svacchatvam avikäritvaà

çäntatvam iti cetasaù

våttibhir lakñaëaà proktaà
yathäpäà prakåtiù parä
[SB 3.26.22]
[break] [02:21]
"After the manifestation of the mahat-tattva, these features appear
simultaneously. As water in its natural state, before coming in contact with earth,
is clear, sweet and unruffled, so the characteristic traits of pure consciousness are
complete serenity, clarity and freedom from distraction."

Prabhupäda:
svacchatvam avikäritvaà
çäntatvam iti cetasaù
våttibhir lakñaëaà proktaà
yathäpäà prakåtiù parä
[SB 3.26.22]

[ I ] Original Pure Natural Attraction between Lord and Jiva

In the previous verse we have discussed that yat tat sattva-guëaà svaccham.
Svaccham means transparent, clear. Now that svacchatvam is explained, what is
the meaning of clarity, clear, uncontaminated. These are the symptom:
svacchatvam avikäritvam, "without any change," "freedom from all distraction."

Eg.1. Just like here there are many mothers sitting, and the natural affection for
the child and the child's complete dependence on the mother's mercy is visible.
There is no need of explanation. That is natural. If the mother is taking care of
the child, it is not artificial. And if the child is feeling uncomfort without being
on the lap of the mother, that is also natural. This is called avikäritvam, natural
affection between the mother and the son.
Similarly, we have got our natural affection for Kåñëa.

(SL) That is explained in the Caitanya-caritämåta:

nitya-siddha kåñëa-bhakti sädhya kabhu naya
çravaëädi-çuddha-citte karaye udaya
[Cc Madhya 22.107]
[Pure love for Kåñëa is eternally established in the hearts of the living entities. It
is not something to be gained from another source. When the heart is purified by
hearing and chanting, this love naturally awakens.]
Eg.2. Just like sex impulse. It doesn't require to..., how to awaken sex impulse.
Natural. Similarly, kåñëa-bhakti is our natural inheritance because we are part
and parcel of Kåñëa, or sons of Kåñëa.

Ahaà béja-pradaù pitä [Bg 14.4].

[It should be understood that all species of life, O son of Kunté, are made
possible by birth in this material nature, and that I am the seed-giving father.]
It is the same example, that as the mother and the child has got natural affection,
similarly, with Bhagavän we have got natural affection. Bhagavän has got natural
affection for us, and we have got also natural affection for Bhagavän. And the
external covering which checks this natural affection, this is called mäyä. Just
like touch... What is called, magnetic stone?

Eg.3. Magnetic stone naturally attracts the iron, and iron is naturally
attracted by the magnetic stone. Similarly, kåñëa-bhakti is not something which
is unnaturally taught or unnaturally gained, artificial.

This...

Eg.4. Another vivid example is this: these foreigners, Western boys and
girls, how they became attracted with Kåñëa consciousness unless it is natural?
Their forefathers, or they also, even four, five, six years ago, they did not know
what is Kåñëa, neither they cared to know. But now they are almost mad after
Kåñëa. Otherwise, why they are coming here? They have not come here in India
to see your skyscraper building or industry. They are not at all interested. They
have seen all these things in their own country. They have enough. So why they
have come here? They are after Våndävana. They are after Mäyäpur. They are
after me. What is the attraction? The attraction is Kåñëa. They are not interested
with anything else.

They do not go to see your skyscraper building in New Delhi or in Bombay.

They have seen it enough. So why it is so? Because it is natural. Kåñëa-bhakti,
Kåñëa consciousness, is natural. That is the original consciousness.
The example is given here: yathä apäà prakåtiù parä.

Eg.5. Just like the water, rains, fall from the sky. If you do not allow to touch
the water the ground, you take it in the middle, you will find crystal, distilled
water. You will find. And as soon as it comes down on the ground, it becomes
muddy, the purity lost. Muddy, opaque; you cannot see, agitated. Similarly, our
original consciousness is Kåñëa consciousness. That is svaccha, svacchatvam
avikäritvam.

In the original consciousness we do not know anything else than Kåñëa.

Avikäritvam. There is no change. Therefore in the Vaikuëöha planets, especially
in the Goloka Våndävana planet, that is exhibited. When Kåñëa comes to show
His dhäma—goloka-nämni nija-dhämni—that is His own abode. So Kåñëa, when
Kåñëa comes, He brings everything with Him: His dhäma, His qualities, His
place, His paraphernalia, His associates, His father, His mother, His friend, His
consort, His trees, His water—everything He brings. That is Våndävana. You
will find in Våndävana still—still you will find—people are all automatically
Kåñëa conscious. Eighty-four, curäçé crores, about 160 miles' area. So they are
Kåñëa conscious naturally. And if you go to Våndävana, this area, wherever you
go, you will feel Kåñëa consciousness. So the example of purity is still there.
And what to speak of in the original Våndävana?
So from Çrémad-Bhägavatam you will find the våndävana-lélä—the cowherds
boys and the cows, the calves, the trees, the plants, the flowers, the water. The
description is there that everyone is Kåñëa conscious. They do not know that
Kåñëa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. They do not know it; neither they
care to know it. What is Supreme Personality of Godhead, what is Brahman,
what is Paramätmä, they do not care to know these things. But they have
unalloyed, unflinching love for Kåñëa. This is Kåñëa consciousness.
Yaçodämäyi is seeing wonderful things in Kåñëa, but she never thinks that "Here
is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kåñëa." She thinks that "Kåñëa is my
child. This wonderful thing has happened due to Providence." She thinks that
"The Supreme Lord, or the Absolute Truth, is different, and here Kåñëa is my
child."
So as I have already said, the love for the child of the mother is natural. So that is
Våndävana atmosphere. Everyone loves Kåñëa. Everyone is overwhelmed with
love of Kåñëa. When they cannot find Kåñëa, they become mad. Although they
do not know that Kåñëa... When they see some wonderful activities of Kåñëa,
they think, "Some demigod might have come here. Otherwise, how this
wonderful thing is possible?" So this is pure love. This is pure love, without any
knowledge of the supreme powerful, almighty. That is svacchatvam, no
contamination—pure love.

[ II ] Mission of Human Life

So the mission of human life should be how to clarify this consciousness again
into that pure consciousness of Kåñëa, Kåñëa consciousness. That is the mission
of human life. The consciousness is impure; therefore there are so many varieties,
material varieties, and we are captivated by these material varieties. But that is
not giving us any happiness. We are especially very much unhappy on account of
janma-måtyu-jarä-vyädhi [Bg 13.9].

So if we want to get relief from the miserable condition of this material life...
This place is described in the Bhagavad-gétä, duùkhälayam açäçvatam [Bg 8.15]:
"This place is meant for miseries." Do not try to become happy here. That is
foolishness, müòha. Näbhijänäti mäm ebhyaù param avyayam. "The müòhas,
these rascals, they do not know that here he cannot be..., one cannot be happy,
because real happiness is when he comes back to Me." Mäm ebhyaù param...
Tyaktvä dehaà punar janma naiti mäm eti [Bg 4.9].
That is real happiness. Sukham ätyantikaà yat tad aténdriya-grähyam [Bg 6.21].
Everything is explained in the Bhagavad-gétä. So everyone is very..., working
very hard, struggling for existence, but they do not know how they can actually
become happy. Na te viduù svärtha-gatià hi viñëum [SB 7.5.31].
That they do not know. So it is our humble attempt only, this Kåñëa
consciousness movement. At least, we inform people that "This is the way of
happiness." Sukham ätyantikaà yat tat. "Don't be carried away by temporary, so-
called happiness. That is not happiness. This is called mäyä." Mäyä-sukhäya
bharam udvahato vimüòhän. Kåñëa says müòha, and Prahläda Mahäräja says
vimüòhän—not only müòha, but again added with word vi, viçiñöa. Viçiñöa-
prakäreëa müòha. Vi, therefore vimüòha.
So Prahläda Mahäräja says, çoce tato vimukha-cetasa mäyä-sukhäya bharam
udvahato vimüòhän [SB 7.9.43]. That is the thankless task of the devotees, to
turn these vimüòhän from this mäyä-sukha to real sukha. This is the business of
the devotee. They have no other business. Their business is not for making
money. Money, they have got enough, and Kåñëa supplies all their money. So
there is no such problem for a devotee of how to secure money. Their only
problem is how to turn these rascals to Kåñëa consciousness, all rascals,
vimüòhän.

Big Education without knowledge of Krishna is Useless

We say clearly, "If you are not Kåñëa conscious, you are rascal number one."
"No, I am M.A. Ph.D." "Still, you are rascal." That is our verdict. "We don't care
for your Ph.D. I know that you are a rascal because you do not know Kåñëa."
Just a few minutes before, one gentleman came to see me, and he advertised
himself that "I have read Vedas, I have read the Puräëas, I have seen Dr.
Radhakrishnan and so on, but I do not get peace of mind." So I asked him, "You
have studied so many literatures. Do you know who is God?" And the God who
has created this, what is His name, what is the address—that he does not know.
Yes. This is going on. Vimüòhän. They are proud of education, proud of
learning, advancement, everything, all right, complete. But real knowledge—"Do
you know God?"—that he cannot explain. That he cannot explain. He will
explain something hodgepodge. This is the disease. Therefore they are vimüòhän.
Real knowledge means to understand God. That is real knowledge. Vedaiç ca
sarvair aham eva vedyaù [Bg 15.15].
What is the Veda, Vedänta? To know Kåñëa, or God. Kåñëa and God, the same.
If one knows God but does not know Kåñëa, his knowledge of God is
incomplete. His knowledge of God is incomplete. When he knows that kåñëas tu
bhagavän svayam, then his knowledge is perfect.
ete cäàça-kaläù puàsaù
kåñëas tu bhagavän svayam
indräri-vyäkulaà lokaà
måòayanti yuge yuge
[SB 1.3.28]
And Kåñëa said that ahaà sarvasya prabhavaù [Bg 10.8].
The Vedänta says, janmädy asya yataù [SB 1.1.1]: "God, or Absolute Truth,
means the source of everything." And the source of everything is coming down
before you and in His original form, Kåñëa. Dvi-bhuja muralédhara, Kåñëa. Here
He is standing, and He is preaching, ahaà sarvasya prabhavaù: "I am the source
of everything." Müòho näbhijänäti. But the rascals, they do not understand that
God is speaking in everyone's presence, ahaà sarvasya prabhavaù, "I am," aham
"like this," aham. Mattaù sarvaà pravartate. Still, the rascal will not. Just see how
much rascals we are.

mäyä-sukhäya: wasting time making gorgeous arrangement.

Therefore Prahläda Mahäräja said that müòho näbh..., vimüòhän, mäyä-sukhäya.

They are trying to be happy within this material existence—mäyä-sukhäya

bharam.

WASTING TIME IN MAKING GORGEOUS ARRANGEMENT

Eg.1. BIG SKYSCRAPER, ROAD, INDUSTRY, POLITICIAN : Bharam

means gorgeous arrangement, very gorgeous arrangement, very big, big road,
big, big skyscraper building, and big machine, big industry, and so many big, big
things, big, big words, big, big politician and big, big political activities. But so
müòha that he does not think for a moment, "How long these big, big things will
be enjoyed by me? I have... Certainly there is credit for creating all these big, big
things, but mäyä will not allow me to enjoy these things. At any moment I shall
be kicked out. And what insurance and guarantee I have made, just I can enjoy
this?" Therefore it is called mäyä-sukhäya: wasting time making gorgeous
arrangement.

ASHASHWATAM, EVERYTHING HERE IS TEMPORARY :

Eg. 1. Not only the sukha, but this whole thing can be finished within a second. If
there is a big earthquake, everything will be finished. We have got experience
many times—anything will be finished.

Eg. 2. This Bombay can be turned into sea, and the Bombay can be pushed in an
island within the sea. Material nature is so strong. Daivé hy eñä guëamayé mama
mäyä duratyayä [Bg 7.14].
[This divine energy of Mine, consisting of the three modes of material nature, is
difficult to overcome. But those who have surrendered unto Me can easily cross
beyond it.]
And under her spell we are trying to become happy. Mäyä-sukhäya bharam
udvahato vimüòhän [SB 7.9.43].
And the devotees, the Kåñëa conscious persons, they know that this is all false—
not false; temporary, simply bewildering. On account of contaminated
consciousness, people are trying to be happy in this way, but devotees know that
this kind of endeavor is simply bewildering, simply waste of time. Real business
is how to purify my consciousness, come to the original Kåñëa consciousness.
That is real business. Svacchatvam avikäritvam. That is our real business.
Caitanya Mahäprabhu's preaching is that our only business is how to revive our
original consciousness. That is Kåñëa consciousness. That is wanted. Without
this, whatever we are doing, in the words of Çréla Prahläda Mahäräja, "It is all
mäyä-sukhäya bharam udvahato vimüòhän." Mäyä-sukhäya.
Therefore these are the symptoms of Kåñëa consciousness: svacchatvam,
avikäritvam, çäntatvam. Çänta I have already explained last night, several times
also, that çäntatvam, çänti... Just like I told you that many people coming: "Oh, I
do not get any peace of mind." How you will get peace of mind? Here in the
material world you cannot be endowed with the peace of mind. It is not possible.
Why? Because here everything is mäyä. Bharam udvahato vimüòhän. Asad-
grahät, sadä samudvigna-dhiyäm asad-grahät [SB 7.5.5].
[Prahläda Mahäräja replied: O best of the asuras, King of the demons, as far as I
have learned from my spiritual master, any person who has accepted a temporary
body and temporary household life is certainly embarrassed by anxiety because
of having fallen in a dark well where there is no water but only suffering. One
should give up this position and go to the forest [vana]. More clearly, one should
go to Våndävana, where only Kåñëa consciousness is prevalent, and should thus
take shelter of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.]
Asat. Asat means that which will not stand. The material nature is like that. It
will not stand. This body we have got at a certain date, and it will continue up to
certain date, then it will vanish. You will get never again this body. Finished. So
this is called asat. Asato mä sad gama. This is Vedic instruction: "Don't remain in
the asat, temporary." Sad gama: "Come to the platform of eternity." Asato mä sad
gama.
So çänti cannot be attained so long we are attached to this asat. Asad-grahät sadä
samudvigna-dhiyäm. Tat sädhu manye 'sura-varya dehinäà sadä samudvigna-
dhiyäm asad-grahät. We are... All people in this material world, we are always
samyag udvigna, samudvigna. Udvigna means anxiety, always full of anxieties.
Sadä samudvigna-dhiyäm. Why samudvigna-dhiyäm? Kåñëa consciousness
means this, svacchatvam avikäritvaà çäntatvam, these three things, Kåñëa
consciousness: clear understanding; no change, no change from Kåñëa
consciousness; and çäntatvam, peaceful. Just like a man—ordinarily we perceive
—a gentleman, after working very hard, if he gets some bank balance and nice
house, nice wife and some children, he thinks, "I am very happy." This is also
mäyä. He thinks, "But I am happy." What kind of mäyä? Now, pramattaù teñäà
nidhanaà paçyann api na paçyati. He is in mäyä, mad, illusion, pramatta. He does
not see that these things will be also finished. Teñäà nidhanam. Dehäpatya-
kalaträdiñu ätma-sainyeñu asatsu api [SB 2.1.4].
[Persons devoid of ätma-tattva do not inquire into the problems of life, being too
attached to the fallible soldiers like the body, children and wife. Although
sufficiently experienced, they still do not see their inevitable destruction.]
Asatsu api. He knows that this position—nice position, very good atmosphere,
nice children, nice wife, nice house, nice bank balance, nice relative, nice
position, everything, prime minister and everything—very all right. But it will be
finished. He knows that. But he, although knows, he does not care for it. This is
called vimüòhän. He knows that "This will be finished. It will not stay, I will not
stay, these things will not stay. I will have to change; they will have to change."
It is just like straws gathered together by the whims of the waves, and again it is
scattered.
So we are going on the waves of mäyä. Bhaktivinoda Öhäkura, therefore, says,
mäyär boçe, jäccho bhese': "You rascal, you are going, floating, under the spell
of mäyä." Khäccho häbuòubu bhäi: [Gétävalé, Bhaktivinoda Öhäkura]
[Everyone chant, chant, chant, 'Rädhä-Kåñëa'!" Lord Caitanya and Lord
Nityänanda are dancing all over the land of Nadia giving this teaching to all. O
brother, needlessly under the control of mäyä you suffer and are carried away by
her waves, sometimes floating and sometimes sinking in this ocean of illusion.]
"And sometimes you are drowned and sometimes in the up by the tricks of the
waves. Why you are leading such life?" Jév kåñëa-däs, e biçwäs, korle to' är
duùkho näi: "You come to Kåñëa consciousness and try to understand that you
are eternal servant of Kåñëa; you are being carried away by the whims of mäyä.
So that will make you happy." Therefore Caitanya-caritämåta, er, Caitanya
Mahäprabhu teaches us, patitaà kiìkaraà mäà viñame bhavämbudhau [Cc Antya
20.32, Çikñäñöaka 5]:
[O My Lord, O Kåñëa, son of Mahäräja Nanda, I am Your eternal servant, but
because of My own fruitive acts I have fallen into this horrible ocean of
nescience. Now please be causelessly merciful to Me. Consider Me a particle of
dust at Your lotus feet.]
"My Lord," ayi nanda-tanuja, "O the son of Nanda Mahäräja, Kåñëa, I am Your
eternal servant. Somehow or other, I am now fallen in this ocean of nescience."
Patitaà kiìkaraà mäà viñame bhavämbudhau. Bhava ambudhau. Ambudhi means
sea, ocean. "So how to save myself?" Kåpayä tava päda-paìkaja-sthita-dhülé-
sadåçaà vicintaya.
This is our only business. This Hare Kåñëa means, "O Kåñëa, O Harä, Kåñëa's
energy, Rädhäräëé, Harä..." Hari, Harä. So this addressing, "O Kåñëa, O Kåñëa's
internal potency..." Hare Kåñëa, Hare Kåñëa, Kåñëa Kåñëa, Hare Hare, chanting,
addressing: "O Lord Kåñëa, O the internal energy of Kåñëa." So They will
respond that "Why you are calling Me, or Us?" You have to submit, "Please
again accept me as Your eternal servant." This is the only prayer. Not that "Give
me this money, this me that, this me that, give me that." No. That is not pure
devotion. That is devotion, but it is mixed. Catur-vidhä bhajante mäà sukåtinaù
[Bg 7.16].
[O best among the Bhäratas [Arjuna], four kinds of pious men render devotional
service unto Me—the distressed, the desirer of wealth, the inquisitive, and he
who is searching for knowledge of the Absolute.]
That is pious life. When we ask from Kåñëa anything other than devotional
service, that is pious activities. That is not devotional activity. Devotional
activity is different from pious activity. By pious activities you can get material,
so-called happiness, janmaiçvarya-çruta-çré [SB 1.8.26].
[My Lord, Your Lordship can easily be approached, but only by those who are
materially exhausted, because one who is on the path of [material] progress,
trying to improve himself with respectable parentage, great opulence, high
education and bodily beauty, cannot address You with sincere feeling.]
You can get birth in very nice family, rich family, brähmaëa family, janma; and
you can get immense wealth, born with silver spoon; and aiçvarya-çruta,
education, nice education, material education; and çré, beauty. Generally, you
will find in aristocratic family, rich family, they are very beautiful, they have got
education, they have got wealth and good family, aristocratic family. So these are
result of pious activities.
So we should utilize the result of pious activities to become more pure. That is
called svaccha. We have discussed this verse, svaccha. Yat tat guëaà svaccham
[SB 3.26.21]. That is... Just like you have got by..., on account of pious activities
you have got very nice surroundings, aristocratic family, wealth, beauty,
education, but it may be polluted again by the other two qualities, means tamo-
guëa and rajo-guëa. Then you are finished again. Naturally they become polluted.
But they do not know that "By dint of pious activities, I have got this position"
and misuse the position by tamo-guëa and rajo-guëa, and therefore they again go
to hell. This way we are wandering all over the universes, ei rüpe brahmäëòa
bhramite [Cc Madhya 19.151].
[According to their karma, all living entities are wandering throughout the entire
universe. Some of them are being elevated to the upper planetary systems, and
some are going down into the lower planetary systems. Out of many millions of
wandering living entities, one who is very fortunate gets an opportunity to
associate with a bona fide spiritual master by the grace of Kåñëa. By the mercy
of both Kåñëa and the spiritual master, such a person receives the seed of the
creeper of devotional service.]
We are sometimes rich man, sometimes poor man, sometimes demigod,
sometimes dog, sometimes this, sometimes that. This is going on. That is called
mäyä-sukhäya bharam udvahato vimüòhän. They do not know the ultimate
happiness is Kåñëa consciousness, but wandering in this way.
So therefore this is the best welfare activity to the human society, to awaken
them to Kåñëa consciousness so that they will again revive their original svaccha
consciousness, and they will be çänta. Svämin kåtärtho 'smi varaà na yäce [Cc
Madhya 22.42].
[[When he was being blessed by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Dhruva
Mahäräja said:] ’O my Lord, because I was seeking an opulent material position,
I was performing severe types of penance and austerity. Now I have gotten You,
who are very difficult for the great demigods, saintly persons and kings to attain.
I was searching after a piece of glass, but instead I have found a most valuable
jewel. Therefore I am so satisfied that I do not wish to ask any benediction from
You.]
Just like Dhruva Mahäräja: he was pious, born in a very pious family, and by
family quarrel he went to worship the Supreme Lord Viñëu in the forest, aspiring
material opulence. He was a child. He thought that "My stepmother has insulted.
I shall go to God and take from Him such opulence which is many, many
millions' times better than my father's." That was his ambition. But when he
actually saw Lord Viñëu standing... He was meditating Viñëu. All of a sudden he
saw the Viñëu is missing within the heart. Then his meditation broke, and he saw
Lord Viñëu is present before him. So this is not very difficult for Lord Viñëu. He
is always within your heart, and if He likes, He can come outside and become
visible by you. That is not very difficult. So when he saw Viñëu and Viñëu
offered, "My dear boy, what do you want? Take benediction," so he said, svämin
kåtärtho 'smi varaà na yäce.
This is perfection: "I am fully satisfied." Svaccha, çänta, no demand. No demand.
That is position: no demand. Svämin kåtärtho 'smi varaà na yäce. This is the
highest perfection. That is called svacchatvam avikäritvaà çäntatvam. And this
çäntatvam cannot be attained unless you become pure devotee and fully
dependent on the Supreme Personality of Godhead. That is the standard of
çäntatvam or vasudeva-çabditam. Svacchatvam çäntatvam. Everyone is
hankering after çäntatvam, the whole world, because in the material world you
cannot be on the platform of çäntatvam. Only on the spiritual platform. And
when you are engaged in the service of the Lord, then you will get this position,
svacchatvam avikäritvaà çäntatvam.
Iti cetasaù våttibhir lakñaëaà proktam. How one has become Kåñëa conscious,
there are..., these are the symptoms, the brahma-bhütaù prasannätmä na çocati
na... [Bg 18.54].
[And of all yogés, he who always abides in Me with great faith, worshiping Me
in transcendental loving service, is most intimately united with Me in yoga and is
the highest of all.]
We have to understand by the symptoms. If somebody says, "I am very rich
man," so generally we want to see the symptoms: "Oh, he is very rich man? Oh,
he has got this car. He has got this house. He has got this..." Then we can
understand he is rich man. But if these symptoms are not there, how we can
understand that he is rich man? Similarly, Kåñëa consciousness means these are
the symptoms: svacchatvam avikäritvaà çäntatvam. When you attain these three
stages, these symptom, then you are perfectly Kåñëa conscious.
Thank you very much.
Devotees: Jaya Çréla Prabhupäda. [end]