Hare Krsna,

To understand the concept of self-deception, it is important to take a few steps back and understand what caused this self-deception in the first place. The context is that unless a living entity forgets his real identity as the eternal servant of the Lord Krsna, it is impossible for him to live in material conditions of life. The miseries of the pure soul and the disruption of his self-identification are managed by the external energy of the Lord, which controls those mischievous living entities who want to go against the will of the Lord. Life after life the living entity falsely tries to lord it over material nature and become the lord of the material world, but there is no tangible result. At last, when frustrated, he gives up his material activities and tries to become one with the Lord and speculate with much jugglery of words, but without success.

So, Brahma created ignorance around self-identity as a matter of necessity. He created five features of ignorance.

SB 3.12.2: Brahmā first created the nescient engagements like self-deception, the sense of death, anger after frustration, the sense of false ownership, and the illusory bodily conception, or forgetfulness of one’s real identity.

Subsequently in a conversation between Vidura and Maitreya Rsi, Vidura inquired about isvara and jiva. Vidura asked (a) how does the pure soul become engaged in nescience, and (b) why does the living entity suffer in spite of the Lord’s presence in his heart?

In response to these inquiries, Maitreya Rsi explained that the distress of the living entity is due to misidentification alone. There is no factual background to it just as one sees his head cut off in a dream. Just as the moon reflected on water appears to tremble, the self-associated with matter appears to be qualified in matter (SB 3.7.10-11).

The essence of this concept of self-deception is that due to the bodily consciousness, the living entity comes under distress. Srila Prabhupada reminds us repeatedly in all his books that we are not the material body but the spirit soul, and the constitutional position of the spirit soul is to render devotional service to the Supreme Lord Sri Krsna. Arjuna was in distress in Bhagavad Gita because under false bodily consciousness he was lamenting about killing his friends, relatives, and relatives. Lord Krsna, through the message of Bhagavad Gita, explained to Arjuna that he should think beyond the body and work purely for the pleasure of Lord Krsna. Eternally a living entity is an eternal servant of the Supreme Lord. But due to our rebellious nature and desire to enjoy separately from the Lord, we fell to this material world and came under the influence of the three modes of material nature. By nature, an individual spirit soul is part and parcel of Krsna. Therefore, the nature of the individual soul is full of eternity, knowledge, and bliss. However due to forgetfulness of one’s true nature (that he is a spirit soul and servant of Krsna), he falls under distress.

“A living entity is eternally subordinate to the Supreme Lord, and he has this knowledge with him, but, artificially, he thinks that he is God himself and that although he is God he has lost his knowledge due to māyā. This conception has no meaning, just as there is no meaning to seeing one’s head being cut off.” (SB 3.7.10)

Due to association with matter since time immemorial, the living entity thinks himself as a product of matter. As a result, he undergoes the three modes of material miseries. But as soon as he wakes up from the sleep of illusory energy of the Lord and realizes that the material distress, he undergoes under bodily consciousness is just like a dream, all his miseries can go away. An example is that when one is in deep sleep, he does not feel any sufferings related to the material body. Similarly, if one is deeply absorbed in Krsna consciousness, he will not feel the material distress. It is, therefore, important to have a deep understanding of this theoretical understanding. To explain this point, Srila Prabhupada provides several analogies in his purports.

• Just as a person in a dream sees his head cut off, although his head is still intact, the jiva’s apparent loss of self-identity is illusory, for he can never lose his constitutional knowledge and bliss. (3.7.10 P)
• Just as a school-teacher threatens an errant pupil that the pupil would see his head cut off and hanging on the wall, similarly maya controls mischievous jiva going against the will of the Lord, by placing them in a dream-like state where they perceive forgetfulness of their identity, and suffering (loss of bliss). (3.7.10 P)
• Just as the miseries perceived in a dream are vanquished in deep sleep, similarly the dream-like miseries of the material world are vanquished by complete absorption in the Lord, who attracts each of the senses of His devotees. (3.7.13 V)

Solution to get out of self-deception is bhakti yoga – devotional service to Lord Sri Krsna. “The conception of self-identity has no meaning, just as there is no meaning to seeing one’s head being cut off. This is the process by which knowledge is covered. And because this artificial rebellious condition of the living entity gives him all troubles, it is to be understood that he should take to his normal life as a devotee of the Lord and be relieved from the misconception of being God.” (SB 3.7.10 P)

The misconception of self-deception can be diminished by Lord Vasudeva’s mercy, by the process of devotional service in the mode of detachment. When the senses are engaged in serving Lord Hari, all miseries are vanquished. Hearing and chanting the Lord’s qualities vanquishes all material miseries (sadhana-bhakti). What to speak of those who attained attraction for serving the Lord’s lotus feet (bhava-bhakti)? (SB 3.7.12-14)

All glories to Srila Prabhupada!

Hare Krsna,

While I was meditating on the times in the life of Brahma, I was reflecting upon the appearance of Lord Sri Krsna and Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Their appearance is extremely rare.

A divya-yuga consists of the total duration of four yugas – Satya-yuga, Treta-yuga, Dvapara-yuga, and Kali-yuga. The four yugas multiplied by one thousand comprise one day on the planet of Brahmā. A similar period comprises a night of Brahmā, in which the creator of the universe goes to sleep. (SB 3.11.22)

The 24-hour day of Brahma is divided into day and night, only during the day do the one thousand Maha yugas exist. At night while Brahma sleeps there are no Maha yugas but rather a partial annihilation of the universe takes place.

Therefore 4,320,000,000 human years (4 billion 320 million years) equals the 12 hour “daytime period” of Brahma when all the 1000 Maha-yuga appear. Then another 4,320,000,000 (4 billion 320 million years) human years of Brahma’s “night-time period” that equals Brahma’s inactive night-time period when a partial annihilation of this material universe occurs.

A full 24-hour day of Brahma equals 8,640,000,000 human years. (8 billion 640 million human years).

A ”day-time” period made up of 1000 Maha yugas is called a kalpa, and a ”night-time” period of a partial annihilation of this universe (of Brahma’s day) with no Maha yugas, is also called a kalpa.

There are “two kalpas” in a “day and night” (24-hour period) of Brahma which together equals 8 billion 640 million human years.

Lord Krishna, in His original Form, appears at the end of just “one” Dvapara-yuga out of every 1000.

Lord Caitanya appears near the beginning of just “one” Kali-yuga with His Sankirtan Movement; He also appears just once out of every 1000 Kali-yugas.                      

SB 3.11.27: In each and every change of Manu, the Supreme Personality of Godhead appears by manifesting His internal potency in different incarnations, as Manu and others. Thus He maintains the universe by discovered power.

Lord Caitanya and Lord Krishna ‘s appearance is very, very rare.

They both only come “once” over that enormous period of time as Prabhupada has explained.

CC Adi 3.10: At the end of the Dvāpara-yuga of the twenty-eighth divya-yuga, Lord Kṛṣṇa appears on earth with the full paraphernalia of His eternal Vraja-dhāma.

“Now is the term of Vaivasvata Manu, during which Lord Caitanya appears. First Lord Kṛṣṇa appears at the close of the Dvāpara-yuga of the twenty-eighth divya-yuga, and then Lord Caitanya appears in the Kali-yuga of the same divya-yuga. Lord Kṛṣṇa and Lord Caitanya appear once in each day of Brahmā, or once in fourteen manv-antaras, each of seventy-one divya-yugas in duration.” (SP Purport to CC Adi 3.10)

“From the beginning of Brahmā’s day of 4,320,000,000 years, six Manus appear and disappear before Lord Kṛṣṇa appears. Thus 1,975,320,000 years of the day of Brahmā elapse before the appearance of Lord Kṛṣṇa. This is an astronomical calculation according to solar years.” (SP Purport to CC Adi 3.10)

In another conversation, Lord Prabhupada explained:

Devotee – “Śrīla Prabhupāda, does Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu also appear every day of Brahma?”

Srila Prabhupāda – “Yes, following Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa comes in the Dvāpara-yuga. There are four periods of each yuga: Satva, Tretā, Dvāpara, Kali. So Kṛṣṇa comes at the end of Dvāpara-yuga, and Caitanya Mahāprabhu comes in the Kali-yuga”. (Lecture on Srimad Bhagavatam Canto 6 Chapter 1 Text 3 – Melbourne, May 22, 1975)

Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu and Lord Krishna’s appearance in this world is very, very rare.

We must consider ourselves very fortunate that we are living in that particular day of Brahma where Lord Caitanya’s sankirtan mission is going on. By the mercy of Srila Prabhupada, we are able to participate in this divine mission. Unless we take full advantage of this rarest of rare opportunity where we can achieve love of Godhead simply by chanting the Holy Name of the Lord, our human life is wasted.

“A human being who does not develop a sense of responsibility before he dies is no better than the madman who tries to enjoy material life very happily without concern for the future. It is necessary that every human being be responsible in preparing himself for the next life, even if he has a duration of life like that of Brahmā, the greatest of all living creatures within the universe.” (SB 3.11. 33 P)

What is even more amazing is that this sankirtan movement will not exist for a long time.

Srila Prabhupada remarked in CC Antya 3.50 Purport: It is said that the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement will be prominent within the next ten thousand years, but after that people will all become mlecchas and yavanas. Thus at the end of the yuga, Kṛṣṇa will appear as the Kalki avatāra and kill them without consideration.

“Rather, this movement, as I have now began with my disciples, European, American boys, they’re… They are not very satisfied, the present politicians. They are not very satisfied. They don’t want. Everywhere this, more or less the same mentality, but it is our duty on behalf of Krsna to push on this movement. So we are doing, and we are getting response. It is not without response. It will increase. That is also stated, that for ten thousand years Krsna consciousness movement will increase. Yes.

Syamasundara: Ten thousand years.

Prabhupada: Within ten thousand years, if they become Krsna conscious, then life is successful. After ten thousand years, the gloomy picture of Kali-yuga will come. Still there is time. Ten thousand years is not small period. So we have passed five thousand years. So still ten thousand. We have got to the fifteen thousand years. Kali-yuga’s duration of life is four hundred thousand, four hundred and twenty-seven thousand.”

 [S.P. Room Conversation, July 22, 1973, London]

Therefore, we should not waste our short human life in frivolous matters. We must utilize the time to chant the holy name of the Lord as much as possible. We should engage all our time in hearing, chanting, and remembering the Supreme Lord. From Lord Brahma’s perspective, the duration of human life is just the blink of an eye.

All glories to Srila Prabhupada!

Hare Krsna,

I am amazed by the chain of questions and answers going between Maitreya Rsi and Vidura. Maitreya Rsi’s explanation of the various categories of information related to the universal creation is actually in response to Vidura’s two questions below:

SB 3.10.1: Śrī Vidura said: O great sage, please let me know how Brahmā, the grandfather of the planetary inhabitants, created the bodies of the living entities from his own body and mind after the disappearance of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

SB 3.10.10: Vidura inquired from Maitreya: O my lord, O greatly learned sage, kindly describe eternal time, which is another form of the Supreme Lord, the wonderful actor. What are the symptoms of that eternal time? Please describe them to us in detail.

From Maitreya’s explanation, it is fascinating to see how the process of creation begins from purely spiritual platform to subtle creation and then to gross creation. Maha Visnu’s glance is purely transcendental and spiritual. His glance agitates the sum total of material energy thus manifesting various elements such as earth, water, fire, air, and ether. These elements are gross in nature. There are also subtle elements of creation such a mind, intelligence, and false ego.

This chapter (3.10) talks about ten different kinds of creation. The first six creations are called Prakrta Sarga – Primary Creation. They are mainly:

1. Mahat-tattva
2. Ahankara – false ego
3. Sense perceptions
4. Working and Knowledge acquiring senses
5. Demigods and mind
6. Ignorance

The next four creations are called Visarga or Vaikrta Sarga – Secondary creations:

• Immovable entities such as plants
• Lower species of life such as animals
• Human Beings
• Demigods

Maitreya Rsi’s explanation of time is quite interesting. Finding the nature of subtle time difficult to describe, he starts with by describing the divisions of matter such as atom. The understanding of time needs a good understanding of atoms. This is because time is measured in terms of it’s covering a certain space of atoms by the movement of the sun (3.11.4 P)

“The time covered by the sun in passing over an atom is calculated as atomic time. The greatest time of all covers the entire existence of the nondual manifestation… The complete calculation of the time of creation, maintenance and dissolution, measured in terms of the circulation of the total planetary systems until the end of creation, is known as the supreme kāla.” (SB 3.11.4 P)

In the previous chapter (3.10.11-13), Maitreya Rsi described the various characteristics of time:

• Source of the interactions of the modes
• Lacks attributes and hence is imperceptible
• Limitless – without beginning or end
• As an instrumental cause, it separates the material energy from the Lord
• Divides the universe into various planetary systems
• Unmanifested, impersonal feature of the Lord
• Objective manifestation or representative of the Lord
• Causes the universe to appear alike in the present, as it was in the past and shall be in the future.

Just as the Supreme Lord is inconceivable, the time factor is inconceivable. It is all pervading. Time pervades and control every aspect of our daily life. It is also instrumental in the overall cosmic creation as it is the source of the interactions of the modes. Time is the potency of the almighty Personality of Godhead, Hari, who controls all physical movement although He is not visible in the physical world. (SB 3.11.3) Influential stars, planets, luminaries and atoms all over the universe are rotating in their respective orbits under the direction of the Supreme, represented by eternal kāla. (SB 3.11.13)

“In the Brahma-saṁhitā it is stated that the sun is the eye of the Supreme and it rotates in its particular orbit of time. Similarly, beginning from the sun down to the atom, all bodies are under the influence of the kāla-cakra, or the orbit of eternal time, and each of them has a scheduled orbital time of one saṁvatsara.” (SB 3.11.3 P)

It is therefore important that we acknowledge and respect the role of time in our lives as it is an impersonal feature of the Lord.

All glories to Srila Prabhupada!

Hare Krsna,

In BG 14.4, Lord Krsna proclaims: It should be understood that all species of life, O son of Kuntī, are made possible by birth in this material nature, and that I am the seed-giving father.

In this verse, it is clearly explained that the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krsna, is the original father of all living entities. All the appearances of living entities and various planetary systems are due to the mother, material nature, and Krsna’s seed-giving process. The living entities are combinations of the spiritual nature (Krsna as the father) and the material nature (as the mother).

Even in SB 3.10.7, Srila Prabhupada explains that the seeds of all the planets in the universe were impregnated in the lotus on which Brahmā was situated. All the planets were already generated by the Lord, and all the living entities were also born in Brahmā. The material world and the living entities were all already generated in seedling forms by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and Brahmā was to disseminate the same seedlings all over the universe.

Therefore, the real creation (Sarga) is done by the Supreme Lord in the seedling forms. Lord Brahma spreads the same seedlings all over the universe for full manifestation (visarga). An example can be taken of a farmer spreading the seeds on his cultivable land. We usually attribute the growth of food to the farmers. We call him the grower. This is true. We call him grower but not creator of food. The creator of the food is the Supreme Lord who provides the seeds for various foods, living entities, etc. The farmer just takes them and sows them on his field and thus the crops grow. Thus in this example, the Supreme Lord is the primary creator and this primary creation is called sarga. The farmer is the secondary creator and this secondary creation is called visarga. Similarly in the matter of creation of the universe, the real creation by the Supreme Lord is called sarga, and, later on, the manifestation by Brahmā is called visarga.

Lord Krsna has provided all the basic ingredients such as pradhana (material nature), mahat-tattva, and time element. In SB 2.5, we studied that the Supreme Lord’s glance on the sum total of material energy (maya) infuses it with time (kala), and destiny (karma) and nature (svabhava) of all the jivas, thereby agitating it. The agitated equilibrium state (pradhana) then produces mahat-tattva, a state which although has all the three modes, is predominantly of goodness and passion due to jnanan and kriya-saktis. This state further transforms into ahankara,  which is predominantly in tamas, ignorance. This state produces 3 energies, called jnana-sakti, kriya-sakti and dravya-sakti. The dravya-sakti has the capacity to produce five gross elements. Kriya-sakti produces the senses. Jnana-sakti produces the sense devatas. At each level of transformation, the Lord’s energy in the form of time produces the subsequent state of transformation. In this way, the Supreme Lord engages in the process of sarga (primary creation).

I find the concept of time quite difficult to understand. In BG 11.32, Lord Krsna declares that He is mighty Time, the source of destruction that comes forth to annihilate the worlds. Time not only controls every aspect of our material existence, it also controls the material nature.

“The controlling time has different dimensions in relation to particular physical embodiments. There is a time for atomic dissolution and a time for the universal dissolution. There is a time for the annihilation of the body of the human being, and there is a time for the annihilation of the universal body. Also, growth, development and resultant actions all depend on the time factor. Vidura wanted to know in detail the different physical manifestations and their times of annihilation.”

In the material world everything is created, and everything is annihilated, and the duration of life between the creation and annihilation is temporary. The whole material existence is manifested by actions and reactions of elements which make the influence of time prominent in the matter of past, present and future. On the contrary, time is conspicuous by its absence in the spiritual world. In other words, everything in the transcendental world is everlasting, full of knowledge and bliss without deterioration. Since there is no deterioration, there is no past, present and future in the estimation of time. (based on SB 2.9.10 P)

But this same time is under the control of the Supreme Lord in His form of kala, or eternal time. Therefore, the only way we can be free from the clutches of inconceivable, incontrollable, and sometimes cruel, time factor is by fully surrendering unto the Supreme Lord Krsna.

All glories to Srila Prabhupada!

Hare Krsna,

There is no doubt that no one can offer prayers to the Lord without His causeless mercy. When a living entity desires to serve the Lord in transcendental loving service, the Lord helps the devotee in so many ways as the caitya-guru, or the spiritual master within, and thus the devotee can perform many wonderful activities beyond material estimation. By the mercy of the Lord even a layman can compose prayers of the highest spiritual perfection. Such spiritual perfection is not limited by material qualifications but is developed by dint of one’s sincere endeavor to render transcendental service. Voluntary endeavor is the only qualification for spiritual perfection. Material acquisitions of wealth or education are not considered. (SB 3.9.38 P)

But this does not mean that one should not compose prayers in glorification of the Lord. If we are sincere in our desire and endeavor, the Supreme Lord will help us. The best example is Dhruva Maharaja. He was a young boy of five years. He did not know how to worship Lord Visnu. But seeing His determination and endeavor, the Lord instructed Narada Muni to guide and teach young Dhruva Maharaja. By following the instructions of Narada Muni, Dhruva Maharaja performed intense austerity and penance for many months. Pleased with his efforts, the Supreme Lord appeared in front of Him. The Lord touched Dhruva Maharaja with His conchshell. Immediately Dhruva Maharaja became completely self-realized and started to compose beautiful prayers to the Lord. This shows that only by the mercy of the Lord can one compose prayers.

There is a beautiful purport by Srila Prabhupada on this topic of offering prayers to the Supreme Lord.

SB 4.7.24: Although the mental scope of even demigods like Brahmā was unable to comprehend the unlimited glories of the Supreme Lord, they were all able to perceive the transcendental form of the Supreme Personality of Godhead by His grace. Only by such grace could they offer their respectful prayers according to their different capacities.

Purport: It is not possible for any ordinary living entity to understand or to glorify the unlimited Personality of Godhead, but one can offer prayers or service to the Lord according to one’s particular capacity. This capacity is increased by the service spirit. Sevonmukhe hi jihvādau means that the service of the Lord begins with the tongue. This refers to chanting. By chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, one begins the service of the Lord. Another function of the tongue is to taste and accept the Lord’s prasāda. We have to begin our service to the Unlimited with the tongue and become perfect in chanting, and accepting the Lord’s prasāda. To accept the Lord’s prasāda means to control the entire set of senses. The tongue is considered to be the most uncontrollable sense because it hankers for so many unwholesome eatables, thereby forcing the living entity into the dungeon of material conditional life. As the living entity transmigrates from one form of life to another, he has to eat so many abominable foodstuffs that finally there is no limit. The tongue should be engaged in chanting and in eating the Lord’s prasāda so that the other senses will be controlled. Chanting is the medicine, and prasāda is the diet. With these processes one can begin his service, and as the service increases, the Lord reveals more and more to the devotee. But there is no limit to His glories, and there is no limit to engaging oneself in the service of the Lord.

This means that if we continue to engage in devotional service to the Lord through the main processes of hearing and chanting, we will be able to compose prayers to the Lord just as Lord Brahma did.

From my personal example, I could see that the forum posts that I write are nothing but mercy of the Lord. I have personal realizations that there are days when I struggle to meditate and write on a particular forum topic. I chant my japa not meditating on the topic but praying to the Lord to help me write something. When I do so and start typing in the mood that the Lord will help me from within, I see that thoughts begin to flow spontaneously and these thoughts beautifully get transformed into words. I have written many forum posts in this way. This clearly shows that without Lord’s mercy and empowerment, we cannot write anything.

Therefore Lord Brahma’s prayers are not mere prayers. They are a manifestation of Lord’s sweet mercy being pleased with Brahma’s many years of meditation, penance, and austerity.

The prayers offered by Brahma cannot be chanted by anyone who desires to fulfill his own sense gratification. Such prayers can be selected only by a person who wants to satisfy the Lord in His service. The Lord certainly fulfills all desires in regard to transcendental loving service, but He cannot fulfill the whims of non-devotees, even when such casual devotees offer Him the best of prayers. (SB 3.9.40)

All glories to Srila Prabhupada!

Hare Krsna,

Penance and perseverance are important qualities for spiritual realization. The mercy the Lord bestows upon a particular person engaged in executing the responsible work entrusted unto him is beyond imagination. But His mercy is received due to our penance and perseverance in executing devotional service.

SB 3.9.30: O Brahmā, situate yourself in penance and meditation and follow the principles of knowledge to receive My favor. By these actions you will be able to understand everything from within your heart.

In Canto 2, Chapter 9 Lord Krsna repeats the same instructions that he gave to Lord Brahma after underwent penance for 1000 celestial years by the calculations of the demigods. The Personality of Godhead, being thus very much satisfied with the penance of Lord Brahmā, was pleased to manifest His personal abode, Vaikuṇṭha, the supreme planet above all others. This transcendental abode of the Lord is adored by all self-realized persons freed from all kinds of miseries and fear of illusory existence. Then Lord Krsna said:

SB 2.9.20: The beautiful Personality of Godhead addressed Lord Brahmā: O Brahmā, impregnated with the Vedas, I am very much pleased with your long-accumulated penance with the desire for creation. Hardly am I pleased with the pseudo mystics.

SB 2.9.21: I wish you good luck. O Brahmā, you may ask from Me, the giver of all benediction, all that you may desire. You may know that the ultimate benediction, as the result of all penances, is to see Me by realization.

SB 2.9.22: The highest perfectional ingenuity is the personal perception of My abodes, and this has been possible because of your submissive attitude in the performance of severe penance according to My order.

SB 2.9.23: O sinless Brahmā, you may know from Me that it was I who first ordered you to undergo penance when you were perplexed in your duty. Such penance is My heart and soul, and therefore penance and I are nondifferent.

SB 2.9.24: I create this cosmos by such penance, I maintain it by the same energy, and I withdraw it all by the same energy. Therefore the potency is penance only.

SB 2.9.31: Knowledge about Me as described in the scriptures is very confidential, and it has to be realized in conjunction with devotional service. The necessary paraphernalia for that process is being explained by Me. You may take it up carefully.

In essence, if a devotee is sincere in executing devotional service to the Supreme Lord but do not know how to engage in the process, the directions come from within… from the Paramatma. When Dhruva Maharaja went to the forest at the young age of five to attain Visnu, he did not know how to perform tapasya (penance and austerities). The Supreme Lord then directed his dear disciple Narada to go to Dhruva Maharaja to teach him the necessary process.

BG 10.10: To those who are constantly devoted to serving Me with love, I give the understanding by which they can come to Me.

BG 15.15: I am seated in everyone’s heart, and from Me come remembrance, knowledge and forgetfulness. By all the Vedas, I am to be known. Indeed, I am the compiler of Vedānta, and I am the knower of the Vedas.

The Supreme Lord is situated as Paramātmā in everyone’s heart, and it is from Him that all activities are initiated. Brahmā’s enlightenment in knowledge was due to the Lord sitting within his heart. After being created, Brahmā could not ascertain the source of his appearance, but after penance and mental concentration he could see the source of his birth, and thus he became enlightened through his heart. The spiritual master outside and the spiritual master within are both representations of the Lord.

The Supreme Lord can be experienced only by His causeless mercy, not by mental speculation or with the help of the material senses. Such mercy is bestowed upon the Lord’s pure devotees like Brahma and those in his disciplic succession. Any person authorized by either the Lord or by His bona fide representative is already blessed, as is the work entrusted to him. Of course, the person entrusted with such a responsibility should always be aware of his incapability and must always look for the mercy of the Lord for the successful execution of his duty. One should not be puffed up because he is entrusted with certain executive work.

The conclusion of my understanding is that the degree of instructions we received from the Lord in our heart is proportional to the degree of our surrender to the Lord, and penance and austerity performed to please the Lord.

ye yatha mam prapadyante tams tathaiva bhajamy aham

BG 4.11: All of them—as they surrender unto Me—I reward accordingly. Everyone follows My path in all respects, O son of Prtha.

The best penance and austerity we can perform in this age is waking up very early in the morning (brahma-muhurta) and chanting our stipulated 16 rounds of the Hare Krsna maha mantra. This is the special mercy of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu.

All glories to Srila Prabhupada!

Hare Krsna,

In this lesson, my meditation topics are verse 22 to 25. A short essence of these verses and my realizations are below. In these verses, Lord Brahma ends his prayers with specific requests to the Lord.

SB 3.9.22: Empower me: You, endowed with six opulences, are the friend and maintainer of all (samasta-jagatam suhrd). Please empower me, with the introspection to create, for I am also one of the surrendered souls (pranata).

Practical lessons:

Whenever we are executing any service for the Lord, we should beg the Lord for empowerment and blessings. If we do not know what service we can perform for the Lord, we can simply pray to the Lord for engaging us in His services and to empower us accordingly.  The mahamantra that we chant everyday is, in essence, a prayer to the Lord to engage us in His services. Lord Brahma, despite being so elevated and learned, is still requesting the Lord for empowerment. This should be our mood as well. We should always think that we are insignificant and incapable. We should beg the mercy of the Lord to help us.

SB 3.9.23: Protect me from false ego: You are the benefactor of surrendered souls. When I create this universe endowed with Your power, I wish to not be materially affected by my works and able to give up the false prestige to being the creator.

Practical lessons:

Once the Lord engages us in His services, we should not be unnecessarily proud and attached to our works. Our mood should be like that of a bank cashier who handles the money of the bank but is not attached to the money. He is just doing his duty on behalf of the bank. Similarly we should not think that we are the doer. Rather we should be grateful that the Lord is executing His services and mission through us. Hence the Supreme Lord is the supreme doer and enjoyer. All the results of the work should be offered to Him for His pleasure. We just have to work sincerely as a humble servant.

SB 3.9.24: Save me from deviation: In the course of manifesting Your diverse energies in the form of the cosmic manifestation, may I not be deviated from the vibration of the Vedic hymns.

Practical lessons:

This is another important lesson. Just as Lord Brahma is praying not to be deviated from the vibration of the Vedic hymns, similarly we should never forget our chanting and hearing despite being busy in performing other limbs of devotional services. Chanting is the most important limb of bhakti in this Age. Hence no matter where we are and how busy we are, we should always chant the Holy Name of the Lord. Kirtaniya sada harih.

SB 3.9.25: Please wake up: May the Lord who is the Supreme, the oldest and unlimitedly merciful, smilingly bestow His benediction by opening His lotus eyes. He can uplift the entire cosmic creation and dispel my sorrow by speaking His sweet directions.

Practical lessons:

We should always beg for the mercy of the Lord and His devotees. Once we have attained a certain proficiency in Lord’s service, we should not be puffed up. We must always pray for His mercy so that we stay humble and eager to perform more services for the pleasure of the Lord and His devotees.

Thus, these four concluding prayers by Lord Brahma has lots of practical applications for sadhakas like us.

All glories to Srila Prabhupada!

 Hare Krsna,

In this lesson, I chose to meditate upon verse 15 as it described the glories of the Holy Name.

SB 3.9.15: Let me take shelter of the lotus feet of Him whose incarnations, qualities and activities are mysterious imitations of worldly affairs. One who invokes His transcendental names, even unconsciously, at the time he quits this life, is certainly washed immediately of the sins of many, many births and attains Him without fail.

The Holy Name of the Lord is so powerful and potent that by chanting it even unconsciously one can be delivered. Ajāmila remembered the holy name of the Lord, Nārāyaṇa, by merely calling the name of his son Nārāyaṇa, and that gave him a complete opportunity to achieve the highest perfection of life.

The highest perfection of human life, achieved either by complete knowledge or matter and spirit, by practice of mystic powers, or by perfect discharge of occupational duty, is to remember the Personality of Godhead at the end of life. (SB 2.1.6)

O Kind, constant chanting of the Holy Name of the Lord after the ways of the great authorities is the doubtless and fearless way of success for all, including those who are free from all material desires, those who are desirous of all material enjoyment, and also those who are self-satisfied by dint of transcendental knowledge. (SB 2.1.11)

O King, it is therefore essential that human beings hear about, glorify and remember the Supreme Lord, the Personality of Godhead always and everywhere. (SB 2.2.36)

Chanting of the Holy Name of the Lord is so simple and effective in this age of Kali that it is astonishing less intelligent people do not want to take it up seriously.

“Absolute devotional service, conducted in nine different spiritual activities — hearing, chanting, remembering, worshiping, praying, etc. — does not always appeal to people with a pompous nature; they are more attracted by the Vedic superficial rituals and other costly performances of social religious shows.” (SB 3.9.13 P)

Therefore the Lord is very merciful to His pure devotees who are engaged in missionary work of engaging the non-devotees in devotional service to the Lord that also includes hearing and chanting of the Lord.

Considering that we will be celebrating Sri Gaura Purnima in 2 days, I want to remember repeatedly the causeless mercy of Lord Caitanya who appeared on this planet to propagate the congregational chanting of the Holy Name.

“The Lord is unmindful of the nondevotees, although He is sitting within everyone’s heart as well-wisher and Supersoul. However, He also gives them the chance to receive His mercy through His pure devotees who are engaged in missionary activities. Sometimes the Lord Himself descends for missionary activities, as He did in the form of Lord Caitanya, but mostly He sends His bona fide representatives, and thus He shows His causeless mercy towards the nondevotees. The Lord is so satisfied with His pure devotees that He wants to give them the credit for missionary success, although He could do the work personally.” (SB 3.9.12 P)

In the above purport, it is said that the Lord is so satisfied with His pure devotees that He wants to give them the credit for missionary success. One such pure devotee who has been extremely successful in Lord Caitanya’s missionary mission is our very dear Srila Prabhupada. The Lord left it for his dearest servant (Srila Prabhupada) to preach the Holy Name of the world all over the world. It all started with the public harinama at Thompkins Square Park on the summer of 1966.  We are all congregated here because of the causeless mercy of His Divine Grace Srila Prabhupada.

All glories to Srila Prabhupada! All glories to Sri Sri Gaura Nitai!

Hare Krsna,

I have been meditating on the first three verses of Lord Brahma’s prayers:

SB 3.9.1: Lord Brahmā said: O my Lord, today, after many, many years of penance, I have come to know about You. Oh, how unfortunate the embodied living entities are that they are unable to know Your personality! My Lord, You are the only knowable object because there is nothing supreme beyond You. If there is anything supposedly superior to You, it is not the Absolute. You exist as the Supreme by exhibiting the creative energy of matter.

SB 3.9.2: The form which I see is eternally freed from material contamination and has advented to show mercy to the devotees as a manifestation of internal potency. This incarnation is the origin of many other incarnations, and I am born from the lotus flower grown from Your navel home.

SB 3.9.3: O my Lord, I do not see a form superior to Your present form of eternal bliss and knowledge. In Your impersonal Brahman effulgence in the spiritual sky, there is no occasional change and no deterioration of internal potency. I surrender unto You because whereas I am proud of my material body and senses, Your Lordship is the cause of the cosmic manifestation and yet You are untouched by matter.

I could see that these verses have similarities with the very first verse of SB – SB 1.1.1 – janmady asya yatah as described below:

My Lord, You are the only knowable object because there is nothing supreme beyond You.

• He is directly and indirectly conscious of all manifestations, and He is independent because there is no other cause beyond Him. (SB 1.1.1)

The form which I see is eternally freed from material contamination

• I therefore meditate upon Him, Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa, who is eternally existent in the transcendental abode, which is forever free from the illusory representations of the material world. (SB 1.1.1)

Your Lordship is the cause of the cosmic manifestation and yet You are untouched by matter.

• He is the Absolute Truth and the primeval cause of all causes of the creation, sustenance and destruction of the manifested universes. He is directly and indirectly conscious of all manifestations, and He is independent because there is no other cause beyond Him. (SB 1.1.1)

If there is anything supposedly superior to You, it is not the Absolute.

• I meditate upon Him, for He is the Absolute Truth. (SB 1.1.1)

The key lessons for me from this lesson are:

1. The Lord’s illusory energy is extremely captivating. It is not only captivating but also distracting from our goal of Krsna consciousness. Lord. Under illusion, the general mass of people deny the existence of the Supreme Lord and accept the foolish products of illusory energy as supreme.
2. The Supreme Lord can be known only by His mercy invoked by sincere devotional service unto Him practiced in accordance with the teachings of disciplic succession.
3. Penance and austerities are important and fruitful as long as they are practiced to satisfy the Supreme Lord. By acts of penance only was Lord Brahmā able to see the Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṇu, and by realization only could he understand the Lord as He is.
4. Human life is wasted if it is not used to realize the Supreme Absolute Truth (srama eva hi kevalam). It is imperative that every human being try for such knowledge, and if anyone does not do so, his life is spoiled.
5. The easiest way to understand the Supreme Lord is by approaching His pure devotees who always have the Lord in their hearts.
6. We can revive our eternal relationship with the Lord by the process of devotional service. The relationship of the pure devotees with the Lord develops because of devotional service to the Lord on the authentic basis of Vedic authority.
7. This highest stage of relationship with the Lord can be attained simply by hearing about Him (His name, form, quality, etc.) from authentic sources like Bhagavad-gītā and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, recited by pure, unalloyed devotees of the Lord.
8. Simply by chanting and hearing the glories and pastimes of the Lord, one can obtain total freedom from the cares and anxieties of material existence.

All glories to Srila Prabhupada!

Hare Krsna,

The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Sri Krsna cannot be understood by one’s material endeavor. Srila Prabhupada loves to quote that there are some froggish philosophers who want to know the Supreme Soul by means of philosophy and mental speculation. These philosophers, like the frog in the well who tried to estimate the measurement of the Pacific Ocean, like to take trouble over fruitless mental speculation instead of taking instructions from devotees like the original poet, namely Brahmā. Lord Brahmā underwent a severe type of meditation for one thousand celestial years, yet he said that the glories of the Lord are inconceivable.

On the other hand, the devotees do not waste time in such vain searching after knowledge of the Supreme, but they submissively hear the glories of the Lord from bona fide devotees. Thus they transcendentally enjoy the process of hearing and chanting.

In the sixth chapter, we have studied that the pure devotees of the Lord take shelter of the parā prakṛti, the internal potency of the Lord called Lakṣmīdevī, Sītādevī, Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī or Śrīmatī Rukmiṇīdevī, and thus they become actual mahātmās, or great souls. Mahātmās are not fond of indulging in mental speculations, but they actually take to the devotional service of the Lord, without the slightest deviation. Devotional service is manifested by the primary process of hearing and chanting about the activities of the Lord. This transcendental method practiced by the mahātmās gives them sufficient knowledge of the Lord because if the Lord can at all be known to some extent, it is only through the means of devotional service and no other way.

In a verse right before the Catuh sloki verses (Canto 2 Chapter 9), the Supreme Lord said to Brahma:

“Knowledge about Me as described in the scriptures is very confidential, and it has to be realized in conjunction with devotional service. The necessary paraphernalia for that process is being explained by Me. You may take it up carefully.”

Right here the Supreme Lord revealed how He can be realized and understood – the process is devotional service. Lord Krsna also revealed the same message to Arjuna in Bhagavad Gita (18.55) – bhaktya mam abhijanati.

“One can understand the Supreme Personality as He is only by devotional service. And when one is in full consciousness of the Supreme Lord by such devotion, he can enter into the kingdom of God.”

I personally have realized that by the simple process of hearing and chanting, my understanding of the Supreme Lord increases day by day. I am not even at the stage of pure chanter. Imagine how much revelation there would be when I would be able to chant the Holy Name offenselessly and hear about the Lord in rapt attention. This is the most confidential formula. Why would anyone want to waste time in useless mental speculation like the froggish philosophers? The Supreme Lord is a person and exists within everyone of us. He has given us scriptures that describes everything about Him. He sends us His pure devotees and bonafide representatives from time to time to reveal about Him. What is the need to go elsewhere to understand the Supreme Lord?

When the Lord sees that we are eager to know Him and engage sincerely in His devotional service, the Lord Himself enlightens us.

BG 10.10 – 11

teṣāṁ satata-yuktānāṁ

bhajatāṁ prīti-pūrvakam

dadāmi buddhi-yogaṁ taṁ

yena mām upayānti te

“To those who are constantly devoted to serving Me with love, I give the understanding by which they can come to Me.”

teṣām evānukampārtham

aham ajñāna-jaṁ tamaḥ

nāśayāmy ātma-bhāva-stho

jñāna-dīpena bhāsvatā

“To show them special mercy, I, dwelling in their hearts, destroy with the shining lamp of knowledge the darkness born of ignorance.”

In conclusion, devotional service to the Lord through the process of hearing and chanting is the only process to attain ultimate realization of the Supreme Lord.

All glories to Srila Prabhupada!