarata—escaped; atmanah—own; prabhoh—of the Lord; yat-pada-pankeruha—whose lotus feet; sevaya—by serving; bhavan—yourself; aharasit—performed; nirjita—defeating; dik-gajah—the most powerful enemies, who were like elephants; kratun—ritualistic ceremonies. TRANSLATION O King Yudhisthira, because of your service to the Supreme Lord, all of you Pandavas defeated the greatest dangers posed by numerous kings and demigods. By serving the lotus feet of Krsna, you conquered great enemies, who were like elephants, and thus you collected ingredients for sacrifice. By His grace, may you be delivered from material involvement. PURPORT Placing himself as an ordinary householder, Maharaja Yudhisthira inquired from Narada Muni how a grha-mudha-dhi, a person who is entangled in household life and who thus continues to remain a fool, can be delivered. Narada Muni encouraged Maharaja Yudhisthira by saying, “You are already on the safe side because you, along with your entire family, have become a pure devotee of Krsna.” By Krsna’s grace, the Pandavas conquered in the Battle of Kuruksetra and were saved from many dangers posed not only by kings but sometimes even by the demigods. Thus they are a practical example of how to live in security and safety by the grace of Krsna. Everyone should follow the example of the Pandavas, who showed how to be saved by the grace of Krsna. Our Krsna consciousness movement is intended to teach how everyone can live peacefully in this material world and at the end of life return home, back to Godhead. In the material world there are always dangers at every step (padam padam yad vipadam na tesam). Nonetheless, if one takes shelter of Krsna without hesitation and keeps under the shelter of Krsna, he can easily cross the ocean of nescience. Samasrita ye pada-pallava-plavam mahat-padam punya-yaso murareh. To the devotee, this great ocean of nescience becomes like a puddle of water in the hoofprint of a cow. A pure devotee, without embarrassing himself by trying for elevation in so many ways, stays in the safest position as a servant of Krsna, and thus his life is eternally safe without a doubt. SB7.15.69 TEXT 69 aham purabhavam kascid gandharva upabarhanah namnatite maha-kalpe gandharvanam susammatah SYNONYMS aham—I myself; pura—formerly; abhavam—existed as; kascit gandharvah—one of the denizens of Gandharvaloka; upabarhanah—Upabarhana; namna—by the name; atite—long, long ago; maha-kalpe—in a life of Brahma, which is known as a maha-kalpa; gandharvanam—among the Gandharvas; su-sammatah—a very respectable person. TRANSLATION Long, long ago, in another maha-kalpa [millennium of Brahma], I existed as the Gandharva known as Upabarhana. I was very respected by the other Gandharvas. PURPORT Srila Narada Muni is giving a practical example from his past life. Formerly, during the previous lifetime of Lord Brahma, Narada Muni was one of the denizens of Gandharvaloka, but unfortunately, as will be explained, he fell from his exalted position in Gandharvaloka, where the inhabitants are extremely beautiful and expert in singing, to become a sudra. Nonetheless, because of his association with devotees, he became more fortunate than he was in Gandharvaloka. Even though cursed by the prajapatis to become a sudra, in his next life he became the son of Lord Brahma. The word maha-kalpe is described by Srila Madhvacarya as atita-brahma-kalpe. Brahma dies at the end of a life of many millions of years. The day of Brahma is described in Bhagavad-gita (8.17): sahasra-yuga-paryantam “By human calculation, a thousand ages taken together is the duration of Brahma’s one day. And such also is the duration of his night.” Bhagavan Sri Krsna can remember incidents from millions of years ago. Similarly, His pure devotee like Narada Muni can also remember incidents from a past life millions and millions of years ago. SB7.15.70 TEXT 70 rupa-pesala-madhurya- saugandhya-priya-darsanah strinam priyatamo nityam mattah sva-pura-lampatah SYNONYMS rupa—beauty; pesala—formation of the body; madhurya—attractiveness; saugandhya—very fragrant, being decorated with various flower garlands and sandalwood pulp; priya-darsanah—very beautiful to see; strinam—of the women; priya-tamah—naturally attracted; nityam—daily; mattah—proud like a madman; sva-pura—in his own city; lampatah—very much attached to women because of lusty desires. TRANSLATION I had a beautiful face and a pleasing, attractive bodily structure. Decorated with flower garlands and sandalwood pulp, I was most pleasing to the women of my city. Thus I was bewildered, always feeling lusty desires. PURPORT From the description of the beauty of Narada Muni when he was one of the denizens of Gandharvaloka, it appears that everyone on that planet is extremely beautiful and pleasing and always decorated with flowers and sandalwood. Upabarhana was Narada Muni’s name previously. Upabarhana was specifically expert in decorating himself to attract the attention of women, and thus he became a playboy, as described in the next verse. To be a playboy in this life is unfortunate because too much attraction to women will lead one to fall into the association of sudras, who can easily take advantage of mingling with women without restriction. In this present age of Kali, when people are mandah sumanda-matayah—very bad because of a sudra mentality—such free mingling is prominent. Among the higher classes—brahmana, ksatriya and vaisya—there is no chance for men to mingle with women freely, but in the sudra community such mingling is open. Because there is no cultural education in this age of Kali, everyone is spiritually untrained, and everyone is therefore to be considered sudra (asuddhah sudra-kalpa hi brahmanah kali-sambhavah). When all the people become sudras, certainly they are very bad (mandah sumanda-matayah). Thus they manufacture their own way of life, with the result that they gradually become unfortunate (manda-bhagyah), and furthermore they are always disturbed by various circumstances. SB7.15.71 TEXT 71 ekada deva-satre tu gandharvapsarasam ganah upahuta visva-srgbhir hari-gathopagayane SYNONYMS ekada—once upon a time; deva-satre—in an assembly of the demigods; tu—indeed; gandharva—of the inhabitants of Gandharvaloka; apsarasam—and the inhabitants of Apsaroloka; ganah—all; upahutah—were invited; visva-srgbhih—by the great demigods known as the prajapatis; hari-gatha-upagayane—on an occasion of kirtana for glorifying the Supreme Lord. TRANSLATION Once there was a sankirtana festival to glorify the Supreme Lord in an assembly of the demigods, and the Gandharvas and Apsaras were invited by the prajapatis to take part in it. PURPORT Sankirtana means chanting of the holy name of the Lord. The Hare Krsna movement is not a new movement as people sometimes mistakenly think. The Hare Krsna movement is present in every millennium of Lord Brahma’s life, and the holy name is chanted in all the higher planetary systems, including Brahmaloka and Candraloka, not to speak of Gandharvaloka and Apsaroloka. The sankirtana movement that was started in this world five hundred years ago by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu is therefore not a new movement. Sometimes, because of our bad luck, this movement is stopped, but Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and His servants again start the movement for the benefit of the entire word or, indeed, the entire universe. SB7.15.72 TEXT 72 aham ca gayams tad-vidvan stribhih parivrto gatah jnatva visva-srjas tan me helanam sepur ojasa yahi tvam sudratam asu nasta-srih krta-helanah SYNONYMS aham—I myself; ca—and; gayan—singing the glories of other demigods rather than those of the Lord; tat-vidvan—knowing very well the art of singing; stribhih—by women; parivrtah—being surrounded; gatah—went there; jnatva—knowing well; visva-srjah—the prajapatis, to whom the management of universal affairs was entrusted; tat—the attitude of my singing; me—my; helanam—negligence; sepuh—cursed; ojasa—with great force; yahi—become; tvam—you; sudratam—a sudra; asu—immediately; nasta—devoid of; srih—beauty; krta-helanah—because of transgressing the etiquette. TRANSLATION Narada Muni continued: Being invited to that festival, I also joined, and, surrounded by women, I began musically singing the glories of the demigods. Because of this, the prajapatis, the great demigods in charge of the affairs of the universe, forcefully cursed me with these words: “Because you have committed an offense, may you immediately become a sudra, devoid of beauty.” PURPORT As far as kirtana is concerned, the sastras say, sravanam kirtanam visnoh: [SB 7.5.23] one should chant the glories of the Supreme Lord and the holy name of the Supreme Lord. This is clearly stated. Sravanam kirtanam visnoh: one should chant about and glorify Lord Visnu, not any demigod. Unfortunately, there are foolish persons who invent some process of kirtana on the basis of a demigod’s name. This is an offense. Kirtana means glorifying the Supreme Lord, not any demigod. Sometimes people invent kali-kirtana or siva-kirtana, and even big sannyasis in the Mayavada school say that one may chant any name and still get the same result. But here we find that millions and millions of years ago, when Narada Muni was a Gandharva, he neglected the order to glorify the Lord, and being mad in the association of women, he began to chant otherwise. Thus he was cursed to become a sudra. His first offense was that he went to join the sankirtana party in the company of lusty women, and another offense was that he considered ordinary songs, like cinema songs and other such songs, to be equal to sankirtana. For this offense he was punished with becoming a sudra. SB7.15.73 TEXT 73 tavad dasyam aham jajne tatrapi brahma-vadinam susrusayanusangena prapto ’ham brahma-putratam SYNONYMS tavat—since being cursed; dasyam—in the womb of a maidservant; aham—I; jajne—took birth; tatrapi—although (being a sudra); brahma-vadinam—unto persons well conversant with the Vedic knowledge; susrusaya—by rendering service; anusangena—simultaneously; praptah—obtained; aham—I; brahma-putratam—a birth as the son of Lord Brahma (in this life). TRANSLATION Although I took birth as a sudra from the womb of a maidservant, I engaged in the service of Vaisnavas who were well-versed in Vedic knowledge. Consequently, in this life I got the opportunity to take birth as the son of Lord Brahma. PURPORT The Supreme Personality of Godhead says in Bhagavad-gita (9.32): mam hi partha vyapasritya “O son of Prtha, those who take shelter in Me, though they be of lower birth—women, vaisyas [merchants], as well as sudras [workers]—can approach the supreme destination.” It doesn’t matter whether a person is born as a sudra, a woman or a vaisya; if he associates with devotees repeatedly or always (sadhu-sangena), he can be elevated to the highest perfection. Narada Muni is explaining this in relation to his own life. The sankirtana movement is important, for regardless of whether one is a sudra, vaisya, mleccha, yavana or whatever, if one associates with a pure devotee, follows his instructions and serves the pure devotee, his life is successful. This is bhakti. Anukulyena krsnanusilanam. Bhakti consists of serving Krsna and His devotees very favorably. Anyabhilasita-sunyam [Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu 1.1.11]. If one has no desire other than to serve Krsna and His devotee, then his life is successful. This is explained by Narada Muni through this practical example from his own life. SB7.15.74 TEXT 74 dharmas te grha-medhiyo varnitah papa-nasanah grhastho yena padavim anjasa nyasinam iyat SYNONYMS dharmah—that religious process; te—to you; grha-medhiyah—although attached to household life; varnitah—explained (by me); papa-nasanah—the destruction of sinful reactions; grhasthah—a person in household life; yena—by which; padavim—the position; anjasa—very easily; nyasinam—of those in the renounced order of life; iyat—can obtain. TRANSLATION The process of chanting the holy name of the Lord is so powerful that by this chanting even householders [grhasthas] can very easily gain the ultimate result achieved by persons in the renounced order. Maharaja Yudhisthira, I have now explained to you that process of religion. PURPORT This is a confirmation of the Krsna consciousness movement. Anyone who takes part in this movement, regardless of what he is, can gain the topmost result achieved by a perfect sannyasi, namely brahma jnana (spiritual knowledge). Even more important, he can advance in devotional service. Maharaja Yudhisthira thought that because he was a grhastha there was no hope of his being liberated, and therefore he asked Narada Muni how he could get out of material entanglement. But Narada Muni, citing a practical example from his own life, established that by associating with devotees and chanting the Hare Krsna mantra, any man in any condition of life can achieve the highest perfection without a doubt. SB7.15.75 TEXT 75 yuyam nr-loke bata bhuri-bhaga lokam punana munayo ’bhiyanti yesam grhan avasatiti saksad gudham param brahma manusya-lingam SYNONYMS yuyam—all of you Pandavas; nr-loke—in this material world; bata—indeed; bhuri-bhagah—extremely fortunate; lokam—all the planets of the universe; punanah—who can purify; munayah—great saintly persons; abhiyanti—come to visit (just like ordinary persons); yesam—of whom; grhan—the house of the Pandavas; avasati—resides; iti—thus; saksat—directly; gudham—very confidential; param—transcendental; brahma—the Parabrahman, Krsna; manusya-lingam—as if an ordinary human being. TRANSLATION My dear Maharaja Yudhisthira, you Pandavas are so very fortunate in this world that many, many great saints, who can purify all the planets of the universe, come to your house just like ordinary visitors. Furthermore, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krsna, is living confidentially with you in your house, just like your brother. PURPORT Here is a statement exalting a Vaisnava. In human society, a brahmana is the most respected person. A brahmana is one who can understand Brahman, the impersonal Brahman, but hardly ever can one understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is described by Arjuna in Bhagavad-gita as param brahma. A brahmana may be extremely fortunate in having achieved brahma jnana, but the Pandavas were so exalted that the Parabrahman, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, was living in their house like an ordinary human being. The word bhuri-bhagah indicates that the Pandavas were in a still higher position than brahmacaris and brahmanas. In the following verses, Narada Muni repeatedly glorifies the position of the Pandavas. SB7.15.76 TEXT 76 sa va ayam brahma mahad-vimrgya- kaivalya-nirvana-sukhanubhutih priyah suhrd vah khalu matuleya atmarhaniyo vidhi-krd gurus ca SYNONYMS sah—that Supreme Personality of Godhead; va—either; ayam—Krsna; brahma—the Supreme Brahman; mahat-vimrgya—sought by great, great saintly persons (devotees of Krsna); kaivalya-nirvana-sukha—of liberation and transcendental bliss; anubhutih—for the realization; priyah—very dear; suhrt—the well-wisher; vah—of all of you Pandavas; khalu—famous as; matuleyah—the son of your maternal uncle; atma—heart and soul; arhaniyah—the most worshipable person; vidhi-krt—giving direction; guruh—your spiritual master; ca—and. TRANSLATION How wonderful it is that the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the Parabrahman, Krsna, who is sought by great, great sages for the sake of liberation and transcendental bliss, is acting as your best well-wisher, your friend, your cousin, your heart and soul, your worshipable director, and your spiritual master. PURPORT Krsna can become the director and spiritual master of anyone who is serious about getting the mercy of Krsna. The Lord sends the spiritual master to train a devotee, and when the devotee is advanced, the Lord acts as the spiritual master within his heart. tesam satata-yuktanam “To those who are constantly devoted and worship Me with love, I give the understanding by which they can come to Me.” Krsna does not become the direct spiritual master unless one is fully trained by His representative spiritual master. Therefore, as we have already discussed, the Lord’s representative spiritual master should not be considered an ordinary human being. The representative spiritual master never gives any false knowledge to his disciple, but only perfect knowledge. Thus he is the representative of Krsna. Krsna helps as the guru, or spiritual master, from within and from without. From without He helps the devotee as His representative, and from within He talks personally with the pure devotee and gives him instructions by which he may return home, back to Godhead. SB7.15.77 TEXT 77 na yasya saksad bhava-padmajadibhi rupam dhiya vastutayopavarnitam maunena bhaktyopasamena pujitah prasidatam esa sa satvatam patih SYNONYMS na—not; yasya—of whom (Lord Sri Krsna); saksat—directly; bhava—by Lord Siva; padma-ja-adibhih—Lord Brahma and others; rupam—the form; dhiya—by meditation; vastutaya—factually; upavarnitam—could be explained; maunena—by silence; bhaktya—by devotional service; upasamena—by finishing all material activities; pujitah—one who is so worshiped; prasidatam—may be pleased with us; esah—this; sah—the same Personality of Godhead; satvatam—of the devotees; patih—who is the maintainer, master and guide. TRANSLATION Present here now is the same Supreme Personality of Godhead whose true form cannot be understood even by such great personalities as Lord Brahma and Lord Siva. He is realized by devotees because of their unflinching surrender. May that same Personality of Godhead, who is the maintainer of His devotees and who is worshiped by silence, by devotional service and by cessation of material activities, be pleased with us. PURPORT Lord Krsna is not properly understood even by such exalted personalities as Lord Siva and Lord Brahma, what to speak of ordinary men, but by His causeless mercy He bestows the benediction of devotion upon His devotees, who can thus understand Krsna as He is. Bhaktya mam abhijanati yavan yas casmi tattvatah [Bg. 18.55]. No one within this universe can understand Krsna in truth, but if one engages in devotional service one can understand Him perfectly well. This is also confirmed by the Lord in the Seventh Chapter of Bhagavad-gita (7.1): mayy asakta-manah partha “Now, hear, O son of Prtha [Arjuna], how by practicing yoga in full consciousness of Me, with mind attached to Me, you can know Me in full, free from doubt.” Lord Krsna Himself teaches how one can understand Him perfectly well, without a doubt. Not only the Pandavas but everyone who sincerely accepts the instructions of Krsna can understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead as He is. After instructing Yudhisthira Maharaja, Narada Muni prays for the Lord’s blessings that He be pleased with everyone and that everyone become perfect in God consciousness and return home, back to Godhead. SB7.15.78 TEXT 78 sri-suka uvaca iti devarsina proktam nisamya bharatarsabhah pujayam asa supritah krsnam ca prema-vihvalah SYNONYMS sri-sukah uvaca—Sri Sukadeva Gosvami said; iti—thus; deva-rsina—by the great saint (Narada Muni); proktam—described; nisamya—hearing; bharata-rsabhah—the best of the descendants in Bharata Maharaja’s dynasty, namely Maharaja Yudhisthira; pujayam asa—worshiped; su-pritah—being extremely pleased; krsnam—unto Lord Krsna; ca—also; prema-vihvalah—in the ecstasy of love of Krsna. TRANSLATION Sri Sukadeva Gosvami said: Maharaja Yudhisthira, the best member of the Bharata dynasty, thus learned everything from the descriptions of Narada Muni. After hearing these instructions, he felt great pleasure from within his heart, and in great ecstasy, love and affection, he worshiped Lord Krsna. PURPORT It is natural that when someone belonging to one’s family circle is understood to be very great, one becomes ecstatic in love, thinking, “Oh, such a great personality is our relative!” When Sri Krsna, who was already known to the Pandavas, was further described by Narada Muni to be the Supreme Personality of Godhead, naturally the Pandavas were amazed, thinking, “The Supreme Personality of Godhead is with us as our cousin!” Certainly their ecstasy was extraordinary. SB7.15.79 TEXT 79 krsna-parthav upamantrya pujitah prayayau munih srutva krsnam param brahma parthah parama-vismitah SYNONYMS krsna—Lord Krsna; parthau—and Maharaja Yudhisthira; upamantrya—bidding farewell; pujitah—being worshiped by them; prayayau—left (that place); munih—Narada Muni; srutva—after hearing; krsnam—about Krsna; param brahma—as the Supreme Personality of Godhead; parthah—Maharaja Yudhisthira; parama-vismitah—became most amazed. TRANSLATION Narada Muni, being worshiped by Krsna and Maharaja Yudhisthira, bade them farewell and went away. Yudhisthira Maharaja, having heard that Krsna, his cousin, is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, was struck with wonder. PURPORT After hearing the conversation between Narada and Yudhisthira, if one still has any doubts about Krsna’s being the Supreme Personality of Godhead, one should immediately give them up. Asamsayam samagram. Without any doubt and without any defect, one should understand Krsna to be the Supreme Personality of Godhead and thus surrender at His lotus feet. Ordinary persons do not do this, even after hearing all the Vedas, but if one is fortunate, although it may be even after many, many births, he comes to this conclusion (bahunam janmanam ante jnanavan mam prapadyate [Bg. 7.19]). SB7.15.80 TEXT 80 iti daksayaninam te prthag vamsah prakirtitah devasura-manusyadya loka yatra caracarah SYNONYMS iti—thus; daksayaninam—of the daughters of Maharaja Daksa, like Aditi and Diti; te—to you; prthak—separately; vamsah—the dynasties; prakirtitah—described (by me); deva—the demigods; asura—demons; manusya—and human beings; adyah—and so on; lokah—all the planets within the universe; yatra—wherein; cara-acarah—moving and nonmoving living entities. TRANSLATION On all the planets within this universe, the varieties of living entities, moving and nonmoving, including the demigods, demons and human beings, were all generated from the daughters of Maharaja Daksa. I have now described them and their different dynasties. Thus end the Bhaktivedanta purports of the Seventh Canto, Fifteenth Chapter, of the Srimad-Bhagavatam, entitled “Instructions for Civilized Human Beings.” —Completed on the night of Vaisakhi Sukla Ekadasi, the tenth of May, the mercy of sri-krsna-caitanya prabhu nityananda sri-advaita gadadhara srivasadi-gaura-bhakta-vrnda. Thus we may happily chant Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare. END OF THE SEVENTH CANTO
yaj juhosi dadasi yat
yat tapasyasi kaunteya
tat kurusva mad-arpanam
varnasrama-vibhagasah
svanusthitasya dharmasya
samsiddhir hari-tosanam
ye ’pi syuh papa-yonayah
striyo vaisyas tatha sudras
te ’pi yanti param gatim
ahar yad brahmano viduh
ratrim yuga-sahasrantam
te ’ho-ratra-vido janah
ye ’pi syuh papa-yonayah
striyo vaisyas tatha sudras
te ’pi yanti param gatim
bhajatam priti-purvakam
dadami buddhi-yogam tam
yena mam upayanti te
yogam yunjan mad-asrayah
asamsayam samagram mam
yatha jnasyasi tac chrnu