Everything possible by the blessings of a Vaishnava

In the pastime of Lord Brahma requesting Priyavrata Maharaj to accept household life, one may wonder if it may become an impediment to Maharaj Priyavrata's advancement. To explain this Srila Prabhupada write the following in the purport to SB 5.1.10:

"By the blessings of a Vaiṣṇava, everything is possible. This is described in Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu as kṛpā-siddhi, or perfection attained simply by the blessings of a superior person. One usually becomes liberated and perfect by executing the regulative principles set down in the śāstras. Nonetheless, many persons have achieved perfection simply by the blessings of a spiritual master or superior."

Prescribed Duties a Vehicle for Mind Control

With mental health poised to become a disease of epidemic proportions, especially when the President of India Shri Ramnath Kovind makes a statement that the population of Indians affected by mental health diseases is greater than the population of Japan it would be nice to see what some scriptures and acharyas have to say about dealing with the mind.

Of course, some mental health issues need medication counseling etc but a lot of them can be nipped in the bud if one just follows their prescribed duties. If everyone follows their prescribed duties properly the society and social interactions are such that it creates a further favorable situation for everyone else to follow their prescribed duties.

Some important points from Srila Prabhupada's purports to the verses posted below. Srila Prabhupada explains how doing our varnashrama duties is important, varnasharama duties are given in the Vedas and if we follow we are on the safe platform else we can have a tremendous mental confusion:

• The varṇāśrama system is scientific. Therefore if we accept the divisions of varṇa and āśrama according to the Vedic instructions, our lives will be successful.(5.14)
• It is best, therefore, to accept the injunctions of the Vedas, which are mentioned in this verse as yad-vāci. In accordance with those injunctions, everyone should find out whether he is a brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya or śūdra and should thus be educated accordingly. Then his life will be successful. Otherwise, all of human society will be confused. If human society is divided scientifically according to varṇa and āśrama, and if the Vedic directions are followed, one’s life, regardless of his position, will be successful.(5.14)

In this verse, Prabhupada explains the connection between Varnashrama Duties and the pleasure of the Lord.

• A brāhmaṇa can surrender, and so can a kṣatriya, vaiśya or śūdra. Everyone can adopt this process. As stated in this verse, cakṣuṣmatāndhā iva nīyamānāḥ: one should follow the Lord the way a blind man follows a person who has eyes. If we follow the Supreme Personality of Godhead by following the directions He gives in the Vedas and Bhagavad-gītā, our lives will be successful.
• The example cited in this verse is that bulls tied by ropes in their nostrils move according to the direction of the driver. Similarly, if we move according to the instructions of the Vedas, the perfect paths for our lives will be set. Otherwise, if we do not move in that way but act according to our whimsical ideas, our lives will be spoiled by confusion and will end in despair.(5.15)

Connection between Varnashrama Duties, The Lord's pleasure, Sense control and Mind Control

The sense organs are certainly our greatest enemies, and they are therefore compared to venomous serpents. However, if a venomous serpent is bereft of its poison fangs, it is no longer fearful.Similarly, if the senses are engaged in the service of the Lord, there is no need to fear their activities.The devotees in the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement move within this material world, but because their senses are fully engaged in the service of the Lord, they are always aloof from the material world. They are always living in a transcendental position.


Lord Brahma's Instructions to Maharaj Priyavrata:
SB 5.1.14 — My dear boy, all of us are bound by the Vedic injunctions to the divisions of varṇāśrama according to our qualities and work. These divisions are difficult to avoid because they are scientifically arranged. We must therefore carry out our duties of varṇāśrama-dharma, like bulls obliged to move according to the direction of a driver pulling on ropes knotted to their noses.
SB 5.1.15 — My dear Priyavrata, according to our association with different modes of material nature, the Supreme Personality of Godhead gives us our specific bodies and the happiness and distress we achieve. One must therefore remain situated as he is and be conducted by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, exactly as a blind man is led by a person who has eyes with which to see.
SB 5.1.16 — Even if one is liberated, he nevertheless accepts the body he has received according to his past karma. Without misconceptions, however, he regards his enjoyment and suffering due to that karma the way an awakened person regards a dream he had while sleeping. He thus remains steadfast and never works to achieve another material body under the influence of the three modes of material nature.
SB 5.1.17 — Even if he goes from forest to forest, one who is not self-controlled must always fear material bondage because he is living with six co-wives — the mind and knowledge-acquiring senses. Even householder life, however, cannot harm a self-satisfied, learned man who has conquered his senses.
SB 5.1.18 — One who is situated in household life and who systematically conquers his mind and five sense organs is like a king in his fortress who conquers his powerful enemies. After one has been trained in household life and his lusty desires have decreased, he can move anywhere without danger.
SB 5.1.19 — Lord Brahmā continued: My dear Priyavrata, seek shelter inside the opening in the lotus of the feet of the Lord, whose navel is also like a lotus. Thus conquer the six sense organs [the mind and knowledge-acquiring senses]. Accept material enjoyment because the Lord, extraordinarily, has ordered you to do this. You will thus always be liberated from material association and be able to carry out the Lord’s orders in your constitutional position.
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SB 5.19 and 5.20

5.19. A Description of the Island of Jambüdvépa

 1-8: Prayer to the deity of Kimpuruña-varña,Räma 

1. Write the flow of prayers to Lord Rämacandra.  Quote 5.19.4 yat tad viçuddhä… and 5.19.7 na janma… Give salient points from 3P and 7P.

2. Mention various reasons for the appearance of Lord Räma based on the purports of SP and VCT to 5.19.5. 

• To kill Ravana 
• Lord Rama Chandra wanted to teach the general masses that life centered around sex life, like Ravana is futile and leads to great misery
• He also showed how by accepting a wife he underwent so many tribulations
• However, he also showed that if one accepts a wife one must be a faithful husband and give her full protection
• He also wanted to show that although the Lord and His devotees may seem to suffer material tribulations they have nothing to do with such material tribulations for they are always engaged in serving the Lotus Feet of the Lord.

9-15: Prayers to the deity of Bhärata-varña,Nara-näräyaëa Åñi

 3. Write the flow of prayers to Nara-näräyaëa Åñi. Quote 5.19.12 kartäsya sargädiñu… along with salient points from 12P.

4. “Devotional service is the real path of liberation.” Explain based on 20P.

• By association with devotees , on comes to know about Krishna and gradually comes to know about his position as eternal servitor of Krishna.
• The association helps us cut the knot of ignorance and realize that by serving Krishna and His devotees we will also become transcendental and free from material attachment.
• By serving the One who is beyond matter we are also able to transcend our attachment to matter and thus devotional service gives real liberation.

 21-28: The demigods glorify Bhärata-varña

5. Summarize the glories of Bhärata-varña. Quote 5.19.23 kalpäyuñäà sthänajayät… and 5.19.24 na yatra vaikuëöha… and give salient points from 25P (real profit – elaborate) and 27P.

 5.20. Studying the Structure of the Universe

 1-5: Plakñadvépa and the inhabitants’prayer toSürya

 1. Draw the structure of Bhü-maëòala and mark the oceans, islands and mountains along with their dimensions.

 2. Mention the common characteristics of the islands of Bhü-maëòala. 

• Each of them along with their oceans form concentric cycles around the previous dvipa.
• Ocean and dvipa it surrounds are of the same size. However each dvipa and ocean sze is twice the size of the previous dvipa
• There is a tree, mountain, river that is there on each dvipa
• The rulers of all these dvipas are sons of Priyavrata Maharaj
• Thre are 4 castes of people living in each dvipa . The residents of first 5 dvipas experience longevity,strong senses, mental strength etc
• They worship the Supreme Lord through the DEmigods Sun, Moon, Agni, Varuna, Vayu, Brahma

3. How is the sun god the reflection of the Supreme Lord? (5P)

What is the right mood of worshipping demigods?(17)

1. With the understanding that the demigods are representatives of the Supreme Lord and whatever offerings we make to them they offer it to the Lord.
2. We see them as representatives of the Lord subordinate to the Lord
3. But to worship them thinking they are Supreme and independent of the Lord means we are worshipping them aviddhi purvakam

SB 5.17

1. WBN on the glories of Mother Ganga. Draw her 4 paths. (SB.5.17.1-10)

1. Touching the water of the Ganga purifies all living entities internally( freedom from sins and inner purification) and externally(protection and freedom from disease)
2. Knowing it to be the water that touched that touched the Lord's Lotus Feet Dhruva Maharaja and the sapta rsis accept the water on their head with great devotion.
3. Since they are bhaktas and not impersonalists the sapta rsis neglect all other means of perfection and constantly meditating on the Lord they accept the Ganges water on their head

Her paths:

2. WBN on the 8 heavenly Varshas. (SB.5.17.11-15)

The eight heanevly varsas are known as Bhauma Svarga

1. People live long and youthful lives there
1. Their bodies are extremely trong like 10000 elephants and sturdy like thunderbolts
2. Women only conceive in the last year of their lives
3. They enjoy sense pleasure without tribulations
2. The place is very beautiful filled with gardens, flowers, hermitages, lakes and many birds
3. The demigods there enjoy with their wives 
4. The Lord Narayana expands Himself and resides in each of these varsas to remain near His devotees to give them mercy and accept their service.

3. Write the flow of Lord Siva's prayers to Lord Sankarshan. Quote 5.17.18 bhaje bhajanyäraëa… Give salient points from 19P. (SB.5.17.16 -24)

Lord Siva worships Lord Sankarasana knowing Him to be the original cause of his own existence. 

He glorifes Him by sayin :

1. Reservoir of all transcendental qualities
2. Unlimited
3. Unfathomable
4. Lotus Feet protect devotees from all dangers
5. Highest shelter of six opulencesManifests his different forms for the satisfaction of his devotees
6. Stops the repetition of borth and death, origin of material creation
7. Not affected by material world
8. But we are completely affected and therefore we must worhsip the Lord so we can conquer the senses
9. Lord Remains unagitatede.g Naga patnis)
10. Does creation, maintainence, and destruction. He is unlimited and holds the universes on His hoods
11. He is the greatest , greater than Siva and Brahma and all the demigods
12. We cannot understand Him because we are covered by Maya. Without being favored by him we cannot get out of Maya nor understand the Lord.

SB 5.16

1. Write the importance of focusing one’s mind on the Lord’s external energy.SB 5.16.1-3

Since we are in conditional life constantly associated with matter and also our minds are difficult to focus on. When we learn how to see everything around us in relation with Vishnu it purifies our consciousness as we stop seeing things from an exploitative tendency to a way we can worship things as they are all connected to Vishnu.

When we understand the creation of the cosmos, the planets, the bhu mandal we realize how everything is connected to the Lord. Thus having seeing the connection with Krishna our mind shifts from exploitation to reverence and thus to mode of goodness.

We also understand how all the creation of things of material enjoyment have come from the mode of ignorance ( 2 nd canto) and if we further associate with those things to enjoy we will remain in ignorance. Rather we learn the art of seeing the connection with Krishna and using in Krishna's service and not for our own sense gratification.

2. Draw and mark with details the following: 

(i) Structure of Jambhudvipa and its Varshas

(ii) Ilavrta-varsa and the details surrounding Mt. Sumeru,

(iii) The demigod abodes on top of Mt.Sumeru.

3. WBN on the people of Kali-yuga (SB.5.16.20-21P).

1. People in Kali Yuga like ourselves feel very proud of our existence and material wealth. Those with more money think they are living a superior form of life when they compare themselves with the have nots.
2. However planetary systems there is so much opulence- mud on banks of jambu river mixes with jambu river and due to the reaction of sunlight on it, large quantities of gold are produced.However in Kali Yuga produce huge quantities of gold.
3. But people in Kali Yuga think that their opulence is in plastic - plastic money, jewels and vessels instead of gold currency, gold jewels and gold vessels.
4. Lured by a promising life in heavenly planets they want to be promoted after death or achieve the same through space missions, but they can never do so.
5. Pure devotees do not want any of this, they only want the humble service of the Lord.

SB 5.4.14 to 5.5.5

1. Write the flow of the first 5 teachings of Lord Rsabhadev.
1. One should not waste the human form of life in sense gratification which is also available to the animals.Instead one should live a life of austerity and penance to attain pure devotional service. By this one's heart gets purified and one is situated in bliss much greater than what is possible by sense gratification
2. To attain relief from material bondage one must serve the advanced devotees - they are equipoised, see everyone equally and work for the benefit of everyone.But if we associate with people attached to women and sex then the path to hell is wide open
3. Always o things connected to Krishna. Avoid association with those who are attached to eating, sleeping , mating and defending. Also avoid attachment to home and family life without being indifferent to the execution of your grhastha ashram duties.
4. We should not involve ourselves in sense gratification as that will give us a new body. We want to stop the cycle of repeated birth and death because of our desire to enjoy sense gratification.
5. We must enquire about the spiritual values of life else we will be afflicted by material miseries. IF we do not our mind will remain impure and consciousness will be unclear.

1. Write Verse and Translation 5.5.1 näyaà deho… WBN on the importance of human life (1P).
1. Prabhu I copied the verse and translation
1. ṛṣabha uvāca
   nāyaṁ deho deha-bhājāṁ nṛloke
   kaṣṭān kāmān arhate viḍ-bhujāṁ ye
   tapo divyaṁ putrakā yena sattvaṁ
   śuddhyed yasmād brahma-saukhyaṁ tv anantam
2. Lord Ṛṣabhadeva told His sons: My dear boys, of all the living entities who have accepted material bodies in this world, one who has been awarded this human form should not work hard day and night simply for sense gratification, which is available even for dogs and hogs that eat stool. One should engage in penance and austerity to attain the divine position of devotional service. By such activity, one’s heart is purified, and when one attains this position, he attains eternal, blissful life, which is transcendental to material happiness and which continues forever.
2. Brief note on the importance of human life:
1. Human life one is blessed with the intelligence to discriminate between matter and spirit unlike animals.
2. Therefore we must not waste our human form of life in activities of eating, sleeping, mating and defending, we must use our intelligence properly and cultivate higher spiritual values and live them.
3. One must avoid sense gratification for the further propagation of bodies and rather one must live a life if austerity and penance immersed in service to Krishna.
4. Austerities with a desire to please Krishna purifies the heart and makes it fertile to accept loving pure devotional service to Krishna
2. WVT 5.5.2. mahat seväm… Describe the path of liberation and the path of hellish life (2P).
1. Prabhu I copied the verse and translation
1. mahat-sevāṁ dvāram āhur vimuktes
2. tamo-dvāraṁ yoṣitāṁ saṅgi-saṅgam
3. mahāntas te sama-cittāḥ praśāntā
4. vimanyavaḥ suhṛdaḥ sādhavo ye

2. One can attain the path of liberation from material bondage only by rendering service to highly advanced spiritual personalities. These personalities are impersonalists and devotees. Whether one wants to merge into the Lord’s existence or wants to associate with the Personality of Godhead, one should render service to the mahātmās. For those who are not interested in such activities, who associate with people fond of women and sex, the path to hell is wide open. The mahātmās are equipoised. They do not see any difference between one living entity and another. They are very peaceful and are fully engaged in devotional service. They are devoid of anger, and they work for the benefit of everyone. They do not behave in any abominable way. Such people are known as mahātmās.
3. Brief note:
1. Path of liberation focusses on sat- the eternal, the spiritual, the Suprme Personality of Godhead and it can be achieved by associating with sadhus
2. Path of hellish life focusses on aasat, the temporary, the material, objects of sense gratification and it is surely achiveed by associating with those attacehd to bhoga and aisvarya.