Crossing Beyond Illusion's Currents
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tually listening to you.” Thus He indirectly said, “You are explaining the meaning foolishly.” Later He said, “The verses of  Vedānta-sūtra  are just like sunshine, but your explanations are like clouds that cover them.”
No one needs a lamp to see the sun. Everyone can see it. But if the sun is covered by a cloud, it is very difficult to see. Similarly, the  Vedānta-sūtra  is like the sun, but the Māyāvāda interpretations cover the real meaning. The Māyāvādīs never accept the direct meaning. Even big political leaders who are influenced by the Māyāvāda philosophy cover the meaning of the Vedic literature by speculating, “ Kurukṣetra  means this, and  dharma-kṣetra  means that.” Our policy, therefore, should be to hear the original, as it is. Then it will be effective.  Śravaṇam kīrtanam viṣṇoḥ : Viṣṇu should be heard as He is. Then one can meditate upon Viṣṇu and remember Him ( smaranti ). In this way one becomes jubilant ( nandanti ). The word  nandana  means “pleasing,” and one comes in touch with the reservoir of pleasure in this way.
Therefore those who are cultivating Kṛṣṇa consciousness have to hear about Kṛṣṇa, speak about Kṛṣṇa, and deal only in relationship with Kṛṣṇa. “By this process,” Kuntīdevī tells the Lord, “one will one day come to see You.” And when one sees God, Kṛṣṇa, what is the effect?  Bhava-pravāhoparamam . The word  pravāha  means “current.” When there are very forceful currents in the river and some animal is thrown in, it will be washed away. Similarly, we are being washed away by the currents of material nature, which come one after another like big waves in the Pacific Ocean. Because we are under the grip of the three modes of material nature ( prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni guṇaiḥ karmāṇi sarvaśaḥ ), we are being washed away. Therefore Bhaktivinoda Thākura says,  māyāra vaśe yaccha bhese : “You are being washed away, carried away, by the currents of material nature.” These are the currents of hunger and thirst, of birth, death, and old age, the currents of illusion. We are spirit souls, but because we have been put into the material ocean, the currents are carrying us away. However, if we engage twenty-four hours a day in hearing, chanting, and seriously serving Kṛṣṇa, the current will stop.
Where will the current stop? Kuntīdevī says to the Lord,  padāmbujam : “It will stop at Your lotus feet.” One has to learn how to see Kṛṣṇa’s lotus feet and offer a little  tulasī  and sandalwood pulp at the lotus feet of the Lord, and then this current of material life will stop.
There may be currents in the ocean, but if one gets a good boat, one can cross over these currents very nicely. As mentioned in another verse of  Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam  (10.14.58),  samāśritā ye pada-pallava-plavam . A lotus petal is something like a small boat, and therefore this verse says