Welcome to the KrishnaSoft's Electronic Newsletter.
This is the April 2000 issue entitled: "Srimad-Bhagavatam Is Dynamic!"
WEB: http://www.krishnasoft.com; EMAIL: krishna@krishnasoft.com or vdayal@castle.net
This newsletter goes to over 1100 people who either have an interest in Vedic science and/or spiritually entertaining multimedia technology.
TABLE OF CONTENTS:
(1) Srimad-Bhagavatam Is Dynamic!
(2) The Society of the Cheaters and the Cheated!
(3) Feedback: Miscellaneous
(4) Editorial Policy and Product List
1. SRIMAD-BHAGAVATAM IS DYNAMIC!
In the March 2000 issue, we discussed how Krsna is revealed by devotional service and not by mental speculation. The devotional service is coming down as the order of the spiritual master through the disciplic succession from Krsna Himself. One should receive his devotional service from the bona-fide spiritual master and not concoct his own ideas artificially labeling them as "devotional" service:
"It is stated in Bhagavad-gita that no one is barred from rendering service to the Lord . Whether one is a woman or a laborer or a merchant, if he engages himself in the devotional service of the Lord he is promoted to the highest perfectional state and goes back home, back to Godhead . The devotional service most suitable for different types of devotees is determined and FIXED BY THE *MERCY* OF THE SPIRITUAL MASTER." (Bhag. 3.25.28)
This devotional service is the only means to realize the transcendental literatures such as the Srimad-Bhagavatam:
"The Personality of Godhead said: 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." (Bhag. 2.9.31)
So the order of the spiritual master which defines the devotional service of the disciple is the only means for the disciple to understand the Sastra. In the beginning, a pious person may approach Krsna in search of the Absolute Truth but he is not yet situated in devotional service; therefore, his reading of Sastra is tainted with the material motivation to acquire knowledge to satisfy his intellect and mind. This is not genuine devotional service since the object to be satisfied is the subtle body. Therefore, the understanding of the Sastra is theoretical (jnana) until the person takes up devotional service. After one surrenders to devotional service, there is nothing further to be inquired:
"One who is not seriously inclined to put questions before a spiritual master need not accommodate a show-bottle spiritual master, nor should a person who may be a spiritual master for others pose to be so if he is unable to engage his disciple ultimately in the transcendental loving service of Lord Krsna. Vidura was successful in approaching such a spiritual master like Maitreya, and he got the ultimate goal of life: bhakti unto Govinda. Thus, THERE WAS NOTHING TO BE KNOWN FURTHER ABOUT SPIRITUAL PROGRESS." (Bhag. 1.13.2)
Once one is situated in devotional service, there should be no more search for jnana. One becomes fixed in performing his devotional service for the satisfaction of Lord Krsna. The jnanis ultimately have to surrender to devotional service.
"As long as one is engaged in researching the solution of the problems of life, his knowledge is called jnana, or purified knowledge, but on realizing the actual solution of the problems of life, one becomes situated in the devotional service of the Lord." (Bhag. 1.15.27)
Actually, if one directly takes to devotional service, the knowledge and detachment come automatically, but usually a person first comes with the motive of jnana:
"'By rendering devotional service unto the Personality of Godhead, Sri Krsna, one immediately acquires causeless knowledge and detachment from the world.' (Bhag. 1.2.7) Thus one must engage in the service of Vasudeva without material desire, mental speculation or fruitive activity." (Bhag. 4.29.36-37)
If one just sticks to mental activity and does not engage in devotional service, he will never realize the Absolute Truth:
"As stated in the Brahma-samhita, the mental speculators, even by dint of learned scholarship, cannot even dream of the Absolute Truth by speculating over it for eternity. The Lord reserves the right of not being exposed to such mental speculators." (Bhag. 2.4.21)
Transcendental literatures like the Srimad-Bhagavatam when taken up in conjunction with devotional service become dynamic and reveal the Absolute Truth, Lord Sri Krsna:
"There is a great difference between mundane stories, fiction, or history and the transcendental pastimes of the Lord. The histories of the whole universe contain references to the pastimes of the incarnations of the Lord. The Ramayana, the Mahabharata, and the Puranas are histories of bygone ages recorded in connection with the pastimes of the incarnations of the Lord and therefore remain fresh even after repeated readings. For example, anyone may read Bhagavad-gita or the Srimad-Bhagavatam repeatedly throughout his whole life and yet find in them new light of information. Mundane news is static whereas TRANSCENDENTAL NEWS IS DYNAMIC, inasmuch as the spirit is dynamic and matter is static. Those who have developed a taste for understanding the transcendental subject matter are never tired of hearing such narrations. One is quickly satiated by mundane activities, but NO ONE IS SATIATED BY TRANSCENDENTAL OR DEVOTIONAL ACTIVITIES." (Bhag. 1.1.19)
The key to understand here is that the reading must be done a DEVOTIONAL ACTIVITY and not for personal name, fame, profit, or mental gratification. Since devotional service is defined by the spiritual master, if one reads transcendental literatures such as the Srimad-Bhagavatam, on the order of the spiritual master, the reading will be DYNAMIC and the person will gradually realize Krsna. Otherwise, if one tries to understand on his own with his imperfect mind and senses, the transcendental sound will carry NO potency:
"One has to receive the transcendental sound from the right source, accept it as reality and prosecute the direction without hesitation. The secret of success is to receive the sound from the right source of a bona fide spiritual master. Mundane manufactured sound has no potency, and as such, seemingly transcendental sound received from an unauthorized person also has no potency." (Bhag. 2.9.8)
This is why hearing Bhagavatam from Mayavadis, mental speculators, athiests, and fruitive workers is condemned because the lack of bhakti (devotional service) makes the work useless for realizing Krsna. Some mental speculators blame the Sastra for being static or dry rather than seeing that it is their own disqualifications that make the Sastra dry for them. One should never treat the Sastra as dry empiric philosophy or static, but one should take it up in the spirit of devotional service as given by the bona-fide spiritual master. This devotional service makes the transcendental sound DYNAMIC. Therefore, all transcendental works of all acaryas are dynamic as long as one reads them in devotional service. This is also confirmed in the Caitanya-caritamrta:
"Similarly, other false devotees think that studying books of the previous acaryas is unadvisable, LIKE STUDYING DRY EMPIRIC PHILOSOPHIES." (CC Adi 2.117)
For one who finds transcendental books dry or static, he himself is the problem not the transcendental books because these transcendental books are revealing Lord Krsna who is the Absolute Truth and who is only realized through devotional service:
"Krsna says in Bhagavad-gita (18.55), bhaktya mam abhijanati: 'Only by devotional service can I be understood.' One can understand Krsna, the Parabrahman, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, only through devotional service. The Lord never says that one can understand Him by performing mystic yoga or by philosophically speculating. Bhakti is above all such material attempts. Anyabhilasita-sunyam jnana-karmady-anavrtam. Bhakti is uncontaminated, being unalloyed even by jnana or pious activities." (Bhag. 9.9.46)
As mentioned in last month's newsletter, this pure bhakti is defined by the order of the spiritual master:
"To act under the direction of a bona fide spiritual master with a motive to satisfy the Supreme Personality of Godhead is PURE DEVOTIONAL SERVICE." (Bhag. 3.29.8)
This is the ONLY remedy for getting real knowledge and getting out of the material world:
"The real interest of the living entity is to get out of the nescience that causes him to endure repeated birth and death. The only remedy is to surrender unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead through His representative. Unless one renders devotional service unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Vasudeva, one cannot possibly become completely detached from this material world, nor can he possibly manifest real knowledge." (Bhag. 4.29.36-37)
2 THE SOCIETY OF THE CHEATERS AND THE CHEATED!
"Within the past five hundred years, many erudite scholars and acaryas like Jiva Gosvami, Sanatana Gosvami, Visvanatha Cakravarti, Vallabhacarya, and many other distinguished scholars even after the time of Lord Caitanya made elaborate commentaries on the Bhagavatam. And the serious student would do well to attempt to go through them to better relish the transcendental messages." (Bhag. 1.1.1)
However, this is not the only statement in the Bhagavatam. The principles of the Sastra are to be accepted in TOTO:
"No one has to discover the nature of the Lord. It is already spoken by the Lord Himself in the Bhagavad-gita especially and in all other Vedic literatures generally. We have simply to accept them IN TOTO and abide by the orders of the Lord." (Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.5.36)
It should be understood that the works of the previous acaryas are existing in the form of transcendental recorded sound and the acaryas themselves are not present to explain the subject matter to us. The sastra is stating that the transcendental sound be accepted from a bona-fide spiritual master:
"One has to receive the transcendental sound from the right source, accept it as reality and prosecute the direction without hesitation. The secret of success is to receive the sound from the right source of a bona fide spiritual master. Mundane manufactured sound has no potency, and as such, seemingly transcendental sound received from an unauthorized person also has no potency." (Bhag. 2.9.8)
The "right source of a bona-fide spiritual master" means the transcendental sound must be received on his authority or directly from him. For example, Suta Gosvami repeated the Srimad-Bhagavatam to the sages at Naimisaranya directly through his physical presence and he is a bona-fide spiritual master. Srila Prabhupada ordered his disciples to read his books so the devotional service to read these books is in the form of an order of the spiritual master. The instruction of the spiritual master is nondifferent from him and therefore, the disciple who follows this is going through him to understand his books. This instruction is given by the mercy of the spiritual master and not something one concocts by randomly selecting something from various transcendental books:
"It is stated in Bhagavad-gita that no one is barred from rendering service to the Lord . Whether one is a woman or a laborer or a merchant, if he engages himself in the devotional service of the Lord he is promoted to the highest perfectional state and goes back home, back to Godhead . The devotional service most suitable for different types of devotees is determined and FIXED BY THE *MERCY* OF THE SPIRITUAL MASTER." (Bhag. 3.25.28)
If one just concocts his own service by randomly picking things from the Sastra or imitating someone else's devotional service, his surrender is to his mind not to guru and Krsna. For example, Arjuna was advised to fight under the order of Lord Krsna, his spiritual master. Arjuna wanted to renounce things and meditate. This is also recommended in the Vedic literature for certain people but that was not the devotional service for Arjuna. Similarly, Lord Brahma was advised to do "tapa" as his devotional service. Srila Prabhupada was ordered by his spiritual master to write books to present the Vedic teachings in English. One should not imitate them but follow the instructions coming from one's guru in the disciplic succession. This is confirmed by Caitanya-caritamrta:
"Srila Rupa Gosvami, in his Upadesamrta, advises that to make rapid advancement in the cult of devotional service one should be very much active and should persevere in executing the duties specified in the revealed scriptures *AND* confirmed by the spiritual master. Accepting the path of liberated souls and the association of pure devotees enriches such activities. Imitation devotees, who wish to advertise themselves as elevated Vaisnavas and who therefore imitate the previous acaryas but DO NOT FOLLOW THEM IN PRINCIPLE, are condemned in the words of Srimad-Bhagavatam as stone-hearted." (CC Adi 2.117)
As explained in the March newsletter, the disciple has no shelter once he gives up the order of the spiritual master:
"Only one who executes his spiritual life under the direction of the spiritual master can achieve the mercy of Krsna. Yasya prasadad bhagavat-prasadah. If one desires to advance in spiritual life but he acts whimsically, not following the orders of the spiritual master, HE HAS NO SHELTER." (Bhag. 7.12.11)
Thus, one who has no shelter cannot give shelter to anyone else and it results in a society of cheaters and cheated. Krsna consciousness means to engage in devotional service as given by guru else it is just a concocted activity-- kaitava dharma:
"Dharma is given by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, just as the law is given by the state government. Man-made dharma has no meaning. Srimad-Bhagavatam refers to man-made dharma as kaitava-dharma, cheating religion." (Bhag. 5.3.20)
As Srila Prabhupada stated, "Anyone who is acting without Krsna consciousness, he is a cheater and anyone who is thinking himself advanced without Krsna consciousness, he is cheated."
3. FEEDBACK: MISCELLANEOUS
>Since Prabhupada has written in the bhagavatam that one should read the books
>of the Gosvamis, I fail to understand your arguments. I did not say that
>Prabhupada's realizations do not constitute the absolute truth. Somehow or
>other you do not acknowlege that Prabhupada has authorized the reading of the
>Gosvami's books. Are the gosvamis not a transcendental source? I fail to
>understand your argument...
This is our point of disagreement. You are picking up the instruction to read the other acaryas' books on its own. But in 2.9.8, it says you must receive that knowledge through a transcendental source:
"One has to receive the transcendental *SOUND* from the right source, accept it as reality and prosecute the direction without hesitation. The secret of success is to receive the sound from the right source of a bona fide spiritual master. Mundane manufactured sound has no potency, and as such, seemingly transcendental sound received from an unauthorized person also has no potency." (Bhag. 2.9.8)
The previous acaryas' works are available as recorded transcendental sound; they themselves are not present as the source to deliver that knowledge. You have to distinguish here between the transcendental source and the transcendental sound. This is the KEY to understanding this quote. For example, if you hear the Mahamantra from a mayavadi, it's useless because his offenses prevent him from presenting the Mahamantra AS IT IS. If someone just picks up a book from Jiva Gosvami and starts reading, it does not mean he is hearing from a transcendental source-- it depends on his own consciousness and how [he] interprets the book. This is the point.
>BTW, did you know that Prabhupada authorized the reading and publication of
>his guru maharaja's Brahma -samhita. He never said we cannot understand it.
But you are receiving that through the CURRENT LINK and under his order. That's what the 2.9.8 and other references are telling us. That you must receive this knowledge through the current link. Even now, we are receving Srila Prabhupada's books on the order of his followers. But we never received any of the predecessor acaryas' teachings through Srila Prabhupada so one is jumping over Prabhupada if he delves into such works....In reality, all the predecessor acaryas' teachings are contained in Srila Prabhupada's books; but we never received an instruction to read them independently and directly without going through a transcendental source.
>So if you acknowledge that Prabhupada authorized us to read the books of the
>Gosvamis than we are receiving their books through the current link, as you
>say above.
You missed the point again- amazing. The service is given by the guru to the devotee. That's what it means to receive through the CURRENT LINK. You cannot randomly pick up some instruction from Prabhupada's books and say: "This is my service." Can I take the instruction of Lord Krsna to Brahma: "tapa" and create a universe? Can I fight like Arjuna and kill off the miscreants? It's in the Gita remember- "fight for Me." Or perhaps, I want to rewrite the Gita and the Bhagavatam taking up Bhaktisiddanta's instruction? Randomly taking something from Sastra means mental speculation is the basis not guru. The reason you would randomly pick up something and start following it means YOU HAVE NO SERVICE to your guru. This was clearly explained in the same newsletter you are arguing against:
"It is stated in Bhagavad-gita that no one is barred from rendering service to the Lord . Whether one is a woman or a laborer or a merchant, if he engages himself in the devotional service of the Lord he is promoted to the highest perfectional state and goes back home, back to Godhead . The devotional service most suitable for different types of devotees is determined and FIXED BY THE *MERCY* OF THE SPIRITUAL MASTER." (Bhag. 3.25.28)
[Actually, if everyone could randomly select his service directly from Sastra, there is no need of any gurus; everyone would be able to just select some service from the original Vyasadeva's works or Prabhupada's works or some other bona-fide work. Since enagement in devotional service gives us causeless knowledge and detachment (Bhag. 1.2.7), all our answers would come automatically without any need of gurus. However, as we showed in this newsletter, one must receive this devotional service from a bona-fide guru and one cannot even understand the Sastra without being engaged in devotional service or hearing it from a transcendental source. And one cannot be a transcendental source unless he himself is engaged in devotional service under the order of his own guru. That's how the parampara flows-- anyone who is not following the order of his guru has disconnected himself from the parampara and is unfit to be any kind of leader or teacher.]
[Here is some feedback regarding the title of our March newsletter: "Lord Krsna Wrote Srila Prabhupada's Books!":]
>To say that God wrote your Guru's books in abjectly IMPERSONAL.
Because you have yet to understand Bhagavad-gita and you are objecting to statements from Bhagavatam. Gita is clear that Krsna is the DOER not the living entity. Srila Prabhupada's service is to serve Krsna and this desire of Srila Prabhupada was fulfilled by Krsna through His energies. Srila Prabhupada was the instrument since without his desiring to serve the Supreme Lord, the service would not have manifested through him.
>Ya, prabu. Saying that one's personal service is not done by himself is
>not even logical,..
He's misunderstanding that physical activity is devotional service; but the devotional service is performed by the spirit soul in love of the Supreme Lord; whether that service manifests physically (bodily) in the form of books is Krsna's doing. "Not a blade of grass moves without the will of Krsna."
Krsna is Hrsikesa- the controller of the senses.
Many acaryas performed intense devotional service internally without any physical results to show for it.
That's the true understanding. I clearly stated that they are "Srila Prabhupada's books" which indicates that he is involved in the service.
>Consciousness, whatsoever. I sware that I love Srila Prabupada
>eterally! For what he has done for me. ..
Then you should not attack what he says:
BG 1.15 PURPORT by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
"...The Lord, situated in the hearts of all living entities, directs their senses. But He directs in terms of the surrender of the living entity, and in the case of a pure devotee He *DIRECTLY* controls the senses. Here on the Battlefield of Kuruksetra the Lord directly controls the transcendental senses of Arjuna, and thus His particular name of Hrsikesa..."
[One cannot judge the devotional service of Vaisnavas by the physical results since devotional service is an internal function of the spirit soul in his desire to serve Lord Krsna. One may appear to be doing devotional service and juggling words like Radha, Krsna, gopi, madhurya, etc. but internally only have interest for self-aggrandizement in lording it over for material name, fame, wealth, etc. On the other hand, someone may be completely devoted to the order of his spiritual master and just be chanting Hare Krsna.]
4. EDITORIAL POLICY AND PRODUCT LIST
"One should engage in practical service to the Lord. In our Krsna consciousness movement, *ALL* our activities are concentrated upon distributing Krsna literature. This is very important. One may approach any person and induce him to read Krsna literature so that in the future he also may become a devotee.... By fully concentrating on distributing books for Krsna, one is fully absorbed in Krsna."
Our newsletters are geared to show you the benefits of the instructions contained in the transcendental books of Srila Prabhupada so you can judge for yourself the value of these books and obtain them in book or CDROM format. We also have video demos of the Gita CDROM and Bhagavatam CDROM available for those without computers or those who want to get a glimpse into what is on the CDROM.
Krishna Software Inc. has produced some multimedia CDROMs and all the details and reviews of these CDROMs can be found at our website http://www.krishnasoft.com. Here is our current list of products:
(a) Multimedia Bhagavad-gita As It Is CD: Lord Krsna's eternal instructions to Arjuna and the rest of the world about Isvara (Supreme Lord), jiva (the soul), karma (activities), kala (time), and prakrti (nature). This is a 30-hour audio-visual CDROM. Also available on CD-R in Hindi version.
(b) Multimedia Srimad-Bhagavatam CD: An encyclopedia on the science of Krsna consciousness. This CDROM deals in detail with bhakti-yoga and covers various subjects-- the creation of the universe, Vedic astronomy, transmigration, birth-death, etc. This is about 35 hours of audio-visual presentations.
(c) Multimedia Krsna CD w/Vedic Astronomy: This is a 51-hour audio-visual presentation of the Krsna book and a Vedic Astronomy simulation based on the Srimad-Bhagavatam. All on a single CDROM. Free sample demo downloadable.
(d) Multilingual Word Processor CD [version 4.00]: Type in diacritics, Hindi, Sanskrit, Gujarati, Punjabi, Bengali, and Assamese without knowing the alphabet. This is for those who want to write articles using multiple languages. Free demo downloadable.
All of the above software was tested on various Intel 486 and Pentium processors running Windows 3.1, Windows '95, Windows '98, and Windows NT (client and server).
Latest information and secure ordering is available at our web site: http://www.krishnasoft.com.
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End of Newsletter- written and edited by KSI staff; (c) 1998-2000 Krishna Software Inc.
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All glories to Lord Sri Krsna and His transcendental potencies! All glories to the Srimad-Bhagavatam, the literary incarnation of Lord Sri Krsna!