Srimad Bhagavatam 08.01.16 Lord Teaches By His Own Example (download mp3)
by Sankirtan Prabhu at ISKCON Chowpatty
www.iskcondesiretree.net
SB 8.1.16
tam ihamanam nirahankrtam budham
nirasisam purnam ananya-coditam
nrñ siksayantam nija-vartma-samsthitam
prabhum prapadye 'khila-dharma-bhavanam
tam ihamanam nirahankrtam budham
nirasisam purnam ananya-coditam
nrñ siksayantam nija-vartma-samsthitam
prabhum prapadye 'khila-dharma-bhavanam
Translation:
The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krsna, works just like an ordinary human being, yet He does not desire to enjoy the fruits of work. He is full in knowledge, free from material desires and diversions, and completely independent. As the supreme teacher of human society, He teaches His own way of activities, and thus He inaugurates the real path of religion. I request everyone to follow Him.
Purport:
This is the sum and substance of our Krsna consciousness movement. We are simply requesting human society to follow in the footsteps of the teacher of Bhagavad-gita. Follow the instructions of Bhagavad-gita As It Is, and your life will be successful. That is the summary of the Krsna consciousness movement. The organizer of the Krsna consciousness movement is teaching everyone how to follow Lord Ramacandra, how to follow Lord Krsna, and how to follow Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. In this material world, we need a leader for a monarchy or good government. Lord Sri Ramacandra, by His practical example, showed how to live for the benefit of all human society. He fought with demons like Ravana, He carried out the orders of His father, and He remained the faithful husband of mother Sita. Thus there is no comparison to Lord Ramacandra's acting as an ideal king. Indeed, people still hanker for rama-rajya, a government conducted like that of Lord Ramacandra. Similarly, although Lord Krsna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, He taught His disciple and devotee Arjuna how to lead a life ending in going back home, back to Godhead (tyaktva deham punar janma naiti mam eti so 'rjuna [Bg. 4.9]). All teachings—political, economic, social, religious, cultural and philosophical—are to be found in Bhagavad-gita. One only has to follow them strictly. The Supreme Personality of Godhead also comes as Lord Caitanya just to play the part of a pure devotee. Thus the Lord teaches us in different ways just to make our lives successful, and Svayambhuva Manu requests us to follow Him.
Svayambhuva Manu is the leader of mankind, and he has given a book called Manu-samhita to guide human society. Herein he directs us to follow the Supreme Personality of Godhead in His different incarnations. These incarnations are described in Vedic literature, and Jayadeva Gosvami has described ten important incarnations in summary (kesava dhrta-mina-sarira jaya jagad-isa hare, kesava dhrta-nara-hari-rupa jaya jagad-isa hare, kesava dhrta-buddha-sarira jaya jagad-isa hare, etc.). Svayambhuva Manu instructs us to follow the instructions of God's incarnations, especially Krsna's instructions of Bhagavad-gita As It Is.
Appreciating bhakti-marga as instructed by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya thus depicted the activities of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu:
vairagya-vidya-nija-bhakti-yoga-
siksartham ekah purusah puranah
sri-krsna-caitanya-sarira-dhari
krpambudhir yas tam aham prapadye
[Cc. Madhya 6.254]
"Let me take shelter of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Sri Krsna, who has descended in the form of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu to teach us real knowledge, His devotional service, and detachment from whatever does not foster Krsna consciousness. He has descended because He is an ocean of transcendental mercy. Let me surrender unto His lotus feet." (Caitanya-candrodaya-nataka 6.74) In this age of Kali, people cannot follow the instructions of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and therefore the Lord Himself takes the part of Sri Krsna Caitanya to teach personally how to become Krsna conscious. He asks everyone to follow Him and to become a guru to deliver the fallen souls of Kali-yuga.
yare dekha, tare kaha 'krsna'-upadesa
amara ajñaya guru haña tara' ei desa
"Instruct everyone to follow the orders of Lord Sri Krsna as they are given in Bhagavad-gita and Srimad-Bhagavatam. In this way become a spiritual master and try to liberate everyone in this land." (Cc. Madhya 7.128) The coherent purpose of Lord Ramacandra, Lord Krsna and Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu is to teach human society how to be happy by following the instructions of the Supreme Lord.
