This is a discourse on Srimad Bhagavatam canto 1, chapter 8, verse 52 given by HG Stoka Krishna Prabhu in Chennai.
In the war of Kurukshetra 64 crore people were killed on either side. Maharaja Yudhisthira is feeling sorry that so many were killed for the sake enthroning him as the king. After considering himself to be responsible for killing so many, he says performance of Ashvamedha Yajna cannot counteract what has already been done.
Yudhisthira Maharaj compares this kind of atonement to a muddy cloth that cannot be used for filtering muddy water and wine bottle used to clean another wine glass.
It is generally accepted that if you do some sinful activity, to nullify the sinful reaction you can do prayachita or atonement. But it doesn’t work so easily because the nature of material activity is such that one action gives rise to another reaction and that gives rise to another action.
This action and reaction is like a chain. This is explained in the 5th canto of Bhagavatam by Sukadeva Goswami. When one does prayachita, one may get from the reaction but the tendency to do sinful reaction is not cleared from his heart.
How will the sinful mentality be corrected?
One remedy suggested is to cultivate knowledge. By the knowledge of the consequences of such sinful activities one may refrain from doing it. But what if a person with knowledge is forced to commit sinful activities? Arjuna asks this question in Bhagavad Gita. Why is one as if by force committing sinful activities?
Lord Krishna answers that the cause for being forced to commit sin is Kama or lust. Until one becomes free from kama, one cannot become free from sinful activities. Kama is opposite to Prema. Prema is love for Krishna. So the deteriorated form of love for Krishna is kama.
Lust has to be purified. Kama must be turned in to Prema. This is the only remedy. Out of ignorance people think what they feel for someone is love but actually it is only lust. That’s why they commit sinful activities.
To become free from lust we have to awaken love for Krishna. The only method to awaken love for Krishna is Bhakti. The fundamental principle of bhakti is that we have forgotten Krishna and we have developed desire to enjoy in the material world. This is the cause of lust.
We have to give up this desire to enjoy. This is the not possible without devotional service practiced under a bonafide spiritual master. This is the only way to conquer lust. Other methods are not effective in Kaliyuga.
The second aspect of this verse is that animal killing doesn’t work in Kaliyuga. In Kaliyuga animal sacrifices are forbidden. The only recommended sacrifice is Harinama yajna. But at the same time Prabhupada warns that performing Harinama and at the same time performing sinful activities will not work.
One has to stop sinful activities, particularly meat eating, intoxication, gambling and illicit sex and perform harinama. By doing so, the tendency to commit other sinful activities will also vanish gradually because chanting cleanses the desire to commit sinful activities.
This chanting is very simple. One has to simply vibrate the tongue and hear. People are faithless so they do not chant. The next category is that they may have faith but may not be able to chant. If people associate with devotees, they will start to chant. Hence Prabhupada said that he has created this movement to give association to people so that they may chant.
This process is simple but when one starts to do it, there will be so many impediments. If one chants without involving the consciousness, chanting becomes mechanical. The consciousness is not in contact with the mahamantra.
The mechanism of the sound vibration should touch the consciousness, the soul. The sign of progress in this process is the reduction of material desires. We can be honest with ourselves and check our progress.
Material desires are of many varieties. Some times people mistake material desires to spiritual desire. A person growing paddy should be careful to remove the weeds in the field. Similarly we should weed out material desires from our heart. It is a tapasya that can be performed with the help of association of devotees.
In the war of Kurukshetra 64 crore people were killed on either side. Maharaja Yudhisthira is feeling sorry that so many were killed for the sake enthroning him as the king. After considering himself to be responsible for killing so many, he says performance of Ashvamedha Yajna cannot counteract what has already been done.
Yudhisthira Maharaj compares this kind of atonement to a muddy cloth that cannot be used for filtering muddy water and wine bottle used to clean another wine glass.
It is generally accepted that if you do some sinful activity, to nullify the sinful reaction you can do prayachita or atonement. But it doesn’t work so easily because the nature of material activity is such that one action gives rise to another reaction and that gives rise to another action.
This action and reaction is like a chain. This is explained in the 5th canto of Bhagavatam by Sukadeva Goswami. When one does prayachita, one may get from the reaction but the tendency to do sinful reaction is not cleared from his heart.
How will the sinful mentality be corrected?
One remedy suggested is to cultivate knowledge. By the knowledge of the consequences of such sinful activities one may refrain from doing it. But what if a person with knowledge is forced to commit sinful activities? Arjuna asks this question in Bhagavad Gita. Why is one as if by force committing sinful activities?
Lord Krishna answers that the cause for being forced to commit sin is Kama or lust. Until one becomes free from kama, one cannot become free from sinful activities. Kama is opposite to Prema. Prema is love for Krishna. So the deteriorated form of love for Krishna is kama.
Lust has to be purified. Kama must be turned in to Prema. This is the only remedy. Out of ignorance people think what they feel for someone is love but actually it is only lust. That’s why they commit sinful activities.
To become free from lust we have to awaken love for Krishna. The only method to awaken love for Krishna is Bhakti. The fundamental principle of bhakti is that we have forgotten Krishna and we have developed desire to enjoy in the material world. This is the cause of lust.
We have to give up this desire to enjoy. This is the not possible without devotional service practiced under a bonafide spiritual master. This is the only way to conquer lust. Other methods are not effective in Kaliyuga.
The second aspect of this verse is that animal killing doesn’t work in Kaliyuga. In Kaliyuga animal sacrifices are forbidden. The only recommended sacrifice is Harinama yajna. But at the same time Prabhupada warns that performing Harinama and at the same time performing sinful activities will not work.
One has to stop sinful activities, particularly meat eating, intoxication, gambling and illicit sex and perform harinama. By doing so, the tendency to commit other sinful activities will also vanish gradually because chanting cleanses the desire to commit sinful activities.
This chanting is very simple. One has to simply vibrate the tongue and hear. People are faithless so they do not chant. The next category is that they may have faith but may not be able to chant. If people associate with devotees, they will start to chant. Hence Prabhupada said that he has created this movement to give association to people so that they may chant.
This process is simple but when one starts to do it, there will be so many impediments. If one chants without involving the consciousness, chanting becomes mechanical. The consciousness is not in contact with the mahamantra.
The mechanism of the sound vibration should touch the consciousness, the soul. The sign of progress in this process is the reduction of material desires. We can be honest with ourselves and check our progress.
Material desires are of many varieties. Some times people mistake material desires to spiritual desire. A person growing paddy should be careful to remove the weeds in the field. Similarly we should weed out material desires from our heart. It is a tapasya that can be performed with the help of association of devotees.
No comments:
Post a Comment