Srimad Bhagavatam 08.08.09-29 - Real Nature Of Material And Spiritual Consciouness (download mp3)
by Radhanath Swami at ISKCON Chowpatty
www.iskcondesiretree.net
SB 8.8.9
tasyam cakruh sprham sarve
sasurasura-manavah
rupaudarya-vayo-varna-
mahimaksipta-cetasah
Translation:
Because of her exquisite beauty, her bodily features, her youth, her complexion and her glories, everyone, including the demigods, the demons and the human beings, desired her. They were attracted because she is the source of all opulences.
Purport:
Who in this world does not want to possess wealth, beauty and the social respectability that come from these opulences? People generally desire material enjoyment, material opulence and the association of aristocratic family members (bhogaisvarya-prasaktanam [Bg. 2.44]). Material enjoyment entails money, beauty and the reputation they bring, which can all be achieved by the mercy of the goddess of fortune. The goddess of fortune, however, never remains alone. As indicated in the previous verse by the word bhagavat-para, she is the property of the Supreme Personality of Godhead and is enjoyable only by Him. If one wants the favor of the goddess of fortune, mother Laksmi, because she is by nature bhagavat-para one must keep her with Narayana. The devotees who always engage in the service of Narayana (narayana-parayana) can easily achieve the favor of the goddess of fortune without a doubt, but materialists who try to get the favor of the goddess of fortune only to possess her for personal enjoyment are frustrated. Theirs is not a good policy. The celebrated demon Ravana, for example, wanted to deprive Ramacandra of Laksmi, Sita, and thus be victorious, but the result was just the opposite. Sita, of course, was taken by force by Lord Ramacandra, and Ravana and his entire material empire were vanquished. The goddess of fortune is desirable for everyone, including human beings, but one should understand that the goddess of fortune is the exclusive property of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. One cannot achieve the mercy of the goddess of fortune unless one prays both to her and to the supreme enjoyer, the Personality of Godhead.
SB 8.8.10
tasya asanam aninye
mahendro mahad-adbhutam
murtimatyah saric-chrestha
hema-kumbhair jalam suci
Translation:
The King of heaven, Indra, brought a suitable sitting place for the goddess of fortune. All the rivers of sacred water, such as the Ganges and Yamuna, personified themselves, and each of them brought pure water in golden waterpots for mother Laksmi, the goddess of fortune.
SB 8.8.11
abhisecanika bhumir
aharat sakalausadhih
gavah pañca pavitrani
vasanto madhu-madhavau
Translation:
The land became a person and collected all the drugs and herbs needed for installing the Deity. The cows delivered five products, namely milk, yogurt, ghee, urine and cow dung, and spring personified collected everything produced in spring, during the months of Caitra and Vaisakha [April and May].
Purport:
Pañca-gavya, the five products received from the cow, namely milk, yogurt, ghee, cow dung and cow urine, are required in all ritualistic ceremonies performed according to the Vedic directions. Cow urine and cow dung are uncontaminated, and since even the urine and dung of a cow are important, we can just imagine how important this animal is for human civilization. Therefore the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krsna, directly advocates go-raksya, the protection of cows. Civilized men who follow the system of varnasrama, especially those of the vaisya class, who engage in agriculture and trade, must give protection to the cows. Unfortunately, because people in Kali-yuga are mandah, all bad, and sumanda-matayah, misled by false conceptions of life, they are killing cows in the thousands. Therefore they are unfortunate in spiritual consciousness, and nature disturbs them in so many ways, especially through incurable diseases like cancer and through frequent wars and among nations. As long as human society continues to allow cows to be regularly killed in slaughterhouses, there cannot be any question of peace and prosperity.
SB 8.8.12
rsayah kalpayam cakrur
abhisekam yatha-vidhi
jagur bhadrani gandharva
natyas ca nanrtur jaguh
Translation:
The great sages performed the bathing ceremony of the goddess of fortune as directed in the authorized scriptures, the Gandharvas chanted all-auspicious Vedic mantras, and the professional women dancers very nicely danced and sang authorized songs prescribed in the Vedas.
SB 8.8.13
megha mrdanga-panava-
murajanaka-gomukhan
vyanadayan sankha-venu-
vinas tumula-nihsvanan
Translation:
The clouds in personified form beat various types of drums, known as mrdangas, panavas, murajas and anakas. They also blew conchshells and bugles known as gomukhas and played flutes and stringed instruments. The combined sound of these instruments was tumultuous.
SB 8.8.14
tato 'bhisisicur devim
sriyam padma-karam satim
digibhah purna-kalasaih
sukta-vakyair dvijeritaih
Translation:
Thereafter, the great elephants from all the directions carried big water jugs full of Ganges water and bathed the goddess of fortune, to the accompaniment of Vedic mantras chanted by learned brahmanas. While thus being bathed, the goddess of fortune maintained her original style, with a lotus flower in her hand, and she appeared very beautiful. The goddess of fortune is the most chaste, for she does not know anyone but the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Purport:
The goddess of fortune, Laksmi, is described in this verse as sriyam, which means that she has six opulences wealth, strength, influence, beauty, knowledge and renunciation. These opulences are received from the goddess of fortune. Laksmi is addressed here as devi, the goddess, because in Vaikuntha she supplies all opulences to the Supreme Personality of Godhead and His devotees, who in this way enjoy natural life in the Vaikuntha planets. The Supreme Personality of Godhead is pleased with His consort, the goddess of fortune, who carries a lotus flower in her hand. Mother Laksmi is described in this verse as sati, the supremely chaste, because she never diverts her attention from the Supreme Personality of Godhead to anyone else.
SB 8.8.15
samudrah pita-kauseya-
vasasi samupaharat
varunah srajam vaijayantim
madhuna matta-satpadam
Translation:
The ocean, which is the source of all valuable jewels, supplied the upper and lower portions of a yellow silken garment. The predominating deity of the water, Varuna, presented flower garlands surrounded by six-legged bumblebees, drunken with honey.
Purport:
When bathing the Deity in the abhiseka ceremony with various liquids, such as milk, honey, yogurt, ghee, cow dung and cow urine, it is customary to supply yellow garments. In this way the abhiseka ceremony for the goddess of fortune was performed according to the regular Vedic principles.
SB 8.8.16
bhusanani vicitrani
visvakarma prajapatih
haram sarasvati padmam
ajo nagas ca kundale
Translation:
Visvakarma, one of the prajapatis, supplied varieties of decorated ornaments. The goddess of learning, Sarasvati, supplied a necklace, Lord Brahma supplied a lotus flower, and the inhabitants of Nagaloka supplied earrings.
SB 8.8.17
tatah krta-svastyayanotpala-srajam
nadad-dvirepham parigrhya panina
cacala vaktram sukapola-kundalam
savrida-hasam dadhati susobhanam
Translation:
Thereafter, mother Laksmi, the goddess of fortune, having been properly celebrated with an auspicious ritualistic ceremony, began moving about, holding in her hand a garland of lotus flowers, which were surrounded by humming bumblebees. Smiling with shyness, her cheeks decorated by her earrings, she looked extremely beautiful.
Purport:
The goddess of fortune, mother Laksmiji, accepted the ocean of milk as her father, but she perpetually rests on the bosom of Narayana. She offers benedictions even to Lord Brahma and other living entities in this material world, yet she is transcendental to all material qualities. Although she appeared to have been born of the ocean of milk, she immediately resorted to her eternal place on the bosom of Narayana.
SB 8.8.18
stana-dvayam catikrsodari samam
nirantaram candana-kunkumoksitam
tatas tato nupura-valgu siñjitair
visarpati hema-lateva sa babhau
Translation:
Her two breasts, which were symmetrical and nicely situated, were covered with sandalwood pulp and kunkuma powder, and her waist was very thin. As she walked here and there, her ankle bells jingling softly, she appeared like a creeper of gold.
SB 8.8.19
vilokayanti niravadyam atmanah
padam dhruvam cavyabhicari-sad-gunam
gandharva-siddhasura-yaksa-carana-
traipistapeyadisu nanvavindata
Translation:
While walking among the Gandharvas, Yaksas, asuras, Siddhas, Caranas and denizens of heaven, Laksmidevi, the goddess of fortune, was scrutinizingly examining them, but she could not find anyone naturally endowed with all good qualities. None of them was devoid of faults, and therefore she could not take shelter of any of them.
Purport:
The goddess of fortune, Laksmidevi, having been generated from the ocean of milk, was the daughter of the ocean. Thus she was allowed to select her own husband in a svayamvara ceremony. She examined every one of the candidates, but she could not find anyone suitably qualified to be her shelter. In other words, Narayana, the natural husband of Laksmi, cannot be superseded by anyone in this material world.
SB 8.8.20
nunam tapo yasya na manyu-nirjayo
jñanam kvacit tac ca na sanga-varjitam
kascin mahams tasya na kama-nirjayah
sa isvarah kim parato vyapasrayah
Translation:
The goddess of fortune, examining the assembly, thought in this way: Someone who has undergone great austerity has not yet conquered anger. Someone possesses knowledge, but he has not conquered material desires. Someone is a very great personality, but he cannot conquer lusty desires. Even a great personality depends on something else. How, then, can he be the supreme controller?
Purport:
Here is an attempt to find the supreme controller, or isvara. Everyone may be accepted as an isvara, or controller, but still such controllers are controlled by others. For example, one may have undergone severe austerities but still be under the control of anger. By a scrutinizing analysis, we find that everyone is controlled by something else. No one, therefore, can be the true controller but the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krsna. This is supported by the sastras. Isvarah paramah krsnah: [Bs. 5.1] the supreme controller is Krsna. Krsna is never controlled by anyone, for He is the controller of everyone (sarva-karana-karanam).
SB 8.8.21
dharmah kvacit tatra na bhuta-sauhrdam
tyagah kvacit tatra na mukti-karanam
viryam na pumso 'sty aja-vega-niskrtam
na hi dvitiyo guna-sanga-varjitah
Translation:
Someone may possess full knowledge of religion but still not be kind to all living entities. In someone, whether human or demigod, there may be renunciation, but that is not the cause of liberation. Someone may possess great power and yet be unable to check the power of eternal time. Someone else may have renounced attachment to the material world, yet he cannot compare to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Therefore, no one is completely freed from the influence of the material modes of nature.
Purport:
The statement dharmah kvacit tatra na bhuta-sauhrdam is very important in this verse. We actually see that there are many Hindus, Muslims, Christians, Buddhists and religionists of other cults who adhere to their religious principles very nicely but are not equal to all living entities. Indeed, although they profess to be very religious, they kill poor animals. Such religion has no meaning. Srimad-Bhagavatam (1.2.8) says:
dharmah svanusthitah pumsam
visvaksena-kathasu yah
notpadayed yadi ratim
srama eva hi kevalam
One may be very expert in following the religious principles of his own sect, but if he has no tendency to love the Supreme Personality of Godhead, his observance of religious principles is simply a waste of time. One must develop a sense of loving Vasudeva (vasudevah sarvam iti sa mahatma sudurlabhah [Bg. 7.19]). The sign of a devotee is that he is a friend to everyone (suhrdam sarva-bhutanam [Bg. 5.29]). A devotee will never allow a poor animal to be killed in the name of religion. This is the difference between a superficially religious person and a devotee of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
We find that there have been many great heroes in history, but they could not escape from the cruel hands of death. Even the greatest hero cannot escape from the ruling power of the Supreme Personality of Godhead when Krsna comes as death. That is described by Krsna Himself: mrtyuh sarva-haras caham [Bg. 10.34]. The Lord, appearing as death, takes away a hero's so-called power. Even Hiranyakasipu could not be saved when Nrsimha-deva appeared before him as death. One's material strength is nothing before the strength of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
SB 8.8.22
kvacic cirayur na hi sila-mangalam
kvacit tad apy asti na vedyam ayusah
yatrobhayam kutra ca so 'py amangalah
sumangalah kasca na kanksate hi mam
Translation:
Someone may have longevity but not have auspiciousness or good behavior. Someone may have both auspiciousness and good behavior, but the duration of his life is not fixed. Although such demigods as Lord Siva have eternal life, they have inauspicious habits like living in crematoriums. And even if others are well qualified in all respects, they are not devotees of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
SB 8.8.23
evam vimrsyavyabhicari-sad-gunair
varam nijaikasrayatayagunasrayam
vavre varam sarva-gunair apeksitam
rama mukundam nirapeksam ipsitam
Translation:
Sukadeva Gosvami continued: In this way, after full deliberation, the goddess of fortune accepted Mukunda as her husband because although He is independent and not in want of her, He possesses all transcendental qualities and mystic powers and is therefore the most desirable.
The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Mukunda, is self-sufficient. Since He is fully independent, He was not in want of the support or association of Laksmidevi. Nonetheless, Laksmidevi, the goddess of fortune, accepted Him as her husband.
SB 8.8.24
tasyamsa-desa usatim nava-kañja-malam
madyan-madhuvrata-varutha-giropaghustam
tasthau nidhaya nikate tad-urah sva-dhama
savrida-hasa-vikasan-nayanena yata
Translation:
Approaching the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the goddess of fortune placed upon His shoulders the garland of newly grown lotus flowers, which was surrounded by humming bumblebees searching for honey. Then, expecting to get a place on the bosom of the Lord, she remained standing by His side, her face smiling in shyness.
SB 8.8.25
tasyah sriyas tri-jagato janako jananya
vakso nivasam akarot paramam vibhuteh
srih svah prajah sakarunena niriksanena
yatra sthitaidhayata sadhipatims tri-lokan
Translation:
The Supreme Personality of Godhead is the father of the three worlds, and His bosom is the residence of mother Laksmi, the goddess of fortune, the proprietor of all opulences. The goddess of fortune, by her favorable and merciful glance, can increase the opulence of the three worlds, along with their inhabitants and their directors, the demigods.
Purport:
According to the desire of Laksmidevi, the goddess of fortune, the Supreme Personality of Godhead made His bosom her residence so that by her glance she could favor everyone, including the demigods and ordinary human beings. In other words, since the goddess of fortune stays on the bosom of Narayana, she naturally sees any devotee who worships Narayana. When the goddess of fortune understands that a devotee is in favor of devotional service to Narayana, she is naturally inclined to bless the devotee with all opulences. The karmis try to receive the favor and mercy of Laksmi, but because they are not devotees of Narayana, their opulence is flickering. The opulence of devotees who are attached to the service of Narayana is not like the opulence of karmis. The opulence of devotees is as permanent as the opulence of Narayana Himself.
SB 8.8.26
sankha-turya-mrdanganam
vaditranam prthuh svanah
devanuganam sastrinam
nrtyatam gayatam abhut
Translation:
The inhabitants of Gandharvaloka and Caranaloka then took the opportunity to play their musical instruments, such as conchshells, bugles and drums. They began dancing and singing along with their wives.
SB 8.8.27
brahma-rudrangiro-mukhyah
sarve visva-srjo vibhum
idire 'vitathair mantrais
tal-lingaih puspa-varsinah
Translation:
Lord Brahma, Lord Siva, the great sage Angira, and similar directors of universal management showered flowers and chanted mantras indicating the transcendental glories of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
SB 8.8.28
sriyavalokita devah
saprajapatayah prajah
siladi-guna-sampanna
lebhire nirvrtim param
Translation:
All the demigods, along with the prajapatis and their descendants, being blessed by Laksmiji's glance upon them, were immediately enriched with good behavior and transcendental qualities. Thus they were very much satisfied.
SB 8.8.29
nihsattva lolupa rajan
nirudyoga gata-trapah
yada copeksita laksmya
babhuvur daitya-danavah
Translation:
O King, because of being neglected by the goddess of fortune, the demons and Raksasas were depressed, bewildered and frustrated, and thus they became shameless.
