Çré Bhaimé Ekädaçé Issue no:155 23rd February 2021

Universal Religion
The System of Universal Management Pure Vaiñëava-dharma
Srila Sukadeva Goswami Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura

What Is Sanatana Dharma? The Ultimate Goal of Life

His Divine Grace Srila Vishvanatha Chakravarti Thakura
A.C.Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

Markine Bhägavata-dharma
What Is Universal Religion? His Divine Grace
Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakura A.C.Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Circulaton 31,150
 Issue no 155, Page — 2
The System of Universal Management
Srila Sukadeva Goswami
Maharaja Pariksit inquired: O most opulent
Sukadeva Goswami, please explain to me how
Manu and the others in each manvantara are en-
gaged in their respective duties, and by whose
order they are so engaged.
Sukadeva Goswami said: The Manus, the
sons of Manu, the great sages, the Indras and
all the demigods, O King, are appointed by the
Supreme Personality of Godhead in His various
incarnations such as Yajna. O King, I have already
described to you various incarnations of the Lord,
such as Yajna. The Manus and others are chosen
by these incarnations, under whose direction they
conduct the universal affairs. At the end of every
four yugas, the great saintly persons, upon seeing
that the eternal occupational duties of mankind
have been misused, reestablish the principles of
religion. Thereafter, O King, the Manus, being
fully engaged according to the instructions of the
Supreme Personality of Godhead, directly reestab-
lish the principles of occupational duty in its full
four parts. To enjoy the results of sacrifices [ya-
jñas], the rulers of the world, namely the sons and
grandsons of Manu, discharge the orders of the
Supreme Personality of Godhead until the end of
Manu’s reign. The demigods also share the results
of these sacrifices. Indra, King of heaven, receiv-
ing benedictions from the Supreme Personality
of Godhead and thus enjoying highly developed
opulences, maintains the living entities all over the
three worlds by pouring sufficient rain on all the
planets. In every yuga, the Supreme Personality of
Godhead, Hari, assumes the form of Siddhas such
as Sanaka to preach transcendental knowledge,
He assumes the form of great saintly persons such
as Yajnavalkya to teach the way of karma, and He
assumes the form of great yogés such as Dattatreya
to teach the system of mystic yoga. In the form
of Prajapati Marici, the Supreme Personality of
Godhead creates progeny; becoming the king,
He kills the thieves and rogues; and in the form of
time, He annihilates everything. All the different
qualities of material existence should be under-
stood to be qualities of the Supreme Personality
of Godhead. People in general are bewildered by
the illusory energy, and therefore they try to find
Bhāgavata Mahāvidyālaya www.ibmedu.org
nityaà bhägavata-sevayä
the Absolute Truth, the Supreme Personality of
Godhead, through various types of research and
philosophical speculation. Nonetheless, they are
unable to see the Supreme Lord.
In one kalpa,, or one day of Brahma, there take
place the many changes called vikalpas. O King,
all of these have been previously described to
you by me. Learned scholars who know the past,
present and future have ascertained that in one
day of Brahma there are fourteen Manus.
— Çrémad-Bhägavatam (Bhägavata Puräëa) » Canto 8: Withdrawal of the
Cosmic Creations » Chapter Fourteen » Verses: 11.
What is Sanatana Dharma?
His Divine Grace
A.C.Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Sanätana means "eternal," and dharma means
"occupational duties." From Satya-yuga to Ka-
li-yuga, the principles of religion and occupa-
tional duty gradually deteriorate. In Satya-yuga,
the religious principles are observed in full,
without deviation. In Tretä-yuga, however, these
principles are somewhat neglected, and only
three fourths of the religious duties continue. In
Dväpara-yuga only half of the religious principles
continue, and in Kali-yuga only one fourth of
the religious principles, which gradually disap-
pear. At the end of Kali-yuga, the principles of
religion, or the occupational duties of humanity,
are almost lost. Indeed, in this Kali-yuga we have
passed through only five thousand years, yet the
decline of sanätana-dharma is very prominent.
The duty of saintly persons, therefore, is to take
up seriously the cause of sanätana-dharma and
try to reestablish it for the benefit of the entire
human society. The Krishna consciousness
movement has been started according to this prin-
ciple. As stated in Çrémad-Bhägavatam (12.3.51):
kaler doña-nidhe räjan
asti hy eko mahän guëaù
kértanäd eva kåñëasya
mukta-saìgaù paraà vrajet
The entire Kali-yuga is full of faults. It is like an
unlimited ocean of faults. But the Krishna con-
sciousness movement is very authorized. There-
fore, following in the footsteps of Sri Caitanya Ma-
 nityaà bhägavata-sevayä
haprabhu, who five hundred years ago inaugurated
the movement of saìkértana, kåñëa-kértana, we
are trying to introduce this movement, according
to superior orders, all over the world. Now, if the
inaugurators of this movement strictly follow the
regulative principles and spread this movement
for the benefit of all human society, they will cer-
tainly usher in a new way of life by reestablishing
sanätana-dharma, the eternal occupational duties
of humanity. The eternal occupational duty of the
human being is to serve Krishna. Jévera 'svarüpa'
haya-kåñëera 'nitya-däsa.' [Cc. Madhya 20.108].
This is the purport of sanätana-dharma. Sanätana
means nitya, or "eternal," and kåñëa-däsa means
"servant of Krishna." The eternal occupational
duty of the human being is to serve Krishna. This
is the sum and substance of the Krishna conscious-
ness movement.
— Çrémad-Bhägavatam (Bhägavata Puräëa) » Canto 8: Withdrawal of the
Cosmic Creations » Chapter Fouteen » Verses : 4 Purport.
What Is Universal Religion?
Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakura
People in this world currently regard activities
such as following religious principles or serving
our fellow citizens as the topmost religion, but they
are nothing but attempts at sense gratification by
the atheistic community through the artificial pro-
cesses of karma, jïäna, and yoga. Lord Krishna says
in Bhagavad-gétä that we should give up all varieties
of religion and take complete shelter of Him, but by
creating concocted religious systems in the name
of synthesizing all religions, even as they transgress
the Supreme Lord’s instructions, the atheists are
themselves cheated, just as they cheat others. Even
though the people accept such concocted religious
systems as truth, they distance themselves from ac-
tual truth. The endeavors of godless people, proud
of their material knowledge, can never be accepted
as supreme religious principles or sanätana-dhar-
ma. The only supreme religion for all humanity is
unmotivated and uninterrupted devotional service
to the transcendental Lord Hari. Sanätana-dharma
is the eternal occupational duty of the spirit soul
and gives benefit to all. The Padma Puräëa states:
ärädhanänäà sarveñäà, viñëor ärädhanaà param/
tasmät parataraà devi, tadéyänäà samarcanam: “Of
all types of worship, worship of Lord Visnu is best,
and better than the worship of Lord Visnu is the
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Issue no 155, Page—3
worship of His devotee, the Vaiñëava.” Therefore,
better than worship of Krishna is the worship of the
daughter of Vrsabhanu, of Nanda and Yasoda, of
Sridama and Sudama, and of Raktaka and Patraka.
— Amåta Väëé: Nectar of Instructions of Immoratality His Divine Grace Bhak-
tisiddhänta Sarasvaté Öhäkura Prabhupäda Compiled by Çrépäda Bhakti Mayukha
Bhägavat Mahäraja Adapted and Published by Éçvara däsa
Pure Vaiñëava-dharma
Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura
“Actually, there is no dharma other than vaiñëa-
va-dharma. All other religions propagated in the
world, including those to be propagated in future
years, factually comprise different steps upon the
ascension to vaiñëava-dharma, or alternatively
they are deviations from the essential vaiñëa-
va-dharma. When another religion complements
vaiñëava-dharma, the devotee should respect that
religion in accordance with its degree of purity.
Thus, the followers of those religions, which
actually constitute different stages on the path to
pure vaiñëava-dharma, must be accorded proper
appreciation and respect. And, on the other hand,
whilst dealing with groups that have deviated
from pure vaiñëava-dharma, one must never bear
malice, but engage oneself in the culture of one’s
own devotional truth. Thus, devotees should never
be hateful and show intolerance towards other
religious practices. When the auspicious moment
comes in a person’s life, he will easily embrace pure
vaiñëava-dharma, of this there is no doubt.”
Sri Nityananda dasa Babaji, “Is it necessary to
actively propagate vaiñëava-dharma?”
Sri Haridasa Babaji, “Indeed, by all means, it is
the duty of everyone to do so. Our beloved Lord
Sriman Mahaprabhu has entrusted everyone with
the responsibility to preach, as stated in the Çré
Caitanya-caritämåta, Ädi-lélä 7.92 and 9.36:
näca, gäo, bhakta-saìge kara saìkértana
kåñëa-näma upadeçi’ tära’ sarva-jana
“’My dear child, continue dancing, chanting and
performing saìkértana in association with devo-
tees. Furthermore, go out and preach the value of
chanting kåñëa-näma, for by this process You will
be able to deliver all fallen souls.’
Bhāgavata Mahāvidyālaya
 Issue no 155, Page — 4
Top left 4
ataeva ämi äjïä diluì sabäkäre
yähäì tähäì prema-phala deha’ yäre täre
“’Therefore, I order every man within this
universe to accept this Krishna consciousness
movement and distribute it everywhere.’
“However, one should remember that an un-
worthy candidate must first be made qualified
before one instructs him in the glories of kåñëa-nä-
ma. In certain situations, for instance in speaking
to inimical persons, upekñä is required and so one
should not speak anything that would spark off
bitter controversy and thus cause impediments
in the preaching work.”
The nectarean words of Sri Haridasa Babaji had
had a wonderful effect upon Sri Nityananda dasa
Babaji—he was overcome with prema and began
to roll upon the ground. The assembled Vaiñëavas
broke out into loud chanting of kåñëa-näma, and
they all paid prostrated obeisances to Sri Haridasa
Babaji. Thereafter, the meeting in that secluded
grove broke up and everyone gradually went away
to their individual dwellings.
— Jaiva-dharma Translated by Bhaktivedanta Book Trust, Int. & Sarv-
abhävana däsa.
The Ultimate Goal of Life
Srila Vishvanatha Chakravarti Thakura
ye vai bhagavatä proktä
upäyä hy ätma-labdhaye
aïjaù puàsäm aviduñäà
viddhi bhägavatän hi tän
yän ästhäya naro räjan
na pramädyeta karhicit
dhävan nimélya vä netre
na skhalen na pated iha
The Lord's instructions to people in general who
are ignorant about the ultimate goal of life regard-
ing God realization is factually true religion and is
also preached in the Çrémad-Bhägavatam. Those
on this path of perfection may run blindfolded
but will never trip over and fall down to illusion.
Anyone who wholeheartedly takes up devo-
tional service (bhagavata-dharma) even with
knowledge of its deep philosophy and its many
practical aspects, may act contrary to the rules of
one or some of its various practices much like the
Bhāgavata Mahāvidyālaya www.ibmedu.org
nityaà bhägavata-sevayä
neophyte may. However, such a devotee still does
not incur sin, nor is his advancement depreciated.
In this case the word “blindfolded" cannot be
interpreted to mean being blind or ignorant of
the rules of the çruti and småti scriptures, other-
wise this would obscure the principal purport of
the text. The word “blindfolded" does not mean
that one should ignore the thirty-two offences
in devotional service just because the Lord said
that “one may run blindfolded but will never
... fall down to illusion. (Two examples of these
thirty-two offences [seva aparädha] to avoid are
that one cannot enter the temple with shoes on or
whilst one is riding on a palanquin. Both of these
are offences prohibiting certain actions.)
A person who offends the Supreme Lord is re-
ferred to as a two-legged animal. It is mentioned
that offences committed against the holy name
may be old offences or new ones; if either of
the offences are done unwittingly then certain
symptoms will surely reveal as much. Constant
chanting of the holy name will lead to unflinching
faith in devotional service. This constant chanting
gradually diminishes the effects of the offences.
But if the offences were committed knowingly,
right from the start, then special arrangements for
counteracting them are recommended.
Now we shall discuss the ten offences against
the holy name: The first offence is to criticize and
blaspheme the devotees. Blaspheming in this
context means to be envious of, and antagonistic
towards, the saintly devotee. If one even acci-
dentally commits this offence against a Vaiñëava
he must bitterly repent of his low behavior. just
as poison is counteracted by poison, similarly,
the offender, having set aflame his spiritual life
with blasphemy, must be purified in the fire of
contrition. The offender must go and fall at the
feet of the devotee he reviled and beg forgiveness
until he is again able to please that Vaiñëava. He
must approach the devotee with trepidation in
his heart and think that by pleading, praising,
offering repeated obeisances, or by any means
he must satisfy the offended devotee. Yet, if for
some reason he is unable to appease the devotee
then the offender must continue to serve him for
many days in a way that will impress and satisfy
him, In case the offence is of such a serious nature
that the Vaiñëava's are remains unpacified, then
 nityaà bhägavata-sevayä
the offender must strongly condemn his own
abominable action and think, “Oh, how shameful!
I have blasphemed a Vaiñëava' I shall have to suffer
millions of years in the fire of hell.” With a heavy
heart, the aparadhi must then take complete shelter
of the holy name and chant incessantly, knowing
this to be his only hope.
The holy name of Krishna is all-powerful and can
absolve any offence, however serious. The offender
may incorrectly think, “If this is true about chant-
ing, their why should I have to fall at the Vaiñëava's
feet in such a humble manner and demean myself?
After all the scriptures ensure that for one who
commits näma-aparädha chanting on its own will
clear away all offences, hence I shall certainly be
again pardoned.” Such thinking is incorrect. In-
stead, the offender becomes enmeshed in another
heinous näma-aparädha, that of committing sin on
the strength of chanting the holy name.
The offender may once again try to rationalize his
misbehavior by saying, “According to the scriptures
(SB 11.11.29) only those who are compassionate,
peaceful, and tolerant are called sädhus, or saintly
persons. Therefore, the offence of blaspheming a
devotee is appropriate only when someone who
possesses these characteristics is criticized, not
for one who has not developed these qualities. In
reply, the scriptures state that even if reprobates,
cheaters, hypocrites, pretenders, outcastes, and
worse take up devotional service, needless to say
they are still considered to be sädhus. They must
not be criticized for their past, however terrible it
may have been, and they cannot be barred from
being accepted as Vaiñëava devotees. nor can their
devotion be deprecated.
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The çästra further declares that if a mahä-bhaga-
vata, or an elevated pure devotee, is offended, he
simply brushes aside the entire episode because he
possesses immense compassion, and he will not
acknowledge the behavior as an offence. As for the
guilty party, he must fall at the sädhu's feet and beg
forgiveness so that his heart may be purified. We
learn from the çästra and the sädhus that even if
the maha-bhagavata effortlessly tolerates the foolish
person's blasphemy, his followers cannot bear this
atrocity; they punish the offender by wishing him
to suffer appropriately for his offence.
The pure devotees are incorruptible and inde-
pendent in thought. They do not require a reason
to shower their causeless mercy on any soul, how-
ever wretched he may be. Sometimes they display
great magnanimity by showing profound mercy
to a downright offender and harsh critic. At the
same time they are not swayed by praise in order
to make them act compassionately. The story of
the elevated devotee Jada Bharat is a good example.
King Rahugana once engaged Jada Bharat to carry
his palanquin. After going some way, the king
began to rudely criticize Jada Bharata who simply
showered him with mercy. In another incident, the
atheistic Daityas were very offensive to Uparicara
Vasu, the King of Cedi. A third example is that of
the despicable Madhai who threw a stone at Lord
Nityananda, causing His forehead to bleed pro-
fusely, yet the Lord showed him causeless mercy.
So far we have discussed the first näma-aparädha,
that of offending a devotee. The same principle is
applied to another offence against the holy name
that of disobeying the orders of the spiritual master.
—Madhurya-Kadambini - Çréla Viçvanätha Cakravarté Öhäkura Translated
by Sarvabhävana däsa
Bhāgavata Mahāvidyālaya
 Issue no 155, Page — 6
Märkine Bhägavata-dharma
His Divine Grace
A.C.Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
baro-kåpä kaile kåñëa adhamer prati
ki lägiyänile hethä koro ebe gati
My dear Lord Krishna, You are so kind upon
this useless soul, but I do not know why You
have brought me here. Now You can do what-
ever You like with me.
äche kichu kärja taba ei anumäne
nahe keno äniben ei ugra-sthäne
But I guess You have some business here, oth-
erwise why would You bring me to this terrible
place?
rajas tamo guëe erä sabäi äcchanna
bäsudeb-kathä ruci nahe se prasanna
Most of the population here is covered by the
material modes of ignorance and passion. Ab-
sorbed in material life, they think themselves
very happy and satisfied, and therefore they
have no taste for the transcendental message of
Vasudeva. I do not know how they will be able
to understand it.
Bhāgavata Mahāvidyālaya www.ibmedu.org
nityaà bhägavata-sevayä
tabe jadi taba kåpä hoy ahaituké
sakal-i sambhava hoy tumi se kautuké
But I know Your causeless mercy can make
everything possible because You are the most
expert mystic.
ki bhäve bujhäle tärä bujhe sei rasa
eta kåpä koro prabhu kori nija-baça
How will they understand the mellows of de-
votional service? O Lord, I am simply praying
for Your mercy so that I will be able to convince
them about Your message.
tomära icchäya saba hoy mäyä-baça
tomära icchäya näça mäyär paraça
All living entities have become under the
control of the illusory energy by Your will, and
therefore, if You like, by Your will they can also
be released from the clutches of illusion.
taba icchä hoy jadi tädera uddhär
bujhibe niçcai tabe kathä se tomär
I wish that You may deliver them. Therefore
if You so desire their deliverance, then only will
they be able to understand Your message.
 nityaà bhägavata-sevayä
bhägavater kathä se taba avatär
dhéra haiyä çune jadi käne bär bär
The words of Çrémad-Bhägavatam are Your
incarnation, and if a sober person repeatedly
receives it with submissive aural reception, then
he will be able to understand Your message.
rajas tamo hate tabe päibe nistär
hådayer abhadra sate ghucibe tähär
He will become liberated from the influence
of the modes of ignorance and passion and thus
all inauspicious things accumulated in the core
of the heart will disappear.
ki ko're bujhäbo kathä baro sei cähi
khudra ämi déna héna kono çakti nähi
How will I make them understand this
message of Krishna consciousness? I am very
unfortunate, unqualified and the most fallen.
Therefore I am seeking Your benediction so
that I can convince them, for I am powerless to
do so on my own.
athaca enecho prabhu kathä bolibäre
je tomär icchä prabhu koro ei bäre
Somehow or other, O Lord, You have brought
me here to speak about You. Now, my Lord, it
is up to You to make me a success or failure as
You like.
akhila jagat-guru! bacana se ämär
alaìkåta koribär khamatä tomär
O spiritual master of all the worlds! I can sim-
ply repeat Your message, so if You like You can
make my power of speaking suitable for their
understanding.
taba kåpä ha'le mor kathä çuddha habe
çuniyä sabära çoka duùkha je ghucibe
Only by Your causeless mercy will my words
become pure. I am sure that when this tran-
scendental message penetrates their hearts they
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Issue no 155, Page—7
will certainly feel engladdened and thus become
liberated from all unhappy conditions of life.
äniyächo jadi prabhu ämäre näcäte
näcäo näcäo prabhu näcäo se-mate
käñöhera puttali jathä näcäo se-mate
O Lord, I am just like a puppet in Your hands.
So if You have brought me here to dance, then
make me dance, make me dance, O Lord, make
me dance as You like.
bhakti näi beda näi näme khub daro
"bhaktivedänta" näm ebe särthak kor
I have no devotion, nor do I have any knowl-
edge, but I have strong faith in the holy name of
Krishna. I have been designated as Bhaktivedän-
ta, and now, if You like, You can fulfill the real
purport of Bhaktivedänta.
—Signed–the most unfortunate, insignificant beggar A.C. Bhaktivedanta
Swami, on board the ship Jaladuta, Commonwealth Pier, Boston, Massachusetts,
U.S.A.dated 18th of September, 1965.
!! Sri Sri Nitai Gaurchandra Jayati !!
ISKCON
Bhagavata Mahävidyalaya
is a branch of
International Society for Krishna Consciousness
Founder-Acarya: His Divine Grace
A.C. BhaktiVedanta Swami Prabhupada
Editor
Brajsunder Das
Copy Editor
Isha Prakash Das
Sanskrit Editor,
Vrajsevika Devi Dasi
Assistance
Vamsidhari Gauri Devi Dasi
Quotations from the books, letters, and lectures of
His Divine Grace A.C. Bhakti Vedanta Swami Prabhupada
©Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International.
©All the paintings are copyrights of their respective artists.
Bhāgavata Mahāvidyālaya