Copyright (c) The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International, Inc.His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Founder Acarya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness
| Canto 7: The Science of God | Chapter 1: The Supreme Lord Is Equal to Everyone |
Bhaktivedanta VedaBase: Srimad Bhagavatam 7.1.28-29
tam apur anucintaya
SYNONYMS
kitah -- the grassworm; pesaskrita -- by a bee; ruddhah -- confined; kudyayam -- in a hole in a wall; tam -- that (bee); anusmaran -- thinking of; samrambha-bhaya-yogena -- through intense fear and enmity; vindate -- attains; tat -- of that bee; sva-rupatam -- the same form; evam -- thus; krishne -- in Krishna; bhagavati -- the Personality of Godhead; maya-manuje -- who appeared by His own energy in His eternal humanlike form; isvare -- the Supreme; vairena -- by enmity; puta-papmanah -- those purified of sins; tam -- Him; apuh -- attained; anucintaya -- by thinking of.
TRANSLATION
A grassworm confined in a hole of a wall by a bee always thinks of the bee in fear and enmity and later becomes a bee simply because of such remembrance. Similarly, if the conditioned souls somehow or other think of Krishna, who is sac-cid-ananda-vigraha [Bs. 5.1], they will become free from their sins. Whether thinking of Him as their worshipable Lord or an enemy, because of constantly thinking of Him they will regain their spiritual bodies.
PURPORT
In Bhagavad-gita (4.10) the Lord says:
"Being freed from attachment, fear and anger, being fully absorbed in Me and taking refuge in Me, many, many persons in the past became purified by knowledge of Me -- and thus they all attained transcendental love for Me." There are two ways of constantly thinking of Krishna -- as a devotee and as an enemy. A devotee, of course, by his knowledge and tapasya, becomes free from fear and anger and becomes a pure devotee. Similarly, an enemy, although thinking of Krishna inimically, thinks of Him constantly and also becomes purified. This is confirmed elsewhere in Bhagavad-gita (9.30), where the Lord says:
"Even if one commits the most abominable actions, if he engages in devotional service he is to be considered saintly because he is properly situated." A devotee undoubtedly worships the Lord with rapt attention. Similarly, if an enemy (suduracarah) always thinks of Krishna, he also becomes a purified devotee. The example given here concerns the grassworm that becomes beelike because of constantly thinking of the bee that forces it to enter a hole. By always thinking of the bee in fear, the grassworm starts to become a bee. This is a practical example. Lord Krishna appears within this material world for two purposes -- paritranaya sadhunam vinasaya ca dushkritam: [Bg. 4.8] to protect the devotees and annihilate the demons. The sadhus and devotees certainly think of the Lord always, but dushkritis, the demons like Kamsa and Sisupala, also think of Krishna in terms of killing Him. By thinking of Krishna, both the demons and devotees attain liberation from the clutches of material maya.
This verse uses the word maya-manuje. When Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, appears in His original spiritual potency (sambhavamy atma-mayaya [Bg. 4.6]), He is not forced to accept a form made by material nature. Therefore the Lord is addressed as isvara, the controller of maya. He is not controlled by maya. When a demon continuously thinks of Krishna because of enmity toward Him, he is certainly freed from the sinful reactions of his life. To think of Krishna in any way, in terms of His name, form, qualities, paraphernalia or anything pertaining to Him, is beneficial for everyone. Srinvatam sva-kathah krishnah punya-sravana-kirtanah [SB 1.2.17]. Thinking of Krishna, hearing the holy name of Krishna or hearing the pastimes of Krishna will make one pure, and then he will become a devotee. Our Krishna consciousness movement is therefore trying to introduce the system of somehow or other letting everyone hear the holy name of Krishna and take Krishna's prasada. Thus one will gradually become a devotee, and his life will be successful.
Copyright (c) The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International, Inc.
His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Founder Acarya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness