- Srimad Bhagavatam lecture of Srila Prabhupada at Iskcon Newtown Kolkata
- Verse Number: SB 3.25.23
- Lecture date: Nov 23, 1974
- Lecture location: Bombay
- Chapter Name: The Glories of Devotional Service
- Lecture Link: https://prabhupadavani.org/transcriptions/741123sbbom/
- Day/Date: Thursday/29th May 2025
While speaking on SB 3.25.23, Srila Prabhupada explained why devotees of Krishna do not suffer. Even if suffering comes to devotees, he is able to tolerate it and transcend it.
mad-āśrayāḥ kathā mṛṣṭāḥ
śṛṇvanti kathayanti ca
tapanti vividhās tāpā
naitān mad-gata-cetasaḥ
Translation
Engaged constantly in chanting and hearing about Me, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the sādhus do not suffer from material miseries because they are always filled with thoughts of My pastimes and activities.
Following are few important points from Srila Prabhupada’s lecture
- Anyone who has got this material body has accepted suffering.
- There are three kinds of suffering = adhyātmika, adhibhautika, adhidaivika.
- If we understand properly that “I am not this body,” then, although there is suffering, you will not feel very much..
- So one who is too much absorbed with the thought that “This is my car” or “I am car,” he suffers more. But if one knows that “I am not this car. All right, there is some accident. It can be repaired, or it can be… That doesn’t matter…” It is a question of absorption of the thought.
- Because we have got this skin disease, “I am this body,” therefore you are suffering, because you have become so nonsense rascal that “I am this body.”
- So this body is made of material elements = kapha, pitta, vāyu.
- We have seen in 1947 in Calcutta, Hindu-Muslim riot—more suffering because one is thinking, “I am Hindu,” one is thinking, “I am Muslim.”
- Therefore I am neither Hindu nor Muslim. I am eternal servant of Kṛṣṇa,” then where is the suffering of Hindu-Muslim riot?
- And if you reduce this bodily concept of life, then suffering also will be reduced.
- When a devotee suffers, he thinks that “It is due to my past misdeeds. So I am suffering not very much, a very little, on account of Kṛṣṇa’s grace. So it doesn’t matter.”
- So Prahlāda Mahārāja said that “I know how to become happy.” How to become happy? “Now, simply hearing about You and chanting about You, that’s all.”
- Then… Prahlāda Mahārāja, as he says, that tvad-vīrya-gāyana-mahāmṛta-magna-cittaḥ: “Because my mind is always absorbed in talking about You and hearing about You, therefore I am not unhappy. I do not… I know how to become happy.”
- So this devotional service, this line of action, is so nice that if we practice, if we make advance, then even in this material world staying, there will be no more suffering. That is called jīvan mukta. Jīvan mukta means although he is in this body, but he is not suffering the bodily miserable condition. It is a question of absorbation of thought.
- I have read in some paper that Mr. Stalin, the Communist leader, he had to undergo a surgical operation of operating on the belly. But doctor wanted to, what is called, chloroform, but he said, “No, there is no need. You can go on with your operation.” So even in ordinary life it is possible. Because the mind is absorbed in a different way, even a surgical operation does not disturb a man.
- I will tell you the story of one very big man, the Marquis of Zetland. The Marquis of Zetland was talking with one of my Godbrother. The Lord—they are called Lord—he asked, “Can you make me brāhmaṇa?” So the my Godbrother said, “Yes, it is not very difficult. If you give up these bad habits—intoxication, illicit sex life, meat-eating and gambling—you can become a brāhmaṇa.” So he said, “It is impossible.” Yes. A very big man, he said, “It is impossible. This is our life.”
- How it is becoming possible for these boys? If they would have suffered for want of this illicit sex, intoxication, the boys or girls, then how they could remain with me? I am not a very rich man. I cannot give them nice shelter. I cannot give them nice food. But why? Because they are not feeling… They have no furniture; they are lying down on the floor, no bedding, no proper cloth. Because they are not suffering actually. Otherwise they could not remain with me. This is a fact. If they would have suffered, then, like Lord Zetland, they would have also said, “It is impossible to remain with Prabhupāda.”
- Everyone knows Bhagavad-gītā. So if we simply hear Bhagavad-gītā, we can attain this stage of perfection, no more suffering. That is a fact.
- Caitanya Mahāprabhu advised all His devotees, grāmya-kathā nā kahibe [Cc. Antya 6.236]. This requires… This is called advancement. Don’t talk nonsense of these material talks.
- Just like you open the newspaper. What do you find? The same thing. The same plane crash, the same politician condemn another politician, and something lost, something gained, something… It is punaḥ punaś carvita-carvaṇānām [SB 7.5.30].
- When you are in pleasure, transcendental bliss, there will be no more possibility of this material suffering.
- When we shall feel pleasure by hearing about Kṛṣṇa or talking about Kṛṣṇa, we must know that we are making progress on the path of perfection. And at that time any kind of this material suffering will not be felt. This is the practical effect of executing devotional service.
