Vaishnava’s mood of studying- Bhakti Shastri Lecture

By His Holiness Radhanath Swami

Mumbai 14-09-05

(Lecture)

In Bhagvad Gita Krishna tells that ignorance must be cut by the sword of transcendental knowledge. In
the beginning of creation the Supreme Lord Krishna imparted transcendental knowledge to Lord
Brahma. 00.54XXXXXX The purpose of creation is that the Living entities realizes the frustrations, the
incompleteness in existing without Krishna, therefore before Brahma even creates the world which is a
01:22XXXXXXXXXXXX a world where everything is temporary, where there can be no real satisfaction,
the purpose of creation is revealed; for people to take shelter of the Lord through transcendental
knowledge, detachment and devotion. Through Parampara this knowledge has been passed out, we
understand that knowledge alone cannot give us spiritual realization. When we practice the knowledge
we get the gyana, we get experience, but unless we know what is to be done and what is not to be
done, unless we understand the nature of the soul, the nature of material nature- prakariti, the nature
of god, Ishvara, the nature of karma-why people are suffering here, the nature of time-the all
consuming supreme controller of material existence and their various interrelations, how will we know
the proper way to live, to achieve the ideals that are holy and true. Thus transcendental knowledge is
the basis of our spiritual lives that is why Srila Prabhupada said that the books are the basis. Unless we
know what to do we cannot build anything upon it that will have substantial purpose for our real well
being. Thus Krishna imparted transcendental knowledge at the very beginning of the universal creation
and it was Krishna’s will that it be passed down in the system of Parampara. 03:57XXXXXFrom Brahma to
Narada we know that amazing knowledge Narada imparted to so many personalities and it totally
transformed their lives- Dharuva Maharaj was frustrated by material existence, that is what material
existence is supposed to do to you-frustrate you. He was the son of a king, material nature its work, he
was in real in anxiety, and that point he met Narada Muni and that point Narada Muni gave him
transcendental knowledge. Not only knowledge of what is the truth but how to apply the knowledge to
realize it. Narada Muni spoke to him, the nature of soul, the nature of God, but how to worship god,
deity worship, chanting the names, tapasya and Dhruva Maharaj attained the ultimate perfection.

Prahlada Maharaj in the womb of his mother, he heard Narada Muni speak transcendental knowledge, it
transformed his life. As soon as Prahlada came out of the womb he applied that knowledge and
therefore he is a great MahaBhagavata and we worship him till today. Mrigrari the hunter, a demon, a
real cruel demon, a person whose greatest pleasure in life was to see others suffer-mercilessly torture
and enjoy see others suffer. Such a person became a most kind hearted loving servant of every living
entity because Narada Muni explained to him the nature of the soul, the nature of God, the nature of
the world and for him especially enlightening was the nature of the laws of karma and what was coming
upon him. And the practical application of purification by devotional service, by always remembering
Krishna and chanting his names, Mrigrari became a great saint glorified in the scriptures. Veda Vyasa is
the literary incarnation of Godhead. Transcendental knowledge is of such importance for the prospect of
all persons aspiring for real happiness and truth. That the Supreme lord incarnates as Veda Vyasa to
compile the Vedic literature and take the same message which was spoken to Brahma and pass down
through the ages and to write books, because in the age of kali, due to the degradation of Dharma,
people would not have the memory and intelligence to remember. So Veda Vyasa gave us the
benediction of scriptures and the culmination on the banks of Saraswati, by the order of Narada he had
written the Srimad Bhagvatam. Krishna explains in Gita to Arjuna that it is the nature of this world that
everything goes down. And therefore He has to keep coming back and reviving this knowledge. He tells
that this parampara of great kings passed down this truth. But in due course of time it appears to be
lost. So He is speaking again to revive it for the hope and salvation of humanity. Madhavacharya - one of
the great acharyas in our life-what was his knowledge! At that time people were misusing Vedas,
previous Brahmins exploiting people in the name of Vedic Knowledge. It is one of the greatest tragedies
in world history, when so called spiritual leaders misinterpret the scriptures for the purpose of exploiting
others with their own agenda. And the nature of the false ego is that people with their own agenda,
usually people really believed in the core of their hearts that they are right that they are truly
representing the will of God and that is called fanaticism. So yes, Brahmins they were living sinful lives
and they would justify it in the name of Vedas, slaughtering animals and justifying it in the name of
Vedas. Krishna is so kind; He appeared as Buddha and He had to teach in His own way the
transcendental knowledge- according to time place and circumstance, to give people a chance to learn
ahimsa, meditation, purification, non violence, and introspection. But in the process He discarded the
Vedas the necessary reasons. Sankaracharya brought the Vedic authority back, drove out the Buddhist
conception but he taught in a way that people would accept it which was covered Buddhism.
Ramajunacharya, Madhavacharya what was their knowledge! Sankaracharya had already established
the Vedas and they took the Vedas and explained that there is no question of doubt that the
culmination of true knowledge of the Vedas is bhakti and that Krishna or Vishnu is the Supreme
Personality of Godhead.

Madhavacharya walked all the way from Udipi to Badrikashram to receive knowledge at the feet of Veda
Vyasa and by the power of the books that he wrote, even his own guru Achutapraksheya, surrendered
to him. So comprehensive, is the power of knowledge. These are the acharyas. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu
the Supreme Lord appeared in the great Parampara and Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s lila is so very
illuminating because he was the greatest academic scholar that anyone had any one seen. The digvijay
pundit Keshava Kashmiri who was victorious in debates throughout the land was defeated by Lord
Caitanya, in such away that He crushed his pride without hurting his heart- that is preaching. He did not
break his heart, He did not humiliate him, He retained the man’s integrity and dignity toward himself
and with in the world but at the same time crushed his pride and that is called compassion. In Krishna
consciousness we are not after simply defeating people but we are after transformation of people’s
hearts. So what a scholar He was. And He appeared to be very arrogant in his scholarship also until he
met His Guru Maharaj Ishvara Puri in Gaya, took initiation, and received knowledge from His guru, the
transcendental knowledge of parampara and was ordered to spread throughout the world through
Harinaam Kirtan. Amazing story. From then on Caitanya Mahaprabhu taught this principle 14:33 XXXXX
He was supremely knowledgeable but more humble than a blade of grass. This is the Lord’s example.
Amazing! He took sanyasa, why? Out of compassion- to reach the intellectual class of people who did
not accept him because he was a simple grahasta, because in those days people did not have so much
honor and respect for grihastas especially when they are teaching bhakti. If it is a mayavadi, everybody
would listen but for bhakti, you had to have authority. So He took sanyasa, went to Puri and there He
had that incredible discussion in the Lord Jagannath’s temple with Sarvabhauma Bhattacharya. He was
one of the foremost authorities in whole world in the Sankaracharya’s interpretation of the Vedanta.
Unbelievable stuff! There is no one of the likeness of Sarvabhauma Bhattacharya on the planet today, he
was powerful, deeply cultured, he was an incarnation of Brahaspati, and his scholarship was not of this
world it was beyond it. The demigods learn the scriptures from Brahaspati. Caitanya Mahaprabhu, what
was His technique, it wasn’t just to defeat him but to change his heart. He could have just come out with
a thunderbolt of debate and just brought Sarvabhauma to his knees, but instead He offered him all the
respect like a fatherly person. Lord Caitanya honored him as a senior, sat in Jagannath temple for several
days, humbly listened to what he said. And in the end when Sarvabhauma Bhattacharya asked, “Have
you understood?” The Lord with his permission replied and defeated everything he had said. Because
the way He did it, Sarvabhauma’s heart was so open that it was transformed. Sarvabhauma
Bhattacharya became a pure unalloyed Vaishnav, who could not even tolerate the word mukti, bhakti
was the only truth. That was Mahaprabhu’s knowledge. So yes, Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu wanted to
disseminate this knowledge throughout the world and He did it through the six Goswamis. He defeated
Prakashananda Thakur. Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu wanted books to be written; to very very deeply
delineate that Krishna is the Supreme personality of Godhead and the understanding of how to realize
Him.

So what were the qualifications He saw in Rupa and Sanatana that He chose them to be the founders,
the acaryas of our sampradaya. It was their good qualities. When Lord Caitanya met Rupa Goswami at
Prayag, his humility, his eagerness to serve, his genuine good qualities really conquered the heart of
Lord Caitanya and He understood that this is the person that I can entrust the highest truth for the
whole world to hear from. Lord Caitanya embraced Rupa Goswami and empowered him from within his
heart the ability so he could fully understand Lord Caitanya’s own heart. He instructed him for 10 days in
Prayag. For two months He instructed Sanatana Goswami , who was a prime minister of an entire
kingdom he was so eager for Krishna Consciousness that he renounced everything for that purpose. And
he fell at the feet of Lord Caitanya: I do not know anything; I am ignorant, I do not know who I am. I do
not know why I am suffering. People call me a pundit and I believe them. That is my shameless
condition. Please save me. That is the attitude in which transcendental knowledge can transform our
heart and a person with some karma to have good intelligence can learn can memorize and can speak.
But we give very little importance to that. We have thousands of universities throughout the world
today with people with that incredible karma to be able to learn, to memorize and to speak. And there
are so many people in the name of religion who are learning scriptures and they have that power as well
but many are misleading people. We find that Lord Caitanya showed the world through Rupa and
Sanatana that unless one is really humble, really has a service attitude, then knowledge can have the
opposite effect of what it is supposed to do. Instead of bringing us closer to God, that same knowledge
can push us farther from the Lord. Because if we become proud, if we think we are better than others
because of what we know then we make offences; we will be driven away from the Lord. Offences drive
us away from the Lord. The Lord cannot tolerate pride in His devotees, to show the world He left the
Gopis. Of course this is lesson to the world and there is a deeper internal understanding. But Krishna
leaves the raas lila with the Gopis when He senses pride in their hearts. If He leaves the Gopis when He
senses pride then what is our position if we have pride? When Krishna wants to make a statement He
makes it very clear. But in Kaliyuga even so very few people are willing to hear it and understand it. So
yes, knowledge is power but unless knowledge is in the hands of a person who is qualified it could
mislead others and it could just destroy the person him or herself and that is a fact. Thus Caitanya
Mahaprabhu spoke to Rupa and Sanatana Goswami who were the supreme personifications of the
qualities of humility and good character. When Rupa and Sanatana Goswami came to Jagannath Puri,
Lord Caitanya entrusted them to Svarupa Goswami to learn. And in that wonderful assembly of great
Vaishnavas, they all tested Rupa Goswami’s knowledge, and they all tested his good qualities and they
all unanimously affirmed that he was the one to disseminate the highest truth to the world. He can
reveal Lord Caitanya’s heart through his books.

We should look at the character of the great acharyas of our sampradaya. Kaviraj Goswami, he was the
next in the line of parampara. He received knowledge form Rupa and Raghunatha. He is praying at their
lotus feet in every chapter humbling himself. He is considering himself more fallen then the worm in the
stool, more fallen then Jagai and Madhai. If anyone hears my name they lose their piety, if anyone
speaks my name they become sinful. He went to every vaishnav, begged at their feet for their
permission to speak. His speaking was his writing; he did not do it for his name and fame. Prabhupada
explains this. Krishnadas Kaviraj did not write to make his name great in history. It was the order of the
Vaishnavas and he was simply obedient to the orders of the Vaishnavas and he took the blessings of
every Vaishnava and took the blessing of the deities. Then only did he feel that he could be an
instrument of their mercy. He considered that he did nothing, he simply was the instrument. It was
because of the mercy of the gurus and Vaishnava, Krishna was speaking through him; took no credit.
That is the preacher. That is how transcendental knowledge must be realized and that’s what empowers
us to affect people’s hearts; not only their minds and intelligence but their hearts.

Narottam Das Thakur: how he served his guru, cleaning his urine and stool secretly without any
adoration, he just did it because he was eager for menial service. Hare Krishna. Prabhupada said that a
simple poems of Narottam Das Thakur although in common Bengali language, has the important
potency of the Vedas because of his love, his devotion, and these qualities. So this is our parampara.
Vishvanath Chakravarty Thakur what a knowledgeable person. Baladeva Vidyabhusan: His commentary
on Vedanta Sutra- Supreme. He established the teachings of Caitanya Mahaprabhu in circles that they
were not properly accepted –such knowledge. It was passed down. Thakur Bhaktivinod, what volumes
and volumes of contribution of books that he has given. We will never understand his contribution to
the world. He presented not only the pure unalloyed teachings of Lord Caitanya and Lord Krishna but he
did it in such innovative ways that the modern people could actually be attracted and understand it and
accept it. His son, Bhaktivedanta Saraswati Thakur he took the vision of Bhaktivinod Thakur and made it
a reality. He opened centers, he initiated thousands of people and trained them to be preachers and he
desired to send them all over the world. Then we have Srila Prabhupada our beloved Guru Maharaj, the
founder acharya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness. When he came off Jaladuta in
New York City he did not have anything but he was totally confident of the success of his mission
because he had his crate of books. Prabhupada spent so much of his time and so much of his life’s
energy to show his love for Lord and all living beings in all of his books. For hours and hours every night
he deeply studied in the solitude of his quarters, the slokas and the purports of all the previous
acharyas. He prayed at the lotus feet of the lord and his guru and all the acharyas to synthesize the
revelations of all these great personalities and present in the way that it would transform the hearts of
people in this world in the English language. Prabhupada explains that one should not write books for
any other reason but to carryout the orders of the Guru and the Vaishnavas. Prabhupada said we should
preach and write in the spirit that we are doing this for our own purification. Volumes of literature came
out. Prabhupada’s Bhagavat Gita is the largest selling Bhagavat Gita in the history of the world. Without
doubt the largest circulation of Srimad Bhagvatam, Caitanya Caritamrita, Nectar of Devotion,
Ishopanishad: anything Prabhupada did, it became the largest circulation in the planet, in history. That
was his enthusiasm. Yes, he took the message of Rupa and Sanatana as it was digested and realized by
the great souls and presented it to us. And he wanted us to distribute it. Why did Srila Prabhupada put
so much effort in writing so many books, because of its great significance in our lives. When I first came
to America from India in 1972, I was in New York City to meet Srila Prabhupada. At that time book
distribution was just starting to become serious, mostly “Back to Godhead” and Prabhupada at that
time, I remember in a class, he really impressed that, “I am not writing these books simply not for you to
distribute it but I am writing these books for you to read it to understand it and to appreciate its value
then only you would have real conviction to distribute it to transform people’s heart.

One time in Vrindavan, Prabhupada said real tapasya is to read my books at least 5-6 hours everyday. He
was trying to really emphasize that he wanted people to read his books. He told the devotees that I am
writing theses books for you, if you do not read them and you do not understand them then you could
fall down to Maya at anytime. Because the illusory energy is so powerful, so bewildering that unless we
can discriminate with our intelligence: what is reality? What is truth? Then we will easily be diverted,
captured by Maya. Captured by sense gratification, captured by ego, captured by Mayavadi conception:
it is inevitable, we have seen it: Unless we have a strong basis. Prabhupada said that the books are the
basis. In his temples and I remember well, during his time, it was mandatory for all temple devotees, in
those days there was no congregation, it was temple devotees, we chanted our 16 rounds, we attended
Mangal aarti. Everyday there was Bhagvatam class in the morning and Bhagvat Gita class in the evening.
It was mandatory. Prabhupada wanted us to scientifically and systematically understand his books very
carefully because it would protect us from maya. Kaviraj Goswami explains in this world in order to be
strong you have to eat food grains. Hearing and chanting are the food grains that make us spiritually
strong: Hearing and chanting in the association of devotees. Prabhupada has given us the most the most
perfect presentation therefore; we bow our head and worship him from the core of our hearts because
he has given us the greatest treasure of his books. Prabhupada said that his books were his devotional
ecstasies. Prabhupada’s books are the expression of his supreme compassion of his heart and the hearts
of all the great acaryas and Sri Sri Radha Gopinath in the spiritual world. That compassion has been
passed down and is manifesting in its fullness in Prabhupada’s books and he took no credit for his books;
not at all. He considered it Krishna and his guru simply speaking through him. He told the servants on
many occasions that I am not writing these books, it is Krishna. Very recently I was with Shurtakirti
Prabhu in Ukraine, and he was emphasizing how wonderful it was when Prabhupada’s favorite pass time
to have the devotees read Krishna book to him. And even when devotees were not around they would
see Prabhupada sitting there absorbed totally in reading Krishna book. Prabhupada said it may appear
peculiar that an author is so attached to reading his own books but he said with such humility and with
such conviction; I did not write these books, these books are written by Krishna, I was just the
instrument. Yes Prabhupada’s books are the very substance and basis of our lives. Whatever we are is
due to the mercy that is manifested through his books and Srila Prabhupada wanted his books to be
studied systematically and scientifically and very sincerely. He wanted his books to be in classrooms in
colleges and so Bhaktitirtha Swami Maharaja was travelling around putting his books in colleges and
Prabhupada embraced him and wept tears of affection and gratitude for him for doing it. And Srila
Prabhupada felt that in order for the devotees in our society to be strong; they must know these books.
Prabhupada said just like the lawyer knows the law books so should we know his books, if we have that
capacity to do so. Therefore Srila Prabhupada established the Bhakti Shastri program. There should be
classes, there should be tests: Bhakti by BhaktiShastri then the next level Bhakti Vaibhava and then next
level Bhakti Vedanta. He said you give degrees just like in college; you give degrees to the devotees.
And he explained what books and what subjects to be studied on each level. So please understand that
what you have just participated in to study Bhakti Shastri program and your tests today, it is all
completely organized arranged and inspired by Srila Prabhupada himself. His disciples’ grand disciples
just filled in the details. But he the outline he gave the plan the inspiration out of his compassion out of
his love.

The purpose of life is to absorb ourselves in Krishna, if we are not absorbed in Krishna then the mind is
going to be absorbed in something else, it cannot be idle. Prabhupada wanted people who had an
intellectual capacity to be absorbed in Krishna and what better way than to be absorbed in His names
than in Prabhupada’s books. This is a great benediction. These exams impel us to absorb ourselves and
there is nothing sweeter than that. Because for most of us, unless there is some pressure upon us we
don’t get absorbed. We will just in a very relaxed way reading the books and fall asleep while doing that.
But when there is an exam there is less likelihood that you will fall asleep when we are studying. Just
Like one very senior devotee told me recently was that the only time I am seriously absorbed in reading
Prabhupada’s books is when I am preparing for a lecture to so many people because there is that
pressure on me. Thats usually when you have to prepare because there is expectations upon you. Often
times that is a very important incentive to take things very seriously otherwise you will look like a fool
and worse than that you will not be able to perform your service; you will not be an instrument. To the
degree we are not absorbed in Krishna we cannot be an instrument of Krishna. So Prabhupada wanted
these exams to make sure that people really are diving deeply into his books and he wanted these
exams to be an opportunity for the devotees to absorb themselves in books. I want to ask a question.
Most of the devotees, who have assembled here, have you ever been so absorbed in deeply trying to
study and understand Prabhupada’s books as you have been preparing for this exam today. Please raise
your hands if you have had this experience. How many of you have been more absorbed in studying
Prabhupada’s books in other times? How many of you are awake? Anyways if we took this exam
seriously you were absorbed, so these exams are very important, they are meant to help us absorb
ourselves in transcendental knowledge, its Prabhupada’s plan, it is a wonderful plan. I want to greatly
emphasize that if getting good grades in this exam and getting your Bhakti Shastri Degree makes you
proud then it has defeated its own purpose. We must follow in the footsteps of Rupa and Sanatana
Goswami and for this reason we have hosted this wonderful depiction from Krishna Book. Gauranga
Prabhu can you hold it up for everyone to see? I would like everyone to say line by line aloud and
together.

Everyone repeat after me from the core of your hearts very loudly: “Although he is a disciple of the
divine sage Vyasa and has thoroughly learnt many scriptures from him, including the law books of
religious duties, and the epic histories and Puranas, all this study has not produced good qualities in him,
rather his study of the scriptures is like an actor studying his part, for he is not self controlled or humble.
And he feignly presumes himself as a scholarly authority though he has failed to conquer his own mind.”
Now here Balarama is emphasizing, know how we use an exclamation point to emphasize, an
exclamation point is put on what he has just said with the shape of a kusa grass. What was
Romaharshan’s defect that Balarama was so angry with? He was extremely learned, extremely famous
as a scholar, a person who was an associate of Vyaasdev; thoroughly learned in scriptures with amazing
ability and capacity to speak with charisma to mesmerize others. He had all these things but he was
proud. He was not feeling a need to offer respects to others. XXXXXXXXX46:46 Therefore Balarama in
the next sloka says that I have descended him to this world to eliminate hypocrites who appear as
religious leaders. So he could not tolerate this false pride. The other sages sitting here, they were not
nearly as learned as Romaharshan but they were very dear to Balarama. For our Bhakti Shastri degree
and our Bhaktivedanta program we try to teach very carefully the importance of Vaishnava qualities and
skills that we can use in Krishna’s service. This is all important. When you take your exam today this
should be your goal; to please Prabhupada, to please the Guru and to please the previous acaryas and
not to be good, to be simply get good grades, and not to be the top of your class. Try the upmost best
you can, get the best possible grade but for your own purification and to please guru and the
Vaishnavas. Not for prestige, not for position, not for fame; that is not our purpose. You should take this
exam for your own purification, you should absorb yourself and do well to glorify guru and Krishna; and
absorb yourself in this way. And whatever you learn take it for the purpose for deepening your own
realizations and for instructing others. Prabhupada wanted his devotees to learn his books thoroughly
for two reasons; one to purify their own hearts and two to give them the capacity to transform people’s
hearts as instruments of mercy and to be able to deal with any type of question, any type of challenge or
doubt and represent guru and Krishna. That is what you are all being empowered with.

This is a wonderful opportunity: whatever your grade may be, it is not what is really important. What is
important is that Krishna sees the purpose in which everything is offered to Him. Our purpose is to be
rightly situated in whatever we do. Many of you have been to colleges and have the intellectual
capacities: use them according to Prabhupada’s order to use maximum capacity to understand his
books. That is what this is about. Don’t be after simply a good grade that is not our purpose for taking
this exam, the purpose is that we are trying to humbly and sincerely please guru and Krishna and the
Vaishnavas by doing the best we can by reciprocating with Prabhupada, by answering the questions to
our capacity to please him, not to please your own ego, to please him. Make the taking of this test an
act of reciprocating his love in a very humble and sincere manner, not aiming a certificate in your room
so people can think that you are Shastriji: that is not the point. We are humbly reciprocating
Prabhupada’s love and trying to please him by doing our utmost best. And if you do your utmost best
then your preparation and your taking of this exam, then you get the highest grades. So please let us all
fold our hands, bow our heads at the lotus feet of our Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Prabhupada, and
all the acharyas of our Rupanuga sampradaya and beg for their blessings so that we can be empowered
to live with all humility according to the most exalted teachings that we are studying. And let us pray
from the core of our hearts that the taking of this Bhaktishastri exam will be a sincere offering, an
offering of heart’s devotion at the lotus feet of guru and Gauranga.

Srila Prabhupada ki Jai. My special gratitude to all of the faculty members and the administrators of the
Bhaktivedanta Academy, Bhaktivedanta Academy for culture and education. They work very hard, it is
really a dream that has come true. It has been a dream of ours of many years to have this academy, to
have the facility to make this available. I have profuse gratitude for the devotees who have put together
and my eternal gratitude for participating and taking it so seriously. I thank you very very much. Hare
Krishna. I request to offer the question paper to Srila Prabhupada, this will make all of your test papers
mahaprasad.

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Bhakti Shastri lecture, receiving transcendental knowledge in a mood of humility, purpose of gaining
transcendental knowledge and Bhakti Shastri degree.