This chapter describes how Indra, the King of heaven, was victorious over
the soldiers of the demons, and it also describes the shield of the Viñëu mantra.
To take protection from this shield, one must first touch kuça grass and
wash one's mouth with äcamana-mantras. One should observe silence and then
place the eight-syllable Viñëu mantra on the parts of his body and place the
twelve-syllable mantra on his hands. The eight-syllable mantra is oà namo
näräyaëäya. This mantra should be distributed all over the front and back of
the body. The twelve-syllable mantra, which begins with the praëava, oàkära,
is oà namo bhagavate väsudeväya. One syllable should be placed on each of the
fingers and should be preceded by the praëava, oàkära. Thereafter, one must
chant oà viñëave namaù, which is a six-syllable mantra. One must progressively
place the syllables of the mantra on the heart, the head, between the two
eyebrows, on the çikhä and between the eyes, and then one should chant maù
asträya phaö and with this mantra protect himself from all directions. Nädevo
devam arcayet: one who has not risen to the level of a deva cannot chant this
mantra. According to this direction of the çästra, one must think himself
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455
qualitatively nondifferent from the Supreme.
After finishing this dedication, one must offer a prayer to the eight-armed
Lord Viñëu, who sits on the shoulders of Garuòadeva. One also has to think of
the fish incarnation, Vämana, Kürma, Nåsiàha, Varäha, Paraçuräma,
Rämacandra (the elder brother of Lakñmaëa). Nara-Näräyaëa, Dattätreya (an
empowered incarnation), Kapila, Sanat-kumära, Hayagréva, Näradadeva (the
incarnation of a devotee). Dhanvantari, Åñabhadeva, Yajïa, Balaräma,
Vyäsadeva, Buddhadeva and Keçava. One should also think of Govinda, the
master of Våndävana, and one should think of Näräyaëa, the master of the
spiritual sky. One should think of Madhusüdana, Tridhämä, Mädhava,
Håñékeça, Padmanäbha, Janärdana, Dämodara and Viçveçvara, as well as the
Supreme Personality of Godhead Kåñëa Himself. After offering prayers to the
Lord's personal expansions known as the sväàça and çaktyäveça-avatäras, one
should pray to the weapons of Lord Näräyaëa, such as the Sudarçana, gadä,
çaìkha, khaòga and bow.
After explaining this process, Çukadeva Gosvämé told Mahäräja Parékñit
how Viçvarüpa, the brother of Våträsura, described the glories of the
Näräyaëa-kavaca to Indra.
TEXTS 1-2
çré-räjoväca
yayä guptaù sahasräkñaù
savähän ripu-sainikän
copyright ©
Thursday, November 18, 2010
BUDDHA - PURPOSE?
The word sura-dviñäm, which in this verse means "of the enemies of the
demigods," also refers to the atheists. Çrémad-Bhägavatam elsewhere says that
Lord Buddha appeared for the purpose of bewildering the demons or atheists.
The Supreme Personality of Godhead always awards His benediction to
devotees. The Lord Himself confirms this in Bhagavad-gétä (9.31):
kaunteya pratijänéhi
na me bhaktaù praëaçyati
"O son of Kunté, declare it boldly that My devotee never perishes."
TEXT 40
demigods," also refers to the atheists. Çrémad-Bhägavatam elsewhere says that
Lord Buddha appeared for the purpose of bewildering the demons or atheists.
The Supreme Personality of Godhead always awards His benediction to
devotees. The Lord Himself confirms this in Bhagavad-gétä (9.31):
kaunteya pratijänéhi
na me bhaktaù praëaçyati
"O son of Kunté, declare it boldly that My devotee never perishes."
TEXT 40
HOW MANY BUDDHAS?
TEXT 1
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614
çré-çuka uväca
bharatasyätmajaù sumatir nämäbhihito yam u ha väva kecit päkhaëòina
åñabha-padavém anuvartamänaà cänäryä aveda-samämnätäà devatäà
sva-manéñayä päpéyasyä kalau kalpayiñyanti.
SYNONYMS
çré-çukaù uväca—Çré Çukadeva Gosvämé continued to speak; bharatasya—of
Bharata Mahäräja; ätma-jaù—the son; sumatiù näma-abhihitaù—named
Sumati; yam—unto whom; u ha väva—indeed; kecit—some;
päkhaëòinaù—atheists, men without Vedic knowledge; åñabha-padavém—the
path of King Åñabhadeva; anuvartamänam—following; ca—and;
anäryäù—not belonging to the Äryans who strictly follow the Vedic
principles; aveda-samämnätäm—not enumerated in the Vedas; devatäm—to be
Lord Buddha or a similar Buddhist deity; sva-manéñayä—by their own mental
speculation; päpéyasyä—most sinful; kalau—in this age of Kali;
kalpayiñyanti—will imagine.
TRANSLATION
Çréla Çukadeva Gosvämé continued: The son of Mahäräja Bharata known as
Sumati followed the path of Åñabhadeva, but some unscrupulous people
imagined him to be Lord Buddha himself. These people, who were actually
atheistic and of bad character, took up the Vedic principles in an imaginary,
infamous way to support their activities. Thus these sinful people accepted
Sumati as Lord Buddhadeva and propagated the theory that everyone should
follow the principles of Sumati. In this way they were carried away by mental
concoction.
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615
PURPORT
Those who are Äryans strictly follow the Vedic principles, but in this age of
Kali a community has sprung up known as the ärya-samäja, which is ignorant
of the import of the Vedas in the paramparä system. Their leaders decry all
bona fide äcäryas, and they pose themselves as the real followers of the Vedic
principles. These äcäryas who do not follow the Vedic principles are presently
known as the ärya-samäjas, or the Jains. Not only do they not follow the Vedic
principles, but they have no relationship with Lord Buddha. Imitating the
behavior of Sumati, they claim to be the descendants of Åñabhadeva. Those
who are Vaiñëavas carefully avoid their company because they are ignorant of
the path of the Vedas. In Bhagavad-gétä (15.15) Kåñëa says, vedaiç ca sarvair
aham eva vedyaù: "The real purpose of the Vedas is to understand Me." This is
the injunction of all Vedic literatures. One who does not know the greatness
of Lord Kåñëa cannot be accepted as an Äryan. Lord Buddha, an incarnation
of Lord Kåñëa, adopted a particular means to propagate the philosophy of
bhägavata-dharma. He preached almost exclusively among atheists. Atheists do
not want any God, and Lord Buddha therefore said that there is no God, but
he adopted the means to instruct his followers for their benefit. Therefore he
preached in a duplicitous way, saying that there is no God. Nonetheless, he
himself was an incarnation of God.
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614
çré-çuka uväca
bharatasyätmajaù sumatir nämäbhihito yam u ha väva kecit päkhaëòina
åñabha-padavém anuvartamänaà cänäryä aveda-samämnätäà devatäà
sva-manéñayä päpéyasyä kalau kalpayiñyanti.
SYNONYMS
çré-çukaù uväca—Çré Çukadeva Gosvämé continued to speak; bharatasya—of
Bharata Mahäräja; ätma-jaù—the son; sumatiù näma-abhihitaù—named
Sumati; yam—unto whom; u ha väva—indeed; kecit—some;
päkhaëòinaù—atheists, men without Vedic knowledge; åñabha-padavém—the
path of King Åñabhadeva; anuvartamänam—following; ca—and;
anäryäù—not belonging to the Äryans who strictly follow the Vedic
principles; aveda-samämnätäm—not enumerated in the Vedas; devatäm—to be
Lord Buddha or a similar Buddhist deity; sva-manéñayä—by their own mental
speculation; päpéyasyä—most sinful; kalau—in this age of Kali;
kalpayiñyanti—will imagine.
TRANSLATION
Çréla Çukadeva Gosvämé continued: The son of Mahäräja Bharata known as
Sumati followed the path of Åñabhadeva, but some unscrupulous people
imagined him to be Lord Buddha himself. These people, who were actually
atheistic and of bad character, took up the Vedic principles in an imaginary,
infamous way to support their activities. Thus these sinful people accepted
Sumati as Lord Buddhadeva and propagated the theory that everyone should
follow the principles of Sumati. In this way they were carried away by mental
concoction.
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615
PURPORT
Those who are Äryans strictly follow the Vedic principles, but in this age of
Kali a community has sprung up known as the ärya-samäja, which is ignorant
of the import of the Vedas in the paramparä system. Their leaders decry all
bona fide äcäryas, and they pose themselves as the real followers of the Vedic
principles. These äcäryas who do not follow the Vedic principles are presently
known as the ärya-samäjas, or the Jains. Not only do they not follow the Vedic
principles, but they have no relationship with Lord Buddha. Imitating the
behavior of Sumati, they claim to be the descendants of Åñabhadeva. Those
who are Vaiñëavas carefully avoid their company because they are ignorant of
the path of the Vedas. In Bhagavad-gétä (15.15) Kåñëa says, vedaiç ca sarvair
aham eva vedyaù: "The real purpose of the Vedas is to understand Me." This is
the injunction of all Vedic literatures. One who does not know the greatness
of Lord Kåñëa cannot be accepted as an Äryan. Lord Buddha, an incarnation
of Lord Kåñëa, adopted a particular means to propagate the philosophy of
bhägavata-dharma. He preached almost exclusively among atheists. Atheists do
not want any God, and Lord Buddha therefore said that there is no God, but
he adopted the means to instruct his followers for their benefit. Therefore he
preached in a duplicitous way, saying that there is no God. Nonetheless, he
himself was an incarnation of God.
BUDDHA WORSHIP?
The impersonalists and the voidists also have to see the form of the
Absolute. In Buddhist temples there are forms of Lord Buddha in meditation,
but these are not worshiped like the forms of the Lord in Vaiñëava temples
(forms like Rädhä-Kåñëa, Sétä-Räma or Lakñmé-Näräyaëa). Amongst the
different sampradäyas (Vaiñëava sects) either Rädhä-Kåñëa or
Lakñmé-Näräyaëa is worshiped. Lord Çiva wants to see that form perfectly, just
as the devotees want to see it. I he words rüpaà priyatamaà svänäm are
specifically mentioned here, indicating that Lord Çiva wants to see that form
which is very dear to the devotees. The word svänäm is especially significant
because only the devotees are very, very dear to the Supreme Personality of
Godhead. The jïänés, yogés and karmés are not particularly dear, for the karmés
simply want to see the Supreme Personality of Godhead as their order supplier.
The jïänés want to see Him to become one with Him, and the yogés want to see
Him partially represented within their heart as Paramätmä, but the bhaktas, or
the devotees, want to see Him in His complete perfection. As stated in
Brahma-saàhitä (5.30):
veëuà kvaëantam aravinda-daläyatäkñaà
barhävataàsam asitämbuda-sundaräìgam
kandarpa-koöi-kamanéya-viçeña-çobhaà
govindam ädi-puruñaà tam ahaà bhajämi
"I worship Govinda, the primeval Lord, who is adept at playing on His flute,
whose eyes are blooming like lotus petals, whose head is bedecked with peacock
feathers, whose beauty is tinged with the hue of blue clouds, and whose unique
loveliness charms millions of Cupids." Thus Lord Çiva's desire is to see the
Supreme Personality of Godhead as He is described in this way-that is, he
wants to see Him as He appears to the bhägavatas, the devotees. The
conclusion is that Lord Çiva wants to see Him in complete perfection and not
in the impersonalist or voidist way. Although the Lord is one in His various
forms (advaitam acyutam anädim), still His form as the young enjoyer of the
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427
gopés and companion of the cowherd boys (kiçora-mürti) is the most perfect
form. Thus Vaiñëavas accept the form of the Lord in His Våndävana pastimes
as the chief form.
Absolute. In Buddhist temples there are forms of Lord Buddha in meditation,
but these are not worshiped like the forms of the Lord in Vaiñëava temples
(forms like Rädhä-Kåñëa, Sétä-Räma or Lakñmé-Näräyaëa). Amongst the
different sampradäyas (Vaiñëava sects) either Rädhä-Kåñëa or
Lakñmé-Näräyaëa is worshiped. Lord Çiva wants to see that form perfectly, just
as the devotees want to see it. I he words rüpaà priyatamaà svänäm are
specifically mentioned here, indicating that Lord Çiva wants to see that form
which is very dear to the devotees. The word svänäm is especially significant
because only the devotees are very, very dear to the Supreme Personality of
Godhead. The jïänés, yogés and karmés are not particularly dear, for the karmés
simply want to see the Supreme Personality of Godhead as their order supplier.
The jïänés want to see Him to become one with Him, and the yogés want to see
Him partially represented within their heart as Paramätmä, but the bhaktas, or
the devotees, want to see Him in His complete perfection. As stated in
Brahma-saàhitä (5.30):
veëuà kvaëantam aravinda-daläyatäkñaà
barhävataàsam asitämbuda-sundaräìgam
kandarpa-koöi-kamanéya-viçeña-çobhaà
govindam ädi-puruñaà tam ahaà bhajämi
"I worship Govinda, the primeval Lord, who is adept at playing on His flute,
whose eyes are blooming like lotus petals, whose head is bedecked with peacock
feathers, whose beauty is tinged with the hue of blue clouds, and whose unique
loveliness charms millions of Cupids." Thus Lord Çiva's desire is to see the
Supreme Personality of Godhead as He is described in this way-that is, he
wants to see Him as He appears to the bhägavatas, the devotees. The
conclusion is that Lord Çiva wants to see Him in complete perfection and not
in the impersonalist or voidist way. Although the Lord is one in His various
forms (advaitam acyutam anädim), still His form as the young enjoyer of the
copyright ©1998 Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International, all rights reserved – www.krishna.com
427
gopés and companion of the cowherd boys (kiçora-mürti) is the most perfect
form. Thus Vaiñëavas accept the form of the Lord in His Våndävana pastimes
as the chief form.
THE KIND OF BUDDHAAVATAR?
TEXT 37
bhavän pariträtum ihävatérëo
dharmaà janänäà samayänurüpam
venäpacäräd avaluptam adya
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1032
tad-dehato viñëu-kaläsi vainya
SYNONYMS
bhavän—Your Majesty; pariträtum—just to deliver; iha—in this world;
avatérëaù—incarnated; dharmam—religious system; janänäm—of the people
in general; samaya-anurüpam—according to the time and circumstances;
vena-apacärät—by the misdeeds of King Vena; avaluptam—almost vanished;
adya—at the present moment; tat—his; dehataù—from the body; viñëu—of
Lord Viñëu; kalä—part of a plenary portion; asi—you are; vainya—O son of
King Vena.
TRANSLATION
O King Påthu, son of Vena, you are the part-and-parcel expansion of Lord
Viñëu. Due to the mischievous activities of King Vena, religious principles were
almost lost. At that opportune moment you descended as the incarnation of
Lord Viñëu. Indeed, for the protection of religious principles you have appeared
from the body of King Vena.
PURPORT
The way in which Lord Viñëu kills the demons and protects the faithful is
mentioned in Bhagavad-gétä (4.8):
pariträëäya sädhünäà
vinäçäya ca duñkåtäm
dharma-saàsthäpanärthäya
sambhavämi yuge yuge
"In order to deliver the pious and to annihilate the miscreants, as well as to
reestablish the principles of religion, I advent Myself millennium after
millennium."
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1033
In two hands Lord Viñëu always carries a club and a cakra to kill demons,
and in His other two hands He holds a conchshell and a lotus to give
protection to His devotees. When His incarnation is present on this planet or
in this universe, the Lord kills the demons and protects His devotees
simultaneously. Sometimes Lord Viñëu appears in His person as Lord Kåñëa or
Lord Räma. All of these appearances are mentioned in the çästras. Sometimes
He appears as a çaktyäveça-avatära like Lord Buddha. As explained before,
these çaktyäveça-avatäras are incarnations of Viñëu's power invested in a living
entity. Living entities are also part and parcel of Lord Viñëu, but they are not
as powerful; therefore when a living entity descends as an incarnation of
Viñëu, he is especially empowered by the Lord.
When King Påthu is described as an incarnation of Lord Viñëu, it should be
understood that he is a çaktyäveça-avatära, part and parcel of Lord Viñëu, and
is specifically empowered by Him. Any living being acting as the incarnation
of Lord Viñëu is thus empowered by Lord Viñëu to preach the bhakti cult. Such
a person can act like Lord Viñëu and defeat demons by arguments and preach
the bhakti cult exactly according to the principles of çästra. As indicated in
Bhagavad-gétä, whenever we find someone extraordinary preaching the bhakti
cult, we should know that he is especially empowered by Lord Viñëu, or Lord
Kåñëa. As confirmed in Caitanya-caritämåta (Antya 7.11), kåñëa-çakti vinä nahe
tära pravartana: one cannot explain the glories of the holy name of the Lord
without being specifically empowered by Him. If one criticizes or finds fault
with such an empowered personality, one is to be considered an offender
against Lord Viñëu and is punishable. Even though such offenders may dress as
Vaiñëavas with false tilaka and mälä, they are never forgiven by the Lord if
they offend a pure Vaiñëava. There are many instances of this in the çästras.
bhavän pariträtum ihävatérëo
dharmaà janänäà samayänurüpam
venäpacäräd avaluptam adya
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1032
tad-dehato viñëu-kaläsi vainya
SYNONYMS
bhavän—Your Majesty; pariträtum—just to deliver; iha—in this world;
avatérëaù—incarnated; dharmam—religious system; janänäm—of the people
in general; samaya-anurüpam—according to the time and circumstances;
vena-apacärät—by the misdeeds of King Vena; avaluptam—almost vanished;
adya—at the present moment; tat—his; dehataù—from the body; viñëu—of
Lord Viñëu; kalä—part of a plenary portion; asi—you are; vainya—O son of
King Vena.
TRANSLATION
O King Påthu, son of Vena, you are the part-and-parcel expansion of Lord
Viñëu. Due to the mischievous activities of King Vena, religious principles were
almost lost. At that opportune moment you descended as the incarnation of
Lord Viñëu. Indeed, for the protection of religious principles you have appeared
from the body of King Vena.
PURPORT
The way in which Lord Viñëu kills the demons and protects the faithful is
mentioned in Bhagavad-gétä (4.8):
pariträëäya sädhünäà
vinäçäya ca duñkåtäm
dharma-saàsthäpanärthäya
sambhavämi yuge yuge
"In order to deliver the pious and to annihilate the miscreants, as well as to
reestablish the principles of religion, I advent Myself millennium after
millennium."
copyright ©1998 Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International, all rights reserved – www.krishna.com
1033
In two hands Lord Viñëu always carries a club and a cakra to kill demons,
and in His other two hands He holds a conchshell and a lotus to give
protection to His devotees. When His incarnation is present on this planet or
in this universe, the Lord kills the demons and protects His devotees
simultaneously. Sometimes Lord Viñëu appears in His person as Lord Kåñëa or
Lord Räma. All of these appearances are mentioned in the çästras. Sometimes
He appears as a çaktyäveça-avatära like Lord Buddha. As explained before,
these çaktyäveça-avatäras are incarnations of Viñëu's power invested in a living
entity. Living entities are also part and parcel of Lord Viñëu, but they are not
as powerful; therefore when a living entity descends as an incarnation of
Viñëu, he is especially empowered by the Lord.
When King Påthu is described as an incarnation of Lord Viñëu, it should be
understood that he is a çaktyäveça-avatära, part and parcel of Lord Viñëu, and
is specifically empowered by Him. Any living being acting as the incarnation
of Lord Viñëu is thus empowered by Lord Viñëu to preach the bhakti cult. Such
a person can act like Lord Viñëu and defeat demons by arguments and preach
the bhakti cult exactly according to the principles of çästra. As indicated in
Bhagavad-gétä, whenever we find someone extraordinary preaching the bhakti
cult, we should know that he is especially empowered by Lord Viñëu, or Lord
Kåñëa. As confirmed in Caitanya-caritämåta (Antya 7.11), kåñëa-çakti vinä nahe
tära pravartana: one cannot explain the glories of the holy name of the Lord
without being specifically empowered by Him. If one criticizes or finds fault
with such an empowered personality, one is to be considered an offender
against Lord Viñëu and is punishable. Even though such offenders may dress as
Vaiñëavas with false tilaka and mälä, they are never forgiven by the Lord if
they offend a pure Vaiñëava. There are many instances of this in the çästras.
AGAINST SACRIFICE?
TEXT 36
ebhir indropasaàsåñöaiù
päkhaëòair häribhir janam
hriyamäëaà vicakñvainaà
yas te yajïa-dhrug açva-muö
SYNONYMS
ebhiù—by these; indra-upasaàsåñöaiù—created by the King of heaven, Indra;
päkhaëòaiù—sinful activities; häribhiù—very attractive to the heart;
janam—the people in general; hriyamäëam—being carried away;
vicakñva—just see; enam—these; yaù—one who; te—your;
yajïa-dhruk—creating a disturbance in the performance of the sacrifice;
açva-muö—who stole the horse.
TRANSLATION
Just see how Indra, the King of heaven, was creating a disturbance in the
midst of the sacrifice by stealing the sacrificial horse. These attractive sinful
activities he has introduced will be carried out by the people in general.
PURPORT
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1030
As stated in Bhagavad-gétä (3.21):
yad yad äcarati çreñöhas
tad tad evetaro janaù
sa yat pramäëaà kurute
lokas tad anuvartate
"Whatever action is performed by a great man, common men follow in his
footsteps. And whatever standards he sets by exemplary acts, all the world
pursues."
For his own sense gratification, King Indra thought to defeat Mahäräja
Påthu in the performance of one hundred horse sacrifices. Consequently he
stole the horse and hid himself amid so many irreligious personalities, taking
on the false guise of a sannyäsé. Such activities are attractive to the people in
general; therefore they are dangerous. Lord Brahmä thought that instead of
allowing Indra to further introduce such irreligious systems, it would be better
to stop the sacrifice. A similar stance was taken by Lord Buddha when people
were overly engrossed in the animal sacrifices recommended by Vedic
instructions. Lord Buddha had to introduce the religion of nonviolence by
contradicting the Vedic sacrificial instructions. Actually, in the sacrifices the
slaughtered animals were given a new life, but people without such powers
were taking advantage of such Vedic rituals and unnecessarily killing poor
animals. Therefore Lord Buddha had to deny the authority of the Vedas for
the time being. One should not perform sacrifices that will induce reversed
orders. It is better to stop such sacrifices.
As we have repeatedly explained, due to a lack of qualified brahminical
priests in Kali-yuga, it is not possible to perform the ritualistic ceremonies
recommended in the Vedas. Consequently the çästras instruct us to perform
the saìkértana-yajïa. By the saìkértana sacrifice, the Supreme Personality of
Godhead, in His form of Lord Caitanya, will be satisfied and worshiped. The
entire purpose of performing sacrifices is to worship the Supreme Personality
of Godhead, Viñëu. Lord Viñëu, or Lord Kåñëa, is present in His form of Lord
copyright ©1998 Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International, all rights reserved – www.krishna.com
1031
Caitanya; therefore people who are intelligent should try to satisfy Him by
performing saìkértana-yajïa. This is the easiest way to satisfy Lord Viñëu in
this age. people should take advantage of the injunctions in different çästras
concerning sacrifices in this age and not create unnecessary disturbances
during the sinful age of Kali. In Kali-yuga men all over the world are very
expert in opening slaughterhouses for killing animals, which they eat. If the
old ritualistic ceremonies were observed, people would be encouraged to kill
more and more animals. In Calcutta there are many butcher shops which keep
a deity of the goddess Kälé, and animal-eaters think it proper to purchase
animal flesh from such shops in hope that they are eating the remnants of food
offered to goddess Kälé. They do not know that goddess Kälé never accepts
nonvegetarian food because she is the chaste wife of Lord Çiva. Lord Çiva is
also a great Vaiñëava and never eats nonvegetarian food, and the goddess Kälé
accepts the remnants of food left by Lord Çiva. Therefore there is no
possibility of her eating flesh or fish. Such offerings are accepted by the
associates of goddess Kälé known as bhütas, piçäcas and Räkñasas, and those
who take the prasäda of goddess Kälé in the shape of flesh or fish are not
actually taking the prasäda left by goddess Kälé, but the food left by the bhütas
and piçäcas.
ebhir indropasaàsåñöaiù
päkhaëòair häribhir janam
hriyamäëaà vicakñvainaà
yas te yajïa-dhrug açva-muö
SYNONYMS
ebhiù—by these; indra-upasaàsåñöaiù—created by the King of heaven, Indra;
päkhaëòaiù—sinful activities; häribhiù—very attractive to the heart;
janam—the people in general; hriyamäëam—being carried away;
vicakñva—just see; enam—these; yaù—one who; te—your;
yajïa-dhruk—creating a disturbance in the performance of the sacrifice;
açva-muö—who stole the horse.
TRANSLATION
Just see how Indra, the King of heaven, was creating a disturbance in the
midst of the sacrifice by stealing the sacrificial horse. These attractive sinful
activities he has introduced will be carried out by the people in general.
PURPORT
copyright ©1998 Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International, all rights reserved – www.krishna.com
1030
As stated in Bhagavad-gétä (3.21):
yad yad äcarati çreñöhas
tad tad evetaro janaù
sa yat pramäëaà kurute
lokas tad anuvartate
"Whatever action is performed by a great man, common men follow in his
footsteps. And whatever standards he sets by exemplary acts, all the world
pursues."
For his own sense gratification, King Indra thought to defeat Mahäräja
Påthu in the performance of one hundred horse sacrifices. Consequently he
stole the horse and hid himself amid so many irreligious personalities, taking
on the false guise of a sannyäsé. Such activities are attractive to the people in
general; therefore they are dangerous. Lord Brahmä thought that instead of
allowing Indra to further introduce such irreligious systems, it would be better
to stop the sacrifice. A similar stance was taken by Lord Buddha when people
were overly engrossed in the animal sacrifices recommended by Vedic
instructions. Lord Buddha had to introduce the religion of nonviolence by
contradicting the Vedic sacrificial instructions. Actually, in the sacrifices the
slaughtered animals were given a new life, but people without such powers
were taking advantage of such Vedic rituals and unnecessarily killing poor
animals. Therefore Lord Buddha had to deny the authority of the Vedas for
the time being. One should not perform sacrifices that will induce reversed
orders. It is better to stop such sacrifices.
As we have repeatedly explained, due to a lack of qualified brahminical
priests in Kali-yuga, it is not possible to perform the ritualistic ceremonies
recommended in the Vedas. Consequently the çästras instruct us to perform
the saìkértana-yajïa. By the saìkértana sacrifice, the Supreme Personality of
Godhead, in His form of Lord Caitanya, will be satisfied and worshiped. The
entire purpose of performing sacrifices is to worship the Supreme Personality
of Godhead, Viñëu. Lord Viñëu, or Lord Kåñëa, is present in His form of Lord
copyright ©1998 Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International, all rights reserved – www.krishna.com
1031
Caitanya; therefore people who are intelligent should try to satisfy Him by
performing saìkértana-yajïa. This is the easiest way to satisfy Lord Viñëu in
this age. people should take advantage of the injunctions in different çästras
concerning sacrifices in this age and not create unnecessary disturbances
during the sinful age of Kali. In Kali-yuga men all over the world are very
expert in opening slaughterhouses for killing animals, which they eat. If the
old ritualistic ceremonies were observed, people would be encouraged to kill
more and more animals. In Calcutta there are many butcher shops which keep
a deity of the goddess Kälé, and animal-eaters think it proper to purchase
animal flesh from such shops in hope that they are eating the remnants of food
offered to goddess Kälé. They do not know that goddess Kälé never accepts
nonvegetarian food because she is the chaste wife of Lord Çiva. Lord Çiva is
also a great Vaiñëava and never eats nonvegetarian food, and the goddess Kälé
accepts the remnants of food left by Lord Çiva. Therefore there is no
possibility of her eating flesh or fish. Such offerings are accepted by the
associates of goddess Kälé known as bhütas, piçäcas and Räkñasas, and those
who take the prasäda of goddess Kälé in the shape of flesh or fish are not
actually taking the prasäda left by goddess Kälé, but the food left by the bhütas
and piçäcas.
BUDDHA ATHEIST?
TEXT 30
brahma ca brähmaëäàç caiva
yad yüyaà parinindatha
setuà vidhäraëaà puàsäm
ataù päñaëòam äçritäù
SYNONYMS
brahma—the Vedas; ca—and; brähmaëän—the brähmaëas; ca—and;
eva—certainly; yat—because; yüyam—you; parinindatha—blaspheme;
setum—Vedic principles; vidhäraëam—holding; puàsäm—of mankind;
ataù—therefore; päñaëòam—atheism; äçritäù—have taken shelter.
TRANSLATION
Bhågu Muni continued: Since you blaspheme the Vedas and the brähmaëas,
who are followers of the Vedic principles, it is understood that you have already
taken shelter of the doctrine of atheism.
PURPORT
Bhågu Muni, in cursing Nandéçvara, said that not only would they be
degraded as atheists because of this curse, but they had already fallen to the
standard of atheism because they had blasphemed the Vedas, which are the
copyright ©1998 Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International, all rights reserved – www.krishna.com
99
source of human civilization. Human civilization is based on the qualitative
divisions of social order, namely the intelligent class, the martial class, the
productive class and the laborer class. The Vedas provide the right direction
for advancing in spiritual cultivation and economic development and
regulating the principle of sense gratification, so that ultimately one may be
liberated from material contamination to his real state of spiritual
identification (ahaà brahmäsmi(1)). As long as one is in the contamination of
material existence, one changes bodies from the aquatics up to the position of
Brahmä, but the human form of life is the highest perfectional life in the
material world. The Vedas give directions by which to elevate oneself in the
next life. The Vedas are the mother for such instructions, and the brähmaëas,
or persons who are in knowledge of the Vedas, are the father. Thus if one
blasphemes the Vedas and brähmaëas, naturally one goes down to the status of
atheism. The exact word used in Sanskrit is nästika, which refers to one who
does not believe in the Vedas but manufactures some concocted system of
religion. Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu has said that the followers of the Buddhist
system of religion are nästikas. In order to establish his doctrine of
nonviolence, Lord Buddha flatly refused to believe in the Vedas, and thus,
later on, Çaìkaräcärya stopped this system of religion in India and forced it to
go outside India. Here it is stated, brahma ca brähmaëän. Brahma means the
Vedas. Ahaà brahmäsmi(2) means "I am in full knowledge." The Vedic
assertion is that one should think that he is Brahman, for actually he is
Brahman. If brahma, or the Vedic spiritual science, is condemned, and the
masters of the spiritual science, the brähmaëas, are condemned, then where
does human civilization stand? Bhågu Muni said, "It is not due to my cursing
that you shall become atheists; you are already situated in the principle of
atheism. Therefore you are condemned."
brahma ca brähmaëäàç caiva
yad yüyaà parinindatha
setuà vidhäraëaà puàsäm
ataù päñaëòam äçritäù
SYNONYMS
brahma—the Vedas; ca—and; brähmaëän—the brähmaëas; ca—and;
eva—certainly; yat—because; yüyam—you; parinindatha—blaspheme;
setum—Vedic principles; vidhäraëam—holding; puàsäm—of mankind;
ataù—therefore; päñaëòam—atheism; äçritäù—have taken shelter.
TRANSLATION
Bhågu Muni continued: Since you blaspheme the Vedas and the brähmaëas,
who are followers of the Vedic principles, it is understood that you have already
taken shelter of the doctrine of atheism.
PURPORT
Bhågu Muni, in cursing Nandéçvara, said that not only would they be
degraded as atheists because of this curse, but they had already fallen to the
standard of atheism because they had blasphemed the Vedas, which are the
copyright ©1998 Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International, all rights reserved – www.krishna.com
99
source of human civilization. Human civilization is based on the qualitative
divisions of social order, namely the intelligent class, the martial class, the
productive class and the laborer class. The Vedas provide the right direction
for advancing in spiritual cultivation and economic development and
regulating the principle of sense gratification, so that ultimately one may be
liberated from material contamination to his real state of spiritual
identification (ahaà brahmäsmi(1)). As long as one is in the contamination of
material existence, one changes bodies from the aquatics up to the position of
Brahmä, but the human form of life is the highest perfectional life in the
material world. The Vedas give directions by which to elevate oneself in the
next life. The Vedas are the mother for such instructions, and the brähmaëas,
or persons who are in knowledge of the Vedas, are the father. Thus if one
blasphemes the Vedas and brähmaëas, naturally one goes down to the status of
atheism. The exact word used in Sanskrit is nästika, which refers to one who
does not believe in the Vedas but manufactures some concocted system of
religion. Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu has said that the followers of the Buddhist
system of religion are nästikas. In order to establish his doctrine of
nonviolence, Lord Buddha flatly refused to believe in the Vedas, and thus,
later on, Çaìkaräcärya stopped this system of religion in India and forced it to
go outside India. Here it is stated, brahma ca brähmaëän. Brahma means the
Vedas. Ahaà brahmäsmi(2) means "I am in full knowledge." The Vedic
assertion is that one should think that he is Brahman, for actually he is
Brahman. If brahma, or the Vedic spiritual science, is condemned, and the
masters of the spiritual science, the brähmaëas, are condemned, then where
does human civilization stand? Bhågu Muni said, "It is not due to my cursing
that you shall become atheists; you are already situated in the principle of
atheism. Therefore you are condemned."
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