SB 2.3.17 – How to Best Utilize One’s Time, Noida

Giriraj Swami: Today is the fifth day of the new year according to one calculation, and I thought it appropriate to read a verse from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam about the passage of time and how we should utilize our time, because our life or at least our duration of life consists of time. And what we do with our life really means what we do with our time. This verse is very relevant to all of us, so please listen very carefully. Also I may ask you to repeat what I just read, so that is another reason why you should listen very carefully. So please repeat.

oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya,

oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya,

oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya

We read from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam Canto Two, Chapter Three – “Pure Devotional Service,”

TEXT 17

āyur harati vai puṁsām
udyann astaṁ ca yann asau
tasyarte yat-kṣaṇo nīta
uttama-śloka-vārtayā

TRANSLATION

Both by rising and by setting, the sun decreases the duration of life of everyone, except one who utilizes the time by discussing topics of the all-good Personality of Godhead.

COMMENT

All right. Now, we will see how much you remember. We will make it easy. Raise your hand if you can tell us one point that the verse name. So raise your hands only. Yes.

Devotee: The verse says that we should all live to discuss these topics of Supreme Personality of Godhead.

Giriraj Swami: Well, that is true but sort of; the Purport. You are right, but what did the verse actually say? Yes.

Devotee: Both by rising and by setting, the sun decreases the duration of life of everyone.

Giriraj Swami: Yes, by rising and by setting, the sun decreases the duration of life of everyone. And what is the other point? Yes.

Devotee: Except one who utilizes will of the Lord.

Giriraj Swami: Yes, except for one who utilizes the time by discussing topics of uttamā-sloka—the all good Personality of Godhead. Now I will read the Purport.

PURPORT by Srila Prabhupada

This verse indirectly confirms the greater importance of utilizing the human form of life to realize our lost relationship with the Supreme Lord by acceleration of devotional service.

COMMENT

Now this word acceleration, is very important. Now who can say what I just read, what that sentence said; one point from that sentence? Yes.

Devotee: Srila Prabhupada mentioned that one should actually (Unintelligible 00:09:50) devotional service.

Giriraj Swami: Yes. The verse indirectly confirms the greater importance of utilizing the human form of life to realize our lost relationship with the Supreme Lord, by acceleration of devotional service. In other words, we are in the human form of life and the human form of life is especially meant for realizing our lost relationship with God, and the process by which we revive our relationship with God is devotional service. There are three departments of Vedic knowledge; one is called sambandha, which is our relationship with God. What is our relationship with God? Our relationship with God is that we are eternal servants of God.

And then the next division is abhidheya, that means acting in our relationship with God. How do we act in our relationship with God? That is bhakti, or devotional service. And then, what is the goal to be achieved? That is prayojana, and that is to develop love for God. So, all of us here in this room today are engaged in devotional service. Even if you are not aware of it, you are engaged in devotional service because you are hearing about Krishna; hearing the topics of the all-good Personality of Godhead—that is devotional service, śravaṇam. But this verse indirectly says that you have to accelerate your practice of devotional service, because time is passing with every rising and setting of the sun your duration of life is decreased.

PURPORT (continued)

Time and tide wait for no man. So the time indicated by the sunrise and the sunset will be uselessly wasted if such time is not properly utilized for realizing identification of spiritual values. Even a fraction of the duration of life wasted cannot be compensated by any amount of gold.

COMMENT

At the end of our life for example, if we want one extra moment and we are willing to pay any amount of money or any quantity of gold to get one extra moment, we can’t get it. That means that every moment is so valuable it is beyond what money can buy. So we should be very careful and utilize every moment in the best way because once that moment is gone you can’t buy it back for any amount of money. For example, right now it is 2:35 in the afternoon on January 5th 2014. Now it is good you are here in this satsaṅga, but if your mind is wandering somewhere else, that time is, to some extent, wasted. And you cannot buy an amount back for any amount of gold.

Srila Prabhupada had a friend in Bombay named Mr. Brijratan Mohta, who was a very intelligent and affluent industrialist. In fact, before the partition of India, he was the wealthiest man in what became West Pakistan. And his home in Clifton in Karachi, was a palace; it is called “Mohta Mahal.” And after the partition, that palace was kept for Muhammad Ali Jinnah. He was such a wealthy man and a very shrewd businessman. And Srila Prabhupada was very expert in speaking in the language that a person could understand and appreciate. So once when Mr. Mohta was visiting him in Juhu, Bombay, Srila Prabhupada said that, “In the ledger book of your life there are two columns, profit and loss. And any time spent in Krishna’s service is profit; and any time used outside of Krishna’s service is loss.” So every businessman knows he wants to maximize his profits and minimize his loss. Actually, he doesn’t want any losses, so that means we should not lose any time, even one moment, in some frivolous pursuits outside of Krishna consciousness. We have to be very mindful of how we are using every moment. And stealing time can be very imperceptible. It is like if you have an employee in your business, and if he steals ten thousand rupees, you can detect it pretty easily and you can catch him and you can deal with him. But if he is stealing a hundred rupees a day, it is a pretty small amount you might not notice it. But he could be doing that for years, for decades; he could end up stealing lakhs of rupees but because he just stole a little at a time you didn’t notice it.

So it is the same way with our duration of life; it is hard to know what people’s behavior patterns are but someone who is trying to be Krishna conscious, he probably wouldn’t waste a lot of time at a stretch, and if he is living in the ashram he might get caught. But a little bit just check this but do they say surf the internet just ten or fifteen minutes, no one will know. But all those ten and fifteen minutes add up and we lose tremendous amount of time. And when death comes and we want that extra time, we can’t get it back for any amount of money.

PURPORT (continued)

Human life is simply awarded to a living entity (jīva) so that he can realize his spiritual identity and his permanent source of happiness.

COMMENT

We all want happiness; but this happiness or so-called happiness in the material world is very temporary, because the material world is a world of duality. There is always heads and tails, pleasure and pain, happiness and distress. Srila Prabhupada said that when a baby is born in a family, everyone is very happy because the baby is born. But when that baby takes birth it is not just birth, it is janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi; birth, death, old age, and disease. So as soon as there is birth, there is death. But they are very happy – “Oh a baby is born in the family”—and they are not thinking that along with the baby, death has also taken birth. And we see it. Just a few days ago there is a baby born in the household of a family of devotees; all so happy, sending emails, putting the pictures on Facebook, everyone is jubilant. And the same day another devotee left the body; and it is duality. So this is what Prabhupada is saying here, we should seek out permanent happiness, not the flickering happiness, temporary happiness.

PURPORT (continued)

A living being, especially the human being, is seeking happiness because happiness is the natural situation of the living entity. But he is vainly seeking happiness in the material atmosphere. A living being is constitutionally a spiritual spark of the complete whole, and his happiness can be perfectly perceived in spiritual activities.

COMMENT

Now we are coming to a very important point here.

PURPORT (continued)

The Lord is the complete spirit whole, and His name, form, quality, pastimes, entourage and personality are all identical with Him. Once a person comes into contact with any one of the above-mentioned energies of the Lord through the proper channel of devotional service, the door to perfection is immediately opened. In the Bhagavad-gītā (2.40) the Lord has explained such contact in the following words: “Endeavors in devotional service are never baffled. Nor is there failure. A slight beginning of such activities is sufficient even to deliver a person from the great ocean of material fears.” As a highly potent drug injected intravenously acts at once on the whole body, the transcendental topics of the Lord injected through the ear by the pure devotee of the Lord can act very efficiently. Aural realization of the transcendental messages implies total realization, just as fructification of one part of a tree implies fructification of all other parts.

COMMENT

Coming back to the verse there are two main points; so we are going to give someone else a chance to answer. What is one of the two main points of the verse? Yes.

Devotee: With every rising and the setting of the sun, life decreased.

Giriraj Swami: Yes, by the rising and the setting of the sun the duration of life of everyone is decreased. And what is the other part? 

Devotee: (Unintelligible 00:25:35)

Giriraj Swami: Yes. Except for one who utilizes the time in discussing the transcendental topics of the Personality of Godhead. And then we read how ultimately we are meant to revive our relationship with the Lord through acceleration and devotional service. So here, Srila Prabhupada is explaining that by hearing, what all of you are doing now, śravaṇam, by hearing, you are coming in contact with the Lord. And coming in contact with the Lord means His names; His forms; His qualities; His pastimes; everything about Him. You can actually realize God by hearing and by hearing, everything else is included. So hearing is very important but hearing about what? Krishna.

PURPORT (continued)

This realization for a moment in the association of pure devotees like Śukadeva Gosvāmī prepares one’s complete life for eternity.

COMMENT

Now I will ask you and then I will read what Prabhupada answered. Okay, by the rising and setting of the sun the duration of life of everyone is decreased except one who utilizes the time in discussing the topics of Krishna. But how can you say that his duration of life is not decreased? All right, we are engaging in topics of Krishna, but still the sun is moving at its course across the sky and it will be setting. The clock is ticking; 2:35 is gone it is almost 2:50. So how can it be said, except for those who utilize the time by discussing the topics of Krishna? Who can answer? Yes

Devotee: (Unintelligible 00:28:32)

Giriraj Swami: Yes, this young man is using his time very well. He is a very intelligent young man. He said, because if one utilizes the time in discussing the topics of Krishna, he becomes free from the repetition of birth and death. In other words, he realizes his eternal life. Does anyone have a strong voice? All right, so we will chant.

PURPORT (continued)

And thus the sun fails to rob the pure devotee of his duration of life, inasmuch as he is constantly busy in the devotional service of the Lord, purifying his existence. Death is a symptom of the material infection of the eternal living being; only due to material infection is the eternal living entity subjected to the law of birth, death, old age and disease.

The materialistic way of pious activities like charity is recommended in the smṛti-śāstras as quoted by Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura.

COMMENT

Now listen to this, we talked about profit and loss in relation to time. Now we are going to hear about profit and loss in relation to money.

PURPORT (continued)

Money given in charity to a suitable person is guaranteed bank balance in the next life.

COMMENT

Did you all hear that? I won’t even ask you because you won’t forget that.

PURPORT (continued)

Such charity is recommended to be given to a brāhmaṇa. If the money is given in charity to a non-brāhmaṇa (without brahminical qualification) the money is returned in the next life in the same proportion.

COMMENT

In other words, there are many so-called brahmans around, even if you give charity to one of them you get the same amount back in the next life, which is breaking even; you are breaking even. It is not loss because at least it is so called brahman, so you are breaking even. The suspense is building.

PURPORT (continued)

If it is given in charity to a half-educated brāhmaṇa, even then the money is returned double.

COMMENT

So you give money and charity to a so-called brahman, who is not really qualified you get the money back in the same proportion. If you give money even to a half educated brahman, you get the money back doubled; that is pretty good.

PURPORT (continued)

If the money is given in charity to a learned and fully qualified brāhmaṇa, the money is returned a hundred and a thousand times,

COMMENT

That is a very good return; a hundred and a thousand times to a fully qualified learned brahman.

PURPORT (continued)

and if the money is given to a veda-pāraga (one who has factually realized the path of the Vedas), it is returned by unlimited multiplication.

COMMENT

So that means someone likes Srila Prabhupada, someone vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyo, who knows the purpose of the Vedas, which is Krishna, in other words, the self-realized Krishna conscious soul. And how is that possible? How can your investment be returned unlimitedly? Because even if it is returned a million times there is a limit. Even if it is returned a billion times or a trillion times, there is a limit. So how can it be returned by unlimited multiplication? That means it cannot be accommodated in this material world because everything in the material world has its limit. In fact, one meaning of the word maya, is to measure. So if you are getting a return that cannot be measured, that means it is beyond the range of maya. In other words, you go back home back to Godhead, you go to the spiritual world.

Once when Srila Prabhupada arrived, actually he told me the story in Juhu, but when he arrived in, I don’t remember now, either in Manila in the Philippines or Hong Kong, the devotees arranged a press conference for him in the penthouse suite of a very fancy hotel, the best hotel in the city. And they arranged for him to be driven in a Rolls Royce car. So when Srila Prabhupada came to Juhu, it was just me I think in the room, he was saying how at the press conference they were challenging him that, “You are supposed to be a spiritual person but you are riding in a Rolls-Royce car. Why are you riding in a Rolls-Royce car?” Then Srila Prabhupada replied that actually the spiritual master is to be honored as the representative of Krishna. And in the spiritual world everything is made of chintamani gems, which is far more valuable than any gem of the material world. “So even if they would have given me a Rolls Royce made of diamonds, it would not have been good enough. So you asked me why I am riding in a Rolls-Royce. The answer is, that was all they could do. That was the best they could do, so I had to accept it.” And then Srila Prabhupada said to me, “When you are dealing with such envious people, what else can you say?” But that is the point, you can’t even measure the opulence or the happiness of a pure devotee because it is beyond the material world. And if you give in charity to such a person you are going in that direction; to go beyond the realm of maya, to the unlimited realm of Krishna consciousness. So here Prabhupada says that same thing.

PURPORT (continued)

The ultimate end of Vedic knowledge is realization of the Personality of Godhead, Lord Kṛṣṇa, as stated in the Bhagavad-gītā (vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyaḥ). There is a guarantee of money’s being returned if given in charity, regardless of the proportion.

COMMENT

Now this is just not about how to invest your money but he is making a spiritual point and that is that as long as you give in charity even if you give to an ordinary person that is not a burden anyone, you get the same amount back. If you give to a half educated brahman, you get the amount return double like that. So he is saying that if you give a charity there is guarantee that money will be returned to you in the next life. It is just a question of the proportion.

PURPORT (continued)

Similarly, a moment passed in the association of a pure devotee by hearing and chanting the transcendental messages of the Lord is a perfect guarantee for eternal life, for returning home, back to Godhead. 

COMMENT

So it is guaranteed. That is the point here; that you give in charity it is guaranteed you will get the money back in the next life. If you give your years, if you give your time, and your years of time and your time for hearing and chanting the glories of the Lord, it is guaranteed. What is guaranteed? Eternal life. (You are more alert now, kṛṣṇa-kathā, you are more alert; you are more alive). So, you give money and it is guarantee you will get the money back in the next life. But depending on who you give the money to, the quality of the person, you get a greater proportion. So if you give your time for hearing and chanting about Krishna, it is guaranteed that you are approaching eternal life. But if you do more of it, as Prabhupada said in that first sentence of the purport, accelerate—it happens sooner.

PURPORT (continued)

Mad-dhāma gatvā punar janma na vidyate. 

COMMENT

And that is a line from the Bhagavad-gītā, when you go to Krishna, the abode of Krishna, you never return to this miserable material world.

PURPORT (continued)

In other words, a devotee of the Lord is guaranteed eternal life.

COMMENT

Guaranteed! Now listen to the last sentence because this is very important.

PURPORT (continued)

A devotee’s old age or disease in the present life is but an impetus to such guaranteed eternal life.

COMMENT

So generally and it is natural, we don’t want disease and we don’t want old age. And it is natural because as spirit souls, Jiva – jīvātmā we are by nature joyful, ānandamayo ‘bhyāsāt; we are not subjected to diseases and old age, but it happens. And when it happens to a devotee, he takes it as an impetus to accelerate his or her devotional service, which will help him or her realize his eternal life. And there is a beautiful verse in the Tenth Canto of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam that says more or less the same thing—tat te ‘nukampāṁ susamīkṣamāṇo, that if anybody is subject to suffering, and if he tolerates the suffering and takes the suffering as the mercy of the Lord, and increases his service to the Lord with body, mind, and words, that person is guaranteed to go back home back to Godhead.

The Sanskrit is mukti-pade sa dāya-bhāk; and dāya-bhāk is like an inheritance, all a son has to do, is remain alive long enough and he will inherit his father’s property. So similarly all a devotee has to do is remain alive in devotional service, tolerating all the distresses of the material world and expecting the mercy of the Lord, then he is guaranteed eternal life. So when some reversal comes we should see that this is an opportunity to become more serious about Krishna consciousness, become more sincere in my spiritual practices. So it actually serves as an impetus to one’s guaranteed eternal life. So this is very encouraging for us to remain alive in devotional service. And what does it mean to remain alive in devotional service? Whoever can answer this, hits the jackpot. Yes.

Devotee: Unintelligible 00:48:00)

Giriraj Swami: Yes. That is true, to serve the Lord with body, mind, and words, and then how? We will give someone else a chance. Yes.

Devotee: (Unintelligible 00:48:26) 

Giriraj Swami: That is true, but how, what service?

Devotee: By discussing his names, forms, qualities, pastimes.

Giriraj Swami: By śravaṇam kīrtanam, by engaging and chanting and hearing about the glories of the Lord in the association of devotees. Because this process can be properly discussed only in the association of devotees. If you spend your life in chanting and hearing the glories of the Lord in the association of devotees, your eternal life the spiritual world is guaranteed. Just like if you give money in charity, it is guaranteed you get money back in the next life. And just like if you remain alive long enough, you will inherit your father’s property. And in this case you will inherit the kingdom of God.

So everything is explained very clearly and now all we have to do is do it. It is very easy and what we may be asked to do, is also very easy. You are doing it right now; we are all doing it right now. It is very easy and enjoyable but we have to continue to do it. We shouldn’t waste time. In one talk in Los Angeles with Srila Prabhupada he said, “If you have time chant Hare Krishna. Don’t waste time; don’t speak nonsense. If you have time, chant Hare Krishna.”

Hare Krishna.

So we have ten minutes for questions and answers if you have any questions.

Devotee: You mentioned that whoever goes back to Godhead will never come back. Is that states that we have come from there only? 

Giriraj Swami: Well, once someone asks Srila Prabhupada that if we go back to Godhead we will never take birth again, Lord Krishna says. Now, where we were or how we got here is an interesting question. But Srila Prabhupada said, that it is not so important how we got here, it is more important how we get out. And he gave the example that a man is drowning in the ocean and someone comes with a boat to rescue him. And he said, “Well wait a minute, first I want to know how I got here.” Well that is not very important, what is important is you get in the boat and get saved from drowning in the ocean. But the other answer that Srila Prabhupada gave is that, assuming that if you did make that mistake once, and came into the material world, having experienced the miseries of material existence you won’t make the same mistake again.

Do you understand? In English they say, once burnt twice shy. So you make a mistake and you put your hand in fire and you get burned. Okay, you did it once but you are not going to do it again, because you know what happened.

Devotee: We know what it means, we will not come back.

Giriraj Swami: Yes, because now you know what it means. So you won’t make the same mistake again.

Devotee: Yes, distinguish what is eternity and what is temporary.

Giriraj Swami: Well, there are different ways of learning. Srila Prabhupada said, the first class person learns by hearing; you hear that it is sinful to steal and that if you steal you will be punished, so you don’t steal. That is the best; is by hearing. The second best is by seeing; you see some friend, he cheated, he got caught and punished. So you heard it but it was really only when you saw it happened to someone that you know, that you took them seriously and then you learned. The third class learns by experiencing; but that is what you are saying. We come into the material world, we have experiences and so now we won’t do it again. And the fourth class never learns.

So yes, it happens. We give someone advice, but they choose not to follow it. We know what is going to happen. We can see it, we know it is going to happen, but they choose not to follow it. So, okay they will experience it and hopefully they will learn from their experience. Srila Prabhupada said. “Good judgment comes from experience and experience comes from bad judgment.”