Srimad-Bhagavatam 3.26.28
by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Bombay, January 5, 1975

Prabhupada:

yad vidur hy aniruddhakhyam hrsikanam adhisvaram saradendivara-syamam samradhyam yogibhih sanaih

yam brahma varunendra-rudra-marutah stunvanti divyaih stavair vedaih sanga-pada-kramopanisadair gayanti yam sama-gah dhyanavasthita-tad-gatena manasa pasyanti yam yogino yasyantam na viduh surasura-gana devaya tasmai namah

This is a mantra, Vedic mantra: “The Supreme Lord is worshiped by all the demigods.” Yam brahma varunendra-rudra-marutah stunvanti divyaih stavaih. Varuna, Indra, and other demigods, even Lord Siva or Lord Brahma… Siva-virinci-nutam: “He is worshiped by Siva and Virinci.” Virinci means Lord Brahma. So the only Lord, master, is Krsna. I have explained, ekale isvara krsna. Isvara, the supreme isvara, controller, is Krsna. And He is worshiped by… Yam brahma varunendra-rudra-marutah stunvanti divyaih stavaih. He is the objective of worshiping.

So dhyanavasthita-manasa…, dhyanavasthita-tad-gatena manasa yam pasyanti yoginah. Yogis, they are desirous of mystic power, eight kinds of mystic power. They also meditate on the Supreme Lord. And the feature of the Supreme Lord on which the yogis meditate by concentrating their mind is called Aniruddha. Sankarsana, Aniruddha…, Vasudeva, Sankarsana, Aniruddha, Pradyumna. So this is described. Aniruddha is the Deity of the mind, and mind is the central sense of all senses. Indriyani parany ahur indriyebhyah param manah [Bg. 3.42]. In the material conception of life the senses are very prominent. So long we are under the bodily concept of life, our objective is to satisfy the senses. But the master of the senses is the mind, and the controlling Deity of the mind is Aniruddha. Therefore God’s another name is Hrsikesa. And bhakti means to serve Hrsikesa, because He is the proprietor of the senses.

Here it is said, yad vidur hy aniruddhakhyam hrsikanam adhisvaram. Hrsika. Hrsika means senses. And another name of God or Krsna or Aniruddha is Hrsikesa. Senayor ubhayor madhye… The Hrsikesa name is there in the Bhagavad-gita. Hrsikesa means hrsikanam adhisvaram. So practically, the senses which you are using, the real proprietor is Aniruddha, or the Supreme Personality of Godhead. You can utilize the instrument. Just like you hire some instrument to use it for some purpose, but the instrument belongs to somebody else, similarly, our the instrument, the karana, the means of working, or instrument, as you say—the proprietor is Hrsikesa, or Aniruddha. So we are now utilizing instruments without fulfilling the desire of Aniruddha, or the Hrsikesa. That means we are using it for sense gratification unlawfully. Therefore we are becoming implicated in sinful activities. (aside:) Who is talking this side? Stop them. So, therefore, bhakti means that when you don’t use the hrsika, or the senses, for any other purpose than to serve the Hrsikesa, that is called bhakti. Hrsikena hrsikesa sevanam bhaktir ucyate [Cc. Madhya 19.170]. Hrsikanam adhisvaram.

Actually, the proprietor of the senses is Aniruddha, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. There is no difference between Krsna and His expansion.

advaitam acyutam anadim ananta-rupam adyam purana-purusam nava-yauvanam ca vedesu durlabham adurlabham atma-bhaktau govindam adi-purusam tam aham bhajami [Bs. 5.33]

In the Brahma-samhita we understand that the Lord is one, but He can expand Himself into multiforms. Advaitam acyutam anadim ananta-rupam [Bs. 5.33]. Nava-yauvanam ca. This is… This expansion is going on from time immemorial. Still, the Lord is nava-yauvanam, very young, sixteen to twenty years old, that’s all. Purana. Although He is the adi, origin of all living entities, still He is young. And although He has expanded Himself into multiforms, still He is one. Advaitam acyutam anadim ananta-rupam [Bs. 5.33]. Advaita. Advaita is one, not that because He has expanded Himself into many forms, therefore He has got many, He has become many. No. He is one still. Purnasya purnam adaya purnam eva avasisyate. That is absolute knowledge, that the Supreme Lord, if He expands Himself into supreme for…, er, unlimited forms, unlimited supreme forms, still He remains supreme. It is not material; material is supreme. If you take one lakh of rupees, if you take one lakh of rupees, then it becomes zero. But in the spiritual world the Absolute means you take the Supreme, the Supreme may expand Himself into many millions of Supreme form; still, the original Supreme remains. Purnasya purnam adaya purnam eva avasisyate. These things are spiritual understanding.

So this Aniruddha is the objective of meditation for the yogis. Nowadays they have manufactured so many objective, but that is not authorized. The authorized is that you have to concentrate your mind upon the form of Visnu known as Aniruddha. That is the real meditation. Visnu has got many forms. “Many forms” means the Visnu forms are all catur-bhuja, four-handed, and the symbolic representation of each hand is sankha-cakra-gada-padma: the conchshell, the disc, sankha-cakra, gada, the club, and the lotus flower. Now the Lord is differently named… Ordinarily, there are twenty-four names. So those names are there according to the situation of the symbolic representation. It begins from the right lower hand, and then it comes to the left lower hand, this sankha-cakra-gada-padma, differently situated. Just like begin, sankha, then cakra, then gada, then padma. Then begins cakra, gada, lotus flower, and conchshell. In this way there are different positions of the sankha-cakra-gada-padma, and according to that different position, the name is changed: Nrsimha, Vamana, Padmanabha, Narayana, like that.

So there are innumerable forms and innumerable names, advaitam acyutam anadim ananta-rupam [Bs. 5.33], but they are all one. There is no difference, advaita. This is the conception of spiritual understanding, because these forms, each form, has got a separate planet. Just like here in this material world, each demigod has got a separate planet. The demigod Candradeva… He is also demigod. So he has got a separate planet which is called Candraloka. Similarly Suryaloka, Varunaloka, Vayuloka, Indraloka, many. There are hundreds and thousands of demigods, and they have got their different planets. Similarly, the Lord in the spiritual world has got multiforms, and the each and every form is the predominating Deity of the Vaikuntha planets. The spiritual planets are called Vaikuntha planets. The material planets, they are not Vaikuntha; they are kuntha. Here, in these planets, anyone living, he is always full of anxiety, kuntha. In the Vaikuntha planets there is no such thing as anxiety. That is the difference between the spiritual and material planets. Vaikuntha planets means without any anxiety. Here everyone is full of anxiety, whatever he may be. He may be Lord Brahma or he may be Mr. Ant, small, very insignificant. Everyone is full of kuntha. Sada samudvigna-dhiyam. Samudvigna, fully anxious, “What will happen next? What will happen next? How things will go on?” This anxiety. He may be very rich man or very poor man. The anxiety must be there. Why? Sada samudvigna-dhiyam asad-grahat: “Because they have accepted this material body.”

So Aniruddha, Pradyumna, Sankarsana, or other Visnu form, or the living entities who are living there in those Vaikuntha planets, they have no anxiety. There is no anxiety, neither there is influence of this maya, neither there are the activities of the three modes of material nature. That is called spiritual world, Vaikunthaloka. They are free. Neither there is birth, death, old age, and disease. These things are absent. Everyone is full of transcendental bliss. Anandamayo ’bhyasat. By nature they are anandamaya, always jolly. And here also, in this material world, when we become free from this material concept of life, bodily concept of life, when we are fully aware of the thing that “I am not this material body; I am spirit soul, aham brahmasmi,” he also becomes jolly because he acquires the spiritual quality. Brahma-bhutah prasannatma. That is the sign. Prasannatma. Na soc… Prasannatma. What does it mean, prasannatma? Na socati na kanksati: [Bg. 18.54] “There is no hankering, and there is no lamentation.” Then it is possible to see everyone on the equal level. Samah sarvesu bhutesu.

This is the preliminary condition of becoming a devotee, when one has attained this stage, prasanna-manasah. Evam prasanna-manaso bhagavad-bhakti-yogatah [SB 1.2.20] This stage can be attained by bhakti-yoga, the simple method. Bhakti-yoga means hearing and chanting: chant Hare Krsna and hear Srimad-Bhagavatam. That’s all. Sit down together, all the family members, and chant Hare Krsna and read some passages from Bhagavad-gita or Srimad-Bhagavatam. This is bhakti-yoga. If possible, install Deity, worship it properly. There is no need of going to cinema, restaurant, eating all nonsense. This will be automatically finished. Anartha. These are anartha, unwanted things. Anartha-nivrttih syat. If you take to this devotional service, bhakti-yoga, the anarthas, unnecessarily nonsense things—smoking bidi, cigarette, drinking tea, going to the cinema, restaurant, and so many other—they are not required. What is the necessity of these things? If you say there is some ananda, that is not ananda. Ananda is here, to hear about the Supreme Lord. Sravanam kirtanam visnoh [SB 7.5.23]that is ananda. This is not ananda. This is false ananda. But we are accustomed to this. That is our misfortune. Anartha. So (to) come to the bhakti platform, one has to become free form the anarthas. Otherwise bhakti will not be substantial. Anartha-nivrttih syat. Tato nistha. When anarthas are finished, no more attraction… Bhaktih paresanubhavo viraktir anyatra syat [SB 11.2.42]. If one is really devotee, then he will be detached to the anarthas, unwanted things. That is the test of bhakti. And “I am devotee; also I am devotee of bidi,” that is not devotee. “I am smoking, also chanting.” In the Bengal it is said, ami dugha khai tamogha khai.(?) No, not like that.

So that is the test who is a devotee. Simply by advertising himself, advertisements will not do. How much you are freed from the anarthas. Viraktir anyatra syat. Bhaktih paresanubhavo viraktir anyatra syat [SB 11.2.42]. The example is given: just like if you are hungry, you are hankering after food, but when sufficient food is supplied to you, then the next stage will be: “No, no, I don’t want any more. That’s all right.” “No, no, take more.” “No, no, no, no. I am not…” He is satisfied, fully satisfied. Just like Prahlada Maharaja: he took advantage of bhakti for some material… Not Prahlada Maharaja, Dhruva Maharaja. I am sorry. So when actually saw Krsna, Visnu, who came to satisfy him, being pleased upon his austerities, little boy of five years, at that time, when he saw Krsna, he said, “No, no, I don’t want anything.” Svamin krtartho ’smi varam na yace:Svamin, my Lord, I am fully satisfied. I have no more demand.”

That is the bhakti stage—no more demand. The karmis, the jnanis, the yogis, they have got demand. They want something. The karmis, they want promotion to the higher planets for sensual satisfaction, for higher standard of material living condition, karmis. The more you are karmis, you can live very high standard of life just like Europeans, Americans. They are big, big karmis, big, big manufacture of machine, wonderful machine, and they get money— cost one dollar and they are charging five hundred dollars. You get money and good opportunity for sense gratification. So that is the idea of karmis. They want higher standard of sense gratification, scientific method of sense gratification. They have got machine even for shaving, even for tooth brushing. So everything machine. The idea is sense gratification. This is karmi. And jnanis, they have also demand: “I shall become one with God.” Ekatvena. But the bhaktas, they don’t want ekatvam. That is jnani. And yogis, they want mystic powers. Because if they can manifest some mystic power, immediately so many foolish person will be followers, and they will get some material reputation, position. So there is demand. And when there will be no demand, that is bhakta stage. Svamin krtartho ’smi varam na yace: “No more varam, Sir. I have taken much varam.”

What is that varam? Everything is supplied by Krsna. Why the devotee should be anxious for varam, for benediction? Krsna says, yoga-ksemam vahamy aham [Bg. 9.22]. Tesam nityabhiyuktanam. Those who are constantly engaged in the service of the Lord, all that is required by him, that is carried by the Supreme Personality of Godhead Himself to supply him. He says, yoga-ksemam vahamy aham. What you have got, He will give protection, and what you have not got, He will supply you—for the devotees. The devotees do not want, but Krsna… Just like a child, dependent on the parents. He does not want anything, but the parents are very much anxious, “What my child needs?” The bhakta, devotee, wants how to keep satisfied the Lord, how to keep Him in comfortable position. Just like here the devotees, they are always dressing and giving flower garland and sandalwood pulp and tulasi and cleansing the… Tan-mandira-marjanadau. What is the idea? That Krsna may sit down here very pleasingly. This is bhakta’s activity. And Krsna’s anxiety is “How My devotees will remain without any want.” This business is going on, without any difficulty. So the bhaktas, they will not want anything. That is Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s instruction. Na dhanam na janam na sundarim kavitam va jagadisa kamaye.

So the Aniruddha, He is the master of the senses, as it is stated here, hrsikanam adhisvaram, adhisvaram, master, proprietor. So the common sense is that if my hand is the property of Krsna, why it should be used for me? It should be used for Krsna. This is good sense. Suppose something belongs to somebody else. If you use it for your purpose, that is illegal, not lawful. This is my watch. If you take away this watch and use for your purpose, then it is criminal. You cannot say the watch is being used either by him or by… It is being used, that’s all. No. You cannot use it. You can use it only by the permission of the proprietor. Without permission of the proprietor, if you use it, then you are criminal or you are sinful. Similarly, we have got all the senses. The senses are meant for working. The eyes are meant for seeing, the ears are meant for hearing, the nose is meant for smelling, the hand is meant for touching, the leg is meant for going, the stomach is meant for eating—so many, we have got, different senses. They are meant for different purpose. But if the purpose is for your sense gratification, then you are criminal because you are not proprietor. This is to understand bhakti. If you do not use all the senses for Krsna’s purpose, then it is criminal. That is called papa.

So you are doing that. Every one of us, who is doing for Krsna? Nobody is doing for Krsna. Everyone is doing for his own purpose. He is taking one flower. The devotee is bringing the flower: “Oh, very nice flower. Let me take it to the temple and offer it to Krsna.” That is devotion. The same flower, “Oh, it is very nice flower. Oh, let me pin it on my bunch of hair.” That is papa. The same thing. You must know how to utilize it. That is called bhakti. Everything can be utilized. Nirbandhah krsna-sambandhe yuktam vairagyam ucyate. That art we have to learn. Anasaktasya visayan. Visayan means objectives for sense gratification, visayan. Ahara-nidra-bhaya-maithunam ca. These are called visaya—eating, sleeping, mating, and defending. Visaya.

So we are visaya. Everyone are. We are eating. Everyone is eating. Who can say, “I am not eating”? So visaya. So our business should be not to be attached for eating. Then shall I starve and die? No, you eat Krsna prasadam. Eating is not stopped. Eating is not stopped. Eating means as you are cooking for yourself at home, the same cooking, do it for Krsna and offer it to Krsna and eat it. That’s all. The mode of life should be changed. That is Krsna consciousness. It is not that you shall give up eating. No, how can I give you that? No, it is not possible. Neither Krsna says, “Just give up eating.” Never you will find in the Bhagavad… Yuktahara-viharasya. You must eat what you need. Yuktahara-viharasya yogo bhavati duhkha-ha. Krsna never says that “Unnecessarily you starve.” You never find in the Bhagavad-gita; neither any acarya will say. Rather, you offer to Krsna first-class foodstuff because He is the enjoyer, and Krsna is so kind, He will leave everything for you for taking prasadam. So automatically you can satisfy your tongue. You offer to Krsna first- class food, and Krsna is so kind that He will eat; at the same time, He will keep it for you. Purnasya purnam adaya purnam eva avasisyate. Krsna’s eating is not like that: because you have given Him very nice foodstuff, He will eat everything and nothing for you. (laughter) That is not Krsna. Krsna eats everything, He accepts your service, and keeps everything for you.

So this is bhakti-marga. It is very nice. Simply you have to learn how to engage your senses. Hrsikena hrsikesa-sevanam bhaktir ucyate [Cc. Madhya 19.170] Your senses are property of Hrsikesa. As it is said here, hrsikesa adhisvaram. Hrsikesa adhisvaram. He is adhisvaram. He is the proprietor. So you must use it. It is not that you stop your senses. That is not required. That is not bhakti. Bhakti means you must engage your senses fully with more enthusiasm, but it should be for Krsna. That’s all. If you want to do business, do it very nicely, but give the profit to Krsna. Yat karosi yaj juhosi yad asnasi, kurusva tad mad-arpanam. Krsna says, “Give it to Me.” That is bhakti. Nothing is stopped, but you cannot do any unlawful. Bhakti does not mean you can do anything unlawful. But ultimate issue: whatever you do, if it is for Krsna, that is rightful. Just like materially, Arjuna was trying to become very gentleman, nonviolent, Arjuna: “Krsna, I am not going to fight.” People very much appreciate, “Just see, Arjuna is so gentle, he is trying to become nonviolent, and Krsna is inducing him to become violent.” This is the vision of the demons. They do not know, whatever Krsna desires, that is rightful. Krsna wanted Arjuna to fight. That is rightful. And Arjuna wanted to become nonviolent. That is not rightful. Therefore Krsna chastised him, kutas tva kasmalam idam visame samupasthitam: “Why you are talking like anarya?” Anarya-justam: “This kind of talking… You are ksatriya, and you are not willing to fight. What is this? This kind of proposal is made by the anarya, uncivilized. You are a ksatriya. Your duty is to fight, and you are trying to refrain from the fight? You have become so ignorant? Oh, this is not good.” Then, when Arjuna understood that he was not in the right point, declining the fight, karpanya-dosa upahata-svabhavah, karpanya-dosa. “I am not doing my duty. I can understand. All right. But I am perplexed. Therefore I become Your student.” Sisyas te ’ham sadhi mam prapannam: “I surrender unto You as sisya, as Your disciple. Now correct me.” And he was, when he was corrected, the same Arjuna said, “Yes.” Karisye vacanam tava [Bg. 18.73]: “Yes, I will fight.”

This is Krsna consciousness. You have to act by the desires of Krsna. That is the proper use of your senses. You cannot use for your purpose. Anything… Just like you are working in some establishment. Anything in that establishment, you can use for the proprietor’s business. You cannot use it. Just like in hospital there are blankets. It is written there, “Hospital Property.” So long you are in the hospital, you can use it. But you cannot take it outside. Then you are criminal. Similarly, everything… Isavasyam idam sarvam. Everything belongs to God, and you can use it for the service of God. Tena tyaktena bhunjitha ma grdhah kasya svid dhanam. This is the instruction, Vedic instruction. You can use it as prasadam, but everything should be offered to the Supreme. Yajnarthe karmanah loko ’yam karma-bandhanah [Bg. 3.9] If you do not do that, if you engage yourself always in good activities, as the karmis they do, and earn money and use it for your own sense gratification, that is papa activity.

yajna-sistasinah santo mucyante sarva-kilbisaih bhunjate te tv agham papa ye pacanty atma-karanat

“Those who are cooking in the kitchen very palatable dishes for satisfying the tongue, they are simply eating sinful things.” Ye pacanty atma-karanat.

So therefore, if we become sinful every moment, how we can become happy? It is not possible. If you want to become happy, you have to become pious. And the standard of piety is to become Krsna conscious, devotee of Krsna. That is the highest perfection of life.

Thank you very much. (end)