Malaysia (VNN) – Class given in Malaysia on 1st February, 1998 (evening) by Sri Srimad Bhaktivedanta Narayana Maharaja submitted by Sridam sakha das
Re-posted from VNN: Aparadha – Our Greatest Obstacle with some minor editing.

Sri Srimad Bhaktivedanta Narayana Maharaja: Jagadhisa prabhu can explain the pastime of Ambarish Maharaja and Durvasa Muni. A devotee should engage all of his senses in the service of the Lord, and Ambarish Maharaja is the example. He did not have to make any separate endeavour to control his senses, but was automatically able to achieve this by engaging them all in the service of the Lord. So a bhakti, a sadhaka should engage all of his senses, by this easy process. We can engage the mind in remembering the lotus feet of the Lord, the tongue in chanting His glories, and the nose in smelling the fragrance of anything offered. The tongue can be engaged in tasting beautiful, sweet prasadam, the ears in hearing hari-katha, the eyes in taking darsana of the devotees and Krishna, and the feet in doing parikrama. Then?

(Jagadhisa prabhu then told the story of how Durvasa Muni committed an offence against Ambarish Maharaja and eventually begged forgiveness from him)

Visnu Will Not Excuse You For Your Aparadha

Try to understand this. If a thorn gets stuck in your foot, then you can’t remove it from your head. If it gets stuck in your foot, you must take it out from the foot. So this is an example. Visnu is like the head, and the Vaisnavas are like Visnu’s feet. If you have done any offense at the lotus feet of Vaisnavas, then you will have to beg forgiveness from them, not Visnu. Visnu will not excuse you for your aparadha, you will have to directly approach the Vaisnava you offended.

Navina Krishna prabhu (Srila Narayana Maharaja’s brahmacari servant, now Puyjapada Madhava Maharaja): So Gurudeva is called “Visnupada.”

Sri Srimad Bhaktivedanta Narayana Maharaja: It is important to know the different backgrounds of Ambarish Maharaja and Durvasa Muni. Ambarish Maharaja was a ksatriya, a king, and Durvasa was from a brahmana family. Not only was Durvasa a brahmana, but he was also the topmost of yogis. He was an incarnation of Sankara himself, the god of destruction. So he was so powerful. Simply by his words: “You will die,” a person would immediately lose their life.

When he became angry at Ambarish Maharaja, he tore out one of his locks of hair, and created a fire demon from it, which he told to attack and burn Ambarish Maharaja.

What Great Power There Is In Simply Chanting Name

For lakhs and lakhs of years Durvasa had performed severe austerities. On the other hand, Ambarish Maharaja was simply chanting harinama, worshiping Deities, and doing Ekadasi, nothing more. Because of this, Durvasa thought: “I’m so much higher than this person. He’s a ghrastha in the inferior ksatriya caste. He has no power whereas I am omnipotent. I can travel anywhere in the universe, I can even go to Brahmaloka. I can change my form in any way I desire. I can be like air, I can cross seas, I can take all mountains in my hand, I can do anything.” However, he never realized what great power there is in simply chanting Name and observing Ekadasi. On Ekadasi, at the very least, one should not take any grains. But the best standard is to fast completely, even from water. If that is too difficult, then one can take water and fruit as well. If one follows this, then it is lakhs and lakhs of times more powerful than performing the strictest forms of yoga, or attaining the highest kind of siddhi.

But Durvasa muni never realized this. In fact, none of the brahmanas or ordinary people at that time knew about the important practices which you are all following, namely observing Ekadasi and chanting Harinama.

When the fearsome demon came to kill Ambarish Maharaja, Ambarish Maharaja simply stood with his hands folded, very humbly, showing no fear. But when cakra sudarsana killed the fire demon, and then began to chase Durvasa to kill him, Durvasa trembled for his life, and at once fled in great fear. When Ambarish Maharaja was faced with death, he feared nothing, but when Durvasa was approached by cakra sudarsana, he became terrified. So how was it that Ambarish Maharaja was able to remain completely calm? Because he was chanting Harinama, and remembering and serving Krishna, and following Ekadasi. So the fruits of these simple devotional practices are lakhs and lakhs more superior than samadhi, or any yoga, like astanga or hatha-yoga. I’ve seen here in Western countries also, that people are following hatha-yoga. But I don’t know what kind of knowledge they are gaining by practicing it, because they are not following purely.

The Heart Of The Offender Will Become Purified

So Durvasa muni was running for his life from cakra sudarsana, but it was not catching him. Why? Because he had taken darsana of Ambarish Maharaja. simply for this reason alone. Ambarish Maharaja had prayed to cakra sudarsana, “O sudarsana cakra prabhu, you should not kill him.” Cakra sudarsana could understand the mood of Ambarish Maharaja, and therefore he simply chased Durvasa to teach him a lesson, to punish him. From this, we can understand something about the etiquette of Vaisnavas. They will never kill anyone, but will only punish the offender instead, by which punishment the heart of the offender will become purified. Neither Caitanya Mahaprabhu nor Nityananda Prabhu ever killed anyone, rather They changed their hearts. So similarly, Ambarish Maharaja was only wishing that Durvasa muni should be changed. “Oh cakra sudarsana prabhu, you should be kind to me, that he should not be killed.” Otherwise cakra sudarsana would have finished Durvasa in a moment. No one can outrun the cakra sudarsana. In a second he he can destroy the whole world. Therefore we can understand that cakra sudarsana was only teaching Durvasa muni a lesson, otherwise he would never have escaped.

When Durvasa muni returned after one year, he saw that Ambarish Maharaja was still standing in exactly the same way with folded hands. Ambarish Maharaja was thinking that “Oh, when is Durvasa going to come? I will not take mahaprasadam water or anything until he arrives, and I have been able to satisfy him first.”

“If I Have Ever Done Any Bhakti To Krishna …”

By this time, Durvasa muni had now realised the greatness of Ambarish Maharaja, and wanted to prostrate himself before that great Vaisnava. However, when he tried, Ambarish Maharaja himself fell down at the lotus feet of Durvasa, and embraced him, saying: “You should not do pranama to me. I’m so much inferior to you. Please be kind to me, and take prasadam now, because I’m so hungry, and if I do not take, then I will die. So you should take first.” However, Ambarish Maharaja was only saying this out of his humility. He was not really troubled by hunger, or any other kind of material desire. Meanwhile, he prayed to sudarsana that: “If I have ever done any bhakti to Krishna, then please be satisfied now, leave Durvasa muni, and return.”

When Ambarish Maharaja prayed to him like this, cakra sudarsana left, and returned to the hand of Lord Narayana.

The Glory Of The Vaisnavas

So we can see the glory of a bhakta. Durvasa began to pray to Ambarish Maharaja: “Oh, how glorious Vaisnavas are.”

aho ananta-dasanam mahattvam drstam adya me krtagaso ‘pi yad rajan mangalani samihase

“Oh, today I have seen the glory of Vaisnavas. Alhough I was trying to kill Ambarish Maharaja, with great humility he excused me. And now he’s requesting me to take prasadam. I’ve never seen anything like this. My only wish is to become the dust on the lotus feet of Vaisnavas now.”

Durvasa muni’s heart was totally changed, and he became a Vaisnava.

So you can see how glorious Vaisnavas are. So you should try to observe Ekadasi also. If one does not observe Ekadasi, then he’s not a Vaisnava. So we should try to observe Ekadasi. At first it may be so hard, but by practice it will become easier and easier. Some Vaisnavas are so sincere, that they fast even from water on Ekadasi, or on days like Janmastami, Nirjala Ekadasi, no water. So simply by following Nirjala Ekadasi, and chanting harinama, you will be able to have darsana and service to Krishna, and your whole life will be happy. This is the easiest way.

By practicing yoga, one may be able to achieve some results after lakhs and lakhs of years, or so many years. But bhakti is much easier. There are not so many rules.

Nothing More Than Two Paisa

There was once a yogi, who, after fifty years of practice had learned how to make his body very light so that he could walk on water. One day he came to a town, and lakhs and lakhs persons were coming to see him, and to pay their regards to him. “Oh, how wonderful this yogi is, he has been able to walk across the river Ganges, one mile broad.” Everyone was so impressed, except for one old villager who had been watching. Addressing the yogi, he said: “Oh, for fifty years you have not served your father or mother. You have left your wife and your children and have gone to the forest. But in all this time all that you have learned is not worth more than two paisa.” “Oh!” said the yogi “you have not seen that I can walk across the river?” “Yes,” replied the villager, “But I can also cross the river by giving two paisa to the boatman. So all of your endeavours amount to nothing more than two paisa.”

They Are Not Stories, But Established Truths

So this yoga cannot help us in anyway in our life. Neither can it save us from death. But simply by taking harinama initiation from our Gurudeva, offering arati to Thakuraji, and doing parikrama of Tulasi, even empty-handed, then death will be stopped. Or all kinds of suffering will be stopped, and we can be happy forever. So don’t lose time. We don’t know when death may come, and attack at once. If you are walking in airplane, and the engine bursts, what will happen? Can you imagine? Among 300 pilgrims not one will be saved. Even the hairs of their bodies will not be found. So there is no certainty when we will die. Before death we should try to do all these things. This is the instruction of Srimad-Bhagavatam. You should have very strong faith in all these words. They are not stories, but established truths.

Now, we are coming to the life of Bharata Maharaja. He was also a very great king. He was one lakh years old. So in his young age, he left his wife, children, his whole kingdom, and all of his wealth to go and do bhajan. So young age means fifty thousand years. (laughter) After tasting it, at such a young age, he left it all behind. How? As if it was stool. Why has Srimad- Bhagavatam described like this? If a person has the urgent need to pass stool, then will he be able he to do anything? Can he sleep? Can he rest? Never. Leaving all his jobs he will have to obey the call of nature. And when he has passed, then his mind will be fresh. So Bharata Maharaja realized that this world was like stool, which, if he did not release, would obstruct his spiritual life. (Prema Prayojana prabhu tells story of Bharata Maharaja and Jada Bharata)

“One Should Never Go To Anyone Else Outside Of Our Group…”

Sri Srimad Bhaktivedanta Narayana Maharaja: In Vedic culture, the son of a brahmana would not necessarily be a brahmana. It was dependent on guna-karma-vibhagasah:

cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ
guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ
tasya kartāram api māṁ
viddhy akartāram avyayam

[According to the three modes of material nature and the work associated with them, the four divisions of human society are created by Me. And although I am the creator of this system, you should know that I am yet the nondoer, being unchangeable. Bg 4.13]

Meaning one’s qualification, only. So go on.

Prema Prayojana prabhu then continued speaking, describing how Maharaja Rsabhdeva instructed Bharata Maharaja, and his other ninety-nine sons. He then quoted the following sloka:

mahat-sevāṁ dvāram āhur vimuktes
tamo-dvāraṁ yoṣitāṁ saṅgi-saṅgam
mahāntas te sama-cittāḥ praśāntā
vimanyavaḥ suhṛdaḥ sādhavo ye

[One can attain the path of liberation from material bondage only by rendering service to highly advanced spiritual personalities. These personalities are impersonalists and devotees. Whether one wants to merge into the Lord's existence or wants to associate with the Personality of Godhead, one should render service to the mahātmās. For those who are not interested in such activities, who associate with people fond of women and sex, the path to hell is wide open. The mahātmās are equipoised. They do not see any difference between one living entity and another. They are very peaceful and are fully engaged in devotional service. They are devoid of anger, and they work for the benefit of everyone. They do not behave in any abominable way. Such people are known as mahātmās. Srimad-Bhagavatam 5.5.2]

Describing how the association of great personalities opens the door to liberation, Srila Maharaja then continued to speak. In recent times, he said, the original explanation of slokas like this have been discarded, and other, different explanations are now given instead. According to the new explanations, those who make them claim that “One should only take shelter of our Gurudeva, or of someone else who comes from our group. One should never go to anyone else outside of our group. It doesn’t matter who they are. Even though it may be Krishna in the shape of a sadhu, or even Caitanya Mahaprabhu and Nityananda Prabhu in person, if They are outside of our group, then it is forbidden to see Them. And, if you disobey these rules, then we shall throw you out of the group. You must only see the sadhus who are in our little group.”

But this is not the meaning of this sloka, or of any other. Such statements are nowhere to be found in sastra.

Bhakti Is Not Confined By Any Sectarian Limitations

I see that so many devotees now want to come and hear Harikatha, but due to their weakness of mind, they become controlled. Those who are trying to control them are acting against Vaisnava etiquette, and are committing great offense. If any person is giving an invitation to come and hear Harikatha, and another person warns people not to go and hear, then he is guilty of the biggest kind of offense. Neither in history, nor in the Srimad-Bhagavatam, the Mahabharata, nor the Ramayana, have we ever seen Vaisnavas act like this. So this poison is now being given. You should know that whoever is giving this poison is not even a Vaisnava, what to speak of a qualified Guru. If a so-called Guru is giving an order like this, he should most certainly be rejected. We are followers of Krishna bhakti. If we see a person who is qualified to give us that Krishna-bhakti, then we should hear from them. Bhakti is not confined by any sectarian limitations. Wherever any bonafide Vaisnava is speaking hari- katha, and Srimad-Bhagavatam we should most certainly go to hear from them. If such a Vaisnava is present, and we do not go to hear from him, then we are guilty of offence.

So, the explanations of sastra have become different now. Actually, the explanations have not changed, but the mentality of those who try to make them has. So I think that you should not obey these false instructions, regardless of who makes them. Even if your Guru says this, then he must be rejected. This is Vaisnava etiquette. Go on.

“O Lord Forgive Them, They Are Ignorant.”

Prema Prayojana prabhu then continued to speak about Bharata Maharaja, and his subsequent two lives, as a deer and as the personality Jada Bharata. When he had told the story of how the worshipers of Kali had tried to sacrifice Jada Bharata, Srila Maharaja began to describe how goddess Kali was thinking when she manifested from her Deity form.

Seeing Jada Bharat, she began to pray very humbly. “Why are you disguising yourself as a madman? I know that you are very powerful Vaisnava, but no one in this world is recognizing you, or understanding your power. Please don’t cheat me.” She then begged pardon from him.

Jada Bharata then returned to his home, as if nothing had happened. We may note that just as Ambarish Maharaja did not fear death, similarly, neither did Jada Bharata. This is the characteristic of all Vaisnavas. However they might be attacked, Vaisnavas always forgive their antagonists, and pray to Krishna, “O Lord forgive them, they are ignorant.” This is Vaisnava behaviour. So Jada Bharata Maharaja was also a very powerful Vaisnava.

Prema Prayojana prabhu then spoke about the incident when Jada Bharata became engaged in carrying Maharaja Rahugana’s palanquin. Although Maharaja Rahugana was initially highly sarcastic and rude to Jada Bharata, he ultimately saw the error of his ways, and surrendered to the great Vaisnava, Jada Bharata.

Srila Maharaja went on to explain that after Maharaja Rahugana had realised that Jada Bharata was no madman, but rather a great sage, he then asked him with great respect: “Who are you?” Smiling, Jada Bharata then asked Maharaja Rahugana, “Have you heard the name of Maharaja Bharata?” “Yes.” “So who was he?” “He was a very famous and important king who appeared in our dynasty about one thousand years ago. Our land has been named Bharata after him. He was a realized soul, so qualified, and learned.” “So I am that same person. I was that Maharaja Bharata. I have now realized the nature of this world, my spiritual being, and who is God. Now, by my mercy I’m revealing this to you.”

If It Is Only Imitation, It Is No Use

Why did Jada Bharata say all this to Maharaja Rahugana? To create sraddha in his heart. If a disciple is lacking in sraddha to his Gurudeva, and cannot follow properly, sometimes his Gurudeva will relate his life history to the disciple, to inspire him. Narada told his life history to his disciple Vyasadeva, and Prahlada Maharaja told his life history to his fellow students. Otherwise, if Gurudeva appears to be like an ordinary man, his disciple will not be able to have faith in him. Therefore, for the sake of inspiring faith in the disciple, Gurudeva will sometimes reveal something of his extraordinary life to that disciple. However, if the Guru is not qualified, then he will not be able to give power to his disciples, nor will he be able to inspire them. Therefore we should try to find a Guru Vaisnava of very high quality, and by his association we will be able to spiritually advance. A person may want to be Guru of the whole world, but if it is only imitation, it is no use. If he doesn’t know tattva, and is not chanting or remembering himself, then this is contrary to the Vaisnava process.

Mahat-Sanga, The Association Of Vaisnavas

So we should try very hard to understand what we are hearing, and we should also put it into practice in our own lives. We should strictly follow the bhagavata line, which is our parampara line. All the Gurus within our parampara are very high class mahat Vaisnavas. However, even among them, there are gradations. For instance, Svarupa Damodara, Raya Ramananda, Rupa Gosvami, Sanatana Gosvami, and the rest of their successors, are on a higher level than Bharata Maharaja, Ambarish Maharaja, Dhruva Maharaja, and Prahlada Maharaja. But in order to understand this, you must be within mahat-sanga, the association of Vaisnavas, otherwise you will not be able to understand anything, even the ABC’s of bhakti.

The Maha-Purusa Devotees Are There For The Whole World

So hear, and take all these things in your heart. And whatever you are hearing, try to adopt it in your lives. If there is anything, which you are not realizing, or understanding, you can ask any of the Vaisnavas to explain it, or you can come to me. I will try to help, without any discrimination on the basis of caste or creed. The maha-purusa devotees, they are not bound by any sectarian values, or confined by any borders or walls, but are there for the whole world. Just as Krishna is of the whole world, so are Vaisnavas. If anyone is creating sectarianism in the name of spiritual life, then they are doing so without any reference to sadhu sastra or Guru.