The instructions of Sanat-kumāra (Srimad Bhagavatam #60)

The discussion happened in the view of all citizens; therefore, by asking these questions, the King guaranteed that they would receive spiritual instructions from the most exalted personalities.

Inquired by the King, the great Sanat-kumāra starts by glorifying the questions of Maharaja Pṛthu, who, even though already situated in the highest platform of devotion, is eager to hear about the process of devotional service, and always thinking about the welfare of others. The discussion happened in the view of all citizens; therefore, by asking these questions, the King guaranteed that they would receive spiritual instructions from the most exalted personalities.

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Lesson 60: The instructions of Sanat-kumāra (4.22)

As the leader of the four brothers, Sanat-kumāra answers the questions of King Pṛthu from text 18 to text 40. He also speaks as the leader of the Kumāras in other scriptures, such as the Chāndogya Upaniṣad and the Sanat-kumāra Saṁhitā. The answers of Sanat-kumāra encapsulate many of the conclusions of the 4th canto, again emphasizing that devotional service to the Lord is the ultimate goal of life.

He starts by glorifying the questions of Maharaja Pṛthu, who, even though already situated in the highest platform of devotion, is eager to hear about the process of devotional service, and always thinking about the welfare of others. The discussion happened in the view of all citizens; therefore, by asking these questions, the King guaranteed that they would receive spiritual instructions from the most exalted personalities.

"Sanat-kumāra said: My dear King Pṛthu, I am very nicely questioned by you. Such questions are beneficial for all living entities, especially because they are raised by you, who are always thinking of the good of others. Although you know everything, you ask such questions because that is the behavior of saintly persons. Such intelligence is befitting your position." (SB 4.22.18)

The ultimate good is Krsna Consciousness, and the best way to learn about it is in the association of devotees. As Sanat-kumāra mentions: "When there is a congregation of devotees, their discussions, questions, and answers become conclusive to both the speaker and the audience. Thus, such a meeting is beneficial for everyone’s real happiness." (SB 4.22.19)

The main point is not even the scriptures themselves, but the devotees discussing them. As Prabhupada points out in the purport, the Bhagavad-gītā was well-known for many centuries in the West before he came, with many discussions held and many commentaries written, but not even a single person became Krsna conscious as a result of such discussions. When he published the Bhagavad-gītā As It Is, however, the effect was immediately noticed.

Such discussions amongst devotees benefit all involved, because when we speak about Krsna, we directly associate with Krsna. The speaker thus benefits as much as the audience. Even if one is not a devotee, just by hearing, he becomes purified and may also come to the platform of devotional service with time. When Nārada Muni questioned Lord Brahmā about the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Brahmā thanked him for giving him a chance to speak about the Lord. Similarly, Sanat-kumāra also indirectly thanked Pṛthu Maharaja for his enlightening questions and prepared to continue answering in the following verses.

The foundation of devotional service (SB 4.22.20 to 4.22.23)

"Sanat-kumāra continued: My dear King, you already have an inclination to glorify the lotus feet of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Such attachment is very difficult to achieve, but when one has attained such unflinching faith in the Lord, it automatically cleanses lusty desires from the core of the heart." (SB 4.22.20)

The propensity to enjoy matter, manifested in the form of material lust, is the root cause of the conditioning of the soul. This lust can be cleansed only by the association of devotees, because only by this association can we ascend to the platform of devotional service. Other processes, such as karma and jñana, are ineffective without the presence of bhakti. As Prabhupada mentions in his purport, the living being has no factual connection with material enjoyment or with lust. We simply imagine we are in this material condition, just like someone dreaming after falling asleep. By the association of pure devotees, we are awakened, and we become situated in our constitutional position as eternal servants of the Lord. Pṛthu Maharaja was already situated in this platform of strong faith and devotion, and he inquired from the Kumāras so others could be elevated to the same platform.

Since lust is the cause of conditioning, what is the process to become free from it? This is answered by Sanat-kumāra in the next verse:

"It has been conclusively decided in the scriptures, after due consideration, that the ultimate goal for the welfare of human society is detachment from the bodily concept of life and increased and steadfast attachment for the Supreme Lord, who is transcendental, beyond the modes of material nature." (SB 4.22.21)

Progress in spiritual life has two components: detachment from the bodily conception of life and attachment to the Lord, and the best welfare is achieving these two things. This is the conclusion from the scriptures, and the main focus of the instructions of Sanat-kumāra. This same topic will be further discussed in the allegory of King Purañjana described later in the 4th canto, which describes in detail the situation of the conditioned soul in this material world to invoke in us a powerful sense of detachment. This allegory is followed by the story of Queen Vaidarbhī and her meeting with the Supersoul, who revealed to her their eternal relationship, which she forgot when she decided to enjoy this material world.

Why is it not possible to become attached to the Lord while at the same time remaining attached to the material world? The Lord is transcendental and beyond the modes of material nature, and therefore, he can't be attained as long as one is tied to this material world, just as one can't remain on the ground and touch the clouds at the same time. A person in the bodily concept of life can't even understand the ultimate goal, what to say about attaining it. The process of giving up the attachment to this material world starts with transcendental inquiry (athāto brahma-jijñāsā). After one's attachment slackens as a result of such inquiry, one gradually comes to the platform of devotional service. Without devotional service, however, mere philosophical inquiry stops in impersonalism, from where one may fall back to the material platform.

In this way, one can obtain the first component, detachment from the material, through the process of philosophical inquiry. But how to obtain the second component, attachment to the Lord?

"Attachment for the Supreme can be increased by practicing devotional service, inquiring about the Supreme Personality of Godhead, applying bhakti-yoga in life, worshiping the Yogeśvara, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and by hearing and chanting about the glories of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. These actions are pious in themselves." (SB 4.22.22)

The words yogeśva uropāsanayā are translated in the verse as "worshiping the Yogeśvara, the Supreme Personality of Godhead", but in the purport, Prabhupada calls our attention to another meaning: yogeśvara-upāsanā also means to render service to a pure devotee. Without serving a pure devotee, one cannot advance in spiritual life. We serve Krsna by serving His devotees. And how can these pure devotees be served? "To serve the topmost devotee means to hear from him about the glories of the Supreme Personality of Godhead."

Krsna mentions in the Gītā (7.28): “Persons who have acted piously in previous lives and in this life and whose sinful actions are completely eradicated are freed from the dualities of delusion, and they engage themselves in My service with determination.”

As He mentions, without being situated on a platform of piety, a person cannot engage in devotional service. This explains why it is so rare for common people to come to this platform. However, by simply hearing from pure devotees, we become situated in this platform of piety, giving us the opportunity to start. Then, to further advance, becoming fully cleansed, one should accept a bona fide spiritual master and learn from him how to serve Krsna.

The process of developing attachment to Krsna includes many positives, such as hearing from saintly persons, accepting a spiritual master and learning from him, following the footsteps of great ācāryas, and so on. It also includes many negatives, or things to avoid in order to quickly progress, as described by Sanat-kumāra:

"One has to make progress in spiritual life by not associating with persons who are simply interested in sense gratification and making money. Not only such persons, but one who associates with such persons should be avoided. One should mold his life in such a way that he cannot live in peace without drinking the nectar of the glorification of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Hari. One can be thus elevated by being disgusted with the taste for sense enjoyment." (SB 4.22.23)

To be able to advance quickly, we should do both simultaneously. As Prabhupada explains in his purport, just abandoning the association of materialistic persons is not sufficient: one has to also find positive engagement in the company of devotees. Therefore, although both are necessary, association of devotees should be the priority, because by associating with devotees we gradually lose the taste for material association, but by just abandoning material association and going to meditate in the forest one doesn't automatically develop taste for devotional service, and without this taste one cannot remain fixed in the transcendental platform.

Since going to the forest and chanting alone is not a process recommended for most. We need association, but where to find it? To offer this devotee association, our ācāryas have been engaged in creating and expanding spiritual institutions. Srila Bhaktivinoda Thākura created the World Vaishnava Association, Srila Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Thākura created the Gauḍīya Maṭha, and Srila Prabhupada created ISKCON. In one sense, these institutions are perfect because they are dedicated to the cause of the Lord and are thus connected to the spiritual platform, but on the material side, there may be many deficiencies introduced by imperfect individuals joining, such as ourselves. The idea, however, is that by associating with devotees, hearing about Krsna, and being engaged in practical devotional service, we can gradually grow. We should thus try to focus on the spiritual side, valuing the possibility of associating with devotees instead of paying too much attention to the material imperfections.

Sanat-kumāra describes the bhakti process in more detail (SB 4.22.24 to 4.22.31)

After describing the foundations of the process of bhakti in verses 18 to 23, Sanat-kumāra goes deeper into the details of the devotional practice in verses 24 to 31. It's already accepted that hearing about Krsna from devotees is the foundation of the process of bhakti and that accepting a spiritual master and learning from him is the next step. What other directives should we follow to make the mind more fixed on the Lord?

In text 24, six additional principles are offered for one desiring to advance on the spiritual path:

"A candidate for spiritual advancement must be nonviolent, must follow in the footsteps of great ācāryas, must always remember the nectar of the pastimes of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, must follow the regulative principles without material desire, and, while following the regulative principles, should not blaspheme others. A devotee should lead a very simple life and not be disturbed by the duality of opposing elements. He should learn to tolerate them." (SB 4.22.24)

a) Nonviolence (ahiṁsā) means not just not committing violence against others, but also to stop violence being committed against animals and other innocent creatures by spreading spiritual principles. If a devotee suffers personal injury, he should tolerate it, but if he sees someone else being harmed, he should be compassionate and do what he can to prevent it. Materialistic philanthropists usually promote the protection of a certain group or species, but a devotee understands the principle of universal brotherhood and is thus a friend to all and does his best to teach others this transcendental science. This is true ahiṁsā.

b) Following in the footsteps of great ācāryas means to join the disciplic succession by accepting a spiritual master and learning the transcendental science from him. All previous ācāryas showed the perfect example by following this same path.

c) What about smṛtyā, remembering the nectar of the pastimes of the Supreme Personality of Godhead? Prabhupada explains that "Life should be molded in such a way that one cannot remain alone without thinking of Kṛṣṇa. We should live in Kṛṣṇa so that while eating, sleeping, walking, and working, we remain only in Kṛṣṇa."

How to achieve that? "This remembrance of the Lord can be continued if we hear about Him constantly." Nowadays, we have the facility for hearing from sadhus not only personally, and through books, but also through recordings, broadcasts, online meetings, and all sorts of electronic and virtual tools. We should, as far as possible, fill up our time with Krsna-kathā. Prabhupada gives the example of devotees hearing lectures while working, making incense in the Spiritual Sky company (which devotees were running in the 1970s).

d) The fourth instruction, yamaiḥ, means to control our senses. This may sound very difficult in the beginning, but Prabhupada explains that "This is possible when one does not desire any material sense gratification." This can be achieved by observing the regulative principles and abandoning the idea of enjoying our senses separately from Krsna. By serving Krsna, we obtain a higher taste.

e) The problem in rigidly following regulative principles is that this can make us envious or intolerant of others who are not following the same standard. Prabhupada explains that there are different religious systems destined for different grades of people, according to the influence of the three modes of material nature over them. Criticizing just creates enmity and agitates the mind, making people even more resistant. Instead, a devotee should encourage followers of other systems to stick to their principles, so that they may gradually progress. Doing so has two advantages: a devotee may encourage them to come closer to the standard of bhakti by encouraging them to follow positive principles present in their systems, and by this pleasant and soft approach they may accept the devotee as a guide, which will open the door for they becoming gradually attracted to the path of devotional service.

f) Finally, a devotee should be nirīhayā: simple, meek, and gentle. As Prabhupada defines, "A devotee should not live very gorgeously and imitate a materialistic person. Plain living and high thinking are recommended for a devotee. He should accept only so much as he needs to keep the material body fit for the execution of devotional service."

Life in the material world is always uncomfortable, and the more we try to make arrangements to reduce these discomforts, the less time we have to practice devotional service. We should thus learn to tolerate a certain level of bodily discomfort, so we can remain fixed in our spiritual practice.

How can we become fixed in these six principles? Sanat-kumāra concludes that this can be achieved by constantly hearing about Krsna. This point was already made, but it is again emphasized in text 25:

"The devotee should gradually increase the culture of devotional service by constant hearing of the transcendental qualities of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. These pastimes are like ornamental decorations on the ears of devotees. By rendering devotional service and transcending the material qualities, one can easily be fixed in transcendence in the Supreme Personality of Godhead." (SB 4.22.25)

Ordinary people are attracted to hear about politics and other mundane topics, but a devotee should acquire a taste for hearing about Krsna. How to acquire this taste? This brings us back to the principle of hearing from realized souls, which is again emphasized. Prabhupada describes this process very didactically in his purport: "We can increase our propensity for devotional service by hearing Bhagavad-gītā and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam from realized souls. The more we hear from realized souls, the more we make advancement in our devotional life. The more we advance in devotional life, the more we become detached from the material world. The more we become detached from the material world, as advised by Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu, the more we increase in attachment for the Supreme Personality of Godhead."

What is the result of following this process? After accepting a spiritual master and by his guidance, attaining love for Krsna and detachment from the world, the soul becomes free. Just as a fire appearing from wood destroys the wood itself, the soul practicing Krsna consciousness by using the material body and senses, gradually burns his material surroundings.

"Upon becoming fixed in his attachment to the Supreme Personality of Godhead by the grace of the spiritual master and by awakening knowledge and detachment, the living entity, situated within the heart of the body and covered by the five elements, burns up his material surroundings exactly as fire, arising from wood, burns the wood itself." (SB 4.22.26)

Prabhupada explains that apart from the five elements that constitute the material manifestation, the soul is tied to this world by five kinds of material attachments: ignorance, false egoism, attachment to the material world, envy, and absorption in material consciousness. Due to the spell of these attachments, we remain forgetful of our true nature, shackled to this world. When they are destroyed by knowledge and detachment, our original nature emerges, and we become firmly fixed in loving service to Krsna. However, these coverings can't be removed without accepting a spiritual master and following his instructions, just as when we are tied, we need the help of someone who is free.

When one becomes advanced in spiritual practice, one becomes liberated even while still living in the material body. This situation is compared to a dry coconut detached from the coconut husk, even though still within the husk. The body of a pure devotee is called cin-maya-śarīra, or a spiritualized body, because he doesn't perform material activities, even though engaged in all kinds of undertakings for Krsna. This art of action in Krsna consciousness is described in the Gītā. By this process of devotional service, not only the performer, but the activity itself, the paraphernalia used to perform it, the offering, and even the place where a devotee performs his service merge into transcendence as mentioned on Bg 4.19-24:

“One is understood to be in full knowledge whose every endeavor is devoid of desire for sense gratification. He is said by sages to be a worker for whom the reactions of work have been burned up by the fire of perfect knowledge. Abandoning all attachment to the results of his activities, ever satisfied and independent, he performs no fruitive action, although engaged in all kinds of undertakings. Such a man of understanding acts with mind and intelligence perfectly controlled, gives up all sense of proprietorship over his possessions and acts only for the bare necessities of life. Thus working, he is not affected by sinful reactions.
He who is satisfied with gain which comes of its own accord, who is free from duality and does not envy, who is steady in both success and failure, is never entangled, although performing actions. The work of a man who is unattached to the modes of material nature and who is fully situated in transcendental knowledge merges entirely into transcendence. A person who is fully absorbed in Kṛṣṇa consciousness is sure to attain the spiritual kingdom because of his full contribution to spiritual activities, in which the consummation is absolute and that which is offered is of the same spiritual nature.”

Once our original Krsna consciousness is covered by Maya, the only way to revive it is by engaging the material body, material consciousness, and anything else we have now in the service of the Lord.

Awakening from the dream

Conditioned life is often compared to a dream. The stage of liberation is compared to the end of such a dream, when one can again understand their real situation and wake up to the spiritual reality. While dreaming, one may see different situations, but when one awakens, one sees nothing apart from oneself. Similarly, in material life we create an illusory situation for ourselves, with growing material entanglement, but when we attain liberation by the process described in the previous verses, we see ourselves in our real position in relationship with the Lord. This is explained in text 27:

"When a person becomes devoid of all material desires and liberated from all material qualities, he transcends distinctions between actions executed externally and internally. At that time the difference between the soul and the Supersoul, which was existing before self-realization, is annihilated. When a dream is over, there is no longer a distinction between the dream and the dreamer." (SB 4.22.27)

The verse mentions that "the difference between the soul and the Supersoul, which was existing before self-realization, is annihilated" and his purport Prabhupada mentions that "a liberated person understands that he is part and parcel of the Supreme Lord acting in accordance with the desire of the Supreme Lord, and as such there is no distinction between himself and the Supreme Lord, although both of them retain their individuality (nityo nityānāṁ cetanaś cetanānām)."

This may sound like a contradiction at first, but it is nicely explained by Srila Madhvācārya in his commentary to the Māṇḍūkya Upanisad. It is similar to when we say, "In the dark, everything becomes one." It doesn't mean everything merges together, but that in the dark, we don't see the distinction between the different objects. Similarly, in conditioned life, we see ourselves as separated from the Lord, which leads to an attitude of material enjoyment and illusion. In the stage of liberation, this distinction caused by the false ego disappears, and our desires become dovetailed with the Lord. Just as a mother identifies with the needs and desires of her child, we forget about any separate interest and become absorbed in the desires of Krsna. This is the true spiritual platform of oneness.

Another meaning of unity is that, as aspiring devotees, we sometimes practice activities connected with sense gratification and sometimes with Krsna consciousness. For a pure devotee, however, there is no such distinction, as Prabhupada explains: "When one is liberated from the material qualities, he does not do anything for his personal sense gratification. At that time, all activities performed by him were absolute. In the conditioned state, there are two kinds of activities: one acts on behalf of the body, and at the same time he acts to become liberated. The devotee, when he is completely free from all material desires or all material qualities, transcends the duality of action for the body and soul. Then the bodily concept of life is completely over."

This distinction between practice in the conditioned state and the liberated stage is further emphasized in the next verse:

"When the soul exists for sense gratification, he creates different desires, and for that reason he becomes subjected to designations. But when one is in the transcendental position, he is no longer interested in anything except fulfilling the desires of the Lord." (SB 4.22.28)

The main difference between a liberated soul and a conditioned soul is that a conditioned soul lives under the material designations created by the false ego, identifying with the body and mind. This is accompanied by many material desires that make one absorbed in matter. Even when we start our spiritual practice, this identification with matter persists to a certain degree, and in this way, we see a difference between matter (what we use for our sense gratification) and spirit (what we see as connected with Krsna). For a pure devotee, however, there is no matter; he sees everything as connected with Krsna and is ready to use everything and anything in His service. In this platform, there is not even need to renounce anything, because he doesn't see anything as his possession. He sees Krsna in everything and everything in Krsna. This is yet another meaning of oneness.

In his purport, Prabhupada describes this vision in detail:

"The liberated person has no attachment for anything material or for sense gratification. He understands that everything is connected with the Supreme Personality of Godhead and that everything should be engaged in the service of the Lord. Therefore he does not give up anything. There is no question of renouncing anything because the paramahaṁsa knows how to engage everything in the service of the Lord. Originally everything is spiritual; nothing is material. In the Caitanya-caritāmṛta (Madhya 8.274) also it is explained that a mahā-bhāgavata, a highly advanced devotee, has no material vision:

sthāvara-jaṅgama dekhe, nā dekhe tāra mūrti
sarvatra haya nija iṣṭa-deva-sphūrti

Although he sees trees, mountains, and other living entities moving here and there, he sees all as the creation of the Supreme Lord and, with reference to the context, sees only the creator and not the created. In other words, he no longer distinguishes between the created and the creator. He sees only the Supreme Personality of Godhead in everything. He sees Kṛṣṇa in everything and everything in Kṛṣṇa. This is oneness."

One more meaning of oneness is to not make a distinction between oneself and others, based on the idea that we are all spirit souls, parts and parcels of Krsna. As defined by Madhvācārya, one soul is distinct from another in the sense that we are different individuals, but at the same time, we are equal in nature. This is emphasized by Sanat-kumāra in text 29:

"Only because of different causes does a person see a difference between himself and others, just as one sees the reflection of a body appearing differently manifested on water, on oil or in a mirror." (SB 4.22.29)

What does this example mean? The same person appears different when reflected in different surfaces. Because the water moves, the reflection appears to move, while reflected on a mirror, the reflection becomes stable. Reflected on oil, it appears hazy and so on. Similarly, the spirit soul acquires different varieties of forms and activities due to contact with the three modes, accepting different upādhis, or designations. This, however, doesn't change the actual position of the soul. In the Gītā (18.21), Krsna explains that knowledge by which one sees that in every different body there is a different type of living is in the mode of passion. A learned person does not discriminate based on the body (5.18).