L44 - Attachment To Krishna - ŚB 10.14.

4
12/02/24 1:58 PM

https://www.radhanathswamimedia.com/Lec/1992/92-106-Attachment%20To%
20Krishna%20(Mumbai)-SB_10_14_4-dt_92_09_13.mp3

HEADINGS - RED
SRAVANAM , KRITANAM & other processes of devotional service - GREEN
QnA & STRONG STATEMENTS - YELLOW
DEFINATIONS - BLUE
PHILOSOPHICAL EXAMPLE / ANALOGY / PASTIME - PURPLE

Synopsis:

A. Lord Brahma - "Dont waste your time"

B. When will Krsna reveal himself to a devotee?
C. What is surrender? What is Highest services to Devotees?
D. Why Brahmachari training is important and when to enter Grihasta ?
E. Whats the goal of every ashram ? How to train child?
F. Simplicity from Prabhupada life
G. Simply be attached to Krsna
H. Real Simplicity and humility
I. Attachment to spouse = Attachment to Krsna. How?

A. Lord Brahma - "Dont waste your time"

1. Without the grace of Krishna, without the causeless mercy of Krishna, no one can
understand his constitutional position. No one can understand and realize the
divine love within.

2. ā-brahma-bhuvanāl lokāḥ punar āvartino ’rjuna mām upetya tu kaunteya punar

janma na vidyate - Bg. 8.16
Krishna says, you can perform for many, many lifetimes, sacrifice and austerity, and
ultimately attain the supreme heavenly planet of Brahmaloka, and you can enjoy
there for billions of years, but ultimately you will fall down as soon as your good
karma is exhausted and then when you're again in the body of an insect or some
lower creature what is it that you have gained through all that you have done?
Nothing.

3. Everything's come and gone like a dream. And the only thing you have to show for
all of your lifetimes and lifetimes and lifetimes and lifetimes is the time that has
been wasted.

4. all of the austerities, and then enjoying the fruits of the austerities. And through the
whole time, your mind has simply been bewildered in forgetfulness of the real goal
of life, which is to attain the mercy of Krishna, which is the only ways and means for
eternity, knowledge, and true bliss.

5. So Brahma is explaining that we should not waste our time. It is like beading an
empty husk of wheat.

6. it's a very troublesome task, just beating and beating and beating and beating and
beating these grains. And what kind of a foolish person is it that beats the husk
where there's no grain inside?
What do you get out of it? The only thing you get out of it is the time that you've
wasted and the energy you've wasted.
that same time, that same energy could have been utilized for something most
valuable for the supreme goal of life.

7. The Vishnu Purana explains that the greatest tragedy, the greatest misfortune in all
of creation is one moment of a human life lost without developing love of God
through the process of devotion.

B. When will Krsna reveal himself to a devotee?

1. The example that is often given by the great sadhus is that you cannot force the sun
to rise. In the middle of the night, you can do all sorts of pujas and you can chant all
sorts of mantras to Vivasvan Surya and you can fast all night long but the sun will not
rise on the basis of anything you do. The sun will rise according to its own accord.

2. In the same way, realization of Krishna is like the rising of the sun on the horizon of
our hearts. And only when Krishna, by His own sweet will, decides to reveal
Himself, can we understand the Absolute Truth. There's no other way and there's
no other time.

3. And Krishna explains in Gita,

ye yathā māṁ prapadyante tāṁs tathaiva bhajāmy aham mama vartmānuvartante
manuṣyāḥ pārtha sarvaśaḥ - Bg. 4.11
that as you surrender to me, I reveal myself accordingly.
He doesn't say, as you give up eating, or as you give up sleeping, or as you learn the
scripture very, very profoundly. He says, as you surrender to me.

C. What is surrender? What is Highest services to Devotees?

Narada muni's previous life pastime

1. And what does it mean to surrender to Krishna?

It means, as it is explained in this purport,
to be humble and accept the will of Krishna. To become his servant and whatever
Krishna wants, We do.
This was Arjuna's perfection. Simply because he was willing to do the will of Krishna
and always remember Krishna, he attained the supreme perfection of life.

2. In the previous life of Narada Muni, when he was the son of a maid servant.
At that time, He was so anxious for self-realization. And by the mercy of the Lord,
he was given the association of great devotees. And these devotees blessed him.

3. Why did they bless him?

Because he served them with great sincerity. He would serve them prasad, he
would clean up after them, he would bring them water. Menial servant.
it seems like a very low service.
But because it was so pleasing and charming to these great devotees, he was given
the highest position because of it.

4. So, actually he was doing the highest thing by washing their plates, by sweeping the
ground for them to make it nice, by bringing them water. because by doing that he
was getting the blessings of sadhus.

5. The result was, that blessing was the highest treasure which was opening the doors
to the highest realizations.
So therefore what he was doing materially was the lowest but spiritually was the
highest. Whatever pleases Krishna's devotees is the highest.

6. Devotee isn't concerned with this position or that position, or this service or that
service. He's only concerned with pleasing the Vaishnavas.

7. If it pleases the Vaishnavas that we give philosophical lectures, then that is the
highest.

8. If it pleases the Vaishnavas to water the Tulsi plant, that is the highest.

9. And if it pleases the Vaishnavas to wash the temple floor in the morning, that is the
highest.

10. and because of the blessings of these great Vaishnavas.

within his heart was awakened the sincere desire for self-realization and the
determination to do anything for it.
didn't come by himself, it came by the blessings of these great souls.

D. Why Brahmachari training is important and when to enter Grihasta ?

1. Srila Prabhupada gives us the story of one high court magistrate who worked for the
British government. And he was making so many thousands and thousands of rupees
every month. In those days that was a lot. He was an extremely wealthy man. But
Gandhi's movement of non-participation and non-cooperation with the British, he
was socially forced, being a Hindu man, he was socially forced to give up his job for
the British and accept just a common man's job. And he was getting paid enough.
enough to live nicely. But he was accustomed to such a luxurious life.

2. when you become addicted to something, when you become conditioned to

something, when you become spoiled by that attachment. then it's more painful
than death to have to live without it.

3. Prabhupada explains within a few months he died because he was in so much

anxiety for not having what he was accustomed to have.

4. But the poor people, they don't die without it because they never had it, right? They
live long lives.

5. So therefore it's better not to have anything than to get attached to it, because
then when you lose it you can't live without it. Your life is completely terrible.

6. And that's why in Vedic culture, in the Varnashram system before taking to the
Grijastha Ashram you're supposed to be trained for 20 years as a Brahmachari.

7. At the age of five you're sent to the ashram of your Gurudeva and then for the next
20 years you're trained to only eat when you're given food. And if you're not given
food, you do not eat. And that food is very simple. And you collect wood in the
forest, and you wash the floors, and you clean the vessels, and you massage your
Gurudeva's lotus feet, and you're just a Brahmachari.

8. You (Brahmachari) do whatever you're told, you sleep on the floor, you wear just a
simple piece of cloth. You go out and beg on behalf of your Guru Maharaj. So you're
trained and accustomed to having nothing. To just be satisfied with the simplest gifts
of God and be grateful for it. And then you're qualified to enter into the Grihastha
Ashram.

9. And then when you become a Grihastha you may become very wealthy, very, very
powerful and you may have a big, big palace, and you may have so much money,
and so many luxuries and conveniences, but because of your previous training, you
just use it in Krishna's service. You're really not attached to it. You're satisfied with
or without it. If everything crumbles down and you have nothing... Everything's all
right. I'm used to it. And if you gain more, you'll use it for Krishna. You're already
accustomed to tasting the sweetness of simple life. This is Vedic culture.

E. Whats the goal of every ashram ? How to train child?

1. Human civilization is a civilization where everyone is striving for more and more
detachment. Whether they are brahmacharis, grihasthas, vanaprasthas, or
sannyasis, everyone, their goal in life is to become more and more and more
detached.

2. yā niśā sarva-bhūtānāṁ tasyāṁ jāgarti saṁyamī yasyāṁ jāgrati bhūtāni sā niśā

paśyato muneḥ - Bg. 2.69
Krsna says, but what is day for the enlightened soul, for the devotee, is night for the
materialist.
Because material civilization is just the opposite. People are working so hard to
acquire more and more and more things to become attached to.

3. To teach a child to be content with or without anything, to not be attached, is true

virtue in life.

4. Yesterday I was speaking with Nathji Prabhu's mother. She was telling me nice secret
information of his childhood. And she was saying, his father, mother, they're very
affluent, wealthy people. And he was going to elementary school with a big, very
good school. The Birla's children and all of these Tata children, they were all going to
the school. And one day, little Bal Nathji... He approached his mother and he was
crying, saying, " my friends, they get big, nice tiffin of food every day. They have so
many nice preparations. And you just give me two little preparations and just a little
box. And my friends, they are personally driven by chauffeur driven nice, fancy cars.
And you make me take the Public bus. " He was crying. I want these things. She could
afford it. They already had nice cars. Would have been no problem to say to the
driver, send Bal Nathji. Drive him to school every day. To give him nice food. They
had so many cooks. They could have so much. No. She said, I forbid. What were her
words? You take the school bus or the public bus and you just take this much. I don't
want you to become spoiled. I don't want you to become attached to all these
luxuries of life. and greatly influenced by this good training, he is now Nathji
Prabhu. He's become a wonderful devotee. We have seen, when we went to
Badrinath, he was bathing in the ice cold Alaknandi river, sleeping on the floor with
the rest of the Vaishnavas. Ah, whether he has all these luxuries or he doesn't, he's
satisfied just to chant Hare Krishna and be with the devotees. So this is proper
training in Vedic culture.

F. Simplicity from Prabhupada life

1. To be trained how to be detached and to be trained how to appreciate and enjoy

simplicity in life.

2. One time he (SP) came to the airport and the devotees, they rented a beautiful
brand new Rolls Royce to pick him up and drive him from the airport to the temple.
And it was all decorated with flowers and incense. Even the wealthiest materialist
does not have such luxuries as what Prabhupada was being given. You know, the
wealthy materialists, when they come to the airport, they may have a Rolls Royce,
but they don't have thousands of people chanting their holy names, giving him
garlands, and giving him love and devotion and beautiful, beautiful facilities. So he
drove back in the Rolls Royce to the temple, and there were all sorts of devotees
waiting for him and all sorts of guests. And he could see that the guests, they could
not understand. What is this man driving in Rolls Royce? So many, so many, they're
giving him a rich man when he eats. How many, they might cook him 15, 20
preparations. They gave, when Prabhupada arrived at this temple, they had 108
preparations, all cooked in ghee. What wealthy man gets that treatment? Huh? and
he just took a piece of an apple and said distribute it. And somebody was
wondering, and they were all served to him in silver plates. And he was looking at
the guests. They could not understand this man. He's like, and he's being put on a
Vyasasan, beautiful, beautiful seat, that nobody else is allowed to sit on. Even the
wealthiest man, his children will jump on his chair when he's not home, right? But
Prabhupada had his own seat that nobody else was allowed.

3. and somebody asked him, you're teaching renunciation, but why you were driven
here in a Rolls Royce? He said, " because I am just the representative of God and
whatever they are offering, they are offering to God. He said, what can you offer too
good for God? He said, if it was a solid gold Rolls Royce, it would not be good
enough. " So this is how he accepted on behalf of Krishna.

4. But himself, as soon as all those things were done, he would just sit on the floor.
Soon as he accepted all these things for Krishna and gave them to Krishna on behalf
of his disciples, he would just sit on the floor.

5. whether he had everything or whether he had nothing, meant absolutely, it meant

nothing to him. He was simply content thinking of Krishna, serving Krishna, and
preaching Krishna's message. He didn't need anything else. He was so simple.

6. When he would come to India, he said, " in India, these things we should not have. "
He would just sleep on a little rope bed and be happy. He didn't want anything else.
So this is,
brahma-bhutah prasannatma na socati na kanksati samah sarvesu bhutesu mad-
bhaktim labhate param - BG 18.54
One who enjoys the bliss of Brahman. He is always engaged in loving devotional
service. He's so satisfied with that service that such a person hankers for nothing
he does not have nor does he lament for anything he loses.

G. Simply be attached to Krsna

1. And even Lord Brahma, he's living in Brahma Loka, performing his ministerial affairs
as the most prestigious and highest person in the universe. But he was most blissful
when he was able to become Haridas Thakur. And he was living in a cave with
poisoned snakes. The same Lord Brahma. He was perfectly happy.

2. Why? If Krishna wants me to be Brahma, living in the most beautiful palace in all of
creation, or if he wants me living in this cave with snakes, wearing a loincloth, it
doesn't make any difference.

3. Whatever Krishna wants, that's perfect. As long as I have his service, As long as I'm
remembering him and chanting Hare Krishna... Then I am satisfied. Then I have
everything. Such a perfect example. Such a realization.

4. Srila Prabhupada used to say, " if you are living under a tree and you're asked to live
in a palace, it's Maya to be attached to your tree. And if you're living in a palace and
you're asked to live under a tree, then it's Maya to be attached to your palace. We
should simply be attached to Krishna. "

5. And whatever facilities we have, we use it for Krishna. But whether we have it,
whether we lose it, really isn't very important. What's important is that we're
serving Krishna, we're remembering Krishna. That is real satisfaction. That is the
substance of spiritual life devotional service.

6. And Lord Brahma is explaining that whatever we achieve and whatever we strive
for, if we don't make genuine, tangible advancement in the path of bhakti, then
actually we gain nothing but the trouble that we have endured in the process.

7. nehabhikrama-naso 'sti pratyavayo na vidyate sv-alpam apy asya dharmasya trayate

mahato bhayat - BG 2.40
Krishna says. any endeavor that is offered on the path of devotion is eternal.
Whatever we do for Krishna, however small, however great, whatever bhakti is
offered, that is eternal. It is never lost. But outside of devotional service, everything
within creation is temporary. It's lost in due course of time.

H. Real Simplicity and humility

1. Dev :
It is in fact very difficult to maintain that equilibrium point because once we see the
people who don't have anything and when they don't have anything they become
automatically humble and they automatically become very simple.
GM :
No, not true. That is a superficial type of simplicity and humility. It is not the humility
and the simplicity of the heart. It is an external simplicity and humility based on
material circumstances.
But a humble heart and a simple heart will remain so under all circumstances. Such
people generally, they're striving for more. They're dissatisfied with what they don't
have. So although they may be physically appearing very simple, their minds are
not simple at all. Because there's so much anxiety for what they don't have and
what they want.

2. And a pauper is proud of his penny. even in the poorest classes of people, if
someone has a little more than someone else, one becomes very proud. So it's
relative.

3. But at the same time, if a person associates properly with saintly persons, then
he'll see every situation of life is a benediction.

4. If a person is very wealthy, he'll see, such a benediction, I can do such wonderful
service with what I have for my Gurudeva.

5. And if a person is very poor, he'll think, oh, such a benediction. I can just remain
such a simple, humble, menial servant and never forget that position for my
Gurudeva.

6. If you associate with saintly persons, you'll realize that every position, every
circumstance is auspicious and fortunate. And that consciousness of being grateful.
That is real simplicity and that is real humility of the heart.

I. Attachment to spouse = Attachment to Krsna. How?

1. So if you have very, very strong association with saintly persons, and you are serving
saintly persons very nicely, and you're hearing from them regularly, and you're
chanting your rounds very nicely and strictly every day, and you're really, really
trying to create a temple atmosphere in your home, then your attachment for one
another (husband and wife) will become attachment to Krishna. Because it is all
for the sake of helping one another in devotional service.

2. But if you do not have that association, and you do not have that sadhana, then that
attachment will simply become the means and the ways to facilitate all sorts of
sense gratification.

3. Just like the example is given, that if you're in the forest and a thorn is in your foot,
you have to take another thorn to take it out. So one thorn is a source of pain, and
the other thorn is a source of liberation from the pain.

4. So attachment that is really directed by the great sadhus in the service of Krishna,
that attachment actually liberates you from the desire for sense gratification. But
with the same attachment the same exact attachment without proper sadhana,
without proper direction and association, simply becomes the cause of bondage
and misery.

5. But for one who is not properly associating with devotees, chanting the holy names
and living according to these principles, his grihasta life is a deep dark well of
suffering and bondage.