Preparing For Difficult Times

2009-10-09
Srimad Bhagavatam 08.05.21-22 - Preparing For Difficult Times (download mp3)
by Jayadvaita Swami at ISKCON Chowpatty
www.iskcondesiretree.net






SB 8.5.21
aham bhavo yuyam atho 'suradayo
manusya-tiryag-druma-gharma-jatayah
yasyavataramsa-kala-visarjita
vrajama sarve saranam tam avyayam

Translation: 
Lord Brahma said: I, Lord Siva, all of you demigods, the demons, the living entities born of perspiration, the living beings born of eggs, the trees and plants sprouting from the earth, and the living entities born from embryos—all come from the Supreme Lord, from His incarnation of rajo-guna [Lord Brahma, the guna-avatara] and from the great sages [rsis] who are part of me. Let us therefore go to the Supreme Lord and take shelter of His lotus feet.

Purport: 
Some creatures are born from embryos, some from perspiration, and some from seeds. In this way, all living entities emanate from the guna-avatara of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Ultimately, the Supreme Personality of Godhead is the shelter of all living entities.


SB 8.5.22
na yasya vadhyo na ca raksaniyo
nopeksaniyadaraniya-paksah
tathapi sarga-sthiti-samyamartham
dhatte rajah-sattva-tamamsi kale

Translation: 
For the Supreme Personality of Godhead there is no one to be killed, no one to be protected, no one to be neglected and no one to be worshiped. Nonetheless, for the sake of creation, maintenance and annihilation according to time, He accepts different forms as incarnations either in the mode of goodness, the mode of passion or the mode of ignorance.

Purport: 
This verse explains that the Supreme Personality of Godhead is equal to everyone. This is confirmed by the Lord Himself in Bhagavad-gita (9.29):

samo 'ham sarva-bhutesu
na me dvesyo 'sti na priyah
ye bhajanti tu mam bhaktya
mayi te tesu capy aham

"I envy no one, nor am I partial to anyone. I am equal to all. But whoever renders service unto Me in devotion is a friend, is in Me, and I am also a friend to him." Although the Lord is impartial, He gives special attention to His devotees. Therefore the Lord says in Bhagavad-gita (4.8):

paritranaya sadhunam
vinasaya ca duskrtam
dharma-samsthapanarthaya
sambhavami yuge yuge

"To deliver the pious and to annihilate the miscreants, as well as to reestablish the principles of religion, I advent Myself millennium after millennium." The Lord has nothing to do with anyone's protection or destruction, but for the creation, maintenance and annihilation of this material world He apparently has to act either in goodness, in passion or in darkness. Actually, however, He is unaffected by these modes of material nature. He is the Supreme Lord of everyone. As a king sometimes punishes or rewards someone to maintain law and order, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, although having nothing to do with the activities of this material world, sometimes appears as various incarnations according to the time, place and object.