SB 2.3.17 – Guarantee of Unlimited Return

Giriraj Swami: We read from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Canto Two, Chapter Three, “Pure Devotional Service,” Text Seventeen.

oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya

oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya

oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya

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.

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

In other words, we are already engaged in devotional service, but we want to accelerate. Accelerate means to go faster. Like in a car, there is a pedal called the accelerator and when you want to go faster, you step on it.

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

So, at the time of death, if you want to extend your life even by one minute by paying an amount of money, you cannot do so. So time, our life is made of time. Time is our most precious asset and we should utilize it in the best way. Srila Prabhupada was very expert in speaking in the language of his audience and he had a friend in Bombay named Sri Brijratan Mohta. He was a very wealthy man and Srila Prabhupada told him that, “In the ledger of your life, time utilized in Krishna consciousness is profit and time spent outside of Krishna consciousness is loss.” So any businessman, anyone will want to maximize his profit and minimize his loss. So, time spent in Krishna consciousness is profit and time spent outside of Krishna consciousness is loss.

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. 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. 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.”

COMMENT

So the greatest fear is to take birth again in a lower specie of life, but if one engages in devotional service even just a little bit, one is guaranteed at least a human birth from which one can continue where he left off. Anything material is lost at the time of death. For example, someone may know many languages, but when he leaves his body and takes birth again as a baby, it is like any baby “Ga, ga, gah.” All his knowledge of different languages in the previous life are lost. But whatever progress we make in Krishna consciousness continues in the next life. So if we make 1 percent progress in this life, then in the next life, we begin from 2 percent

PURPORT (continued)

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

COMMENT

So at first glance, the translation is very striking. Both by rising and by setting, the sun decreases the duration of life of everyone, that we can understand, except one who utilizes the time by discussing topics of the all-good personality of Godhead. And how is that? Because by discussing topics of the all-good personality of Godhead, uttama-śloka-vārtayā, one is preparing for one’s eternal life, and therefore the rising and setting of the sun do not deprive him of his duration of life.

PURPORT (continued)

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

COMMENT

The Sixteenth Chapter of the Bhagavad-gītā discusses the process of knowledge, and one of the items is, janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi-duḥkha-doṣānudarśanam, to be aware of the faults of birth, death, old age, and disease. It is part of knowledge.

PURPORT (continued)

The materialistic way of pious activities like charity is recommended in the smṛti-śāstras as quoted by Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura. Money given in charity to a suitable person is guaranteed bank balance in the next life. 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. If it is given in charity to a half-educated brāhmaṇa, even then the money is returned double. 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

So if you are looking for a good investment, I don’t think you can do better than this.

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. 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). 

COMMENT

So, if the money is given to a veda-pāraga, one who has actually realized the path of the Vedas, such as Srila Prabhupada, it returns by unlimited multiplication. Now, how is that possible? Because everything in the material world is limited. So to receive the return in unlimited multiplication, one must go to the spiritual world and get the return. Once Srila Prabhupada arrived in Hong Kong and the devotees arranged to collect him from the airport in a Rolls-Royce limousine. Then they took him to the penthouse suite of the Hong Kong Hilton for a press conference. So one of the reporters asked Srila Prabhupada, “You are supposed to be a spiritual person. Why did you ride in a Rolls-Royce limousine?” Srila Prabhupada replied, “Actually, I am a resident of the spiritual world, and everything in the spiritual world is made of cintāmaṇi gems. So even if they had picked me up in a solid gold Rolls-Royce or a solid diamond Rolls-Royce, it would not have been good enough. So you are asking why did I ride in a Rolls-Royce limousine? The answer is, it was the best they could offer, so I had to accept it.”

PURPORT (continued)

There is a guarantee of money’s being returned if given in charity, regardless of the proportion. 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

That is what we are doing, that is what this Krishna consciousness movement presents, and uttama-śloka-vārtayā, topics of the all-good Personality of Godhead.

PURPORT (continued)

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. Mad-dhāma gatvā punar janma na vidyate.

COMMENT

Yes, in the Bhagavad-gītā, Krishna says, ‘One who attains to His Abode never takes birth again.’

PURPORT (continued)

In other words, a devotee of the Lord is guaranteed eternal life. A devotee’s old age or disease in the present life is but an impetus to such guaranteed eternal life.

COMMENT

Yes, in a way we don’t like old age or disease, but old age and disease remind us that this body is not a happy place, that the material world is not a happy place, duḥkhālayam aśāśvatam, Krishna says that it is a place of misery and temporary. So, a devotee’s old age or disease in the present life is but an impetus to such guaranteed eternal life because it reminds him that he should finish up, he should accelerate his progress in devotional service and prepare for his eternal life.

So, my dear devotees, thank you for listening so patiently and attentively. And now, if any of you have any questions or comments or reflections you would like to share, you can raise your hand. Yes, His Holiness Badri Narayana Swami Maharaja.

Badri Narayana Swami Maharaja: Just to get the ball rolling. You said in the beginning, an excellent analogy coming from Prabhupada speaking according to the audience, talking to the big businessmen, profit, loss, investment. Do you mean to say that taking care of my family, working hard, and doing my duty is a loss? Because you said only, you didn’t say only to be fair, activities in Krishna consciousness is gain, everything else is a loss. Well, what is this? I am supposed to shave my head and move into the temple, although it worked for me.

Giriraj Swami: Of course, one can execute devotional service in any ashram: brahmachari ashram, grihastha ashram, vanaprastha ashram, sannyasa ashram. And as a grihastha, one has duties and responsibilities as a husband and perhaps as a father or a mother. But the Fifth Canto of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam says, ‘No one should become a mother, no one should become a father, no one should become a husband, no one should become a guru, no one should become a superior relative, unless he or she can deliver his or her dependence from the repetition of birth and death.’ So, that is our real duty or responsibility as a husband, as a father, as a mother, as a guru. And as Srila Prabhupada explains in the purport, one can properly execute one’s duties if one is a pure devotee. And there are different definitions of pure devotee, but I would say the basic idea is that one should engage in devotional service without the desire for any material gain. And then one is being a real father, real mother, real husband, real guru. And earning money is part of it, but again if one thinks that one is appointed by Krishna to do what he is doing, that is Krishna consciousness. So, if we think, ‘I am doing this for Krishna to support my family and my Krishna conscious lifestyle,’ then that is also included in Krishna consciousness and it is a gain, it is not a loss.

Devotee: Thank you Maharaja for that illuminating class. But I am just wondering about one thing. So much of the class, we were calculating the different investments you can give. If you give to a qualified brahman, you get it back a million times. But, isn’t that out of tune or a little contradictory to what we know is the ideal, anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyaṁ? You shouldn’t want anything back from Krishna, simply the pleasure of Krishna. How do we reconcile these two motives? That is there, right from the Bhāgavatam.

Giriraj Swami: Well, this explanation of the results of different types of charity as cited by Srila Viswanatha Chakravarti Thakura, is meant to make the point that just as a return for charity is guaranteed, similarly investment in uttama-śloka-vārtayā, in topics of the all-good personality of Godhead, there is guaranteed return of eternal life. But at the same time, if one does give in charity to a pure devotee, veda-pāraga, one can expect immense returns, unlimited multiplication. And that is also an impetus to serve the pure devotee. It is not exactly that one wants the monetary return, but one wants the spiritual return, which is eternal life with Krishna. Does that address your question?

Devotee: If I may just amend a little bit. Just like Krishna says, as you quoted from the Thirteenth Chapter, janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi-duḥkha-doṣānudarśanam, we are supposed to remember that so that we don’t get enamored of the material world. We want to end birth, death, old age, and disease. But at the same time, we are given this Śikṣāṣṭakam where Krishna says in the fourth verse, mama janmani janmanīśvare, that he doesn’t even want liberation. In other words, at a certain point, it seems like an evolution of our motive, of what will keep us going in the right direction. At first, it says, let us be very sober about it, to try to get peace and happiness in this world is a fool’s heaven, because you are going to face old age, disease, and death. So, therefore, let us try to get liberation. But in the process of doing that, chanting Hare Krishna and getting the taste of krishna-bhakti, you eventually even give up the desire for liberation, you simply want service to Krishna.

Giriraj Swami: Yes, in the Third Canto of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, there is a description of devotional service influenced by different modes, which Srila Prabhupada has paraphrased very beautifully. And a devotee in the mode of ignorance thinks, ‘I am the only devotee, everyone else is nonsense.’ The devotee in the mode of passion, influenced by the mode of passion, thinks, ‘I want to be known as the best devotee, I want to be famous as being the biggest devotee.’ A devotee influenced by the mode of goodness thinks, ‘I want to go back home, back to Godhead.’ And a devotee who is transcendental, thinks, ‘I just want to serve and please Krishna.’ So, that is even higher than wanting to go back home, back to Godhead. Thank you.

Devotee: I have basically two questions. The first one is, so first you said about the investment thing, as an extension of his question; so if you give to a person who is a devotee, it is multiplied more, and if you give to a non-devotee, it is multiplied less. But then, I would imagine that is counter intuitive, because a person who is already a devotee is already happy. So, I would give more to a person who is less happy, and it would help them more.

Giriraj Swami: You are saying that a devotee is already happy so why should you give in charity to a devotee, you should rather give and charity to someone who is unhappy. First of all, there is no guarantee that if you give a charity to someone who is unhappy, he will become happy. And if you give in charity to devotees who is already happy, he will become more happy, that is for sure. So, I would say give to a devotee.

Devotee: But why should there be a distinction between whom to give. I think without knowing who is the devotee, who is the non-devotee, we should just give if we have.

Giriraj Swami: You are saying you want to give indiscriminately.

Devotee: Yes, why should we make a discrimination between who is a devotee? I think if we have enough, we should give to all indiscriminately, why should we make a distinction?

Giriraj Swami: Okay, why did you come here tonight?

Devotee: I feel good to be here.

Giriraj Swami: You feel good in the association of devotees. So there is a difference between the association of devotees and the association of nondevotees and how you feel in the association of devotees. So, you can’t say that you don’t discriminate between devotees and non-devotees. You discriminate and you chose to be with devotees this evening which was a good decision.

Devotee: But I am equally happy with the people who are non-devotees.

Giriraj Swami: You are happy with none devotees also. Well, you concluded that you would be happier here and that is why you came here. We are also happy that you did come.

Devotee: Hare Krishna. So, you said that brahman, so who are exactly the brahmans according to Bhagavad-gītā? How do you know the brahman, those who are doing rituals in the temple or are there any certain definitions that when we do the charity with the brahman, we will get like some multiplication return. So, who are exactly the brahmans?

Giriraj Swami: Yes, in the Bhagavad-gītā, Krishna describes the qualities of brahmans. And of course, there are people who may be born in brahman families but who don’t have the qualities of a brahman, and therefore the distinction is made in the purport. If money is given in charity to a non-brahman meaning without brahminical qualification the money is returned in the next life in the same proportion. If the money is given in charity to a half-educated brahman, even then the money is returned double. And if the money is given in charity to learned and fully qualified brahman, the money is returned a hundred and a thousand times. So we can understand what are the qualities of a brahman from the Bhagavad-gītā – peacefulness, austerity, and also truthfulness, a very important quality of brahmans. And do you have the book, The Bhagavad-gītā As It Is? Yes, good, have you read it? Good. So, read what Sri Krishna says about brahmans and then you will be able to recognize a qualified brahman; then you will be able to give in charity to a qualified brahman and you will get your money returned a hundred and a thousand times.

But what we really want to do by serving the brahmans is to develop Krishna consciousness, to develop love for God. Yes, there is a nice verse in the Third Canto Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam that, everyone knows that attachment to the material is the greatest entanglement of the spiritual soul but the same attachment when transferred to the self-realized devotees of the Lord, opens the door to liberation. As Srila Prabhupada always says, attachment is there, we cannot kill attachment but we have to transfer the attachment to Krishna or we have to transfer the attachment from mundane people to spiritual people. Yes.

Devotee: Hare Krishna. Thank you, Maharaja, for class. I have a question. Yes, I think this is in tune with a couple of other questions that were asked but it is a bit tangent on the topic of charity. So, I have heard this that there is maybe a recourse, a karmic recourse to giving donation to let’s say homeless people just out and about in the streets or whatever. I want to take this opportunity to ask your insight on this because this kind of comes up a lot especially this day and age, around this area, there is a lot of homeless people, stuff like that. So, is there something that can happen if we let’s say, I give my money, my monitories to a homeless person and they go and do something whatever it is that they please with that. Am I going to face some kind of recourse because of this action or if the negative is possible then the positive recompense is also possible, I believe. But I just want to hear what you have to say about that?

Giriraj Swami: Oh yes, you give money to a homeless person, you don’t know how he is going to use the money. He might use it to buy cigarettes, to buy alcohol. And feeling compassion for people is good, it is a Vaishnava quality but then I would maybe give prasāda, for everyone appreciates prasāda and it is spiritual. They make spiritual advancement, they like you, they appreciate you. And Srila Prabhupada said that by appreciating devotees, people make advancement. So, I would suggest that. In Bombay, when I drive to city, there will always street beggars come up and beg. And I would always carry mahā-prasāda. And I would give them mahā-prasāda. And they were very happy. So, I would recommend that charity.

Devotee: I just want to refine that a little bit now. So if they, let us say they go and do something positive with the money, am I as my eternal soul going to have some kind of karmic, either goodness or debt that I am going to have to owe if that person doesn’t do something good with it. That is what I want to ask?

Giriraj Swami: Well, if you give money to someone and then they use it for some good cause, so that is good for you. But like they say, good is the enemy of best, and best is devotional service. So, if you use the money devotional service or give the money in charity to people who use it in devotional service, that is best.

Devotee: The gentleman asked that he would like to be indiscriminate with his charity and give it freely to everyone without discrimination. So, perhaps, he could join with us because we distribute Krishna consciousness indiscriminately to everyone, no matter what their situation. [Laughter] [Applause]

Guest: This is my first time here. So I guess if we are donating money and money is a way of buying goods and services for survival, how did the brahmans distribute the money for the survival and the well-being of everyone under, its care? So in a sense like what is the money done by the brahmans; what do they use it with for?

Giriraj Swami: Yes, that is a very good question and welcome. Thank you for coming. I hope you have a good experience. So, brahmans do not hoard money but they spend it for the welfare of others, specifically their spiritual welfare. There is a saying that if you give a brahman one lakh of rupees, that means a hundred thousand rupees, in other words a big amount. If you give a brahman one lakh of rupees, the next day he will still be a beggar because he won’t hoard that money, he won’t keep that money, but he will spend it for the spiritual upliftment of others. So, does that answer your question?