tvam ekaḥ sarva-jagata
īśvaro bandha-mokṣayoḥ
taṁ tvām arcanti kuśalāḥ
prapannārti-haraṁ gurum
tvam ekaḥ — Your Lordship is indeed; sarva-jagataḥ — of the three worlds; īśvaraḥ — the controller; bandha-mokṣayoḥ — of both bondage and liberation; tam — that controller; tvām arcanti — worship you; kuśalāḥ — persons who want good fortune; prapanna-ārti-haram — who can mitigate all the distresses of a sheltered devotee; gurum — you who act as a good advisor to all fallen souls.
tvam ekaḥ sarva-jagata
īśvaro bandha-mokṣayoḥ
taṁ tvām arcanti kuśalāḥ
prapannārti-haraṁ gurum
Translation by Srila Prabhuapada:
O Lord, you are the cause of bondage and liberation of the entire universe because you are its ruler. Those who are advanced in spiritual consciousness surrender unto you, and therefore you are the cause of mitigating their distresses, and you are also the cause of their liberation. We therefore worship Your Lordship.
Purport by Śrīla Prabhupāda:
Actually Lord Viṣṇu maintains and accomplishes all good fortune. If one has to take shelter of Lord Viṣṇu, why should the demigods take shelter of Lord Śiva? They did so because Lord Viṣṇu acts through Lord Śiva in the creation of the material world. Lord Śiva acts on behalf of Lord Viṣṇu. When the Lord says in Bhagavad-gītā that He is the father of all living entities, ahaṁ bīja-pradaḥ pitā [BG 14.4], this refers to actions performed by Lord Viṣṇu through Lord Śiva. Lord Viṣṇu is always unattached to material activities and when material activities are to be performed, Lord Viṣṇu performs them through Lord Śiva. Lord Śiva is therefore worshiped on the level of Lord Viṣṇu. When Lord Viṣṇu is untouched by the external energy He is Lord Viṣṇu, but when He is in touch with the external energy, He appears in His feature as Lord Śiva.
This is Śrīmad-Bhāgavatām 8th canto, chapter 7, text 22. In this chapter Lord Śiva saves the universe. This has been said. So, these are Prajāpati’s prayer, offers prayers to Lord Śiva. This is a topic when Lord Śiva drinks poison, whole ocean of poison, so destructive poison. Thereby Lord Śiva saves the universe. When the both, demigods and demons, both of them were churning that ocean, milk ocean, so, many good things came out. All demigods, all they took out those things. At last when this poison came up, because Vāsuki, snake, was their rope. Rope or he, that Vāsuki vomited poison, such violent, very, very… Vast ocean like poison came up but all were afraid to take up poison. Who will take poison? Will you take poison? All are very anxious to take up nectar. Nectar will come up and we’ll take. And who will take poison? It’s very destructive but all are afraid. Nobody was prepared to take it up. And if that poison will be there, the whole universe would have been destroyed. Such a condition, you see, but Lord Śiva came up. “Alright, if nobody wants to take up poison, give it to me, give it to me”. You see, Lord Śiva is such a personality. Lord Śiva is such a personality, he accepts all the rejected stuff. Alright, nobody accepts. All will reject, no, no, no, no. But Lord Śiva says, alright, give it to me. He's such a personality is Lord Śiva. Do you understand?
He is Āśutoṣa, very easily and within a very short time he is pleased, he’s very much pleased. Yesterday in the evening I was telling you that story, how that brāhmaṇa in Kāśī worshiped Lord Śiva, and Lord Śiva was pleased within very short time. You just offer a bael leaf and little Ganges water, “Oṁ namo Śivāya”. Yes, then Lord Śiva will appear, “What do you want?” He will immediately give you benediction. He’s Āśutoṣa. He’s pleased within a very short time. You can’t understand. Do you understand? He is a new bhakta? You should hear attentively, do you understand? Yes. Bhāgavatām, Kṛṣṇa-kathā, is non different from Kṛṣṇa. It’s Kṛṣṇa Himself. One should pay attention, concentrated attention. Yes. This is nectar but Lord Śiva is saving you, he’s taking poison and giving you nectar. He’s not giving poison to you. He takes himself poison. And you are all anxious to have the nectar. Isn’t it? Have you tasted nectar? Oh, unfortunate fellow, you’ve not tasted nectar, such an unfortunate fellow. (laughing) Ohho. It’s nectar, you see, is here, is given to you but you can’t have it and taste it. Do you know how to taste this nectar? You don’t know, you see. You know how to taste your food? How do you taste it, by what sense you taste it? By tongue. But this nectar cannot be tasted by tongue. You should know it. You should know it. You know how to taste it? By ears. What he said? By ears. Oh, you know it! Then how can’t you taste it? Yes, one should drink this nectar through ears, yes, through ears, śruti-gatam. Śruti means hear. If you can drink this nectar through your ears, that means paying concentrated attention. Hear it very carefully, then all your body, all your consciousness, your heart will be purified of all material contaminations. Then you will be able to see the Lord. Do you understand? Then you will be able to see the Lord. Śrutekṣita-pathaṁ, Śrutekṣita-pathaṁ. Śruta and īkṣitā. If you can hear then you can see. Īkṣitā means see. Yesterday I was telling you, such big, big personalities, leaders here in this material world, they say, is there God, is there God? Has anybody seen Him? I am such a great leader, I have not seen. Has anybody seen Him? They say because they can’t see. I was telling how the great demon Hiraṇya-kaśipu couldn’t see, whereas his son, seven-year-old son Prahlāda Mahārāja, could see. Do you understand? Why? Why Hiraṇya-kaśipu couldn’t see and why and how Prahlāda could see? How? What is, who can answer? Yes, Nimāi? He heard it from Nārada Muni. He heard the Bhāgavatām from Nārada Muni. Yes. Prahlāda Mahārāja had heard this Bhāgavatām, he had heard so he could see. Śrutekṣita-pathaṁ. If you can hear this Śrīmad-Bhāgavatām, Kṛṣṇa-kathā, from a bona fide personality, authority, then you’ll be able to see the Lord. Who has never heard, who has never heard, he cannot see, he cannot see. This is the process, this is the process. And Lord Śiva is very, very merciful also. Very, very merciful and very magnanimous, udāra. He’s very magnanimous.
He always accepts all the rejected stuff. All the rejected stuff. Nobody will accept that thing and thereby he saves. Lord Śiva has no place, you see. He lives in a crematorium ground, you see, śmaśāna. He’s almost naked. He’s almost naked and he has put on the snakes also on his body, snake garland, snake in hand, snake on his head, all snakes. Do you understand? He has smeared the ashes throughout the body. Throughout the body he has smeared the ashes. He is a mad person. He is also mad person. He dances always. He dances. Do you understand? He dances and he also sings, and dances, and he has a bull, his carrier. Bull. He has a trident with him, triśūla, trident. Trident, you understand? Yes. Such a personality. Externally one may see, if one may see Lord Śiva, he may not appreciate him, he’s such ugly person, almost naked with snakes, with matted hair. He’s smearing ashes, not good-looking person. He’s not good-looking person. A mad man, but he’s so merciful person. And such magnanimous heart , he’s a very very powerful personality also. Then, otherwise how can one devour all such ocean-like poison? If you can take only a drop of that poison, you’ll die. But he didn’t die. He didn’t die. And no harm also took place in him, no harm. He has such power. He’s such a powerful personality. Thereby he saves the whole universe. Do you understand? Only little, little drops, some that is, that fell down on the ground, little drops of poison, the scorpions, the snakes, they took it. So they have become very poisonous, the scorpions and snakes, very little drop. While Śivajī was drinking that poison some little drops fell down and the scorpions and snakes, they took it. So they have become so poisonous now. If a snake will bite, you’ll die. Do you understand? Yes, very poisonous. How Lord Śiva could digest all these things. He has such a wonderful power. Here, one question is here. The Prajāpatis are offering prayers to Lord Śiva, “O Lord, you are the cause of bondage and liberation of the entire universe because you are its ruler. Those, who are advanced in spiritual consciousness, surrender unto you and therefore you are the cause of mitigating their distresses. And you are also the cause of their liberation. We therefore worship your Lordship.”
And my revered Spiritual Master, Śrīla Prabhupāda, in his purport explained it, “Actually Lord Viṣṇu maintains and accomplishes all good fortune. If one has to take shelter of Lord Viṣṇu, why should the demigods take shelter of the Lord? Why should he take shelter of demigods like Lord? No need at all. In Śrīmad Bhagavad-gītā Kṛṣṇa has said no, no need at all to take shelter of a demigod. Janme … What is that? No, one, if someone, avoiding or disregarding Lord Viṣṇu or Kṛṣṇa, takes shelter of a demigod or some demigods, he is an unintelligent person, unintelligent, he has no intelligence at all. Kṛṣṇa says that thing in Bhagavad-gītā. He has no intelligence at all because demigods are subordinate to Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa or Viṣṇu. Haris tv ekaṁ tattvaṁ vidhi-śiva-sureśa-praṇamito. Lord Hari is the Supreme Truth. Neither Lord Śiva, nor Brahmā, nor Indra. They’re all subordinate to Lord Viṣṇu or Kṛṣṇa. Vidhi-śiva-sureśa-praṇamitam. Lord Śiva (Viṣṇu) is worshiped by Lord Brahmā, by Lord Śiva and Lord Indra also, all demigods. Ekale īśvara kṛṣṇa, āra saba bhṛtya [CC Adi 5.142]. Kṛṣṇa is the only Īśvara only supreme controller, Vibhu, Supreme Lord. All others are His servitors. Then this question arises here, why should one demigod like Śiva take shelter? Why? What necessity? No necessity at all. But here in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatām it is said the Prajāpatis offer prayers to Lord Śiva, that: ”You are the cause of bondage and liberation of the entire universe because you are its ruler. You are the cause of mitigating the distresses of those persons who surrender unto you. You are also the cause of their liberation. We therefore worship Your Lordship”.
Also it is said, yathā taror mūla-niṣecanena tṛpyanti tat-skandha-bhujopaśākhāḥ prāṇopahārāc ca yathendriyāṇāṁ tathaiva sarvārhaṇam acyutejyā [SB 4.31.14]. If you’ll water, if you put water at the root of a tree, then whole tree with its branches, its twigs, its fruits and leaves will get water. No separate watering. If you give food to the stomach, then whole body will be nourished. No necessity of giving food to the eye or ear or nose or arm or leg. Do you understand? Similarly, tathaiva sarvārhaṇam acyutejyā, if you only worship Lord Viṣṇu, Acyuta or Nārāyaṇa or Kṛṣṇa, automatically all are worshiped, all the demigods are worshiped. No necessity at all to worship the demigods. Do you understand? No necessity. Lord Viṣṇu or Lord Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Lord, all powerful. He’s unlimited. He’s Ananta. He has unlimited potency, whereas these demigods have limited potency. Demigods have limited potency. They will give you some limited result, limited benediction. They cannot give you unlimited benediction, no. Because they have limited powers, limited power. So, why shall one worship demigod like Śiva and why the Prajāpatis say so? This is most important thing. This is very confusing. This is very confusing. Śrīmad-Bhāgavatām says, “Only worship Kṛṣṇa.” Only worship Lord Viṣṇu, then automatically all the demigods will be worshipped, all will be worshipped. If Kṛṣṇa will be satisfied, or Viṣṇu will be satisfied, automatically all will be satisfied. All will be satisfied. As I said, or Śrīmad-Bhāgavatām says, if you give food to the stomach, then automatically all the limbs of your body will be satisfied and nourished. No separate giving. Then why this question arises? This is most important question. Therefore, we have this thing. I was telling that thing last evening. It’s not easy thing. It’s not easy thing to understand, this thing. It’s very, very difficult. So Kṛṣṇa says in Śrīmad Bhagavad-gītā, “janma karma ca me divyam evaṁ yo vetti tattvataḥ tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti mām eti so ’rjuna [BG 4.9]. This is most important, yo vetti tattvataḥ. Kṛṣṇa says, “My appearance or birth and activities, līlās are all transcendental. It’s not material. And if someone knows it in tattva, yo vetti tattvataḥ, knows in tattva, then that life will be his last life here in this material world. After this life, when this body will be finished, then he will go to Me, there is no doubt in it.” Do you understand? This is most important, yo vetti tattvataḥ.
One should understand it in tattva. We have two considerations. Two considerations. Do you know what are two considerations? What’s your name? Huh? Grant, bhakta Grant. He’s a new bhakta, Accha, accha, accha. Let there be some stamp, I can recognize it. It’s a new bhakta. You president make a stamp, it’s a new bhakta. I am in confusion. All right new bhakta …Grant. Grant. All right, whatever he may be. There are two considerations, do you know those two considerations? You don’t know, new one. You know? You are not new, I think, you are old, you don’t know? Yes, it’s not expected that all should know everything. Yes, that’s allright. Do you know, Parameśvara? You rascal. Acchacha. There are two considerations. One is apara-vicāra, another is tattva-vicāra. In English we say, apparent consideration, and tattva-vicāra, absolute consideration. Do you understand? Now you understand it? You new bhakta, all the new bhaktas, you should understand. We have two considerations: apara-vicāra, tattva-vicāra. Apparent consideration and absolute consideration. Do you understand? And our case, our consideration is tattva-vicāra, not apparent, not apparent, no. It’s tatta-vicara, yo vetti tattvataḥ, Kṛṣṇa says. Tattvataḥ, one should understand Kṛṣṇa in tattvataḥ. In tattva. One should understand Śrīmad-Bhāgavatām, because it’s not different from Kṛṣṇa, kṛṣṇa-tulya bhāgavata. First I said it. So, it should be understood in tattva. Tato māṁ tattvato jñātvā viśate tad-anantaram [BG 18.55]. Kṛṣṇa says this thing in Śrīmad Bhagavad-gītā. Tato māṁ tattvato jñātvā viśate tad-anantaram. You want to go to the kingdom of Kṛṣṇa? You want? Yes. How can you go? I came here to Australia. First I have to be granted visa. First I’ll obtain a passport, then I will apply for visa. The Australian High Commission will grant it, then one will be able to enter into Australia; otherwise, no, refused. Huh? So, your passport and visa granted? No, get out (inaudible)! Get out! Or if you enter, then you will be punished. Do you understand? Not allow, they will not allow you. This is the case here in material world. And how can you enter into the spiritual world? What passport you have? What visa you have been granted? How can you enter? Do you know what passport is required? What visa? Is there any High Commission, will grant you visa to enter into the spiritual world? Do you know it? You don’t know. You don’t know. This is passport and visa. Yo vetti tattvataḥ. Tattvato jñātvā viśate tad-anantaram. If someone can understand Me in tattva, in absolute consideration, that is visa granted. Then he will be able to enter into my kingdom. Otherwise, no. Get out of here. Do you understand? So this is tattva-vicāra. This is absolute consideration, no apparent consideration. This is very very subtle tattva here, very subtle tattva.
Let me give you one example. What is tattva-vicāra, I think most of you cannot understand it. Most of you cannot understand it. Can you understand what is tattva-vicāra? You economics student, you cannot understand. Do you understand? No. That I say. It’s not an easy thing. So let me give you one example. Say Kṛṣṇa … Activity of Kṛṣṇa is very wonderful activities, transcendental, not material activities. I will tell you one story from Śrī Mahābhārata. Do you know Yudhiṣṭhira Mahārāja, the eldest brother of five Pāṇḍavas. There are five Pāṇḍavas: Yudhiṣṭhira, Bhīma, Arjuna, Nakula, Sahadeva. Yudhiṣṭhira is the eldest brother, famous one. So, when that Pāṇḍavas were banished, they were living in the forest . Do you understand? With their wife Draupadī, they were living there. Once Draupadī felt very thirsty, she needed water. “Please give me some water, I am thirsty.” So near, in the near distance there was very good tank with very clear water. So, one by one, all the brothers, Nakula went, Sahadeva went, and this Bhīma went, Arjuna went, to get water. But they couldn’t get water. There was a Dharma Baka there, he was asking some questions. He said, “First answer my question, then you can get the water; otherwise you cannot get the water. If you take, you will all die.” They are all dead. They couldn’t answer the question what the Dharma Baka puts. At last Yudhiṣṭhira went there. Do you understand? At last Yudhiṣṭhira went there. So Dharma Baka said, “You see, all your brothers are lying dead there. They couldn’t answer my question. If you can answer my question, then you will be able to take the water; otherwise not. Then Yudhiṣṭhira Mahārāja said, “All right, what is your question?” Dharma Baka asked him four questions, four questions. Kiṁ āścaryam kaḥ sukhī kaḥ panthā kaḥ ca vārtika veda me caturḥ praśnān mṛta jīvanti sodarā. This is Śrī Mahābhārata, do you understand? These four questions, what is wonderful here in this material world? This is first question. Kaḥ sukhī, who is happy here? Second question. Kaḥ panthā, what is the way? It’s third question. Fourth, kaḥ ca vārtika, what is the message here? These are four questions. Do you understand, economics student? These four questions were asked by Dharma Baka. I am not going to tell you the all answers. I will only give you one answer. Kaḥ sukhī, who is happy here? Do you know the questions, one of the four questions? Kaḥ sukhī, who is happy here? And Yudhiṣṭhira Mahārāja gave answer, very nice answer. Pañcake ahani sāte va sākaṁ pacati sva gṛhe anṛṅī apravāsī ca sa vāricara modate. This answer Yudhiṣṭhira Mahārāja gave. You can’t understand what he says. Do you understand? Let me tell you. Who is sukhī? He says, pañcame ahani sāte va sākaṁ pacati sva gṛhe. That person, one who works very hard, whole day he works and returning from work he comes to his home at the last part of the day and cooks some śāka, śāka leafy vegetable. Do you understand? You are cooking śāka here also, leafy vegetable. He cooks some śāka, and just eats it. Do you understand? He is sukhī, he says. Then another thing he says, anṛṅī, who has never incurred any debt. Do you understand? Anṛṅī. He just maintains himself by his own meager income. He never incurs any debt, he is anṛṅī. Then third thing he says, aprāvasī. That means, who doesn’t live in a foreign country, who lives in his own country, own house, village, house. Do you understand? Sa vāricara modate. Do you understand? He is happy.
Do you understand, economics student? Can you understand what Yudhiṣṭhira Mahārāja said? Apparently you say yes, yes, yes. Apparently you understood as if… but it has very deep meaning, very deep meaning, very deep meaning. I’ll raise a question. Yudhiṣṭhira Mahārāja says, who has never incurred any debt, who lives in his own country, own house, village, not, not, doesn’t live in a foreign country, and toils hard and just cooks śāka and eats, he is very happy. But Yudhiṣṭhira Mahārāja has not said ‘aroge’. All right, if some person has all these things, but if he is a diseased person, he has some disease, will he be happy? No. Will he be happy? What do you say, new bhakta? If you’ll be diseased person, with some colic pain, some difficulty in the stomach like Jagad-pati, “Oohhhhh”. (laughing) How will one be happy, you see? Yudhiṣṭhira Mahārāja didn’t say ‘aroge’. He has never said this thing, who will be free from disease, no disease at all. Then you’ll be happy. He has never said. So I think Yudhiṣṭhira Mahārāja’s answer is not complete. Do you think is it complete? It’s complete, yeah, because you cannot understood it in tattva. Therefore I said, you understand in apparent, you’ve apparent consideration. You don’t know what is tattva-vicāra here. But Yudhiṣṭhira Mahārāja’s answer is quite complete. It’s not incomplete at all. It’s not incomplete at all. How, how is it complete? He has not said ‘aroge’. It’s no disease.
This is what, how to understand in tattva. Therefore I say we have these two considerations, apparent consideration and absolute consideration, tattva-vicāra. It’s apparently, apparently, all understand it apparently. Very, very few persons, those who knows tattva, they can understand, otherwise, not possible. Do you understand? Let me say, who is anṛṅī here? Is there anybody anṛṅī? Is there anybody who has not incurred any debt? Have you incurred any debt? No? You are telling lie. You have incurred debt. Nobody is there who is anṛṅī here. You’ll never find one body here, who has not incurred debt. All have incurred debts. You know what is that debt? You know it, what is that debt? - Karma. Karma, what karma? What karma? You are indebted to your father and mother, Pitṛ-ṛṇa, isn’t it? Your father and mother gave you birth. Do you understand? They take care of you, you grow up. They maintain you, isn’t it? So, are you not indebted to them? Have you no duty, no obligation to them? How will you pay back that debt? How? Can you pay back that debt? No. Then you are indebted, you have incurred debt. How do you say, I have not incurred any debt? All are, all have incurred debt. They have pitṛ-ṛṇa, deva-ṛṇa, ṛṣi-ṛṇa, bhūta-ṛṇa. You are indebted to your parents, forefathers, you are indebted to demigods. You see, Lord Śiva saves you, taking poison, isn’t it? Are you not indebted to him? Then you are indebted to the demigods. Deva-ṛṇa, pitṛ-ṛṇa, ṛṣi-ṛṇa, the sages, the saints, do you understand? You are indebted to them, isn’t it? Deva-ṛṇa, ṛṣi-ṛṇa, bhūta-ṛṇa, you are indebted to other animals also, isn’t it? Cow gives you milk, the bull ploughs land. Isn’t it? So many animals. Are you not indebted to them? Then how will you pay back that debt? How can you pay back that debt? You’re all indebted. We are all indebted. Do you understand? But how can we pay back? This is the question. This is the question. Do you know any means how can you pay back? Have you any means? Once Kṛṣṇa has also said. Is Kṛṣṇa indebted to anybody? Is Kṛṣṇa indebted? - Yes. Yes? To whom? - His devotees. - To devotees. How is it? How Kṛṣṇa is indebted to the devotees? Once Kṛṣṇa said this in 10th canto Śrīmad-Bhāgavatām. Do you understand? He told the gopīs, “Oh gopīs, you have developed so intense and pure love towards Me that you are running to me at midnight, leaving aside your husband, your family, your children. At dead of night you are running to Me to the jungle of Vṛndāvana. You’ve developed so much intense and pure love towards Me. I have no wealth to pay it back. I am indebted to you.
Do you understand what I say, new bhakta? You can’t understand, I think. (Haha) he’s new bhakta. You understood? What’s your name? (Inaudible). He’s also new bhakta. (laughing) All right, all right. You see, Kṛṣṇa says this thing. He is indebted to the gopīs. He is all powerful, he is completely full, who has all wealth with Him. Lakṣmī sahastra sata sambrahmā sayvamanam, thousands and thousands of Lakṣmīs are serving Him. And He says I have no wealth to pay back your debt. I have no wealth. How it is? Do you understand? This is very difficult. This is what I said, to understand in tattva. This tattva-vicāra, not apparent. This is how to pay back your love towards Me. No material wealth is required for it. That wealth I’m lacking, Kṛṣṇa says. Do you understand? Therefore he came as Gaurāṅga Mahāprabhu to pay back that debt. Do you understand me? He become indebted when He is Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is never indebted to anybody, you see. All we are indebted to Him. How Kṛṣṇa will be indebted to us? no, no, no. But Kṛṣṇa says to gopīs, I am indebted to you because I have no wealth to pay back this love. So he came as Gaurāṅga Mahāprabhu to pay back that love. Do you understand? As the gopīs headed by Rādhārāṇī, do you understand, feeling the pangs of separation from Kṛṣṇa, and crying, and crying, and crying.
‘Oh Kṛṣṇa, where is Kṛṣṇa? Where is Kṛṣṇa?” Do you understand? They’re crying. They’re wandering in the forest of Vṛndāvana asking every creature of every tree, every animal. “Have you seen Kṛṣṇa? Have you seen Kṛṣṇa? O tree, o creeper, o bird, o deer?” You see, you see, Gaurāṅga Mahāprabhu. Creatures are there, deers are there, cows are there, peacocks is there and Mahāprabhu is feeling that pangs of separation, you see there. “Where is Kṛṣṇa? Where is Kṛṣṇa? Where is Kṛṣṇa?” They’re crying and wandering. Similarly, Mahāprabhu was crying, he was crying for Kṛṣṇa. Though He is Kṛṣṇa Himself, He’s crying for Kṛṣṇa. Gaurāṅga bolite habe pulaka-śarīra [Lālasāmayī Prārthanā 1]. Do you know this? Gaurāṅga bolite habe pulaka-śarīra. If you utter the name of Gaurāṅga, your whole body will be filled with pleasure and all this hairs on the body will be erected. Do you understand? New bhakta? Have you ever felt such sensation? No, no, no. If you just utter the name of Gaurāṅga, your whole body will be so cheerful, you’ll feel so pleasure. Oh, all the hairs on the body will be erected. Why? Why? Why such thing takes place? Do you know? Do you know? Why? - Love. - Love? Hari hari bolite nayane ba'be nīra. You should know this thing. Gaurāṅga bolite habe pulaka-śarīra hari hari bolite nayane ba'be nīra. That’s the answer given there. Do you know this song? This famous song? It’s Vaiṣṇava mahājana song. You consult your song book. You will find there. Gaurāṅga bolite habe pulaka-śarīra hari hari bolite nayane ba'be nīra. He is Lord Hari Himself but uttering ‘Hari’ He sheds tears, “O Hari”. You see? He’s Himself Hari, isn’t it? But uttering the name of Hari he sheds tears. Hari hari bolite nayane ba'be nīra. This is the reason. How Hari Himself is crying. That is Gaurāṅga. Feeling the pangs of separation from Kṛṣṇa. Kāhā kṛṣṇa nanda-kula-candramāḥ.
When he sees, Lord Gaurāṅga, Caitanya Mahāprabhu sees Svarūpa Dāmodara Goswāmī, Rāya Rāmānanda. Do you know Svarūpa Dāmodara Goswāmī and Rāya Rāmānanda? They were Lalitā-sakhī and Viśākha-sakhī in Kṛṣṇa-līlā. In Gaurāṅga’s līlā they are Svarūpa Dāmodara Goswāmī and Rāya Rāmānanda. As Rādhārāṇī was crying seeing Lalitā-sakhī and Viśākha-sakhī asking: “Where is that Kṛṣṇa, the son on Nanda Mahārāja?” Kāhā gale kāhā pang śri-nandānandana, keho mote betāiva. You see? Kāhā gale kāhā pang śri-nandānandana. “Where shall I go? Where shall I find Him, that son of Nanda Mahārāja?” Can anybody help me in finding Him? Keho mote betāiva śri-nandānandana. Do you understand? Thus Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī was crying. Similarly, Mahāprabhu was crying when seeing Rāya Rāmānanda and Svarūpa Dāmodara Goswāmī, because they are sakhīs. Kva nanda-kula-candramāḥ … kva mandra-muralī-ravaḥ kva nu surendra-nīla-dyutiḥ [CC Antya 19.35] Like that, you see. Where is that son of Nanda Mahārāja? Where is that Kṛṣṇa who plays flute in such a sweet tone, mandra-muralī-ravaḥ? Do you understand? Yes, Mahāprabhu was uttering this and crying, and shedding tears. Hari hari bolite nayane ba'be nīra. He’s Lord Hari Himself and shedding tears by uttering the name of Hari. Thereby He’s paying back the debts. Do you understand? Thereby Kṛṣṇa is paying back the debts. Kṛṣṇa has become indebted.
Are you saying you are not indebted? You have not incurred any debt, ṛṇa? We’re all indebted. We’ve indebted to our forefathers, to our parents, to forefathers, to demigods, to sadhus, saints, ṛṣis, to other animals. How can we pay back? Have you any means? No, only one means is there. You cannot pay back with anything else. Devarṣi-bhūtāpta-nṛṇāṁ pitṝṇāṁ na kiṅkaro nāyam ṛṇī ca rājan sarvātmanā yaḥ śaraṇaṁ śaraṇyaṁ gato mukundaṁ parihṛtya kartam [SB 11.5.41] Śrīmad-Bhāgavatām says. This is how can one pay back debt. Sarvātmanā yaḥ śaraṇaṁ śaraṇyaṁ gato mukundaṁ parihṛtya. If someone can completely surrender unto that Lord Kṛṣṇa, Lord Mukunda, do you understand? Then he pays back all the debts, all the debts, all the debt to your forefather, debts to demigods, debts to ṛṣis, saints, debts to other animals, all, do you understand, finished, no debt. Do you understand? All finished, no debt. Then you’ve become indebted. Otherwise, you are not indebted. Do you understand? And Yudhiṣṭhira Mahārāja said the same thing, baba, same thing. This is tattva-vicāra. This is tattva-vicāra. It’s not apparent consideration. It’s absolute consideration. That means, one who is a pure devotee, who is completely surrendered unto Lord Mukunda, Kṛṣṇa or Hari, he is anṛṅī. Do you understand? Whole day he toils hard for the service of Kṛṣṇa. Whole day, whole day toils hard, gets out, gets out for the service of Kṛṣṇa. Do you understand? Coming back in the evening, only taking little śāka-prasāda, he is happy. Do you understand? And aprāvasī, you see, aprāvasī, he is not in a foreign land. He’s in his own home. Do you understand? All are in foreign land. I have come to a foreign land apparently. He has come to a foreign land apparently. He has come to a foreign land. Are you Australian? Yes. Oh, then you are in your own land. (laughing) Are you sukhī, happy? (laughing) We are all foreigners here, baba. We are all foreigners. Our homeland is …What is that? My Guru Mahārāja says, “Go back home!” Isn’t he? Isn’t it? My Guru Mahārāja emphatically says, “Go back home”, do you understand, gharku calo. Go back home. Where’s home? I am in home. You nonsense. Are you home? You are a foreigner here. You are not in home. (laughing) Your home is there. Your father is there. It’s Lord’s kingdom. Isn’t it? Lord’s Kingdom. That is said here, ahaṁ bīja-pradaḥ pitā [BG 14.4] Here Śrīla Prabhupāda quoted from Śrīmad Bhagavad-gītā. Lord says in Bhagavad-gītā, that He is the father of all living entities, ahaṁ bīja-pradaḥ pitā, “I’m the seed giving father.” He’s father. Your father’s home is there. You are here. Are you not in a foreign land? - Yes. - Yes. You are, we are all foreigners here. All prāvasī here. Nobody aprāvasī. How can one be happy? Do you understand what Yudhiṣṭhira Mahārāja says? One who is in king’s kingdom, with his father, his father’s home, do you understand, he is not indebted to anybody. He has nor incurred any debt. He toils hard for the service of his father, Lord Kṛṣṇa, whole day and is very much satisfied with a little śāka at the end of the day. And he’s in his father’s house. He is sukhī, he is happy. Do you understand? He is… There is no disease there. Is there disease, janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi? [BG 13.8-12] Birth, death, old age and disease are here, in this material world. All are diseased persons, isn’t it? Are you not diseased person? - Yes. - Yes, all are diseased. Ask one by one, all are diseased. I am a diseased person. Do you understand? One who is there, there is no death, birth, old age and disease. So why shall Yudhiṣṭhira Mahārāja say ‘aroge’? No need of saying. Do you understand? No need of saying. So he is happy. This is tattva-vicāra. Do you understand me now? You can’t understand it fully, I think, still some lacking in you. So, Yudhiṣṭhira Mahārāja gave a complete answer. Do you understand? It’s complete, answer is complete.
This is tattva-vicāra. It’s not apparent but apparently it’s defective. So our vicāra is tattva-vicāra. Our consideration is tattva. So this tattva is there. How is it? That question is raised here. Actually Lord Viṣṇu maintains and accomplishes all good fortune. If one has to take shelter of Lord Viṣṇu, there’s no need of taking shelter of any demigod. Then why it is said? Why it is said? The Prajāpatis said this thing to Lord Śiva. Śrīla Prabhupāda has explained it here, “Lord Viṣṇu is always unattached to material activities, but when material activities have to be performed, Lord Viṣṇu performs them through Lord Śiva.” Through Lord Śiva. “Lord Śiva is therefore worshiped on the level of Lord Viṣṇu. When Lord Viṣṇu is unattached to external energy, He’s Lord Viṣṇu. When He is in touch with external energy, (He) appears in the feature of Lord Śiva”. That Brahma-saṁhitā says. That Brahma-saṁhitā says about Lord Śiva. Kṣīraṁ yathā dadhi vikāra-viśeṣa-yogāt sañjāyate na hi tataḥ pṛthag asti hetoḥ yaḥ śambhutām api tathā samupaiti kāryād govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi [Brahmā samihita 5.45]. That Brahma-saṁhitā says it, the same thing. Lord Śiva is non different from Viṣṇu. Example - milk and yogurt. Example is given milk and yogurt, kṣīraṁ yathā dadhi vikāra-viśeṣa-yogāt. Do you understand? Yogurt is formed out of milk. If you just put some acid, do you understand, to it, sour thing, one lemon also, lemon juice, the yogurt prepared. So, yogurt is non-different from milk. Similarly Lord Śiva is non-different from Lord Viṣṇu. But, yogurt can be turned into milk? No, no, yogurt cannot be turned into milk and yogurt cannot be said as milk, no. Do you understand? Dugdha haite nāre [CC Madhya 20.309] it is said dugdha haite nāre, it cannot be turned into milk. It cannot be said as milk, dugdhāntara vastu nahe, dugdha haite nāre, it’s not different from milk, but it cannot be said milk. It cannot be turned into milk. Because something is added to it. That is acid. Do you understand? But milk, there is no addition at all. Similarly this is difference between Lord Viṣṇu and Lord Śiva. That is stated here by Śrīla Prabhupāda. This is difference between Lord Viṣṇu and Lord Śiva. Lord Viṣṇu is unattached to material energy or external energy. He’s not attached, whereas Śiva is attached, do you understand, whereas Śiva is attached to external energy. Lord Viṣṇu is not attached. This is the difference between Lord Viṣṇu and Lord Śiva. And Śiva is very, Lord Śiva is very, very powerful personality. Very, very powerful personality. He’s more powerful than Lord Brahmā also. He’s more powerful than Lord Brahmā. Therefore Lord Śiva is worshipped. Lord Śiva is worshipped. Lord Śiva gives all material things, material opulence, material name, fame, prestige, everything Lord Śiva gives. Everything he gives. Yesterday evening I told you how that poor brāhmaṇa worshipped Lord Śiva at Kāśī. For wealth and Lord Śiva gave benediction, “Go to Sanatāna Goswāmī. He has wealth, he will give you.” Therefore he got that wonderful touchstone. It’s very wonderful. If you can touch a piece of iron at that touchstone, that piece of iron will turn into gold. But by the association of Śrī Sanatāna Goswāmī he got something extraordinarily, very, very, that wealth, valuable wealth, that is nāma-prema. Kick off that wonderful touchstone. By the mercy of Lord Śiva that brāhmaṇa could get it. This is the mercy of Lord Śiva. Do you understand? This is the mercy of Lord Śiva. Vaiṣṇavānāṁ yathā śambhuḥ, śambhuḥ, Lord Śiva, is also a Vaiṣṇava. I was telling, Lord Śiva was dancing like a madman, do you understand, and singing also. That’s known as tāṇḍava-nṛtya. Nirantara kahe śiva, ‘muñi kṛṣṇa-dāsa’ [cc adi 6.80]. What he says? (He) always says, “I am a servant of Kṛṣṇa.” Nirantara kahe śiva, ‘muñi kṛṣṇa-dāsa’. I am a servant of Kṛṣṇa. He’s just singing this thing and dancing. And so ecstatic in that bhāva. He’s so powerful that he’s able to drink the whole ocean-like poison. Thereby he is so powerful. Do you understand? If someone will be as powerful as Lord Śiva, then he can also drink, but nobody is prepared to drink. Why shall we drink a poison? We must have nectar. We don’t want poison. Do you understand? But Lord Śiva is so magnanimous. He always accepts all the rejected stuff. He is known as Bhūta-nātha. All the ghosts are with him, Bhūta-nātha. He lives in a crematorium ground. No house at all. No living place at all. All the animals are with him. All the ghosts are with him. Nobody wants... All the demons, all the Yakṣas, all the Rākṣasas, they are all with Śiva. Nobody wants to take them. They are all rejected. Lord Śiva, “All right, come to me, come to me, come to me. I will give you shelter.” They all are there, because he accepts all rejected stuff, all rejected stuff. This is Lord Śiva. He’s so merciful. So magnanimous, very, very powerful, even more powerful than Lord Brahmā.
It’s said, Śambhuḥ, Rudra, is born out of Brahmā, but he’s more powerful than Brahmā. Śrīla Rūpa Goswāmī has mentioned in Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindu there are 64 qualities in Lord Kṛṣṇa. Do you understand? 64 qualities. Out of 64 qualities some 50 qualities in minute form are in every living entity. Do you understand? But in Lord Brahmā, Lord Śiva, Lord Indra, demigods, they possess 55 qualities, possess 55 qualities. 5 qualities more than ordinary living entity. Do you understand? The 50 qualities, those are in very minute form, quantity in every living entity, those qualities are in some greater degree there in Lord Śiva, Lord Brahmā, Lord Indra, etc. And more 5 qualities are there, do you understand, in the demigods. They possess 55 qualities. All other Viṣṇu-tattvas, Lord Viṣṇu, Lord Nārāyaṇa, Nṛsiṁha, Vāmana, do you understand? Many Viṣṇu-tattvas are there. Kṛṣṇa is the only avatāri, sarva-aṁśī, sarva-ādi (?), sarva-avatārī. Kṛṣṇa is the source of all incarnations. He’s Bhagavan with all Viṣṇu-tattvas. They possess 60 qualities, 60 qualities - 55 plus 5, 60 qualities. But Lord Kṛṣṇa has 64 qualities. So, kṛṣṇas tu bhagavan svayam [SB 1.3.28], Kṛṣṇa is the Bhagavan. These four qualities, there are four mādhuryas: rūpa-mādhurī, līlā-mādhurī, veṇu-mādhurī, rati-mādhurī. These four mādhuryas are only with Kṛṣṇa, not with any incarnation. Therefore Kṛṣṇa is Bhagavan. So, demigods, they possess 55 qualities. Brahmā possesses 55 qualities, Lord Śiva also possesses 55 qualities. But the qualities in Śiva is something more than with Brahmā, then with Brahmā, the same 55 qualities - something more, more in degree, not something more in number. Do you understand me? More in degree. And Lord Śiva has more controlling capacity than Lord Brahmā. Lord Śiva has more controlling capacity than Brahmā. Therefore Lord Śiva is worshipped. Vaiṣṇavas also worship Lord Śiva because he is a Vaiṣṇava, Vaiṣṇavānāṁ yathā śambhuḥ.
Gopīs in Vṛndāvana worship Gopīśwara, Lord Śiva. You can find that Gopīśwara temple in Vṛndāvana. Lord Śiva temple is there, it’s knows as Gopīśwara. Jaya jaya gopīśwara vṛndāvana-mājh, that in song you’ll find. Jaya jaya gopīśwara vṛndāvana-mājh. Lord Gopīśwara, Lord Śiva is glorified. He’s in Vṛndāvana. And gopīs are also worshipping that Śiva. Why? Why? Śiva is such a very powerful Vaiṣṇava, merciful Vaiṣṇava. If we can get his mercy, then we can have Kṛṣṇa (as) our husband. Kṛṣṇa as husband. They’re worshipping Lord Śiva and asking for this benediction, “O Lord Śiva, please shower your benediction upon us, let us have our beloved Kṛṣṇa.” And so by the mercy of Lord Śiva they get. So Vaiṣṇavas also worship Lord Śiva and we have this only prayer, “O Lord Śiva, bestow your mercy or benediction upon us that we’ll develop Kṛṣṇa bhakti, we’ll get Kṛṣṇa.” This is only purpose of worshipping Lord Śiva. Don’t worship Lord Śiva like demons, to get material wealth, name, fame and prestige, no. The demons worship Lord Śiva also to get material wealth, name, fame, prestige, and Lord Śiva awards them, yes, awards them. Lord Śiva also awards them. Sometimes he is put into trouble also by awarding such benediction to the demons, Lord Śiva is also put into trouble.
One Vṛkāsura was there who worshipped Lord Śiva. Āśutoṣa, very quickly, immediately satisfied, “Allright, what do you want?” Vṛkāsura said, “Please give me such benediction. If I touch the head of some person, he will be burned to ashes, finished. Give me this benediction.” Lord Śiva, you see, immediately granted, “O tat astu, tat astu, tat astu, let that be, you get it.” Immediately granted. Do you understand? So, that demon wanted to test it. “Yes, Śiva looks like a madman. What he says, is it true?” He couldn’t believe in him. He didn’t believe. So, demons are really such people, such type of people, they never believe. Do you understand? So, he wanted to test it. So, he ran after Śiva to put his hand on the head of Śiva and finish him. He ran after Śiva. Śivajī was put into trouble. Śivajī was running but, but what Śiva had said, that must come true. It’s not false. This must come true. Śivajī was running and demon was chasing him. You see? So, Śivajī at last went to Lord Nārāyaṇa for protection. Lord Nārāyaṇa could understand how Śivajī was in trouble by giving benediction to a demon. So, Lord Nārāyaṇa came out as brahmācari, and asked the demon, “Oh, why are you running, were you running after Śivajī?” “Oh, he has given me the benediction. I want to test is, to put my hand on his head.” “You nonsense, rascal! Why are you running after Lord Śiva, so long way, breathlessly running - huh huh huh - like that. Such a rascal, foolish person. Lord Śiva, you see, a madman, mad person. Do you believe in the words on mad person? Why running? Why don’t you put your hand on your own head and test it?” He made a trick. So, that demon put his own hand on his head, finished! (laughing) So, Lord Śiva is now saved. Lord Śiva is such a personality. He didn't think of why this demon is asking for this benediction. He didn’t think of, and why he asked such benediction, he didn’t think of, because he is in such ecstasy, in bhāva, Kṛṣṇa-bhāva, in such ecstasy. And the demons are there, he has allowed the demons to stay with him. So, they are always disturbing. So Lord Śiva wants to dispose of them very quickly, very quickly, do you understand, very quickly he wants,”Allright, what do you want? Allright, get it, get out, calo!” This is Lord Śiva. He very quickly wants to dispose of them and he cannot think of what he asks and what will be its result. You see? Such is Lord Śiva, such magnanimous heart. If we can get the mercy of Lord Śiva, Then we can develop Kṛṣṇa-bhakti. Many things are … this Śiva-tattva is …
Are we getting late? I’ll finish soon. Śiva-tattva is something, special tattva, its’ special tattva. It’s not jīva-tattva at all. No, not jīva-tattva. Śiva-tattva is some special tattva, sva-tantra tattva. Do you understand? And in many places in scripture, Vedic scripture you will find the name of demigods, do you understand, in the name of Viṣṇu you’ll find the name of demigods also, same names, Śiva, this Brahmā, huh, and Indra, like all these names you’ll find in the name of Viṣṇu. So there is confusion, “What is this, in the name of Viṣṇu, there Śiva’s name is there, Brahmā’s name is there, Indra's name is there in the name of Viṣṇu, and demigod name." It’s a confusion. Why is it so? It’s very confusing. Therefore I say, it should be understood in tattva, not apparently. There’s no apparent consideration. It’s tattva-vicāra, absolute consideration. What is that? The ācārya's have answered this question. Because, as my beloved Spiritual Master says in his purport, ahaṁ bīja-pradaḥ pitā [Bg. 14.4], I am the seed-giving father. Father expands himself. Isn’t it. The son is an expansion of father. Do you understand me? So, He has given His own names to the demigods, His own names. Do you understand? So, this is tattva. Otherwise one will be confused.
Thank you very much. - Jaya.