Without the Grace of Baladeva We Cannot Get Krishna

Without the Grace of Baladeva We Cannot Get Krishna

Harikathā, Śrīla Bhakti Ballabh Tīrtha Goswami Mahārāj

Narrating about the Śrī Baladeva Tattva, Śrīla Gurudeva emphasizes on the explanation of our Guruvargas on the various pastimes of Lord Baladeva. He elaborates on how we can get the grace of Baladeva, Gurudeva and Guruvarga without which we cannot get Kṛṣṇa.

Yesterday we observed the holy advent of Baladeva Prabhu. Baladeva Prabhu is sandhinī-śakti-matta-vigraha (the Deity of the sandhinī potency). In his explanation of Śrī Govinda-tattva, Śrīla Bhakti Siddhānta Sarasvatī Gosvāmī Prabhupāda identifies Śrī Baladeva as the Vaibhava-rūpa (pastime form) of Lord Govinda. ‘Gāḥ vindati iti govindaḥ’ — the word ‘go’ has several meanings including knowledge, senses, earth, cow and others. Śrī Govinda manifests in five forms.

• Supreme Lord is Govinda-svarūpa, Svayaṁ-rūpa. Svarūpa is Kṛṣṇa in Vṛndāvana, the sweet form.
• Para-svarūpa is Nārāyaṇa in Vaikuṇṭha.
• Vaibhava-svarūpa—pastime form, with all opulences and power. Baladeva Prabhu is sandhinī-śakti-matta-vigraha. He is the Vaibhava-prakāśa of Govinda. By Him all the things are maintained and all the things have enhanced. He is the absolute function-holder of the personal Godhead Supreme Lord, Śrī Kṛṣṇa.
• The antaryāmī (the Indwelling Supersoul), they are three Puruṣa-avatārs.
• The fifth is Arcā-rūpa: the Deity form.

This you have to think very deeply. If you do not give much importance to it then you will not get actual benefit. They are not different from Baladeva. Supreme Lord is one, but pastimes are different, in reality, ontologically, they all are the same. In the Vaikuṇṭha (Paravyoma or spiritual sky), Mahā-Saṅkarṣaṇa is the Svarūpa-aṁśa—Balarāma’s own aṁśa-avatāra. From Him the first manifestation comes in this world for creation, is Kāraṇodakaśāyī Mahāviṣṇu.
It is written in the śloka by Rūpa Gosvāmī:

viṣṇos tu trīṇi rūpāṇi puruṣākhyāny atho viduḥ
ekaṁ tu mahataḥ sraṣṭṛ dvitīyaṁ tv aṇḍa-saṁsthitam
tṛtīyaṁ sarva-bhūta-sthaṁ tāni jñātvā vimucyate

(Laghu-bhāgavatāmṛta, Pūrva 2.9, Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Ādi. 5.77)

Viṣṇu has three forms called Puruṣas. The first, Kāraṇodakaśāyī, is the creator of the total material energy (mahat), the second is Garbhodakaśāyī, who is situated within each universe, and the third is Kṣīrodakaśāyī, who lives in the heart of every living being. He who knows these three becomes liberated from the clutches of Māyā.

If you have no knowledge of it then you cannot get emancipation. We cannot get ultimate goal. Everything will be failure. He is the only master and enjoyer. We are not masters and enjoyers. When we become averse, illusory energy envelops us and we think we are also masters and enjoyers; we are also Puruṣa. But Puruṣa is only one, Supreme Lord.

He is the only Enjoyer and others are to be enjoyed by Him. First, in the causal ocean there is Kāraṇodakaśāyī Mahāviṣṇu, he thought, “eko ‘haṁ bahu syām—I am one, I shall become many.” Sa īkṣata — He glanced on the inert matter, the mahat-tattva, and transfused conscious energy in it and infinite brahmāṇḍas and infinite planets emanated. As He is infinite, His everything is infinite, infinite planets, infinite brahmāṇḍas, infinite Vaikuṇṭhas, infinite living beings and infinite everything. We cannot comprehend.

We are the minutest part of the marginal potency of Supreme Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa. How can you comprehend? We have got this body for hundred years only and then it will vanish. We are here in this world only for one hundred years and still we have got vanity. Being of finite intellect, finite sense organs, everything is finite, how can you know the infinite?

So after creating infinite brahmāṇḍas, the Lord manifested His second Puruṣa-avatāra namely Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṇu to whom Brahmā submitted his prayer. Brahmā appeared before Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṇu. He is the indwelling monitor of the infinite brahmāṇḍas. And the third manifestation is Kṣīrodakaśāyī Viṣṇu. He is indwelling monitor of one brahmāṇḍa and indwelling monitor of every living being. He is inside you. Here in this world, everyone wants to be the enjoyer and master, we think, “I am the enjoyer and others are to be enjoyed.”

Those infinite living beings appearing from taṭasthā-śakti, majority of them have their contact with Supreme Lord. They have gone to transcendental realm. They are nitya-mukta — eternally emancipated souls. And others, they set their face against Supreme Lord and see this dazzling world. This world is a shadow of Supreme Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa, it seems to be blissful, seems to be eternally existing, and seems that there is knowledge in it. Thinking so, the jīvas desire to enter into it and jump into it to enjoy.

The number of such souls is less, yet they are infinite. There are infinite brahmāṇḍas. We cannot comprehend it. So long as, “I am the enjoyer and master” this sort of ego is there no devotion can be done. “I am of Kṛṣṇa; I am of Viṣṇu; He is the enjoyer; I am to be enjoyed”, who have this realization they only are eligible for emancipation—tāni jñātvā vimucyate”. We are the part of the potency. My potency remains for me. Potency of Supreme Lord remains for Supreme Lord. We are not the enjoyers.

Baladeva has got affection for all living beings because they are directly coming from Him. By taking five forms—Saṅkarṣaṇa, Kāraṇodakaśāyī Mahāviṣṇu, Garbhodakaśāyī Mahāviṣṇu, Kṣīrodakaśāyī Mahāviṣṇu and Śeṣa, He is doing everything. Bhagavān —‘Bhaga’ means opulences and ‘Vān’ means one who possesses them. Baladeva is Bhagavān. You have to give ‘Tulasī’ at the lotus feet of Baladeva and Lotus feet of Nityānanda and Gaurāṅga but not at the feet of Guru. Guru appears from the internal potency of Supreme Lord.

Kṛṣṇa takes the form of Balarāma and serves Kṛṣṇa and teaches others how to serve. Without the grace of Baladeva we cannot get Krishna. Without the grace of Nityananda you cannot get Krishna. In Muṇḍaka-śruti it is written, nāyam ātmā bala-hīnena labhyaḥ, here this ‘bala‘ is not physical strength, it represents that without the grace of Baladeva you cannot get anything. So you have to pray for His grace and for the grace of all Guruvarga. We should not forget.

Devotees have said that I have got some sort of difficulty so doctors have prohibited me to take part in Kīrtans. But I was hearing from here, I could not hear about Baladeva. I could not hear about the preceptorial channel (Jaya Dau, Jaya Dau). Our Gurudeva used to do this, why? There is reason for it. Gurudeva used to sing “Jaya Dau! Jaya Dau!” This is necessary on the advent day at least and you should sing for Gaura-Nityānanda, Rohiṇī Devī and the devotees of Gokula Mahāvana including Mathurā and Baladeva Prabhu, Rohiṇī-nandana Baladeva, in this way.

If you do not do it, it will be incomplete. I could not hear this so I said Oh, our Gurudeva used to do this. What is this? I should do this but I cannot do this as I have been prohibited by Doctor because of heart difficulty. You should be very careful in this matter. Bhagavān appears in the sanctified heart— sattvaṁ viśuddhaṁ vasudeva-śabditam, there is presence of sattva-guṇa here in this world also which is mixed with rajo-guṇa and tamo-guṇa. Viśuddha-sattva means nirguṇa. It is not mixed with rajo or tamo-guṇa.

The totally sanctified heart is called Vāsudeva — sattvaṁ viśuddhaṁ vasudeva-śabditam. Supreme Lord cannot be enveloped by illusory energy. Supreme Lord is infinite. If you say Supreme Lord can be enveloped by illusory energy then Supreme Lord will be subservient to illusory energy. It is absurd.

Clouds can cover our eyes but not the Sun. Sun is million and million times bigger than earth. How a portion of a cloud can obstruct the Sun? They can obstruct our eyes. Heart should be pure. If there are no other desires then it is called Vāsudeva and the self-effulgent truth appears there. So, make your mind pure.

He performed many pastimes. One pastime is in Bhāṇḍīra-vana. Vana is forest. There are twelve forests (dvādaśa-vana). In Bhāṇḍīra-vana, in summer season it is pleasing, very good and comfortable. It is the time when Kṛṣṇa and His sakhās, the cowherd boys (confidantes or bosom companions) gather there and Kṛṣṇa-Balarāma give satisfaction to them. They play there making two parties. Everything is in present tense here, Supreme Lord is always present, there is no future and past, therefore the present tense figure is used.

One party leader is Baladeva and another party leader is Kṛṣṇa. And the condition of the play is, if one of the parties is defeated by another, then the defeated will take the victorious on their shoulder and carry. When they started playing, Kṛṣṇa was defeated by Śrīdāmā, Kṛṣṇa has to carry Śrīdāma on the shoulder. Śrīdāma’s feet will touch the transcendental body of Kṛṣṇa. In Vṛndāvana, there is no majesty aspect. Kṛṣṇa is happy by getting him on the shoulder and Bhadrasena carried Vṛṣabha.

One demon came there in disguise, in the form of a cowherd. The cowherd boys could not understand where from this cowherd boy came but Kṛṣṇa understood that he is a demon, Pralambāsura. Kṛṣṇa said you come and play with us. As Kṛṣṇa’s team got defeated, as per the condition, Pralambāsura had to carry Baladeva on his shoulder. He took Baladeva on his shoulder and ran away.

Then Baladeva thought this cowherd boy, confidante cannot be sakhā. He must be someone else. Kṛṣṇa has already understood and later Baladeva also understood that he is a demon. Then Baladeva increased His weight so much that the demon could not carry Him. Then demon appeared in his original form with horrible appearance. By seeing that Baladeva said, “I have come here to subdue the evils, and I will do My duty.”

He made a big blow on the head and hit the demon, he did blood vomiting and died. All the demigods showered flowers. Our Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura says, “Who is Pralambāsura? Pralambāsura is within us. Pralambāsura represents desire for sex, desire for money, name and fame. You want to take the position of Supreme Lord… That should be removed from the heart totally.

You have to take initiative, He is at the back. He will not do everything. It is your duty. You have forgotten Kṛṣṇa and you have got bad practices. You have to try to remove those practices, Baladeva is there at the back, all our Guruvarga are at the back. When we sincerely try, God will come to help. This is one pastime. There is another pastime also. Baladeva is witty with Kṛṣṇa.

Here in Kṛṣṇa-līlā, Baladeva is elder brother, Kṛṣṇa is younger brother. In Rāma-līlā, Rāma is elder brother and Lakṣmaṇa who is one with Balarāma, is younger. Lakṣmaṇa has been very much mentally worried because He could not serve Rāma as per his desire, because He shall have to carry out the order of elder brother. What can be done? He wanted to become an elder brother. So in Kṛṣṇa-līlā, Lakṣmaṇa has become elder brother, Baladeva.

One day, while moving in the forest, Kṛṣṇa, elder brother Baladeva and other cowherd boys (sakhās) came to Tālavana. Tāla means palm tree. But there used to reside a very powerful demon in the form of an ass, donkey. He has got his own party, party of demons. They were guarding it. When the sakhās, confidantes entered in to that forest they got the scent of the ripened fruits of the palm tree, and they were eager to taste it, they said, “Oh Kanhaiyā, Dāujī bhāi! We want to taste this. Give us the fruit of the palm tree. They are very nice fruit.”

When Kṛṣṇa went, Baladeva said, “No, You are a young boy, remain outside. I shall go and pick it, You should not enter.” He has got affection and also Yaśodā Mātā and Nanda Mahārāja instructed Him, “Please take care of Your younger brother.” They did not see Kṛṣṇa as Supreme Lord, they are seeing Him as their son. Baladeva entered into it and pushed the trees so forcibly that one tree fell down on another tree, and thus all the trees fell down with all the fruits. By that, the horrible demon in the form of ass, donkey, brayed and very harsh sound came.

Braying with very harsh sound, he moved towards Baladeva, his power is in his legs, he came to Baladeva and kicked Him forcibly. Other demons are also there. Then again returning back, he wanted to kick Baladeva, but Baladeva took hold of his two legs with two hands and moved him in the air like a circle, very swiftly. Because of this the demon died. Baladeva is powerful. Baladeva appeared from Rohiṇī, He is Rohiṇī-nandana, the saptama-garbha (the seventh womb) of Devakī, Saṅkarṣaṇa.

When He appeared in the womb of Devakī, Yogamāyā attracted this seventh womb of Devakī to Rohiṇī, in Gokula-Mahāvana. So Baladeva’s mother is Rohiṇī. He is known as Rohiṇī-nandana, Balarāma, Balabhadra and Saṅkarṣaṇa as He was attracted by Yogamāyā. Balabhadra means very powerful. He is also Loka-ramaṇāt Rāma—one who pleases people (of Gokula).

What are the teachings do we get from this pastime? Gardabha means stupid, ass, donkey. When we try to carry the burden of material learning that is called stupidity. Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura writes in one of his kīrtanas:

jaḍa-vidyā yata, māyāra vaibhava, tomāra bhajane bādhā
moha janmiyā, anitya saṁsāre, jīvake karaye gādhā

All sorts of material knowledge are variegated forms of illusory energy which creates impediments on the path of Your worship. Such knowledge creates attachment for this perishable worldly relations and makes an ass out of the living entity.

We want to earn this material learning. It is all māyāra vaibhava, it becomes hindrance to our bhajana. When one will get this sort of knowledge, like a donkey he is carrying so many clothes, but cannot wear one cloth. He is also carrying many other good items like sugar but he cannot taste anything, only carrying the burden.

Similarly, we are carrying the burden of this material knowledge. By the influence of that knowledge, we have forgotten our own self. We think I am this body, bodily relation is my relation and we are giving all our energy for these non-eternal things. So we should not become fools.

You have to engage all your sense organs, everything for the service of Kṛṣṇa, Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa. By the grace of Rādhā, you can get Kṛṣṇa, by the grace of Kṛṣṇa you can get Rādhā. We may think, “Oh, then how can we maintain our family when there is no money?” A true devotee gives his full energy to Supreme Lord, thinking about Him.

Supreme Lord is maintaining the whole world. Will he not maintain a devotee? Kṛṣṇa says in Gītā, yoga-kṣemaṁ vahāmy aham — I will provide whatever is required for My devotee and will preserve whatever he has. You have got no belief. Do it and see whether He is giving or not. When you depend upon Him, He provides everything.

Our Parama Gurudeva has said in his last message to all the devotees, “You all should worship advaya-jñāna (non-dual personality) Kṛṣṇa, Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa, to satisfy His transcendental sense organs, taking shelter of a Guru, with one pointed devotion, remaining with others amicably.” When the target will be one, there will be no fight. When target will be different, money, name and fame, then there will be quarrel. When the target is Supreme Lord’s satisfaction, one may be serving more and another may be serving less; if the center is one, there will be no clashing.