SB 11.07.28 – Be observant to perceive contradictions and probe deeper

Transcript

This is an AI-generated transcript and may contain some errors.
practices, thank you chanting chanting chanting chanting so here Maharaj Yadu is asking the brahmin the avadhut brahmin rather about the radical contrast between his externals, within his personality.
To some extent it can be said to be the contrast between the externals and the internals. Although even the internals can be seen, but by the perceptive observer, there are some external symptoms also, which indicate the extraordinariness of this Avadhut Brahma. So, first he’s telling, So, in the first and second lines, A and B, Subhagavam Hritharharshanah, with the endless five qualities, You are capable, So, some people are lazy and inactive because they are good for nothing, they can’t do anything at all, but you are Kalpaha, you are capable of doing things, Then, Kavir Dakshaha, you are learned also, and then you are Dakshaha, you are expert, So, Subhago, you are so good looking, and Amritabharshanah, your speech is also sweet, Now, you may wonder, till now, Mahajandra has not heard a single word from him, So, how can he make all this out? That is what is the meaning of, it takes one to know one, Here Maharaj Yadu is giving us an insight through his question, about his own level of comprehension, Generally, when we speak, we give people insights into our heart, our words are the windows that show people what is in our heart, So, when say, students ask questions in a class, So, the level of questions that people ask can also be education for the teacher, The teacher does not need education in the subject, the teacher is expected to know the subject, but the teacher also needs education in terms of knowing what is the level of the students, so that the students can be educated properly, So, here Maharaj Yadu is revealing through this question itself, his level of comprehension, his own level of expertise in observing people and learning from that observation, What is the level of spiritual evolution of those people? Amritabhashana, so, in general, the face Prabhupada would say is the index of the mind, and by observing carefully, we can learn a lot about the internals of the person, of course, we should not assume that we are such careful observers, that we can make our first impressions or final impressions, it is quite often likely that we may be wrong also, but it is also true that when one becomes spiritually advanced, at that time one develops subtler vision, and by that subtler vision one can see deeper, see clearer, see faster, and here Amritabhashana, saying that actually your speech is nectarean, and we’ll see how it is Amritabhashana as the Brahmana responds, but here he is saying that you have these positive qualities, five qualities listed, and then on the contrast he says, but however, so, you are not doing anything, suppose somebody is an expert singer, and the person decides I will not sing, if a person is an expert engineer, but the person doesn’t do any engineering activities, then we may wonder why is it like that, this person is an expert, why is the person not doing anything, so that is the question, you are Kalpahar, you are Kavi, you are Daksha, you are capable learner and expert, you are not doing anything at all, and this might seem almost like an abuse of a person, maybe in today’s society, if somebody is called Pishachivat, you are like a ghost, then a libel case might be filed against a person, but he is using these words actually to glorify, not to vilify, how? he is telling that, now you are so expert, but still how are you living, you are living as if you are foolish, so, generally speaking, if a person is inactive, neglectful of surroundings, and dishevelled, then we may think that this person is, this person is, say, in one’s own world, and not in a positive sense, but in a negative sense, so like that, here he is saying, you are appearing like a stupefied, maddened and possessed person, why the contrast between the external and internal, please explain this to me, so, in general, if we observe the world, we will see that there is a contrast, which will also make us look deeper, you know, there is the appearance of happiness in the world, but there is the materializing experience of misery, so why the contrast, we want happiness, but why don’t we get happiness, and this kind of questions between the contradictions that we see in the world, will help us to probe deeper, and learn the underlying truths of life, so it is this inquisitiveness that is essential, even when we practice meditation, Krishna, I want to serve you, but I do not know how I can serve you, things seem to be so unexpected, so complicated, so delicate, in such situations, please guide me as to how I can serve you, so with this prayer, we will be able to go to the substance of things, and connect with the ultimate substantive principle, as Bhaktisanta Thakur would call Krishna, and then, we will be able to do substantial activity in this world, so in this way, the holy name helps us to go to beyond appearance to substance,