Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 2.1.

New York, April 10, 1969

Prabhupāda: Feeling all right?

Devotees: Jaya!

Prabhupāda: Hare Kṛṣṇa. Mantra?

Pradyumna: Oṁ namo bhaga...

Prabhupāda: Not this. First of all Īśopaniṣad. Yes. Īśopaniṣad. (devotees and Prabhupāda chant
together Invocation and first two mantras of Īśopaniṣad [Īśo mantra 1, Īśo mantra 2] That's all.
That's all. Hare Kṛṣṇa. Now oṁ namo bhagavate, chant.

Devotees: Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya.

Prabhupāda: Yes? (Prabhupāda leads devotees in chanting SB 2.1.1-5)

Prabhupāda: Again from the beginning, oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. (devotees chant
ślokas in unison. Prabhupāda corrects them in third verse) So Gargamuni, you can read where
you left yesterday.

Gargamuni: Page one. "Similarly, in the Second Canto, the post-creation cosmic manifestation
is described. The different planetary systems are described in the Second Canto as different
parts of the universal body of the Lord. For this reason, the Second Canto can be called "The
Cosmic Manifestation." There are ten chapters in the Second Canto, and in these ten chapters
the purpose of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam and the different symptoms of this purpose are narrated. In
the first chapter the glories of chanting are described and the process of meditation on the
universal form of the Lord by the neophyte devotees is hinted. In the first verse Śukadeva
Gosvāmī replies to the questions of Mahārāja Parīkṣit, who asked him about one's duty at the
point of his death. Mahārāja Parīkṣit was glad to receive Śukadeva Gosvāmī and he was proud
of being a descendant of Arjuna, the intimate friend of Kṛṣṇa. Personally, he was very humble
and meek, but he expressed his gladness that Lord Kṛṣṇa was very kind to the sons of Pāṇḍu,
or his grandfathers, especially his own grandfather Arjuna. And because Lord Kṛṣṇa is always
pleased with His family, therefore at the verge of Mahārāja Parīkṣit's death, Śukadeva Gosvāmī
was sent to help him in the process of self-realization."

Prabhupāda: This is confirming the statement of Caitanya-caritāmṛta, that guru-kṛṣṇa-kṛpāya

pāya bhakti-latā-bīja [Cc. Madhya 19.151]. Two things required, Guru and Kṛṣṇa, to advance in
the spiritual realization or Kṛṣṇa consciousness. So here it is, Kṛṣṇa is pleased in the family of
the Pāṇḍavas. So Parīkṣit Mahārāja was going to die. Parīkṣit Mahārāja was grandson of
Arjuna, and he was also a devotee. So therefore by the mercy of Kṛṣṇa, a bona fide spiritual
master is sent to Parīkṣit Mahārāja. Guru-Kṛṣṇa. When one is sincere, then Kṛṣṇa is sitting
within everyone. As soon as He sees that "Here is a sincere soul. He's seeking after Me," so He
manifests Himself out externally as spiritual master. The spiritual master is therefore
representative of Kṛṣṇa. Guru-kṛṣṇa-kṛpāya pāya bhakti-latā-bīja [Cc. Madhya 19.151]. Two
things. Without being representative of Kṛṣṇa, nobody can become spiritual master. Kṛṣṇa-śakti
vinā nahe tāra pravartana. Without being empowered by Kṛṣṇa, nobody can preach, nobody
can become a spiritual master.
So here Śukadeva Gosvāmī sent by Kṛṣṇa on the verge of his death. Guru-kṛṣṇa-kṛpāya pāya
bhakti-latā-bīja [Cc. Madhya 19.151]. Ei rūpe brahmāṇḍa bhramite kona bhāgyavān jīva [Cc.
Madhya 19.151]. This opportunity is obtained by a very fortunate person. Because the living
entities are wandering within this universe, packed up, from one planet to another, from one
species life to another species of life. In this way, he is wandering. He is not fixed up. Today I
am American or Indian, tomorrow or next birth, I do not know what is going to happen to me. But
this body for good will be finished. I'll never get this body. I'll get another body. Maybe a
demigod's body or a tree's body or a plant's body or animal's body—I must get another body. So
the living entity is wandering in this way, vāsāṁsi jīrṇāni. Just like we change our dress from
one dress to another, similarly we are changing different positions by the influence of māyā.
Māyā is forcing me. Prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni guṇaiḥ karmāṇi [Bg. 3.27]. As soon as I am desiring
something, immediately my body is formed. Immediately a particular type of body begins to
form, and as soon as I am mature to change, my next body I get according to my desire.
Therefore we should always desire Kṛṣṇa. Then from this life, the Kṛṣṇa-approaching body or
the spiritual body will be formed. The more you become sincere servant of Kṛṣṇa, the more your
body becomes Kṛṣṇized, electrified. Therefore advanced Kṛṣṇa conscious person is considered
to have a spiritual body. The same example, as I have given several times: just like iron rod.
You put into the fire, it becomes warmer, warmer. The more it is connected with fire, it becomes
warm, warm, warm. And at last it becomes red hot, so that at that time, if that iron is touched to
any other thing, it burns. It does not act as iron; it acts as fire. Similarly, by this Kṛṣṇa
consciousness, continuous chanting, you will make your body spiritualized. At that time,
wherever you go, wherever you touch, he'll be spiritualized. Similarly, the iron... Without being
spiritualized, without being red hot, if you touch, it will not act.

So every one of us, those who have come to this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, expected to
preach in the future and to become a spiritual master also in the future. But first of all you must
spiritualize yourself; otherwise it is useless. So kṛṣṇa-śakti vinā nahe. Without... Just like without
being red hot, you cannot burn any other thing. Similarly, without being fully spiritualized, you
cannot make others spiritualized. Therefore we have to follow the paramparā system. The
disciplic succession, as we get the knowledge, as we get the power, as we get the instruction,
so we have to follow. That will help me to spiritualize myself. And when you are spiritualized...
You'll have to wait for that time. Then, wherever you will preach, the result will be there.

So by the grace of Lord Kṛṣṇa, Śukadeva Gosvāmī has reached Parīkṣit Mahārāja. Therefore at
the verge of Mahārāja Parīkṣit's death, Śukadeva Gosvāmī was sent to help him in the process
of self-realization. Without spiritual master's help, nobody can become self-realized. Our
Vaiṣṇava philosophy does not allow that you shall become self-realized by your own endeavor.
Just like other schools, they think, Buddha school, that by meditation... I do not know whether in
Buddha school the spiritual master is accepted. But our Vaiṣṇava school, without acceptance of
spiritual master, there is no possibility of self-realization. Guru-kṛṣṇa-kṛpāya pāya bhakti-latā-
bīja [Cc. Madhya 19.151]. Then, (reading) "Mahārāja Parīkṣit was a devotee of Lord Kṛṣṇa from
his childhood, so he had natural affection for Kṛṣṇa, and Śukadeva Gosvāmī could understand
his devotion to Lord Kṛṣṇa. Therefore he welcomed the question about his duty because the
king hinted that worship of Lord Kṛṣṇa is the ultimate function of every living entity. Śukadeva
Gosvāmī welcomed this suggestion and said, 'Because you have raised the question about
Kṛṣṇa, your question is most glorious.' " The next śloka is varīyān eṣa te praśnaḥ [SB 2.1.1].
Śukadeva Gosvāmī welcomed the praśna, the question about Kṛṣṇa, and that we shall discuss
next day.

Thank you very much. (end)