Lord Kinders The Fire Of Transcendental Knowledge In Devotee's Heart

2009-09-10
Srimad Bhagavatam 08.03.16 - Lord Kinders The Fire Of Transcendental Knowledge In Devotee's Heart (download mp3)
by Akincana Krishna Prabhu at ISKCON Chowpatty
www.iskcondesiretree.net




 SB 8.3.16
gunarani-cchanna-cid-usmapaya
tat-ksobha-visphurjita-manasaya
naiskarmya-bhavena vivarjitagama-
svayam-prakasaya namas karomi

Translation:
My Lord, as the fire in arani wood is covered, You and Your unlimited knowledge are covered by the material modes of nature. Your mind, however, is not attentive to the activities of the modes of nature. Those who are advanced in spiritual knowledge are not subject to the regulative principles directed in the Vedic literatures. Because such advanced souls are transcendental, You personally appear in their pure minds. Therefore I offer my respectful obeisances unto You.

Purport:
In Bhagavad-gita (10.11) it is said:

tesam evanukampartham
aham ajñana-jam tamah
nasayamy atma-bhava stho
jñana-dipena bhasvata

For a devotee who has taken the lotus feet of the Lord within his heart, the Lord gives spiritual enlightenment, known as jñana-dipa, by special mercy from within. This jñana-dipa is compared to the fire hidden within arani wood. To perform fire sacrifices, great sages previously did not ignite a fire directly; the fire would be invoked from arani wood. Similarly, all living entities are covered by the modes of material nature, and the fire of knowledge can be ignited only by the Supreme Personality of Godhead when one takes Him within one's heart. Sa vai manah krsna-padaravindayoh [SB 9.4.18]. If one takes seriously the lotus feet of Krsna, who is seated within one's heart, the Lord eradicates all ignorance. By the torch of knowledge, one immediately understands everything properly by the special mercy of the Supreme Lord and becomes self-realized. In other words, although a devotee may externally not be very well educated, because of his devotional service the Supreme Personality of Godhead gives him enlightenment from within. If the Lord gives enlightenment from within, how can one be in ignorance? Therefore the allegation of the Mayavadis that the devotional path is for the unintelligent or uneducated is untrue.

yasyasti bhaktir bhagavaty akiñcana
sarvair gunais tatra samasate surah
[SB 5.18.12]

If one becomes an unalloyed devotee of the Supreme Lord, he automatically manifests all good qualities. Such a devotee is above the instructions of the Vedas. He is a paramahamsa. Even without going through the Vedic literature, a devotee becomes pure and enlightened by the mercy of the Lord. "Therefore, my Lord," the devotee says, "I offer my respectful obeisances unto You."