After the few years of youth, immediately you fall down. and there is a change, great change in the body. And that change we cannot take. That's why we shout and scream at the people which are around. That is the reason, why there are so many disagreements, so many misunderstandings, so much envy, so much enmity.
When Vyasadev was morose, his Guru Maharaj came, and then he asked, "What is the trouble that you have? You are so very learned, you have written so many things, why are you feeling morose?" Then Vyasadev himself gave the answer.
This is in continuation of the previous offering titled, "Realise the Spiritual Reality" wherein we were transcribing one of the nectarean class given by our beloved spiritual master HH Mahavishnu Goswami Maharaj on Srimad Bhagavatam verses 8.3.8-9.
Ordinary history is regarding the mortal beings. They are all dead. And you are singing the glories of those people… He was born in such and such a year, dead in the meantime he conquered so many countries.
This is humble effort to transcribe one of the nectarean class given by our beloved spiritual master HH Mahavishnu Goswami Maharaj on Srimad Bhagavatam verses 8.3.8-9.
Vedic studies basically teaches one the ins and outs of righteousness (dharma) and unrighteousness (adharma), and most importantly; to discriminate between the two.
It is not about becoming a skillful leader, expert in stimulating employees to do their level best for success; for the intelligent person, the long-term outcome of leadership is what counts.
This is in continuation of the previous offering titled, "Leadership and Dharma", in which we saw the value of senior counsel by the story of King Prācīnabarhi, who by the instructions of Narada was able to give up his kingdom, which was full of materialism, and became a devotee instead.
So this is an example of a leader that attains the highest goal of life – doing the highest service to humanity in the same go, by showing the way (vartma-pradārśika) – simply by being humble enough to allow a dear devotee of Krishna to preach to him. Thus to avoid ending up doing kūṭa-dharma a leader must not forget to serve the instructions of the advanced elders (vṛddha-sevā).
When one is a mixed devotee, one has a problem with pride. Because the ulterior motivation to become recognised for one’s skills or knowledge in the course of performing bhakti is there, sometimes Krishna has to give that devotee a slap, so that he’ll be able to shake off that prideful motivation.
And the greatest fear is that I’ll lose my health and I may die. This is bhaya. And there are different types of bhaya. This also kills in the material life.
The body can work very well. There is no parishram in the body, if it is used for Krishna. If it is not used for Krishna, then body is a big problem, big problem. And then our consciousness completely goes down and we are on the bodily platform then.
As soon as the idea comes, you please use it for good work. Otherwise if you stop, if you think about it then you change your mind completely. That is why it is instructed, lakśaṁ vihāya dātavyam.
Even if a business man has his own office, nice air-conditioned office, nice dealing in gold and jewel and everything, but he doesn’t know that he is carrying the same body full of stool and urine. It is not golden body. He may be dealing with the gold and jewels and everything, but the body is full of stool and urine.
Prahlad went to Narasinghadev and paid obeisances and he didn't know what to say, you know. But Narasinghadev bhagavan knew that he is a devotee. So He was pleased with the devotee. So He touched His hand on his head. And as soon as He touched with His hand, Prahlad Maharaj recited the prayers to pacify Narasingha Bhagavan.
"So what is the difference between me and Krishna? I can get anything I want. Krishna can get anything He wants. I am maintaining so many people. I am controlling so many business..." (laughter) So in the end he asked, "What is the difference between me and Krishna?"
grhastas responsibilities multiply. And you wanted to be a grhasta, you are grhasta, then behave like grhasta. This is the main instruction to be followed. Otherwise we become like Ravana, Hiranyakasibu, Sishupal and many others. And when you become and you lose everything.
As soon as you utter Krishna’s names, you do not belong to the material world. And as soon as the book comes in your hand, Srila Prabhupada’s any book, small book or big book it doesn’t matter at all, immediately we are dragged out from the material platform and we are forced to be on the spiritual platform.
Your vicious circle is completely cut and if there is no janma - there cannot be death and if there is no janma there cannot be old age and if there is no janma, there cannot be disease, it is very easy to understand.
And Bhagavatam will not falsely guarantee you. You see. The material guarantee, "This machine has guarantee for 12 months", and if you come back after 12 months, your machine will be completely out. They deceive you. But Bhagavatam will never do that.
As we become old, we should be completely silent—that is the nice thing. We should be completely silent, because anyway the children understand everything. They are not going to be under our control anymore. So it is better if we suggest something to them, if they like they will follow. Otherwise they will suffer.
Caitanya Mahaprabhu warns us, niṣkiñcanasya bhagavad-bhajanonmukhasya, "If you want to worship Krishna, rather not have anything to do with non-devotees."
Here the most important qualities of a spiritual leader (vaiṣṇavānāṁ yathā śambhuḥ) is given. While he overlooks whatever bad qualities are there, he is expert in finding out even the smallest good quality in a person and magnify that greatly (guṇāṁś ca phalgūn bahulī-kariṣṇavo).
Srila Prabhupada reveals that Daksha was not just angry but deeply envious of Shiva. "Daksha was envious of Lord Shiva because of Shiva's high position as an incarnation of a quality of the Supreme Personality of Godhead and because Shiva was directly in contact with the Supersoul and was therefore honored and given a better sitting place than he.
If a human being is born in an aristocratic family or a higher status of life, if he performs wonderful activities, if he is youthful, if he has personal beauty, a good education and good wealth, and if he is nonetheless not proud of his opulences, it is to be understood that he is especially favoured by the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
The most possessive, Vamsavardhana, Lord Krishna did not wait for the Pandavas to manage the bramhaastra of Asvathama as he felt His devotees were in danger.
As Krishna says to Arjuna, mām anusmara yuddhya ca; 'remember Me and fight at the same time – then you will win glory'. What is that glory? As Krishna teaches Arjuna further in the Gita, the real glory is to win over one's lower nature, kāma, that all-devouring enemy which drags a man down to the animal platform.
Maharaja Gaya satisfied the kshatriya kings [nara-patiś] by his fighting and satisfied the braahmanas [dhīras] by his charities. The vaishyas [gopālas] were also encouraged by kind words and affectionate dealings, and due to Maharaja Gaya's constant sacrifices, the shudras [dāsās] were satisfied by sumptuous food and charity. In this way Maharaja Gaya kept all the citizens very satisfied.
It is not that those who lead does not serve. The leaders serve their dependents by protecting them and making sure they blossom in life! This is also known as Servant Leadership, in which the main goal is to serve.