# Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 3.25.43

*Type: Srimad-Bhagavatam Dated: December 11th 1974 Location: Bombay Audio file: 741211SB.BOM.mp3*

Nitāi: *Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya.* [Prabhupāda and devotees repeat] [leads chanting of verse, etc.]

> jñāna-vairāgya-yuktena
> bhakti-yogena yoginaḥ
> kṣemāya pāda-mūlaṁ me
> praviśanty akuto-bhayam

SB 3.25.43

[break] [01:25]

**"[The] ...yogīs, equipped with transcendental knowledge and renunciation and engaged in devotional service for their eternal benefit, take shelter of My lotus feet, and since I am the Lord, they are thus eligible to enter into the kingdom of Godhead without fear."**

Prabhupāda:

> jñāna-vairāgya-yuktena
> bhakti-yogena yoginaḥ
> kṣemāya pāda-mūlaṁ me
> praviśanty akuto-bhayam

SB 3.25.43

*Akuto-bhayam.* Here in this material world---simply *bhayam,* only fearfulness. Nobody is safe here. At any moment the life may be finished. Nobody can guarantee. *Padaṁ padaṁ yad vipadām* SB 10.14.58. In the *śāstra* it is said that here in this material world there is danger in every step. You are walking very nicely, and sometimes suppose there is a skin of plantain, and you slip, and your leg may be broken. *Padaṁ padam.* Even walking, even sitting---heart failure.

So there is no guarantee. Any moment we can die. And it is therefore called *mṛtyu-loka,* "The place where death is," I mean to say, "sure." "As sure as death." People give surety example = "As sure as death." As nobody can avoid death, it is sure. You may be very strong and stout in your health and go on exercising on the beach daily, but you can die any moment. There is no guarantee. But everyone wants *akuto-bhayam:* "There may not be... I must be very safe and sound in every respect, in my social position, so far my health is concerned, anything." Everyone wants that security. But there is no security. That is called struggle for existence. There is no security, and the rascals are struggling to get security. How it is possible? If this place is meant for that purpose, *padaṁ padaṁ yad vipadām,* then how you can get security? This is foolishness, *mūḍha.* There is no possibility of security; still, they are making security in this way, that way, this way, that way, that way.

Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, *manaḥ ṣaṣṭhānīndriyāṇi prakṛti-sthāni karṣati. Mamaivāṁśo jīva-bhūtaḥ* Bg. 15.7 = "All these living entities..." Kṛṣṇa does not say that "I am for the Hindu living entities or the Indian living entities." Where it is in *Bhagavad-gītā?* Why the foolish men take it that Kṛṣṇa Hindu, Kṛṣṇa Indian? Kṛṣṇa says that *suhṛdaṁ sarva-bhūtānām:* "I am friend of all living entities," *sarva-bhūtānām.* Not only human society, but animal society, the plant society, the aquatic society. There are so many living entities. *Ananta-koṭi. Sa anantyāya kalpate.* The living entities, there is no limit; there are so many quantities. And Kṛṣṇa says that *suhṛdaṁ sarva-bhūtānāṁ jñātvā māṁ śāntim ṛcchati:* "When one understands that I, Kṛṣṇa, is the friend of everyone..." Kṛṣṇa, when says, *sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja* Bg. 18.66, He does not say to Arjuna; He says to all living entities, without any exception. *Sarva-bhūtānām. Suhṛdaṁ sarva-bhūtānām.* This is position of Kṛṣṇa.

So by giving up Kṛṣṇa... We have now given up Kṛṣṇa. We are canvassing. This Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, we are canvassing everyone, every door, "Please come to Kṛṣṇa." This is our business. But they will not come. They have forgotten Kṛṣṇa or they have rejected Kṛṣṇa. This is the position. Therefore they are always in fearfulness position, always fearful. *Bhayaṁ dvitīyābhiniveśataḥ syāt* SB 11.2.37. This is certain. When there is fear? When one understands there is something else than Kṛṣṇa, then he is fearful. Then he is fearful. *Dvitīyābhiniveśataḥ. Dvitīya* means forgetfulness of Kṛṣṇa. "I am Kṛṣṇa's eternal servant. I am Kṛṣṇa's eternal part and parcel, son of, most intimate relationship." *Ahaṁ bīja-pradaḥ pitā,* Kṛṣṇa says. *Sarva-yoniṣu kaunteya* Bg. 14.4, Kṛṣṇa says. There are so many forms of life, 8,400,000. But Kṛṣṇa claims, *ahaṁ bīja-pradaḥ pitā,* "I am the seed-giving father of everyone." So where is Kṛṣṇa Hindu or Indian? Where it is stated? Why people take like that? That is not fact.

Therefore they are in the fearful condition of life, always afraid, "What will happen next?" *Sadā samudvigna-dhiyām asad-grahāt* SB 7.5.5. *Asad-grahāt.* People have taken something which is *asat.* The Vedic instruction is *asato mā sad gama:* "Don't remain in the *asat,* in the untruth. Come to the Truth." So at the material world we have forgotten Kṛṣṇa, and we are situated in the *asat,* which is not truth. Therefore there is *bhaya,* fearfulness. Just like a child, if he is forlorn by the father and mother, then he is always in fearful condition, crying on the street, "Where is my father? Where is my mother?" This is our position.

So if you want to be not fearfulness, no more fear, *abhayaṁ sattva-saṁśuddhiḥ* [Bg. 16.1], if you become out of fearfulness, then you have to take shelter of the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa. Therefore Kṛṣṇa is begging. Because we are Kṛṣṇa's sons or we have got very intimate relationship with Kṛṣṇa and we have given Him up and we have forgotten Him, therefore we are suffering. So Kṛṣṇa, being father, Kṛṣṇa, being friend of everyone, He comes, and He canvasses, and at last He says, "You rascal," *sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇam, ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyaḥ* Bg. 18.66. "You are rotting here by repeatedly committing sinful life. Therefore you are changing from one body to another, and this is your material condition." *Bhūtvā bhūtvā pralīyate* Bg. 8.19. "You are thinking... When you are a human being or American, you are thinking, 'Now I am in very good position.' But next moment you can become a dog, you can become an insect." *Tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ* Bg. 2.13. But the rascals, they do not know. They..., he's thinking, "I am secure." And although he is fearful, he is thinking secure. This is called *māyā.* He is always fearful. Still, he is thinking that he is secure. This is called *māyā.*

So actually, if you want to become secure, then you have to take to this *yoga* system, *jñāna-vairāgya-yuktena* SB 3.25.18. It is said, *jñāna-vairāgya-yuktena bhakti-yogena yoginaḥ. Yogīs. Yogīs* means *bhakti-yogī,* not these gymnastic *yogī.* Therefore the *yogīs...* Of course, to concentrate the mind under some mechanical process... Therefore, those who are under too much under the concept of bodily concept of life, for them, this *haṭha-yoga* is recommended, because they know simply this body. "So all right, you make exercise in this way. You practice this *āsana.* You sit down like this. You see like this. You think like this." In this way there is a mechanical process to control the mind and senses. That is gymnastic part of the *yoga* system. But real process is to concentrate the mind upon the Supreme Personality of Godhead. *Dhyānāvasthita-tad-gatena manasā paśyanti yaṁ yoginaḥ* SB 12.13.1. The *yogī's* business is, by controlling the mind, focus it toward Kṛṣṇa or Lord Viṣṇu. That is real *yoga* system.

So as soon as you focus your mind upon Kṛṣṇa or Viṣṇu, that is *bhakti-yoga.* Either you do it by meditation or do it twenty-four hours by practical application of your activities for Kṛṣṇa, that is called *bhakti-yoga.* And that is called *samādhi.* Even if you are going to some place for Kṛṣṇa's business, to see the police commissioner or going to the court for some degree or..., because you are doing---you are concentrating your mind on Kṛṣṇa---that is called *yoga, bhakti-yoga. Bhakti-yoga* is so..., so easy. *Yat karoṣi yaj juhoṣi yad aśnāsi, yat tapasyasi kuruṣva mad-arpaṇam* Bg. 9.27. The result should be given to Kṛṣṇa. After working so hard day and night... People are working so hard day and night, but the result, they are enjoying. And a *bhakti-yogī,* the same thing---they are also working day and night, but the result is for Kṛṣṇa. This is the difference between *bhakti-yogī* and ordinary *karmīs.* Therefore ordinary *karmīs,* they cannot understand that the *bhaktas* are on the transcendental platform. They think, "They are like us. By sentiment, they are chanting and dancing." No. That is not. It is *bhakti-yoga.* And that is based on *jñāna* and *vairāgya.*

One cannot be *bhakti-yogī* without *jñāna* and *vairāgya.* It is not a sentimental thing; it is based on pure knowledge. What is that pure knowledge? Pure knowledge means "I do not belong to this material world. I am spirit soul. *Ahaṁ brahmāsmi.* Therefore my business is to serve the Supreme Brahman, or Para-brahman." *Paraṁ brahma paraṁ dhāma pavitraṁ paramaṁ bhavān* [Bg. 10.12]. Arjuna agreed to serve Kṛṣṇa. Why? Because he understood Kṛṣṇa, *paraṁ brahma paraṁ dhāma pavitraṁ paramaṁ bhavān, śāśvataṁ puruṣam = puruṣam,* the Supreme Personality of Godhead, not impersonal. Impersonal feature is one of the features of Kṛṣṇa. But Kṛṣṇa factually is the Supreme Person, *vekti*[?]. That is called *jñāna.* And without this knowledge, *vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyaḥ* Bg. 15.15, by studying all the *Vedas* and *Vedāntas,* if one cannot understand what is the nature of Kṛṣṇa, what is actually Kṛṣṇa, then he is not in perfect knowledge. *Ajñāna.*

Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, *bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyate* Bg. 7.19. Who surrenders to Kṛṣṇa? Unless one is fully in knowledge, "What is Absolute Truth, what I am, what is my relationship with the Absolute Truth..." That is called knowledge. And if one understands that "Kṛṣṇa is my eternal master. He is my eternal father. I am not this body. I am also the same thing as Kṛṣṇa, spiritual..." *Mamaivāṁśaḥ.* "I am part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa. If Kṛṣṇa is gold, then I am also gold. But Kṛṣṇa is gold mine; I am gold earring, that's all." This is knowledge. *Jñāna-vairāgya-yuktena.* And when one comes to this knowledge, then he becomes reluctant to this material attachment. That is called *vairāgya.*

Just like you, boys and girls who have joined this movement, you have understood to some extent that "We didn't require this material opulence. We want Kṛṣṇa." So the idea that we don't want this material opulence, that is called *vairāgya.* And why you want Kṛṣṇa? Because Kṛṣṇa is your eternal master, eternal father. That is called *jñāna. Jñāna-vairāgya-yuktena.* Not sentimental. We must know very clearly what is Kṛṣṇa---that is *jñāna*---what is my relationship with Kṛṣṇa---that is *jñāna*---and what is my duty to Kṛṣṇa---that is *jñāna.* And as soon as you know all these things---what is Kṛṣṇa, what you are, what is your relationship, and what is your duty---then naturally you become reluctant to these material activities. That is called *vairāgya.*

So *jñāna-vairāgya-yuktena bhakti-yogena* SB 3.25.18. How this *jñāna* and *vairāgya* can be awakened? The *jñāna* is there, but it is now covered. *Nitya-siddha kṛṣṇa-bhakti sādhya kabhu naya.* It is stated in the *Caitanya...,* that my relationship with Kṛṣṇa is *nitya-siddha. Nitya-siddha* means it is eternal; it is not artificial. Not that we accept Kṛṣṇa as my master or father or like this, artificially. This is eternal fact. But by forgetting Kṛṣṇa, I am suffering. This is your fact. So if we want to be free from this fearfulness, *sadā samudvigna-dhiyām...* That is the Prahlāda Mahārāja's advises. Prahlāda Mahārāja was asked by his father, "My dear boy, what best thing you have learned from your teachers?" So he said,

> tat sādhu manye 'sura-varya dehināṁ
> sadā samudvigna-dhiyām asad-grahāt
> hitvātma-pātaṁ gṛham andha-kūpaṁ
> vanaṁ gato yad dharim āśrayeta

SB 7.5.5

"That is the best thing." He said, *tat sādhu manye asura-varya dehinām.* Anyone who has accept this material body... This is *asat.* It will not stay. But we have accepted this body. But we are so foolish that we do not know that "I am not this body; I am separate from this body. Somehow or other, I am now entrapped or encaged in this body." Therefore Prahlāda Mahārāja said, *tat sādhu manye 'sura-varya dehinām. Dehinām. Dehī* means... *Dehinām* means one who has accepted this material body. And Vaiṣṇava is *suhṛdaḥ sarva-dehinām* SB 3.25.21. Kapiladeva has said. A Vaiṣṇava who is in connection with Kṛṣṇa, his business is to go door to door and canvass everyone, "My dear sir, you are not this body. You are wasting your time only under the concept of body. You are Kṛṣṇa's. You become Kṛṣṇa's servant." This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. "My dear sir, you are not this body. You are not American. You are not Indian. You are not *brāhmaṇa.* You are not *śūdra.* You are not cat. You are not dog. You are part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa, and you serve Kṛṣṇa." This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That's all.

This is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's advice. *Yāre dekha, tāre kaha 'kṛṣṇa'-upadeśa.* It is not very difficult. You haven't got to become very learned scholar to become *guru. Guru's* business is to give the right information. That is *guru.* So Caitanya Mahāprabhu says, *āmāra ājñāya guru hañā:* "Every one of you become *guru.*" "Oh, I am not a learned man," or "I am this, I am that. How can I become *guru?*" Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, "No, it is very easy thing." *Yāre dekha, tāre kaha 'kṛṣṇa'-upadeśa.*

> āmāra ājñāya guru hañā tāra' ei deśa
> yāre dekha, tāre kaha 'kṛṣṇa'-upadeśa

Cc. Madhya 7.128

"You become *guru* simply by advising everyone the instruction which Kṛṣṇa has given." That's all. You become *guru.* It is not at all difficult thing. But if you want to cheat others that you are Bhagavān, you are this and that, you are *yogī,* you are very powerful, and "I am God," then you will cheat, because you are neither God; you are less than a dog. You are falsely claiming that you are God. That is not your position. You are servant of God, that is your position. That is real *jñāna.* Therefore Kṛṣṇa..., er, Caitanya Mahāprabhu says that don't talk all nonsense thing. Simply say the real thing.

And what is the real thing? That is explained by Kṛṣṇa = *sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja* Bg. 18.66. You take this mission, "My dear sir, you give up everything nonsense. You simply surrender to Kṛṣṇa." Then you become *guru.* Is it very difficult to become *guru?* No. But we shall not take this business. We shall talk all nonsense and become *guru* and incarnation and God and so on, so on, and cheat others and cheat oneself. This is going on. Otherwise, to become *guru* is not at all difficult. Simply you surrender yourself to Kṛṣṇa. You become *abhayaṁ sattva-śuddhiḥ.* You become fearless = "Yes, I am now under the protection of Kṛṣṇa. I have no more fear. I don't care for anyone. I simply take to Kṛṣṇa." *Akuto-bhayam. Akuto-bhayam.* This is said by Kapiladeva also. All *śāstra* says like that, and Kṛṣṇa also says the same thing in the *Bhagavad-gītā, bhaktyā mām abhijānāti* Bg. 18.55 = "If you want to know Me, then it is through *bhakti,* not your so-called *jñāna* and *karma* and *yoga.*" You will never be able to understand. You will never be able to understand. *Nāhaṁ prakāśaḥ sarvasya yoga-māyā* Bg. 7.25. You will be simply covered by *yoga-māyā.* This is not possible. *Bhakti* means surrender.

So without surrendering to Kṛṣṇa, you cannot understand. Kṛṣṇa reserves the right not being exposed to the fools and rascals. He is simply for the devotees. *Bhaktyā mām abhijānāti.* He never said, "By *jñāna mām abhijānāti,* by *karma mām abhijānāti,* by *yoga mām abhi...*" No. He rather says,

> yoginām api sarveṣāṁ
> mad-gatenāntar-ātmanā
> śraddhāvān bhajate yo māṁ
> sa me yuktatamo mataḥ

Bg. 6.47

"He's the first-class *yogī* who is always thinking of Me." And who always thinks of Kṛṣṇa unless he is a devotee? Therefore you cannot understand Kṛṣṇa without becoming a devotee. In the beginning of *Bhagavad-gītā* He says to Arjuna, *bhakto 'si priyo 'si me* Bg. 4.3 = "I am talking to you the same old system of *yoga, Bhagavad-gītā,* because you are My devotee." So if you actually want liberation or fearlessness, no more fear, and if you want actually to become immortal, no more birth, death, old age and disease, then you have to accept the words of Kṛṣṇa. As He says, *sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja* Bg. 18.66. That is *bhakti.* That is *bhakti.* So you have to take.

Here it is, same thing is said = *jñāna-vairāgya-yuktena bhakti-yogena.* Unless you have got full knowledge, *jñāna,* and *vairāgya,* full renunciation... "No more material life." This is called renunciation. And no more sense gratification. Material life means sense gratification. Everyone is working so hard day and night. Why? For sense gratification. *Yan maithunādi-gṛhamedhi-sukhaṁ hi tuccham* SB 7.9.45. *Gṛhamedhi,* those who have accepted this body or the society or the family or the nation, all this *gṛha...* It is called *gṛha.* Or *gṛhamedhi,* those who are attached to all these things, *gṛhamedhi,* their only happiness = *yan maithunādi,* sexual intercourse, that's all. *Yan maithunādi-gṛhamedhi-sukhaṁ hi tuccham.* Very insignificant, very abominable combination of man and woman. And they are working so hard day and night. That is the only pleasure. So *vairāgya* means when you will be detestful to this sex pleasure. That is called *vairāgya.* "No more." *Yad-avadhi mama cetaḥ kṛṣṇa-padāravinde* [Yāmunācārya]. That is possible only when you are perfectly Kṛṣṇa conscious. Otherwise, it is not possible.

Therefore Kṛṣṇa's name is Madana-mohana, and the material is *madana-dahana.* In the material world, everyone is suffering by the piercing arrow of Cupid---man or woman. The Madana, Cupid, is piercing the arrow to man and woman, and the woman is mad after man, and man is mad after woman. But when you see Kṛṣṇa actually, then you see Madana-mohana. Then there will be no more suffering of the piercing arrow of the Cupid. That is called *akuto-bhayam,* no more fear. No more fear. Now you become fearless. And when... If you want to become fearless, *akuto-bhayam,* then Kṛṣṇa says that..., Kapiladeva says, *praviśanty akuto-bhayam.* He enters, *bhakti-yogena,* when one is actually in *bhakti-yoga,* full knowledge, and *vairāgya,* renunciation of the material world, then he is able to enter. *Bhaktyā mām abhijānāti yāvān yaś cāsmi tattvataḥ* Bg. 18.55. Kṛṣṇa says in the *Bhagavad, tato māṁ tattvato jñātvā.*

In this way, when one understand what is Kṛṣṇa in truth, that is called knowledge. *Jñāna-vairāgya-yuktena* SB 3.25.18. *Tato māṁ tattvato jñātvā viśate tad-anantaram* Bg. 18.55. He is allowed to enter into the spiritual kingdom, not before that. Not before that, without *bhakti.* And *bhakti,* by *bhakti,* you will automatically attain the stage of *jñāna-vairāgya.* Just like if you take one very nice digestive pill, so whatever you have eaten, even stone, it will be digested. It will be digested. Similarly, as soon as you take to *bhakti,* immediately your gross and subtle body is digested. You will live in the spiritual body. *Sa guṇān samatītyaitān brahma-bhūyāya kalpate* Bg. 14.26. *Brahma-bhūyāya* means that spiritual body. We are already Brahman---*ahaṁ brahmāsmi*---but it is covered by the material body, the gross body, *kṣitir āpaṁ tejo marud vyoma:* fire, water, earth, air, like that, and *mano buddhiḥ ahaṅkāra,* the subtle body---mind, intelligence and ego. So we are covered by this subtle body and gross body. This is our impediment. But the... By *karma-yoga* you try to get out of this gross body. By *jñāna-yoga* you try to get out of this subtle body. But *bhakti-yoga*---you directly you cross over these subtle body and gross body; you are immediately situated in the spiritual body. *Jñāna-vairāgya-yuktena. Sa guṇān samatītyaitān.*

So long you are in the subtle body and gross body, then you are suffering under the three modes of material nature. The body is created by the three modes of material nature according to... *Kāraṇaṁ guṇa-saṅgo 'sya sad-asad-yoni-janmasu* Bg. 13.22. We get different types of body on account of association with these material modes of nature, *sattva-guṇa, rajo-guṇa, tamo-guṇa.* But if you are situated in the devotional service of the Lord, you immediately become on the platform of *brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā.* Immediately. *Ahaṁ brahmāsmi*---this is simply theoretical. That is theoretical knowledge, that "I am *brahmāsmi.*" But when you are actually in devotional service, then that is practical. You are no more in the material platform. You are on the Brahman platform.

> brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā
> na śocati na kāṅkṣati
> samaḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu
> mad-bhaktiṁ labhate parām

Bg. 18.54

So by situated..., being situated on the spiritual platform, automatically you achieve your original status, constitutional position, *brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā* Bg. 18.54. Then you are able to enter into the kingdom of God, or the spiritual world. *Tato māṁ tattvato jñātvā* Bg. 18.55. Here also it is said, *praviśanty akuto-bhayam. Praviśanti.* You have to enter. You are not destroyed. Just like we are *praviśanti* in different types of body in material existence, *tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ* Bg. 2.13. So when you are free from this material contamination, then you *praviśanti* in the spiritual world. The *praviśanti* is there. In the material world you are *praviśanti* from one body to another, and you are suffering.

So long you get this body, you must suffer. Either you get the king's body or the cobbler's body or ant's body or dog's body---to accept material body means suffering. There cannot be *akuto-bhayam.* Unless you enter in the spiritual world with your spiritual body, there is no question of *akuto-bhayam.* So that *akuto-bhayam* is possible when you are practiced to *bhakti-yogam.*

> vāsudeve bhagavati
> bhakti-yogaḥ prayojitaḥ
> janayaty āśu vairāgyaṁ
> jñānaṁ ca yad ahaitukam

SB 1.2.7

If you engage yourself in the devotional service of Vāsudeva, Kṛṣṇa, Vāsudeva, *oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya* SB 1.1.1, if you enter, then *vāsudeve bhagavati.* Vāsudeva means the Supreme Personality of Godhead. *Bhakti-yogaḥ prayojitaḥ.* If we apply yourself, engage yourself in *bhakti-yoga,* then *janayaty āśu vairāgyam,* cause and effect. As soon as you engage yourself in devotional service of Vāsudeva under the direction of *śāstra* and spiritual master, then *janayaty āśu vairāgyam.* And you are practically experiencing that since you have come to Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement you have no more interest material activities. No more interest. That is *vairāgya.* You are simply meant for service of Kṛṣṇa. That is *jñāna.*

In this way, if you want actually to be fearless and enter into the spiritual life, or spiritual kingdom, back to home, back to Godhead, then you have to accept this *bhakti-yoga* process, and it is very easy, and then you become fearless, and your life is successful.

Thank you very much.

Devotees: *Jaya* Śrīla Prabhupāda. [end]