Tip:
Highlight text to annotate it
X
ANNOUNCER: Next is a class on the Śrīmad- Bhāgavatam, 1st canto, 7th chapter, text number
22, given by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda, recorded on
September 18th, 1976, in Vṛndāvana, India. PRABHUPĀDA: “arjuna uvāca
kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa mahā-bāho bhaktānām abhayaṅkara tvam eko dahyamānānām apavargo ’si
saṁsṛteḥ” Saṁsṛteḥ, this material world is called saṁsṛti, continuously suffering. That we
cannot understand. This is called ignorance. Continuously suffering. They are thinking, “We
are very happy,” but this material world means continuously suffering. So one living entity is
dying, and his gross body is left and the subtle body, mind, intelligence, ego, carrying him in
another body through the semina of the father to the womb of the mother. Then it is placed, and the
body again forms, and when the body is formed, then he comes out. And within the womb of the
mother there is so much suffering, we know that. Many times we have discussed. And
coming, from the very moment the child is crying, there is inconveniences. So many things
he cannot express. In this way, within the womb there is suffering, out of the womb there
is suffering. Then growing, child or baby or boy, there are so many sufferings. Then young man—
suppose he becomes family man—then earn for the family. That is also suffering. Then old
man, disease, inability, many, many thoughts, that is also suffering. And again death is
suffering. At the time of death nobody knows what will happen. Recently one of our Godbrothers
has died. He was suffering that he… Some glucose food was being supplied through the nose,
and with that, what is called? Taking out the…? That also another suffering. Forcibly taking
out the urine, cannot speak anything. So this is suffering. This is called saṁsṛti. We are so foolish
we do not know that this material existence is suffering. They are simply struggle for existence.
“manaḥ ṣaṣṭhānīndriyāṇi prakṛti-sthāni karṣati” [Bg. 15.7] Simply a struggle. There is no happiness.
But these foolish persons, they do not know that there is suffering and how to stop this suffering.
That is real problem. “Janma-mṛtyu-jarā- vyādhi-duḥkha-doṣānudarśanam” Intelligent
persons should always keep in view that “These are my real sufferings.” Not that “Temporary I
have got some misunderstanding with some friend, or temporary I do not get some nice food, and
therefore suffering.” These sufferings are extra, but real suffering is this—janma-mṛtyu-
jarā-vyādhi. So suffering and suff… Therefore material existence is called saṁsṛti.
Saṁsāra. So therefore we read every day from the “Gurvaṣṭaka,saṁsāra-dāvānala-līḍha-loka”
This saṁsāra, this material existence, is just like dāvānala.Dāvānala means forest fire.
Forest, in the forest nobody goes to set fire, but it takes place automatically. Even if you don’t
want, it will come. This is saṁsāra. In your country, nice city, New York City, but every moment
there is fire—dung-dung-dung-dung-dung- dung-dung-dung. Why? Very nice city, big city, big
roads, big—but there is suffering. Who wants this fire? But government has to make
arrangement for fire brigade, and because it is great nation, very prosperous nation, there is very
constantly, very frequently there is fire. Frequently. You won’t find such fire in India, at least. We
have no such experience that every moment there is fire brigade. Is it not? I am
exaggerating? Huh? You see. We have got so many cities in India, but we don’t have such
arrangement that constantly, twenty-four hours, dung-dung-dung-dung-dung-dung. At least
we haven’t got. Less suffering, because we are not so advanced. The more materially you become
advanced, the more suffering. “daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā” [Bg. 7.14] These rascals,
they do not know. Saṁsṛti. Therefore here we see that: “tvam eko dahyamānānām apavargo ’si
saṁsṛteḥ” This is Kṛṣṇa. Arjuna is mahājana. He is mahājana. He’s directly Kṛṣṇa’s friend. He knows
what is Kṛṣṇa. Therefore he submitted that, “Kṛṣṇa, it is perplexity. I do not like to fight,
and You are asking me repeatedly to fight. So it is very awkward position. I cannot understand.”
Kārpaṇya-doṣopahata-svabhāvaḥ. “I have been infected with kārpaṇya-doṣa, and kṣatriya,
I am in the battlefield. It is my duty to fight, but I am declining.” That is: “kārpaṇya-doṣopahata-
svabhāvaḥ” “My nature, svabhāva, is to fight, but I am avoiding this. So therefore my position is not
good, I can understand. Therefore “śiṣyas te ’haṁ śādhi māṁ tvāṁ prapannam” I accept You as my
spiritual master. You… I am surrendered, prapannam. You kindly instruct, śādhi mām.” This is
beginning of Bhagavad-gītā. So Arjuna knows that for this saṁsṛti, for this suffering of the material
world, only Kṛṣṇa is the savior. Only Kṛṣṇa. Tvam ekaḥ, “Only You. Not anybody else.” Nobody
can. And He also, Kṛṣṇa also says, mām ekam. “Ras- cal, mām ekam.” This same eka. Arjuna says tvam
ekaḥ and Kṛṣṇa says mām ekam. The same pur- pose. This is to be learned, that eka, “Only Kṛṣṇa.”
Kṛṣṇaika-śaraṇam. That is wanted. Simply take shelter of Kṛṣṇa. That will save you from this
saṁsṛti. Apavarga. [splice] So if you take shelter of Kṛṣṇa’s lotus feet, then abhayaṅkara, no more
fear. No more fear. And so long you do not do it, then saṁsṛti. Therefore Kṛṣṇa Arjuna says tvam
“eko dahyamānānām apavargo ’si abhayaṅkara” Thank you very much.
Subtitles by Pratyatoṣa Dāsa, March 01, 2011. Maximum line width: 28.3em. (Segoe UI font)