- Srimad Bhagavatam Class: SB 11.3.38
- Chapter Name: Liberation from the Illusory Energy
- Venue: Iskcon Newtown, Kolkata
- Day/Date: Monday, 2nd June 2025
- Speaker: HG Anand Vardhan Prabhu
HG Anand Vardhan Prabhu discussed about the importance of having “faith in guru” in his Srimad Bhagavatam class. He was speaking on SB 11.3.38.
nātmā jajāna na mariṣyati naidhate ’sau
na kṣīyate savana-vid vyabhicāriṇāṁ hi
sarvatra śaśvad anapāyy upalabdhi-mātraṁ
prāṇo yathendriya-balena vikalpitaṁ sat
Brahman, the eternal soul, was never born and will never die, nor does it grow or decay. That spiritual soul is actually the knower of the youth, middle age and death of the material body. Thus the soul can be understood to be pure consciousness, existing everywhere at all times and never being destroyed. Just as the life air within the body, although one, becomes manifest as many in contact with the various material senses, the one soul appears to assume various material designations in contact with the material body.
Important points from the purport of this verse SB 11.3.38
- The conditioned living entity is originally part and parcel of the superior, internal potency of the Lord, but being in contact with illusion, he falls under the clutches of the external potency.
- Although the visible material body passes through boyhood, adolescence and old age, or although one may take birth as a demigod, human being, plant or animal, the spirit soul never changes his eternal constitutional position.
- …one should understand oneself to be eternally a conscious servitor of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Below article is based on the class given by HG Anand Vardhan Prabhu
Realization does not come just by remembering verses
Jiva atma is the observer, he sees the activities of the world. We have some freedom and when we misuse it, we get reaction. Why we experience pain in this world? It is because we are attached to the things of this world. Like if one is driving a car and there is dent in a car then a person who is very attached to the car becomes mad. But when a person is not so attached, he will not feel that much pain. Similarly, our physical and mental pain is dependent on the degree of attachment we have with our mind and body. If someone insults us, then we know that he is insulting not me but my physical body and mind. We won’t be much disturbed. This realization cannot come just by remembering the verses. Some may have lots of knowledge, know all the verses but realization may still not be there.
Gaur Kishor Das Babaji Maharaja was not educated materially. But when Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura saw him, he got attracted by his transcendental qualities and wanted diksha from him. Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura was a great scholar, he was shruti dhar. Once he heard he remembered everything.
But Gaur Kishor Das Babaji Maharaja could not read or write. But he could understand everything. When Srila Bhakti Vinod Thakura would speak on Srimad Bhagavatam then he would hear from him. When someone has faith in guru, he gets the understanding of the scriptures. By scholarly presentation, one may touch someone’s mind but not heart.
Faith in guru brings transcendental intelligence
Prabhupada had lots of knowledge, wrote so many books but his presentation was crystal clear. Whatever he said in the beginning, later too he said the same. He did not change anything. Srila Prabhupada knew what Krishna wants, and he was giving that. His purpose was serving the jivas. At death bed, does a doctor will show his knowledge or try to save the patient? Prabhupada was trying to save us all who are spiritually dead.
This world is a dead world. Someone not having knowledge of Krishna is like dead body.
Prabhupada would say Krishna Consciousness is urgency not a matter of choice.
Bhakti is simple. But there is a difference between one who is doing bhakti, and one is thinking I am doing bhakti. Prabhupada says, “Advancement in Krishna Consciousness depends on the attitude of the follower.”
We should do bhakti sincerely. Also, we should always remember the reason why we are here in Iskcon. We are here to serve the devotees, serve guru, serve the mission of Prabhupada and purify ourselves. If we deviate from this purpose, then it is dangerous. We will get transcendental intelligence when we have faith in the words of guru. And also when we do not do apradh against guru and devotees.
Devotee serves the Lord and saves himself from all dangers
During Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s time there was one Ramdas Biswas. He always chanted the name of Rama. Raghunath Das Goswami was impressed but Mahaprabhu understood his purpose that he wanted to become Rama. He was a Mayavadi, he wanted to become God. Mayavadi uses guru as ladder. Once they climb then they throw the ladder. People want to become God, we should try to protect ourselves from such people.
We should continuously keep on hearing the words of the guru. He will keep guiding us from inside. Also, we should do bhakti very carefully. In bhakti there is no suffering but if we do so called bhakti with wrong consciousness then suffering is there. A devotee always desires to serve the Lord and so he is free from all sufferings.
He is also free from all fear including the fear of death. Materialists think that death is the end of everything. But a devotee surpasses death. Even in the most negative situation, a devotee, a bhakta, has hope.
