Hare Krishna Prabhujis and Matajis,
Please accept our humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada and Srila Gurudev.
This is in continuation of the previous offering titled, "Prabhupada is our Ultimate Shelter", which is transcription of the nectarean class by our beloved spiritual master HH Mahavishnu Goswami Maharaj on Srimad Bhagavatam verse 2.8.4, in Hawaii in 1997.
In the previous offering we heard from Maharaj about how important it is to follow the nice traditions laid out by Srila Prabhupada and the importance of taking shelter of Bhagavad-Gita and Srimad Bhagavatam. Now we shall hear further.
7. Come to the Scriptures:
Once there was a grhasta disciple and he wrote to Prabhupada, that "Srila Prabhupada, when I was brahmachari I was doing so much service; now I'm married, and I don't have time. So, what can I do, Prabhupada? I want to serve, but can't do anything". So Srila Prabhupada wrote to him one letter, that letter is still in our collection of the letters, that: "You have 24 hours at your disposal. You please try to do whatever you want for 22 hours, but you just give me 2 hours. And in one hour, you chant rounds, whatever the number you can chant; and in one hour, you read my books, and I will guarantee you that you will not fall down." So, this is how this is very important. And then in the third line of this verse (Srimad Bhagavatam 12.13.18), very nicely it is described what is there in Bhagavatam: tatra jñāna-virāga-bhakti-sahitaṁ naiṣkarmyam āviskṛtaṁ tatra means therein, there is knowledge (jñāna); virāga- detachment is there. And as soon as knowledge is there, detachment is there, bhakti is bound to be there. So, these three things are included in this scripture. First the knowledge is given nicely through the realised souls; the whole knowledge, and particularly the canto which we are discussing, second canto. The purpose of second canto is knowledge.
The first canto qualifies you to understand the hidden interest of the living individual. It is known adhikār lila. And as soon as you come to second canto, it is jñāna lila. The second canto gives you the full knowledge. And that's why first and second canto, they are very important. Many times, Srila Prabhupada insisted that we should only discuss first and second cantos again and again. And this is how the devotees, the inquisitive, serious devotees must concentrate first - on the second chapter of the first canto; it is the ocean of knowledge. Only 34 verses, but you should master those verses. And from the second canto, there are 4 important verses which gives you the full knowledge of Srimad Bhagavatam. And they are known as catuh shloki Bhagavatam. In four verses, the whole Bhagavatam is included. Don't worry if you can't go through everything. Do not worry at all. Sukadeva Goswami, Parikshit Maharaja, everybody is very kind. They have given you only four verses. You study those four verses, and whole Bhagavatam philosophy is with you. And those are from 2nd canto, 9th chapter, verse numbers 33, 34, 35 and 36. And nicely described, purported by Srila Prabhupada.Just study those four verses first, and you will develop the taste to study Srimad Bhagavatam.This must be the first priority in our life, it's goal of existence.
Srila Prabhupada devoted so much time for this, daily he was getting up at 1 AM to translate these things. During the day time, he was very busy, there was so much disturbance. In your place, he stayed here continuously, I think, for four months many times; and he translated Caitanya-caritāmṛta here. This was his goal, this way, because Caitanya-caritāmṛta is the more nice explanation of Srimad Bhagavatam. If you want to understand Srimad Bhagavatam, you must go through the pages of Caitanya-caritāmṛta, and you will understand Bhagavatam more clearly. Make your goal of this life, at least till we are in the temple. This crowd always goes on changing. I don't know how long you will be here. Something comes out and we just leave and go. We are married or your mind freaks out or whatever it is. So please, till you are here, make this a very serious attempt to go through these things. It's very nice, as I told you, only lucky souls, extremely fortunate souls, they come under the roof of Srila Prabhupada. You are not ordinary people, you have already performed so many pious activities in your previous life. And you have completely decided; as I told you, you may be forced to decide, but we have somehow or the other decided that, "during this lifetime, I will do this complete job."
Krishna willing we shall try to hear further nectar from Maharaj in the subsequent offerings.
Hare Krishna.
Thank you very much.
Yours in service of Srila Prabhupada and Srila Gurudeva,
Sriveda and Vaishnavi
Bangalore.
Copyright © 2023. All rights reserved.