Srimad Bhagvatgam 3.9.33
yadä rahitam ätmänaà
bhütendriya-guëäçayaiù
svarüpeëa mayopetaà
paçyan sväräjyam åcchati
TRANSLATION by His Divine Grace A.C Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada:
yadä rahitam ätmänaà
bhütendriya-guëäçayaiù
svarüpeëa mayopetaà
paçyan sväräjyam åcchati
TRANSLATION by His Divine Grace A.C Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada:
When you are free from the conception of gross and subtle bodies and whenyour senses are free from all influences of the modes of material nature,you will realize your pure form in My association. At that time you will besituated in pure consciousness.
PURPORT by His Divine Grace A.C Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
In the Bhakti-rasämåta-sindhu it is said that a person whose only desire is to render transcendental loving service to the Lord is a free person in any condition of material existence. That service attitude is the svarüpa, or real form, of the living entity. Lord Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu, in the Caitanya-caritämåta, also confirms this statement by declaring that the real, spiritual form of the living entity is eternal servitorship to the Supreme Lord. The Mäyäväda school shudders at the thought of a service attitude in the living entity, not knowing that in the transcendental world the service of the Lord is based on transcendental love. Transcendental loving service is never to be compared to the forced service of the material world. In the material world, even if one is under the conception that he is no one's servant, he is still the servant of his senses, under the dictation of the material modes. Factually no one is master here in the material world, and therefore the servants of the senses have a very bad experience of servitude. They shudder at the thought of service because they have no knowledge of the transcendental position. In transcendental loving service, the servitor is as free as the Lord. The Lord is svaräö, or fully independent, and the servant is also fully independent, or svaräö, in the spiritual atmosphere because there is no forced service. There the transcendental loving service is due to spontaneous love. A reflected glimpse of such service is experienced in the service of the mother unto the son, the friend's service unto the friend, or the wife's service unto the husband. These reflections of service by friends, parents or wives are not forced, but are due only to love. Here in this material world, however, the loving service is only a reflection. The real service, or service in svarüpa, is present in the transcendental world, in association with the Lord. The very same service in transcendental love can be practiced in devotion here.This verse is also applicable to the jïäné school. The enlightened jïäné, when free from all material contaminations, namely the gross and subtle bodies together with the senses of the material modes of nature, is placed in the Supreme and is thus liberated from material bondage. The jïänés and the devotees are actually in agreement up to the point of liberation from material contamination. But whereas the jïänés remain pacified on the platform of simple understanding, the devotees develop further spiritual advancement in loving service. The devotees develop a spiritual individuality in their spontaneous service attitude, which is enhanced on and on, up to the point of mädhurya-rasa, or transcendental loving service reciprocated between the lover and the beloved.
His Holiness Bhakti Charu Swami Comments:
Krishna is instructing Lord Brahma. Brahma was worried, in anxiety and depressed considering the huge and very difficult responsibility he wasexpected to execute. The Lord is reassuring Brahma and that is what the past3 verses are dealing with. What is the pure form of a living entity? That isthe original spiritual form of a person called svarupa. We are presently situated in our virupa – the false form of the body. There are 2 bodies –the gross body and the subtle body. The gross body is made of the 5 gross elements and the subtle body is made of the 3 subtle elements. Sometimes wethink that we are the body and at others we think we are the mind and thushave lost our spiritual identity. We lost our right to stay in the spiritualsky due to having rejected Krishna. The conditioned state of the livingentity is exactly this. Being subject to material nature we developed a bodywith a network of senses. Due to our material conditioning, our consciousness is flowing in the body.The consciousness flows in the body through the nervous system.
We can physically see that the mind is the internal sense and the others are the external senses, being situated in the outer part of the body. Mind issituated in the brain center. From the brain center comes the spinal column. The nerves are ending in the senses. They are all ending in some sense orother. The eyes are seeing, ears are hearing etc. and these experiences aretransferred to the mind through the nervous system. Nerves are the cables that transfer the information to the mind and then the intelligence is deciding and accordingly we are either accepting orrejecting. Our mentality is, “I accept the things that give me pleasure andreject the others.” Above the intelligence is the “I”, which is a part andparcel and an eternal servant of the Lord. When one becomes a servant of theLord, then he is situated in his svarupa. *Jivera svarupa hoy krsnera nityadasa*. Lord Caitanya pointed this out. We should consider if we are situatedin Krishna’s service. If so, we are in our svarupa and are liberated andother wise we are not. One’s identity is misunderstood in other cases. Jivais always a servant and never a master. He is either a servant of the senses or a servant of Krishna. One may think, “Now I am 18 and I am independent.”We thought that if we throw away the British, we will become independent.Did we? No. both individually and collectively we can never becomeindependent. The more you try to become independent and enjoy through thesenses, the more you suffer. The more one accepts the servitorship of thesenses, the more he suffers. A conditioned soul then puts the blame for hissuffering on others. It is because he has become a Mr. Go-dasa that he issuffering.
Krishna is instructing Lord Brahma. Brahma was worried, in anxiety and depressed considering the huge and very difficult responsibility he wasexpected to execute. The Lord is reassuring Brahma and that is what the past3 verses are dealing with. What is the pure form of a living entity? That isthe original spiritual form of a person called svarupa. We are presently situated in our virupa – the false form of the body. There are 2 bodies –the gross body and the subtle body. The gross body is made of the 5 gross elements and the subtle body is made of the 3 subtle elements. Sometimes wethink that we are the body and at others we think we are the mind and thushave lost our spiritual identity. We lost our right to stay in the spiritualsky due to having rejected Krishna. The conditioned state of the livingentity is exactly this. Being subject to material nature we developed a bodywith a network of senses. Due to our material conditioning, our consciousness is flowing in the body.The consciousness flows in the body through the nervous system.
We can physically see that the mind is the internal sense and the others are the external senses, being situated in the outer part of the body. Mind issituated in the brain center. From the brain center comes the spinal column. The nerves are ending in the senses. They are all ending in some sense orother. The eyes are seeing, ears are hearing etc. and these experiences aretransferred to the mind through the nervous system. Nerves are the cables that transfer the information to the mind and then the intelligence is deciding and accordingly we are either accepting orrejecting. Our mentality is, “I accept the things that give me pleasure andreject the others.” Above the intelligence is the “I”, which is a part andparcel and an eternal servant of the Lord. When one becomes a servant of theLord, then he is situated in his svarupa. *Jivera svarupa hoy krsnera nityadasa*. Lord Caitanya pointed this out. We should consider if we are situatedin Krishna’s service. If so, we are in our svarupa and are liberated andother wise we are not. One’s identity is misunderstood in other cases. Jivais always a servant and never a master. He is either a servant of the senses or a servant of Krishna. One may think, “Now I am 18 and I am independent.”We thought that if we throw away the British, we will become independent.Did we? No. both individually and collectively we can never becomeindependent. The more you try to become independent and enjoy through thesenses, the more you suffer. The more one accepts the servitorship of thesenses, the more he suffers. A conditioned soul then puts the blame for hissuffering on others. It is because he has become a Mr. Go-dasa that he issuffering.
Sometimes the suffering comes from body and mind, sometimes fromnature etc. Like we have a shortage of water here in Ujjain. But the rootcause of this suffering is that we forgot Krishna. Maya is always giving usa whack to make us realize that we cannot be happy by our independent endeavors to satisfy our senses. A prisoner isn’t punished for nothing. Mayasays, “Go ahead and enjoy, but when you get cancer, then I will ask youwhether you are enjoying.” Allow your senses to dictate you and you onlyinvite suffering. We may think we are independent, but let us wait and seewhat happens. *Iha yasya harer dasye karmana manasa gira,…*
Apparently one may be in a very difficult situation, but if one is engaged in serving the Lord withbody, mind and words, he is liberated. Prahlad Maharaja, Arjuna are verygood examples. Arjuna was deprived of the kingdom and was hiding in thepalace of Virat, but was liberated because he has engaged his body, mind andwords in the service of Krishna. In this way it doesn’t matter in what situation one is. Jagai and Madhai were so sinful that Lord Caitanya wasabout to kill them, but the moment they became devotees, they were *jivanmuktas*. One may be a prince or a pauper but what really matters is becoming a servant of Krishna. That is what matters. Liberation has beendescribed as being situated in one’s svarupa. *Muktir hitvanyatharupam….*It is simply changing the situation – “Shall I become theservant of Krishnaor that of maya?” Again, becoming the servant of Krishna means becoming a servant of Hisdevotees. Servant of Krishna alone means a third class devotee. “I am the only devotee. No Radharani, no Nanda Yasoda…. Only me.” On the other hand, asecond class devotee recognizes the devotees and takes advantage of the association and then preaches Krishna consciousness. Initially we don’t even know whom to preach to. Then we recognize how to avoid the offenders, unless you are like Nityananda prabhu. This is a simple process. To dig a tunnel out of the prison is very difficult but to surrender to the king is not difficult. Then the king releases you and takes you to his palace.
Klesaghniand subhada are the consequences. To those who still want to maintain their servitorship to their senses, it is very difficult, but for those who are surrendered, it is very easy. I am not the Lord and master. To think that Iam is the cause of our bondage. We have to give up our service to oursenses. You can’t be a godas and a goswami at the same time. We have tochoose and decide. When you become Krishna dasa, you become goswami. You try to become a mayeswara and you’ll be a godasa. Only Siva can be mayeswara –no one else can. The choice is yours – to enjoy in the real sense or tosuffer. Surrender to Krishna and then *anandambudhi *vardhanam – the bliss isconstantly increasing. When can we be from the conceptions of the gross andsubtle bodily identifications? Only when we surrender to Krishna. Even Yamaraja has no control over such a devotee. Even he is pleased to see adevotee, while the sinful people leave their bodies while passing stool.Devotees leave bodies through the upper seven holes while others generallyleave through the lower two holes.
Klesaghniand subhada are the consequences. To those who still want to maintain their servitorship to their senses, it is very difficult, but for those who are surrendered, it is very easy. I am not the Lord and master. To think that Iam is the cause of our bondage. We have to give up our service to oursenses. You can’t be a godas and a goswami at the same time. We have tochoose and decide. When you become Krishna dasa, you become goswami. You try to become a mayeswara and you’ll be a godasa. Only Siva can be mayeswara –no one else can. The choice is yours – to enjoy in the real sense or tosuffer. Surrender to Krishna and then *anandambudhi *vardhanam – the bliss isconstantly increasing. When can we be from the conceptions of the gross andsubtle bodily identifications? Only when we surrender to Krishna. Even Yamaraja has no control over such a devotee. Even he is pleased to see adevotee, while the sinful people leave their bodies while passing stool.Devotees leave bodies through the upper seven holes while others generallyleave through the lower two holes.
This is a science. If we follow this path, we will realize our pure form in association with Krishna. At that time we will be situated in our pure consciousness – Krishna consciousness.Vyavasayatmika buddhir… Pure consciousness has only one object and so it is Krishna consciousness, whereas impure consciousness has many objects.
Q. The subtle mind is affecting the gross body. How?
A. Through the flow of consciousness, which flows through the nervoussystem.
Q. We need to make plans for preaching. Are our plans in Krishnaconsciousness or maya?
A. You have to get that verified by senior devotees and authorities.
Q. Can one who accepts the guru also be a 3rd class devotee?
A. Yes, if he feels that he and his guru are the only devotees.
Q. Digging a tunnel to escape may be possible in the government of thisworld. But is it possible in Krishna’s management?
A. No, it is not. Krishna will allow you to dig the tunnel, but as you comeout, the police will be waiting for you. Therefore it is said, *aruhyakrcchrena param padam tatah patantyadhah…..*Even one who has almost been liberated with tremendous endeavor, falls down due to lack of devotion toKrishna’s lotus feet. *Krcchrena* means with great endeavor.
Q. Is a devotee who leaves through the brahma randhra superior to anotherdevotee who leaves through the other holes of his body?
A. No. The brahma randhra is not a hole. It is an artificial hole and onlythe yogis leave through that. The devotees leave through the other upperholes of the body. Sometimes a siful man may not even leave through one ofthe bodily holes. The yamadutas drag his subtle body out of his gross body.
Q. How can one quickly get a higher taste?
A. By being engaged in devotional service in the association of devotees.
Q. Is serving more potent or service?
A. Chanting itself is service. However, it is very difficult to chant allthe time because our bodies have the tendency to be active and so we have tobe engaged in services. But our ultimate service is to chant all the time.Our acharya is Haridas Thakura.
Q. How can we not let arrogance touch our lives?
A. Always remain in the association of advanced devotees. We become arrogant because we are surrounded by inferior energy of matter. To give this up, wehave to be in the association of advanced devotees, and by that we feel humbled. We see the tranquility, joy in them.
Q. How is it that advanced devotees also suffer from disease etc.?
A. Two considerations are there. Generally we are not 100% surrendered.Since our surrender hasn’t become complete, the karmic reaction takes place. The second consideration is that this is the momentum going on. The moment uminertia is that things will keep moving but it will stop gradually. That movement will not have any power behind it. The sinful activities have stopped but the reactions are continuing for some time.
Q. How can one best control anger?
A. Use it in Krishna’s service. Anger due to frustration of sensegratification is one thing but anger in Krishna’s service is another. Thisreminds me of myself – when some of my subordinates act wrongly I have tocorrect them. It is my duty as a teacher.
Q. What is Meera Bai’s situation?
A. One of our previous acharyas commented on that. Her devotion wassentimental because she was not guided by a qualified guru. Later on shecame across Lord Caitanya. Her later songs were on Lord Caitanya and thenshe achieved perfection. Prior to that it was the supersoul aspect that wasprotecting and guiding her.
Q. If I have attachments, it is sometimes too difficult to surrender. Whatto do?
A. A child asks the father for a chocolate and the father refuses. She thinks, “If I surrender to father, I will not get a chocolate. So it isbetter not to surrender.” But the father will give a pot full of gulabjamuns if she surrenders. May be Krishna will not take away your attachments butwill give those attachments in a perfect way.
Q. The subtle mind is affecting the gross body. How?
A. Through the flow of consciousness, which flows through the nervoussystem.
Q. We need to make plans for preaching. Are our plans in Krishnaconsciousness or maya?
A. You have to get that verified by senior devotees and authorities.
Q. Can one who accepts the guru also be a 3rd class devotee?
A. Yes, if he feels that he and his guru are the only devotees.
Q. Digging a tunnel to escape may be possible in the government of thisworld. But is it possible in Krishna’s management?
A. No, it is not. Krishna will allow you to dig the tunnel, but as you comeout, the police will be waiting for you. Therefore it is said, *aruhyakrcchrena param padam tatah patantyadhah…..*Even one who has almost been liberated with tremendous endeavor, falls down due to lack of devotion toKrishna’s lotus feet. *Krcchrena* means with great endeavor.
Q. Is a devotee who leaves through the brahma randhra superior to anotherdevotee who leaves through the other holes of his body?
A. No. The brahma randhra is not a hole. It is an artificial hole and onlythe yogis leave through that. The devotees leave through the other upperholes of the body. Sometimes a siful man may not even leave through one ofthe bodily holes. The yamadutas drag his subtle body out of his gross body.
Q. How can one quickly get a higher taste?
A. By being engaged in devotional service in the association of devotees.
Q. Is serving more potent or service?
A. Chanting itself is service. However, it is very difficult to chant allthe time because our bodies have the tendency to be active and so we have tobe engaged in services. But our ultimate service is to chant all the time.Our acharya is Haridas Thakura.
Q. How can we not let arrogance touch our lives?
A. Always remain in the association of advanced devotees. We become arrogant because we are surrounded by inferior energy of matter. To give this up, wehave to be in the association of advanced devotees, and by that we feel humbled. We see the tranquility, joy in them.
Q. How is it that advanced devotees also suffer from disease etc.?
A. Two considerations are there. Generally we are not 100% surrendered.Since our surrender hasn’t become complete, the karmic reaction takes place. The second consideration is that this is the momentum going on. The moment uminertia is that things will keep moving but it will stop gradually. That movement will not have any power behind it. The sinful activities have stopped but the reactions are continuing for some time.
Q. How can one best control anger?
A. Use it in Krishna’s service. Anger due to frustration of sensegratification is one thing but anger in Krishna’s service is another. Thisreminds me of myself – when some of my subordinates act wrongly I have tocorrect them. It is my duty as a teacher.
Q. What is Meera Bai’s situation?
A. One of our previous acharyas commented on that. Her devotion wassentimental because she was not guided by a qualified guru. Later on shecame across Lord Caitanya. Her later songs were on Lord Caitanya and thenshe achieved perfection. Prior to that it was the supersoul aspect that wasprotecting and guiding her.
Q. If I have attachments, it is sometimes too difficult to surrender. Whatto do?
A. A child asks the father for a chocolate and the father refuses. She thinks, “If I surrender to father, I will not get a chocolate. So it isbetter not to surrender.” But the father will give a pot full of gulabjamuns if she surrenders. May be Krishna will not take away your attachments butwill give those attachments in a perfect way.
