Srimad-Bhagavatam 6.1.15 Prabhupada: kecit kevalaya bhaktya vasudeva-parayanah agham dhunvanti kartsnyena niharam iva bhaskarah [SB 6.1.15] We are discussing this verse, that “Somebody,” kecit, “not all.” Kecit, “Somebody, simply by acting devotional service, devotional service to Vasudeva, he immediately finishes all reaction of sinful life.” Simply by devotional service unto the Vasudeva, one can become free from all sinful reaction of life. Bhaktya means “by devotional service.” So bhaktya, there are nine different processes. [break] …and the same, but according to our capacity they are divided into nine processes. So it begins with sravanam kirtanam visnoh smaranam pada-sevanam arcanam vandanam dasyam sakhyam atma… [SB 7.5.23] Beginning with sravanam, hearing. [break] …nine processes are hearing, chanting, then worshiping, serving, offering everything. In this way there are nine different ways. The beginning is hearing. Hearing, just you all ladies, gentlemen, you have come here to hear. Then hearing, if your hearing is perfect, then kirtanam, means describing or preaching. So our, this movement, Krsna consciousness movement, we are first giving chance to the people in general for hearing. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, when He was talking with Ramananda Raya, he specially gave stress on this point of hearing. If you hear, then the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is never conquered by anyone, but a devotee who is hearing about Him, he can conquer over Him. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, of course, He quoted from Bhagavatam. Any devotee or bona fide preacher, he does not manufacture anything. He simply follows the previous mahajana. He said, jnane prayasam udapasya. One should not try to speculate to understand the Supreme Truth. So we should give up this habit of speculating to understand God. One should become submissive, jnane prayasam udapasya namanta eva, that very submissive to hear from the right person. So hearing is so important. Therefore our all Vedic literature is called sruti. So the subject matter which is beyond our sense perception, avan-manasa gocarah, that cannot be understood by using our imperfect senses. Now the question is: from whom to hear? So in the sastra it is said, san-mukharitam: “You have to hear from realized saintly person.” It is said in the Bhagavad-gita, tad viddhi pranipatena pariprasnena sevaya upadeksyanti tad jnanam jnaninas tattva-darsinah [Bg. 4.34] You have to hear from a person who has seen or who has understood the Absolute Truth and who is tat, sad-guru. He must be a devotee of the Lord. So it is stated in the sastra that, sat-karma-nipuno vipro mantra-tantra-visaradah avaisnava gurur na sa syat sat sva-paco guruh It is said that “A brahmana who is very well expert in the brahminical activities and mantra-tantra-visarada, knows all the Vedic mantras, but if he is not a Vaisnava, he cannot become guru. But a person born in a family of dog-eaters, sva-paca, he can become guru if he has become Vaisnava.” Sanatana Gosvami, one of the big acaryas of Gaudiya sampradaya, he has also said that avaisnava gurur na sa syat. Sa. He says that… I forget that verse That “A person…” Puta-hari-kathamrtam sravanam na kartavyam. Avaisnava-mukhodgirna-puta-hari-kathamrtam sravanam na kartavyam. He says that “You do not try to hear from a person who is avaisnava hari-kathamrtam.” The hari-katha, the message of Krsna like Bhagavad-gita and other, Bhagavata, Srimad-Bhagavatam, you should not hear from a person who is not a Vaisnava. In the Bhagavata also it is said, satam prasangat mama virya-samvido bhavanti hrt-karna-rasayanah-kathah. When we hear from sad-vekti(?), or Vaisnava, then we get real effect. So if one argues that “Hari-katha is pure. Even a avaisnava speaks, what is the harm there?” so Sanatana Gosvami said in connection with this that sravanam na kartavyam sarpocchistam payo yatha. Just like milk: it is very nice food, but if it is touched with the lips of a snake, it becomes poisonous. Therefore it is concluded that we have to hear the transcendental message of Krsna from a realized soul, a devotee. So this hearing process is recommended, that you should hear from a realized person who is sadacara-sampanna-vaisnava. So who is a bhakta? Because you have to learn from a bhakta, so who is a bhakta? That is also described. So it is stated in the sastras and the Gosvamis as sarvopadhi-vinirmuktam tat-paratvena nirmalam: [Cc. Madhya 19.170] “Anyone who has no more designation and he is pure from material contamination.” Upadhi means so long we think that “I am this body,” that means I am decorated with this upadhi. So long we think that “I am Indian,” “I am American,” “I am brahmana,” “I am Hindu,” “I am Muslim,” we are decorated with upadhi. Upadhi-sunya is described in the Vedas, when one understands aham brahmasmi. So there are two Brahmans: Parabrahman and ordinary Brahman. Parabrahman is the Supreme, vibhu, and ordinary Brahman, they are anu. Parabrahman is all-pervading, and Brahman is not all-pervading. So Krsna says in the Bhagavad-gita that ksetrajnam capi mam viddhi sarva-ksetresu bharata. Ksetra, ksetrajna, when He was describing Ksetra means this body, and ksetrajna means the soul who knows about his body. So there are two ksetrajnas. One ksetrajna is the jiva, soul, and another ksetrajna is Paramatma, Bhagavan. [break] …clearly distinguished by Krsna that ksetrajnam capi mam viddhi: “You are not only ksetrajna.” The jiva soul is ksetrajna. He knows, just like you know, I know, “It is my body.” So there are two ksetrajnas. One ksetrajna I am. Just like I know this is my body, you know this is your body, but I do not know what is going on in your body, you do not know what is going on in my body. Therefore Krsna says ca, eva, ksetrajnam ca api mam viddhi: “Not only you are ksetrajna; I am also ksetrajna because I am Parambrahman, or Supersoul.” But what is difference between these two ksetrajnas ? The difference is that one ksetrajna knows about his own body, but the super-ksetrajna, he knows everyone’s body. So in this way if we understand our position, that Krsna, or the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is the great and we are small, that is perfect knowledge. Therefore Krsna commands, sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja [Bg. 18.66] As the master commands the servant that “What, rascal, you are doing? What I say, you do it.” [break] There are two living entities: one, the superior, who orders, and the other, inferior, who carries out the order. This is further explained in the Fifteenth Chapter of the Bhagavad-gita. Sarvasya caham hrdi sannivistho mattah smrtir jnanam apohanam ca [Bg. 15.15]. He says, Lord Krsna said, that “I am situated in everyone’s heart. I am giving order.” Mattah smrtir jnanam. And then the jivatma gets knowledge and carries it out. So when one is perfectly in knowledge of ksetra, ksetrajna, then his devotional life begins. This understanding of the relationship between God and ourself is more clearly explained by Caitanya Mahaprabhu when He says, jivera ‘svarupa’ haya nitya krsna dasa [Cc. Madhya 20.108-109] Our real identity is that we are eternally servant of God. This understanding, pure understanding, is called mukti. When we understand that “Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is my eternal master, and I am eternal servant of Him,” that is called mukti. The mukti definition is given in the Srimad-Bhagavatam: mukti hitva anyatha rupam sva-rupena avasthiti. Mukti means when we give up our wrong ideas and we stay in our real identification. That is called mukti. So a bhakta who understands clearly that “I am eternal servant of God, and God is my eternal master,” this very understanding means mukti. If I wrongly think that “I am something of this material world” or “I am God myself,” these are misunderstanding. There is no question of mukti. Here the word is kecit kevalaya: “somebody.” The purpose is that most people, they are either karmis or jnanis. Karmis or jnanis. Karmis means those who are working very hard day and night for sense gratification, and jnanis means after being frustrated in such activities, he tries to give up this world, brahma satyam jagan mithya. This is not jnana, that brahma satyam jagan mithya. If brahma is satya, then jagat is also satya. Jnana means to know real fact. The real fact is that is (as) Brahman is satya, anything which is emanated from Brahman, that is also satya. In the Vedanta-sutra it begins like this: athato brahma jijnasa. “Now we have to inquire about Brahman.” So about this description, Brahman, yato va imani bhutani jayante. And in the Vedanta-sutra it is said, janmady asya yatah [Bhag. 1.1.1]. Anything which is emanating… Everything which is emanating from a particular source, that is Brahman. So what is that original source of everything? That is explained in the Bhagavad-gita. Krsna says, aham sarvasya prabhavah: “From Me everything is emanating.” Therefore Krsna is Parambrahman. Therefore the conclusion is that if you come to the platform of bhakti, then automatically you become liberated. So it is also confirmed in the Bhagavad-gita, mam cavyabhicarini bhakti-yogena yah sevate sa gunan samatityaitan brahma-bhuyaya kalpate [Bg. 14.26] In order to become mukta or Brahman platform, one has to render unalloyed service to the Supreme Lord Krsna. So here it is said, kecit kevalaya bhaktya [SB 6.1.15]. Kecit, somebody—not the karmis, not the jnanis, not the yogis—can execute devotional service. The karmis, it is openly known that they want to enjoy. They want something. Similarly, jnanis, they want to become one with the Supreme. That is also wanting something. The yogis also, they want something, some mystic power. So karmis, jnanis, yogis, all of them wanting something. The subject matter of want may be different, but a bhakta, he does not want anything. He simply wants to be engaged in carrying out the orders of the Supreme Lord. But such person is very, very rare. [break] …out of many millions of karmis, one may be jnani. And out of many millions of jnanis, one may become mukta. And out of many, many millions of muktas, one may become a bhakta. Therefore Krsna said, manusyanam sahasresu kascid yatati siddhaye [Bg. 7.3]. Siddhaye means to become perfect jnani or perfect yogi. And yatatam api siddhanam: and amongst the siddhas, those who have got perfection in jnana and yoga, kascid vetti mam tattvatah: “Some of them may.” Not some of them. “May be someone is able to understand Me.” Therefore in this verse it is clearly said kecit, the same thing. Kascid vetti mam tattvatah. To become a bhakta is not so easy. Therefore he says, kecit: “somebody.” Somebody, eka personality, may become a bhakta. So kecit kevalaya bhaktya [SB 6.1.15] Kevalaya. Kevalaya means unalloyed, pure. Kevalaya bhakti means suddha-bhakti, unalloyed bhakti. Otherwise bhakti is sometimes mixed with jnana and sometimes mixed with yoga, mixed with karma. [break] …because karmis, jnanis, and yogis, they have got some desire to be fulfilled. The karmis, they want to be elevated to the heavenly planet, the jnanis, they want to become one with the Supreme Lord, and the yogis, they want some power to exhibit so that they may be honored as God. [break] The yoga, mystic power, anima, laghima, siddhi, like that. But bhakti means one must be freed from all these desires. Therefore Srila Rupa Gosvami gives the definition of bhakti, anyabhilasita-sunyam: [BRS 1.1.11] “without any other desire.” “Other” means bhukti, mukti, siddhi: to enjoy this material world or to become one with the God or to get some mystic power. So the bhakti means anyabhilasita-sunyam, no karmi’s desire, no jnani’s desire, no yogi’s desire. So anyabhilasita-sunyam jnana-karmady-anavrtam [Madhya 19.167]. So one should be cleansed from the desires of jnana, karma, yoga. He should be desireless. So these are all material desires. So when one gives up these material desires, then he is desireless. But one cannot be desireless. That is not possible. Then he is dead and gone. So desirelessness means no material desires. So we cannot be desireless, but desirelessness means no bhukti, no yogic siddhi, neither oneness, monism, to merge into the Supreme. These are all material desires. So bhakti means anukulyena krsnanusilanam bhaktir uttama. That is first-class bhakti, when we are ready to serve Krsna as He orders. So to become ready to serve Krsna is desirelessness. Otherwise a living entity, a living being, cannot be desireless. So this Krsna consciousness movement is teaching how to become desirous to serve Krsna. This teaching, perfection of instruction, we find in the Bhagavad-gita when Arjuna says karisye vacanam tava [Bg. 18.73]: “I shall execute what You order me.” Te vacanam tava: “I shall execute any order which You order me.” Arjuna was a warrior, soldier. When he was… Before his hearing Bhagavad-gita he was a soldier, and after hearing Bhagavad-gita he remained a soldier. But in the beginning of the fight he was not willing to fight with his brothers. Although Krsna was speaking to him that “You fight,” he was declining. This is the stage of abhakta, or nondevotee. Although mundane person will very much be pleased that “Arjuna was not willing to fight. He is nonviolent,” but Krsna was not accepting. So fighting is not a good business, so Arjuna was declining to fight. It was good from the worldly point of view. But after hearing Bhagavad-gita, when Krsna inquired from Arjuna, “What you have decided?” Arjuna replied, nasto mohah smrtir labdha karisye vacanam tava [Bg. 18.73]: “Now I am quite in knowledge. I shall execute Your order.” This is mukti. When we are prepared to execute the order of Krsna, that is the platform of mukti. Therefore it is said, kecit kevalaya bhaktya vasudeva-parayanah [SB 6.1.15] Simply by executing the order of Vasudeva one becomes mukta. Just like master and servant. If the servant executes the order of the master, he is faultless. If the servant declines to execute the order of the master, however qualified he may be, he is useless. So therefore it is said, kevalaya bhaktya: “without any contamination, simply ready to execute the order of Krsna, or Vasudeva.” Therefore it is called vasudeva-parayana. Therefore it is, in the Bhagavad-gita it is confirmed, bahunam janmanam ante jnanavan mam prapadyate: [Bg. 7.19] “After many, many births of struggling, when one is actually jnanavan, wise, he surrenders unto Me.” So either you become karmi, jnani, or yogi, you are not mukta. Mukta means, I have already defined, mukti hitva anyatha rupam sva-rupena avasthiti. When you stay in your own original position to execute the order of Krsna, that is mukti. So in the previous verses the mode of progress is tapasa brahmacaryena samena damena va [SB 6.1.13]. These things are to be executed. But here in these verses, simply if you become a pure devotee, then it is to be understood that you have already executed tapasa, brahmacarya, sama, dama, everything. As soon as you surrender to Krsna… sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam aham tvam sarva-papebhyo moksayisyami… [Bg. 18.66] That our miserable condition of life is due to our material attraction or papa, impious activities. Here it is confirmed that kevalaya bhaktya, agham dhunvanti kartsnyena: totally you can kill all reaction of sinful activities. And a very good example is given here: niharam iva bhaskarah. Nihara means fog. In the fog you cannot see what is there in your front. But as soon as there is sunrise, immediately fog is dissipated. Therefore, bahunam janmanam ante jnanavan mam prapadyate vasudevah sarvam iti sa mahatma sudurlabhah [Bg. 7.19] When we understand that Vasudeva is the Supreme, sa mahatma, then we become the great mahatma. So if you accept Krsna consciousness, then life of ignorance will finish and you come to the light and become liberated. If you come to Krsna consciousness, the light is there. Therefore the darkness of life is dissipated. Therefore it is said, aradhito yadi haris tapasa tatah kim: “If you have learned how to worship Hari, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, then there is no more use of your tapasya.” [break] …aradhito yadi haris tapasa tatah kim: “And if you cannot understand Hari, then what is the use of your tapasya?” Antar-bahir yadi haris tapasa tatah kim: “If you can see Hari, Krsna, within yourself and outside yourself, then what is the use of tapasya?” Nantar-bahir, antar-bahir yadi haris tapasa tatah kim: “And if you have not learned to see Krsna, Hari, within yourself and outside, then what is the use of your tapasya?” So this movement is giving the chance to everyone. It doesn’t mean for any particular nation, particular country, or particular person. For everyone. Caitanya Mahaprabhu said, “All over the world.” Caitanya Mahaprabhu said, “All over the world, in every village and every town, this message will be spread,” and that is being done now. So it is a great movement. I request you all to join wholeheartedly. Thank you very much. Hare Krsna. (end)
by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Nellore, January 8, 1976