In2-MeC

Helsinki, Finland
22 September 2004

Notes on Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura's rendition of Srimad-Bhagavatam 1. 2. 21, translated by Punya-palaka Prabhu of ISKCON Prague.

The verse as it appears in the BBT edition of Srimad Bhagavatam, translated by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada:

bhidyate hrdaya-granthis
chidyante sarva-samsayah
ksiyante casya karmani
dsrta evatmanisvare

Thus the knot in the heart is pierced, and all misgivings are cut to pieces. The chain of fruitive actions is terminated when one sees the self as master.

Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura

Srila Sarasvati Thakura's translation:

If one encounters the Lord in His own form as the Supersoul, or the soul of the soul, in other words, if he sees his real self, then for such knower of the bhagavat-tattva the chain in the form of the false ego which is binding the mind gets destroyed, all kinds of ropes of doubts like thinking "This is not possible," are cut and he gets rid of all reactions which he has not yet received.

Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura's Sanskrit comment upon this verse:

hrdaya granthir avidya bhidyata iti karma-kartari prayogenavidya dhvamso bhaktanam ananusamhitam phalam evam eva chidyante sarva-samsayah asambhavanadi-rupah. atmaniti isvara ity asya visesanam yad va atmany eva manasy eva drste kim punah saksad drste satiti sphurti saksatkaravyaktau. satam krpa mahat-seva sraddha guru-padasrayah. bhajanesu sprha bhaktir-anarthapagamastatah. nistha-rucir athasakti-ratih premattha darsam. harer-madhuryanubhava ityarthah syus caturdasa.

Srila Sarasvati Thakura's rendition of Srila Cakravartipada's commentary:

"The knots in the heart are cut" means that ignorance (the false ego) is destroyed. Here bhidyate means that by the sword of his activities, the devotee annihilates, as a side effect, his ignorance. In this way all doubts like thinking that "This is absurd," are cut. In this verse isvare is an attribute of atmani-- it is the soul of the soul, or the Lord as the Supersoul, which is to be seen. The question may arise: which is the point here--"After seeing the Lord in one's heart or mind," (the knot in the heart and all doubts are destroyed), or "After direct encounter?" This statement includes both revelation in the mind and direct meeting.

Here talk is about the 14 unavoidably needful items of the devotees' spiritual practice: (1) sadhu-joner krpa, the mercy of the saints, (2) mahater seva, serving the great souls, (3) sraddha, faith, (4) guru-padasraya, taking shelter of the lotus feet of the spiritual master, (5) bhajane sprha, an inclination to perform the worship, (6) bhakti, devotional service, (7) anartha-nivrtti, getting rid of the unwanted desires, (8) nistha, steadiness, (9) ruci, taste, (10) asakti, attachment, (11) rati, pleasure, (12) prema, love, (13) darsan, meeting, and (14) sri-harir madhuryer anubhab, perception of the sweetness of the Lord.

tathya: bhagavater ekados skondho bimso odhyae 30 slok o ei slok eki.

mundakopanisade 2/2/8--drsto evatmanisvare sloke tasmin drste paravare mantramso drsto hoe.

Information: The verse 11. 20. 30 of the Srimad-Bhagavatam says the same thing as this verse. In the Mundaka Upanisad (2. 2. 8), the verse drsta evatmanisvare contains the phrase tasmin drste paravare.

Explanation (vivrti):

To see Isvara in the inferior energy is dharma of the conditioned soul. Mayavadis, instead of seeing Isvara in the substance of the inferior energy, always see the supreme principle somewhere far away from the illusory variegatedness. When a living entity accepts monism (nirvisesa-vada) as the ultimate truth, then he cannot see the Lord in Vaikuntha. On the other hand, devotees always take shelter at the feet of the spiritual master. Through performing one's constitutional occupation, devotional service at the lotus feet of Sri Gurudeva, one comes to know his master. This elevated assistant of Lord Hari, Sri Gurudeva, is constantly engaged in the activities of the soul. Although Sri Gurudeva himself belongs to isvara-tattva, providing shelter on behalf of the disciplic succession based on the Vedic scriptures, he nevertheless prides himself upon being a subordinate servant of the Lord. The one who properly sees in the eternal Supreme this variety of the worshiped and worshiping achieves the ultimate goal. As it is stated in the Svetasvatara Upanisad:

yasya deve para bhaktir
yatha deve tatha gurau
tasyaite kathita hy arthah
prakasante mahatmanah

There is no way to know the purport of the srutis other than the mercy of the spiritual master. On the path of arguments, the inconceivable transcendental isvara-bhava is never revealed. But it can be obtained on the path of hearing by the mercy of the spiritual master.

In the Mundakopanisad it is said:

yam evaisa vrnute tena labhyas
tasyaisa atma vivrnute anum svam

The conditioned soul cannot attain the Supersoul just from the descriptions of the scriptures, or in other words, the Lord does not reveal Himself for the mundane vision.

In the three mantras beginning with dva suparna, the Lord and the controlled, the worshipable entity and the devotees, as well as the subject matter of their eternal worship are explicitly described. Without realizing this topic of devotional service, one is unable to grasp the meaning of the Vedic literature. Those endowed with bhakti for Sri Gurudeva and his worshipable Lord get liberated from the clutches of enjoying the fruits of karma. By the combined mercy of guru and Krsna one can receive the seed of the creeper of devotional service. At that time the many knots of the gross and subtle world in the heart get cut apart. The living entity attains liberation from the clutches of his temporary designative mind, intelligence and false ego, and he is no more cheated by the knowledge perceived by material senses. At that time all his doubts are removed and his inclination to enjoy the fruits of his activities diminishes. Needless to say, as long as the conditioned soul remains bound by the shackles in the form of gross and subtle designations, his false ego of the worldly enjoyer does not get destroyed, his doubts are not cut, and his enjoying of the fruits of karma is not finished. Until he is able to understand that Bhagavan, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is his master and that he is a Haridasa Vaisnava, His servant devotee, he will remain embarrassed by his two kinds of bodies, the gross and the subtle, and their many engagements. When one sees, with the eyes of devotion, the shelter, Lord Syamasundara, surrounded by His servants, all contaminations of his mind and any inability in worshiping the Lord are removed.

Anyone who is devoid of the service to the Lord has forgotten his constitutional position and becomes either a bhogi or a tyagi. In the presence of a Vaisnava there is eternal service. Avaisnavas, being estranged from bhakti, are deprived of their power of seeing, are blind, and they invoke various imaginations; then they maintain their enjoying the fruits of karma, doubts and all kinds of tamasic ideas.

Startling Breakthrough in the Science of Consciousness!

Researcher Demonstrates Robot that Responds to Human Thought!

A film clip released by the University of Vineland of Prof. Key demonstrating how Morgus works.

After five years of often dangerous experiments with electricity, Professor Don Key of the University of Vineland has constructed a robot that responds to his thoughts. Morgus is the name he has given the machine.

"I've found that the robot actually responds best when I send out thoughts that address it as 'Morgus'", Prof. Key explained in a telephone interview. "I tried other names. 'Ptahotep' worked pretty well for a while, but 'Morgus' turned out to be the real winner. "

Morgus's 'brain' is a purpose-built computer that runs software written in a code that Dr. Key claims is the same code used by the human central nervous system. "It took me years to finally break into the data system that the brain and the sensory pathways operate in the process of neurotrasmission. I put my own mental health at risk by charging up my nervous system with jolts of electricity. I had to, because ethically there was no way to perform such dangerous experiments on another human being. "

One noticable side effect of these experiments is the tall frizzy perm atop Prof. Key's pate.

He told of a second vital breakthrough, the one by which he was able to get Morgus's on-board computer to respond to his thoughts. This was the installation of a pair of reindeer antlers as antennae.

"I can't explain why this has worked out so well, but I suspect it is because the antlers are made of organic material. "

"Morgus doesn't do much yet except move in a straight line across the floor. I'm sure it will learn to do more in time. I've just got to keep concentrating my thoughts. "

<< Back