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Srimad Bhagavatam at ISKCON Newtown Kolkata – September 2026 | Srimad Bhagavatam 11.13

Purushottam Nitai Das September 17, 2026

Below are the important points from the morning Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam classes at ISKCON Newtown Temple, Kolkata, during September 2026. The classes cover Canto 11, Chapter 13 of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, “The Haṁsa-avatāra Answers the Questions of the Sons of Brahmā.”

Srimad Bhagavatam Class by HG Sri Narasimha Prabhu on 1 September 2026

Verse Number: SB 11.13.31
Chapter Name: The Haṁsa-avatāra Answers the Questions of the Sons of Brahmā

Important Points from Translation & Purport

Those states of existence that are conceived of as separate from the Supreme Personality of Godhead have no actual existence.
Since this world is the Lord’s creation, one cannot deny that its existence is also real; yet the living entity who identifies the creations of this world as belonging to himself is certainly in illusion.
A liberated soul in Krishna consciousness does not see anything substantial in even the most exalted rewards offered by the Vedas, such as promotion to the heavenly planets.
Lord Krishna advised Arjuna in Bhagavad-gita to remain fixed in self-realization, without being deviated by fruitive rituals performed in the name of religion.

Important Points from Class

In one lecture on Balarama Jayanti HH Radhanath Swami Maharaja says to kill the demon of doubt.
Maharaja said that Pralambasura who was killed by Balarama was the original terrorist.
Just as terrorist do recce before attacking a target, Pralambasura did recce of Vrindavan.
The demon thought that Krishna is extremely powerful so let me kill Balarama. If Balarama dies, then Krishna will automatically die and when Krishna and Balarama are not there then everyone in Vrindavan will die.
Pralambasura studied the cowherd boys and figured out which cowherd boy did not come on that day. He took the form of that cowherd boy.
During the game between the cowherd boys, Pralambasura was on the side of Krishna. Krishna’s team lost and as per the games rule, he lifted Balarama on his shoulders.
Lord Balarama eventually understood that he was a demon and so he became as heavy as Mandara mountain. Unable to bear the load, Pralambasura came to his original form. With a single fist attack, Balarama killed the demon.
There are atheists in the guise of scientists who systematically try to destroy the faith of people in the Lord. If the faith is uprooted, then no matter how many pastimes people hear of Krishna their devotion for the Lord will not develop. Just like if the root of the plant is uprooted, then no matter how much we water it, the plant will not grow.
So, if there is no faith then no matter how much we hear the pastime of Krishna, it does not work.
Acharyas make sure that the root of the faith is taken care of.
People may go to temple, but they do not have conviction and confidence that Lord is there.
Srila Prabhupada challenged the atheistic scientists and defeated them.
Krishna means different austerities such as of speech, mind and body but the purpose is to attain the absolute truth.
Balarama has a club with which he smashes the false ego or foolish ego of the living entities and with the plough he makes the heart fertile.
Six children of Devaki killed by Kamsa is compared to six anarthas. After the anarthas are destroyed, we get mercy of Balarama who is guru tattva. For us it is the instruction of Srila Prabhupada and his disciples.
We do not know how much time we have in this body, so we have to be sincere and serious in following instructions of the scriptures.
If there is no time of maya then no maya. We should make schedule of 28 hours in a day so that we do not have time for maya. We have to do so many things – chanting, reading, preaching and so on.
Main purpose of all service is to experience presence of Krishna in the holy name.
When one prepares for competitive examinations, one is very much focused on completing things on time. For bhakti too we should do the same.
When Krishna appears in his self-same form then everything one gets attracted to him, not just human beings, even birds and animals are attracted to him.
Capitalism is destroying varnasrama and secularism is nothing but communism.

Srimad Bhagavatam Class by HG Anand Vardhan Prabhu on 9 September 2026

Verse Number: SB 11.13.35
Chapter Name: The Haṁsa-avatāra Answers the Questions of the Sons of Brahmā

Important Points from Translation & Purport

· The living entity, while living in the external energy of the Lord, should give up any anxiety for sense gratification and should not act for his personal enjoyment.

· If one accepts any material object for one’s personal enjoyment, attachment will inevitably develop, and thus one will be bewildered by illusion.

· By gradually developing one’s spiritual body, one will no longer desire to enjoy anything within the material world.

Important Points from Class

Everything in this world will remain only for some time.
Even this body, which we love the most, will eventually go away. People having “Out of Body Experience” see their own body lying dead.
One rich person had many doctors helping him to keep young. He was more than 55 years old but would think that he was 25 years old. He once came to India but left an interview in the middle because the pollution level was a little high in the room where he was giving the interview. He has a team of experts who monitor everything so that he remains healthy, young and survives for a long period of time. But a month back, he put up a post on social media saying that he has a disease which is destroying his cells and he cannot do anything about it.
One person was riding on a scooter. An eagle was carrying a half-dead snake in its mouth and flying. Suddenly, the snake fell on the person riding the scooter. The snake bit him and he died. One child got a heart attack and died. So, we see death can come anytime.
The only connection the soul has with the body is ahankara, i.e. false ego. For example, what relationship do we have with our slippers? It is only ahankara, i.e. this is mine.
When we identify with the body, then we start looking for different ways to gratify the senses.
This body is a machine. Just if we take care of our car and not of ourselves, then we will suffer. Similarly, if we just take care of our body and not the soul, then we suffer because we are souls, not material bodies. Whatever is required to take care of the body should be done.
Soul is just an observer.
Someone asked Srila Prabhupada why Iskcon preaches only to rich people. Prabhupada said, as per me, everyone is poor from a spiritual perspective.

Srimad Bhagavatam Class by HG Vrindavan Chari Prabhu on 10 September 2026

Verse Number: SB 11.13.36
Chapter Name: The Haṁsa-avatāra Answers the Questions of the Sons of Brahmā

Important Points from Translation & Purport

One who has achieved his eternal identity does not notice whether the temporary body is sitting or standing.
If by God’s will the body is finished or if by God’s will he obtains a new body, a self-realized soul does not notice, just as a drunken man does not notice the situation of his outward dress.
A Krishna conscious person who has achieved his spiritual identity does not accept sense gratification in the material world as the goal of his life.
A liberated soul does not, however, inflict punishment on the body but rather remains neutral, naturally accepting his destiny as the will of the Supreme.

Important Points from Class

Mind is naturally attracted to sense objects, and sense objects in the form of desires enter the mind.
Whatever desires we have come in the dream.
To destroy mutual attraction between mind and sense objects, first we have to understand our identity.
Once a sage gave different blessings to different people based on how they were living.

The prince (Raja Putra): He gave him the blessing, raja-putra ciram jiva (“You live forever”). He is indulging in sense pleasure, so his next life will be painful; so it is better for him to live longer and enjoy as much as possible.

Son of a Saintly person, i.e. brahmachari (Muni-putra): He blessed him with ma jiva ma jiva (“You don’t live”). He was indulging in many austerities and had purified himself. He was destined to go to the spiritual world. So, why should he do penance here? Better for him to go to the spiritual world.
Devotee: He was blessed with jiva va mara va (“Either you live or you die, as you like”). A devotee engaged in the service of the Lord is happy in the present life, and in the next life too he will be engaged in the service of the Lord and will remain happy. So, living and dying does not affect him. We see devotees live in the middle of a city and engage in blissful Krishna Conscious activities. His day begins with Mangala Arati, where he sings and dances, then chants, hears Srimad Bhagavatam, honours prasadam and so on. We may say chanting is an austerity, but if we develop a taste for chanting, then chanting won’t be an austerity. A yogi who wants to attain God has to do lots of austerities. He has to go to the forest and do pranayama. Unless he is purified, he cannot concentrate on the Lord. But for a devotee, things are simpler. Once he understands that he is not the enjoyer, it becomes easy for him to serve Krishna. But for a yogi, it is not so easy to understand that Krishna is the real enjoyer.
Butcher (Sinful Person): He was given the blessing ma jiva ma mara (“You don’t die, don’t live”). His life is abominable, and after death he is going to suffer for his sins. So, it does not matter whether he lives or dies.

We see Prabhupada did whatever was required to spread Krishna Consciousness. He sat on the stairs for six hours to get the attention of Sumati Murarji. In the USA, he would purchase food items, cook food, serve the hippies, clean their plates and also give classes. Later, when they surrendered to him, he sometimes chastised them to correct them. Whatever designation is required, devotees accept and perform the service. We should also do our service in that consciousness.
Our eternal identity is that I am not this body.
Once Prabhupada was giving a class and was speaking on four classes – brahmana, kshatriya, Vaisya and Sudra. One person asked him what was his class. Prabhupada said, I am fifth class, servant of four other classes.
Pure devotees are always in their eternal identity and act in this world as required to serve the Lord.
We may have different designations but should remember who we are. We should develop humility; then we can chant nicely. To offer respect to somebody is not easy.
Even if we do menial of menial service, still we remain attached to our identification. At some places, we feel superior to others and we do apradh.
How we chant depends on how we spend the whole day. The whole day we have to practice trinad api sunicena.
In this verse, we see a pure devotee is always engaged in the service of the Lord. His mind is also pure.
When we do gayatri, then from time to time we have to remember our identity. The three times gayatri we do is also to remember our identity.
Prayers help us to come out of the material mind and understand our spiritual identity.

Srimad Bhagavatam Class by HG Acharya Ratna Prabhu on 11 September 2026

Verse Number: SB 11.13.37
Chapter Name: The Haṁsa-avatāra Answers the Questions of the Sons of Brahmā

Important Points from Translation & Purport

One should not foolishly starve or injure the body but should patiently wait until the chain of one’s previous fruitive work has completely exhausted itself.
At that time the body will automatically die according to destiny.
One who is highly elevated in Krishna consciousness never again surrenders to the illusory identification with the material body, which is just like the body seen in a dream.

Important Points from Class

In Uddhava Gita, Uddhava’s Question to Krishna – Material life is full of suffering. People understand this, but still, why do people engage in material activities like a dog or an ass? Even intelligent and learned people commit the same mistake again and again.

Krishna explains, “So-called learned people, when situated in goodness, understand that material life leads to suffering. But since they identify with the mind and body, they get influenced by raja-guna, and because of raja-guna, they engage in material activities.”
Since they think they are the mind and body, there is a tendency to gratify the mind and body.
As long as people identify with the body and mind, they will get dragged toward sense gratification.
So, a person should drag one’s mind away from sense gratification and meditate on Krishna through the practice of yoga.
Actual yoga is taught by devotees like the four Kumaras.
Uddhava asked, if Sanaka could teach yoga, then when did you teach him yoga? In what form did you teach him yoga? Because unless you teach, no one can know.
Then Krishna explained how the four Kumaras approached Brahma, but Brahma could not answer their queries. As Brahma was influenced by the three modes, he was not able to answer the question. One can answer questions when one is in goodness and pure goodness. Brahma, because of the influence of raja-guna, could not answer. But Brahma did one great thing: he meditated on Krishna. As soon as he meditated, Krishna said, “I appeared in Hamsa form to answer the question.”
Question of the four Kumaras to Lord Hamsa: The mind is attracted to sense objects, and sense objects naturally enter the mind, so how can one disconnect the mind from sense objects?
When we see anything, the mind goes there unintentionally. Some young girl comes; the mind turns in that direction. If there is nice prasadam or nice music, the mind goes in that direction.
The five senses naturally get attracted to objects of sense gratification.
The problem with sense gratification is that it leads to samsara, i.e., to the continuous cycle of birth and death.
Those who want liberation should cut the connection between sense objects and the mind.
The four Kumaras asked how to cut this attraction of the mind.
When the Lord appeared as Hamsa Avatara, His form was beautiful and His voice was captivating. The four Kumaras were amazed. Brahma’s carrier is also a hamsa, but is not like Lord Hamsa.
The four Kumaras asked, “My dear sir, who are you? Please tell us.” The Lord, being in the heart, knows what conception people have in their hearts. The four Kumaras had a Brahman conception, an impersonal understanding of God.
First, the Lord smashed the impersonal conception. Hamsa said, “If I am you and you are me, then there is no meaning to your question.”
The Lord said, “You and I are spiritual beings but are different in identity. I am Supreme, and you are subordinate.” The Lord removed the impersonal conception first.
Living entities are spiritual beings but can come under maya, whereas maya is always under Krishna. So, Krishna is never bewildered and never overcome by ignorance. Therefore, He can say what is right and wrong.
A living entity is not God and can never be God.
Another misconception people have: People think they are the body and mind. As long as people think they are the body or mind, it is difficult to cut the attraction to sense objects. When we think we are the body and mind, we think we are the doer and proprietor, and the purpose of this world is for our enjoyment.
We have to understand that we are spirit souls.
The three states of consciousness are waking, dreaming, and susupti, i.e., deep sleep. In all these states, one identifies with the body. We are imagining that we are young, old, this and that.
One should understand that we are not the body and the mind.
The first misconception is impersonalism; the second is, “I am the body and mind.”
The third misconception is to think, “Let us not waste time in finding God.” If we do not understand God, then one will not understand oneself. Without God, self-realization is impossible. Without the sun, we cannot see. Similarly, unless we understand God, we cannot have self-realization.
If we do not understand the self, we will misidentify ourselves. We will think that we are the body and mind. And if this is the case, then there is no possibility of cutting the connection between the mind and sense objects.
Before creation, Brahma performed one thousand celestial years of tapasya. Pleased with his tapasya, the Lord spoke four verses, which are called Catuh Sloki Bhagavatam, to Brahma.
1st verse of Catuh Sloki Bhagavatam: Before creation, the Lord is there; during the creation, the Lord is there; and after annihilation, God is also there.
2nd verse of Catuh Sloki Bhagavatam: If you see anything of value without connection with Me (Krishna), then it is an illusion. We may think money will give security, but either we leave money or money leaves us. If education does not lead to Krishna, then it leads to pride and does not solve the problems of life. Anything connected with Krishna has value. Krishna is one and other things are zero. So, when connected with Krishna, they have value. If there is no “one,” then no matter how many zeros are there, there is no value.
3rd verse of Catuh Sloki Bhagavatam: I enter the cosmos, and I am outside of the cosmos too. The Lord enters the cosmos as Maha-Vishnu, Garbhodakasayi Vishnu, and Kshirodakasayi Vishnu. In every aspect of life, we should search for Krishna. When we connect to Krishna, then we go to the fourth state of consciousness. In that state, one is awakened to the reality that I am part and parcel of Krishna. When one comes to this stage, then one can meditate on Krishna – man-mana bhava mad-bhakto. Unless the mind meditates on Krishna, it is not possible to cut the mind from sense objects. The mind will always be overpowered by maya. Hamsa first teaches the four Kumaras Sankhya, i.e., that spirit and matter are different. And to connect to the Supreme is called yoga. Lord Hamsa says that if you meditate on Me, then you can save yourself from the three modes of material nature. A person intoxicated with love of God is not disturbed by bodily changes.
A person in a car is not focusing on the car but on the destination, i.e., going home or to the office. Similarly, a devotee is not concerned about his body but about service to Krishna. But at the same time, he does not neglect his body, just as a person does not neglect the car which he is driving.
By repeatedly hearing from guru, sadhu, and sastra, we understand that we are not the body but spirit souls. Our intelligence is polluted, so we should not pay attention to it. Real intelligence is the words of guru, sadhu, and sastra.
In our current state, the mind will accept anything which will take us to sense gratification. So, we should regularly hear Srimad Bhagavatam and accept the words of guru, sadhu, and sastra, whether we like it or not.
If I don’t like it but still hear the holy name, I will start liking the holy name gradually. I may not like Bhagavatam class, but if we continue hearing, we will start liking it. We have to tolerate and do the things recommended. Slowly, our feelings will change, and we will begin liking the holy name, Bhagavatam, devotees, and Krishna.
We should not take the mind seriously but should take the words of guru, sadhu, and sastra seriously.
Sometimes the Lord uses pure devotees to teach us some lessons. For example, Arjuna was put into that condition by Krishna.
In the case of the four Kumaras, we see that they hear from Ananta Sesa and Lord Hamsa. They even go to the Vaikuntha planets, where the Jaya-Vijaya pastime took place. These pastimes may happen in different creations of the Lord, and understanding the chronology may not be possible.
Just by knowledge and intelligence, we cannot cut the connection to sense gratification. Only devotional service can cut that connection. It happens when devotees get a higher taste.

Srimad Bhagavatam Class by HG Kushal Vihari Prabhu on 12 September 2026

Verse Number: SB 11.13.38
Chapter Name: The Haṁsa-avatāra Answers the Questions of the Sons of Brahmā

Important Points from Translation & Purport

My dear brāhmaṇas, I have now explained to you the confidential knowledge of Sāṅkhya, by which one philosophically distinguishes matter from spirit, and of aṣṭāṅga-yoga, by which one links up with the Supreme.
After explaining the sāṅkhya- and aṣṭāṅga-yoga systems, the Lord clearly answers the original question of the sages, “Who are You, sir?” Thus, Lord Brahmā and his sons were enlightened by Lord Haṁsa.

Important Points from Class

When Lord appeared as Chaitanya Mahaprabhu then he was more merciful. During Mahaprakash like he showed his mercy to the devotees explicitly.
In Maha Prakash Lila, Chaitanya Mahaprabhu says that I am Lord Vishnu, worship me.
For example, to Murari Gupta Lord showed him his form of Lord Rama and all the devotees turned into monkeys.
To Catus Kumar too here, Lord Hamsa says I am Vishnu.
In Mahaprakash Lila, Lord also showed the glories of the devotees. He informed how Haridas Thakura was ready to be beaten at 22 marketplaces. But Lord also showed that how he took the beatings on his body to protect Haridas Thakura.
Lord Chaitanya is most merciful, he showed how he interacts with the devotees.
To Arjuna also he told, take my shelter, in this verse, Lord is saying to take his shelter.
In Mahaprakash Lila, Lord is showing what happens when anyone surrenders to the Lord. Haridas Thakura while glorifying the Lord tells how the Lord reciprocates with his devotees.
Pure devotees of the Lord pray to the Lord without any motive; we should also pray to the Lord with that mindset.
By hearing devotees’ reciprocation with the Lord, we develop love for the Lord.

Srimad Bhagavatam Class by HG Sri Govind Ghosh Prabhu on 14 September 2026

Verse Number: SB 11.13.40
Chapter Name: The Haṁsa-avatāra Answers the Questions of the Sons of Brahmā

Important Points from Translation & Purport

Because the Lord completely ignores the so-called enjoyment offered by the illusory energy, He is called nirapekṣakam,
Being the best well-wisher of His devotees, He is called suhṛdam.
Priyam indicates that the Lord is the supreme lovable object and that He establishes wonderful, affectionate relationships with His devotees.
Sāmya indicates that the Lord is neutral and detached in all material situations.

Important Points from Class

In Jail, local prisoners train the new prisoners.
In some schools especially in villages, when teachers are not available, then senior students teach the junior classes.
Me giving class, is akin to that. We are in maya, but we are speaking how to come out of maya.
In the last two verses 40-41, we learn how by understanding qualities of the lord, we can come out of maya.
Lord Hamsa in this section discusses jnana and vairagya in detail.
Lord discusses in this world that vairagya is important and along with vairagya jnana is required. But both should be done in relationship with bhakti.
Because of three modes, living entities start considering himself as material body and mind. To get out of this one should come to sudha-satva and to come to Sudha-satva, we should first come to the level of satva guna.
When Krishna teases Rukmini saying that he is not even the king, Rukmini says that you are right, you are not the king of this world, but you are the king of the spiritual world. In this material world, maya is the ruler.
In ŚB 11.13.4, it is mentioned that ten items are under the three modes.
Mode of goodness brings us to the level that we can discriminate what is right or wrong.
In 11^th Canto of Srimad Bhagavatam, vairagya and jnana is discussed. Srimad Bhagavatam is teaching in the concluding verses how to get detached from this world.
When spider makes cobweb, she does not get entangle in it. Even her children do not get entangle in it. But other insects get entangled.
Similarly, Lord creates this world but does not get entangled in it. Nor does his pure devotees.
To get out of this world, we have to take help of this world. If we engage gross and subtle body in the service of the Lord, then we can purify ourselves.
Because of friction between two bamboos there is fire and the fire burns the entire bamboo forest. We are engaged in this world because of material mind and senses. We have to do reverse it by engaging mind and senses in the service of the Lord.
By engaging mind, body and senses in the service of the Lord, we can destroy our material mind, senses and body.
Engaging mind and body and service of the Lord is very important. Single minded devotion and focus is very much required.
People know that because of too much indulgence (bhoga) one is suffering and but still people are not able to give it up.
People are not able to give up sense gratification because a person misidentifies himself with the material body and mind.
Especially because of Rajo and Tamo guna, one is attached to sense gratification.
If a toy is taken away from a child, the child will cry. Solution is to give something better to a child. Similarly, we should give up lower taste by taking up higher taste.
Mind and intelligence are right and left hand of ahankara.
Lord Hamsa first smashed mayavad, then sense gratification, then he explains that everything comes from him.
There are three types of consciousness – jagrat, swapna, susupti. Beyond this is turya.
Whatever we are getting in this world is result of our past karmas. Sometimes an enemy becomes the son of a person and troubles him.
We should serve Krishna with mind, intelligence and body. We should cut our attachment to this world by the sword of knowledge.
In SB 11.13.38 – 41 – Lord Hamsa tells that he is Lord Vishnu