Crossing Beyond Illusion’s Currents 145
tually listening to you.’’ Thus He indirectly said, ‘‘You are explaining the
meaning foolishly.’’ Later He said, ‘‘The verses of Veddnta-sutra 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 Vedanta-
sutra is like the sun, but the Maydavada interpretations cover the real
meaning. The Mayavadis never accept the direct meaning. Even big
political leaders who are influenced by the Maydvada philosophy cover
the meaning of the Vedic literature by speculating, ‘‘ Kuruksetra means
this, and dharma-ksetra means that.’’ Our policy, therefore, should be to
hear the original, as it is. Then it will be effective. Sravanam kirtanam
visnoh: Visnu should be heard as He is. Then one can meditate upon
Visnu 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 Krsna consciousness have to hear
about Krsna, speak about Krsna, and deal only in relationship with
Krsna. ‘‘By this process,’ Kuntidevi tells the Lord, ‘‘one will one day
come to see You.’ And when one sees God, Krsna, what is the effect?
Bhava-pravahoparamam. The word pravadha 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 cur-
rents 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 (prakrteh kriyamanani gunaih karmani sarvasah), we are
being washed away. Therefore Bhaktivinoda Thakura says, mdydra vase
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 be-
cause 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 Krsna, the current will stop.

Where will the current stop? Kuntidevi says to the Lord, padambujam:
“It will stop at Your lotus feet.’’ One has to learn how to see Krsna’s
lotus feet and offer a little tulasiand 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 thesecurrents very nicely. As mentioned in another verse
of Srimad-Bhagavatam (10.14.58), samdsritd ye pada-pallava-plavam. A
lotus petal is something like a small boat, and therefore this verse says
