20131005 Srimad Bhagavatam 102501 Krishna Used Indra to Teach Us Bh. Rasamrita Swami

1) high position is very deangerous in this world, even as a devotee
2) Indra is a temple president of the material world
3) Krishna has nominated Indra
4) Krishna teaches though the medium of great devotees, so that it has impact. Then the lesson is very telling.
5) we learn though examples.
6) Pride in a high position makes us forget.
7) When there are no asuras then devas will become asuras. Krishna has created it like this so that devas have compition.
8) We want to do things for Krishna, but other devotees may not agree, there may be beaurocracy, critisim, etc. It is good for us.
9) Imagine if had a free ride and no critisim.
10) In the face of critisism we mellow down and think that "let me think carefully before i do this".
11) Thus there are asuras to keep devas in check, this is Krishna's arrangement.
12) the difference between devas and asuras is that when in difficulty then the devas turn to Krishna for help.
13) These are My devotees and they have been given the task of managing this world. But then such is the nature of power in this world, what will happen to their conciousness ? let Me have some ausras in place, then every now and then there will be some threat and the devas will become afraid and come back to Me. trahi trahi - please rescue us..
14) This is Krishna's inconcievable arrangement.
15) Thus Srimati Kunti Maharani has cautioned us "For One who has birth, lot of wealth, Knowledge, High education, learning and so on.. Beauty, when one has one or more of these qualities, then it becomes a cause of pride or state of intoxication..."
16) Pride is also same as madness.
17) We see this with dictators, certain leaders, or someone who as the above opulences, they live in a world of their own, out of touch with any form of reality.
18) Then one can not helplessly call out for the mercy of Krishna, because ine thinks one is not helpless, one is very powerfull, very capable, very acoomplished.
19) In sankskrit there is positive superlate , comparative. tara tamya nyaya, good, better, best or sweet, sweeter, sweetest.
20) guyha gyan, guhya tara gyan, guhya tama gyan as in the gita, knowledge of impersonal brhaman, pramatma, and Krishna as a Supreme Person.
21) In madness also it is same three.
22) There is mattah, pra-mattah, un-mattah
23) Statges of pride
Mattah - ordinary intoxication(blabbers, speaks non sense, but maybe one is not so dangerrous to others, some little tatrum within limits of controls)
pra-mattah - more intoxicated with pride(reckless in behaviour, willing to do anything, no question of morality, ethics)
un-mattah - extreme pride, insane madness
24) It can effect anyone, even a great devotee like Indra.
25) phone ! donation !
26) I anounced in vrindavan before lecture that if anyones phone will ring during class, then that devotee will pay 500 rs to goshalla which was short of money. Lot of money was raised in that lecture
27) 125 years was Krishna's eartly pastimes was just a few minutes for Indra.
28) So between krishna in vrindavan and Krishna in dwarka went to give to Indra things belonging to Indra and his mother, along with his wife Satyabhama. This was just a few minutes for Indra.
29) Satyabhama wanted the parijata tree from heaven without permission from Indra, and there was a battle, Krishna of course defeated him.
30) Srila Sukadeva Goswami expresses his displeasure at this. "Just see the darkness of ignorance that evelopes even the demigods, to hel with thier opulence"
31) Very next verse he condems the demigods as the opulence puts the demigods in ignorance.
32) Just see Indra does not recognize his Lord and then again He fights for a tree.
33) We may not condemn Indra still, as Srila Rupa Goswami has warned us.
34) Krishna is just using his own devotee Indra to help us. Indra got to see Krishna in Vrindavan, Indra was greatly benefitted.
35) Pride is very very blinding, when we become blind we do not see reality.
36) blind due to lobha, lust, envy, illusion, powerfull blinding agents. But nothing is more blinding than having a high position or respect.
37) Devotees must be very very careful to not to culivate pride.
38) We should not be attached to taking a position or not taking a position. We do what we are asked to do or intstructed to do. We are dependent on Guru, Vaishnavas, guru parampara to execute the duties of this position. But always depend on krishna to protect us, by following precautions like sadhana, humility, association, etc..
39) Even a pauper is proud of his penny.
40) Krishna uses great devotees to teach us lessons. If it was not such prominent personlities in these pastimes, then we might not take it so seriously.