Teachings of Queen Kunti Chapter 3: The Most Intelligent Woman Bhaktivedanta VedaBase: Teachings of Queen Kunt Even the

greatest philosophical speculators cannot have access to the region of the Lord. It is said in the Upanisads that the Supreme Truth, the Absolute Person ality of Godhead, is beyond the range of the thinking power of the greatest phil osopher. He is unknowable by great learning or by the greatest brain. He is know able only by one who has His mercy. Others may go on thinking about Him for year s together, yet He is unknowable. This very fact is corroborated by the Queen, w ho is playing the part of an innocent woman. Women in general are unable to spec ulate like philosophers, but they are blessed by the Lord because they believe a t once in the superiority and almightiness of the Lord, and thus they offer obei sances without reservation. The Lord is so kind that He does not show special fa vor only to one who is a great philosopher. He knows the sincerity of purpose. F or this reason only, women generally assemble in great number in any sort of rel igious function. In every country and in every sect of religion it appears that the women are more interested than the men. This simplicity of acceptance of the Lord's authority is more effective than showy insincere religious fervor. Kuntdev prayed to the Lord very submissively, and this is the symptom of a Vaisnava. The Lord, Krsna, had come to Kuntdev to offer respect to her by taking the dust of h er feet. Because Krsna considered Kuntdev His aunt, He used to touch her feet. But al though Kuntdev, a great devotee, was in such an exalted position, practically on t he level of Yaodmay, Krsna's mother, she was so submissive that she prayed, "Krsna, You re meant to be understood by the paramahamsas, the most advanced transcendentalis ts, but I am a woman, so how can I see You?"

According to the Vedic system, there are four social divisions (ctur-varnyam may srstam [Bg. 4.13]). The highest members of the social order are the brhmanas, those who are intelligent, and then come the ksatriyas (military men and administrators), t he vaiyas (farmers and businessmen), and finally the dras (ordinary laborers). One' s place in this system is determined by one's qualities and work (guna-karma). Th e Bhagavad-gt mentions striyo vaiys tath drh, and the rmad-Bhgavatam speaks of s ndhnm. According to these references women, dras, and dvija-bandhus are considered t o belong to the same category. The word dvija-bandhu refers to one who is born i n an exalted brhmana or ksatriya family but who has no qualifications of his own. O ne's social standing, according to the Vedic system, is determined by one's qual ifications. This is very practical. Suppose a man is born the son of a high-cour t judge. This does not mean that he himself is also a high court judge. Yet beca use one happens to take birth in a brhmana family, even if he has no qualification s and is rascal number one, he claims to be a brhmana, and although his qualificat ions are less than those of a dra, people accept him as a brhmana. This has caused t he downfall of the Vedic civilization. The brhmanas in India are sometimes very mu ch against my movement because I train and accept brhmanas from Europe and America . But we do not care about their arguments, nor will any other reasonable man. r C aitanya Mahprabhu said: prthivte che yata nagardi grma sarvatra pracra haibe mora nma "In every town, city, and village of the world, the Krsna consciousness movement wi ll be preached." How is it, then, that Europeans and Americans will not become b rhmanas? In fact, one who comes to Krsna consciousness has already surpassed brhmanism. As stated in Bhagavad-gt (14.26): mm ca yo 'vyabhicrena bhakti-yogena sevate

sa gunn samattyaitn brahma-bhyya kalpate "One who takes to bhakti-yoga surpasses the modes of material nature and comes i mmediately to the transcendental platform [brahma-bhta]." Not to speak of becomin g a brhmana, the person who fully engages in bhakti-yoga attains the highest trans cendental platform. The stereotyped, crippled idea that only a person born in a brhmana family can bec ome a brhmana has killed Vedic civilization, but now we are reviving the correct u nderstanding that the attainment of perfection is meant for everyone. In Bhagava d-gt (9.32) Lord Krsna says: mm hi prtha vyapritya ye 'pi syuh ppa-yonayah striyo vaiys tath drs te 'pi ynti parm gatim

"O son of Prth, those who take shelter in Me though they be lowborn, women, vaiyas, or dras can approach the supreme destination." Thus although women, dras, and vaiya are ordinarily considered to belong to a lower class, when one becomes a devote e he or she goes beyond such designations. Women, dras, and vaiyas are ordinarily r egarded as less intelligent, but if one takes to Krsna consciousness one is the mos t intelligent, as stated in the Caitanya-caritmrta (krsna yei bhaje sei bada catura). And Caitanya Mahprabhu says: ei rpe brahmnda bhramite kona bhgyavn jva guru-krsna-prasde pya bhakti-lat-bja [Cc. Madhya 19.151] " Among all the living entities wandering throughout the universe, one who is ve ry fortunate receives, by the mercy of the spiritual master and the mercy of Krsna, the seed of devotional service." The Krsna consciousness movement does not consist of wretched, unfortunate men. No. It consists of the most fortunate. One who ha s taken to Krsna consciousness is to be considered the most fortunate because he ha s found the way to act so that his life will be perfect. One who is Krsna conscious and discharging his duties nicely is the most fortunate and the most perfect. T his is humbly stated here by Kuntdev.

Although Kunt had the body of a woman, she was a devotee. Therefore she was not l ike an ordinary unintelligent woman. Rather, she was the most intelligent, for s he recognized Krsna to be the Supreme Godhead: "He has come to me to offer me respe ct, materially appearing to be my nephew, but He is the Supreme Personality of G odhead." Therefore in a previous verse she said, alaksyam sarva-bhtnm antar bahir ava sthitam: "You are not seen by ordinary men, although You are everywhere, inside and outside." In another verse also she said, na laksyase mdha-dr: "Fools and rascals cannot see You." This indicates that Kunt saw Him. Unless she were able to see Krsna as He is, how could she say, na laksyase mdha-dr? She also said, prakrteh param: "You a re transcendental to this material creation." Now here also, in this verse, Kunt continues to express herself with humility. Th is humility is very good in devotional service. Therefore r Krsna Caitanya Mahprabhu t eaches us, trnd api suncena taror api sahisnun: "One should be more tolerant than the t

ree and humbler than the grass to make progress in spiritual life." This is nece ssary because for one who is living in this material world there will be so many disturbances, just as if one were traveling on the ocean. One cannot expect a v ery peaceful situation on the ocean; even a big ship may also be unsteady, and a t any moment there may be tumultuous waves. Similarly, in this material world we should always expect danger; one cannot expect a very peaceful life within this material world. The stra, the Vedic literature, says, padam padam yad vipadm (Bhg. 10 .14.58): at every step there is danger. But if one becomes a devotee, then one c an escape (mym etm taranti te [Bg. 7.14]). If one takes to Krsna consciousness, in the beginning there will be many disturbanc es caused by My, the material energy of illusion. My will test us to see how firmly we are fixed in Krsna consciousness. Because she is also an agent of Krsna, she does n ot allow anyone the freedom to disturb Krsna. Therefore she tests very rigidly to s ee whether we have taken to Krsna consciousness to disturb Krsna or are actually serio us. That is My's business. So in the beginning there will be tests by My, and we sha ll feel so many disturbances while making progress in Krsna consciousness. But if w e follow the rules and regulations and chant regularly as prescribed, then we sh all remain steady. If we neglect these principles, My will capture us immediately. My is always ready. We are in the ocean, and at any moment we may be disturbed. T herefore one who is not disturbed at all is called paramahamsa.

Kuntdev therefore says, tath paramahamsnm: "You are meant to be understood by the para mahamsas." The word parama means "ultimate," and hamsa means "swan." So paramahamsa means "the perfect swan." If we give a swan milk mixed with water, the swan wil l take the milk and leave aside the water. Similarly, this material world is mad e of two natures the inferior nature and the superior nature. The superior natur e means spiritual life, and the inferior nature is material life. Thus a person who gives up the material part of this world and takes only the spiritual part i s called paramahamsa.

One should know that the activities of the body are due to the soul within the b ody. That is the real fact. The body is only the outward covering. Similarly, on e should know that Krsna is the real center of all activities, and one who knows th is is a paramahamsa. Thus bhakti-yoga is for the paramahamsa, one who knows that K rsna is the central fact. Krsna says in Bhagavad-gt, aham sarvasya prabhavo mattah sarvam ravartate: [Bg. 10.8] "I am the source of everything; everything emanates from M e." So one who knows, not only theoretically but practically, that Krsna is the cau se of all causes one who is convinced of this is a paramahamsa. Kuntdev says, "You are meant for the paramahamsas, not for the rascals and fools. Y ou are meant for the paramahamsas and munis." The word munnm refers to those who ar e thoughtful or to mental speculators, and the word amaltmanm refers to one who ha s no dirty things in his heart. The heart of a materialistic person is full of d irty things. What are those dirty things? Lust and greed. All materialistic pers ons are lusty and greedy, and therefore their hearts are understood to be full o f dirty things, but amaltmanm refers to those who are freed from these two contami nations. Bhakti-yoga is meant for those whose hearts are cleansed, not for the lusty and greedy. Of course, those who are lusty and greedy may try to advance, and gradua lly they may do so, but once one is situated in bhakti-yoga there is no more lus t or greed. Viraktir anyatra ca (Bhg. 11.2.42). This is the test when one is free from lusty desires and greed, then he is situated in bhakti-yoga and is actuall y a paramahamsa. Kuntdev humbly submits, "You are meant for the paramahamsas and mun is, those who are cleansed in heart and are engaged in bhakti-yoga. But what are we? We are simply women. We are in a lower class. How can we understand You?" A lthough she understands everything, she still takes the position of an ordinary woman and says, "How can I understand You?" This is humility.