Pass on the Bhagavatam Tradition - Part 8

Date: 2021-06-24 Author: Krishnarati dasi

Hare Prabhujis and Matajis, Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada and Srila Gurudeva.

This is in continuation of the previous offering, "Pass on the Bhagavatam Tradition" wherein we were transcribing one of the nectarean Bhagavatam class given by our beloved spiritual master HH Mahavishnu Goswami Maharaj on Srimad Bhagavatam verse 1.3.11. In the previous offering we heard from Maharaj about the importance of associating with saintly people.

Now let us hear more from Gurudev.

8. Power of Chastity: Gurudev: Regarding Anasūyā, there is a very nice story to be remembered. She had taken a vow that nobody will go without any alms from her house. Anybody comes, she will give something. Whatever they will ask, she gives. That is how she was very determined to continue her vow. And this , and Mahesh, all these three they knew her vow. So, they wanted to test her. So, one day they went to her house. They said, "We are very hungry. Please give some prasadam to us". So, she immediately ran and so much prasadam was bought. They said, "We'll not touch your prasadam unless you serve the prasadam without clothes".

Now pativrata stri, how can she come naked and serve the prasadam. Biggest dilemma in front of her. She cannot allow anybody to go and they were in a brahmana dress. So brahmanas can never be turned out you know. So, such was big dilemma before her. She didn't understand. She thought that I can't do that as a pativrata and this people are asking. I have to give something to them. That's my vow. So eventually just paativratya, just running after one husband gives the wife tremendous spiritual advancement. And she becomes mystic eventually. Pativrata, she was very strong pativrata, always devoted to Atri. So, she could do anything and everything. So, by her mystic power, she forced these three deities to take the child form. They were completely six months old. And there was no harm then. She can come without the clothing. Six-month-old child doesn't have any, any sense really. He doesn't know what clothes are, he doesn't know what women is or he doesn't know what man is. So, this is how by mystic power she converted them. And then they took prasadam from her and then they were very pleased. So, then Anasūyā asked them that, " if you are really, really pleased, please take birth as my son". So, the three combined and that is . Datta means given by Atri and these three, traya, these three came together and that's why Dattatreya has three faces. You might have seen the picture.

On every Thursday people were in the habit of carrying on the kirtans and praying Dattatreya. And Datta being spiritually very advanced. All the three together you know. Vishnu was there, Brahma was there and was also there. And these three deities when they came to her it was of the Lord. Vishnu was already there. His creative faculty was there, potency was there and his destruction, destructive faculty was also there. See, Kṛṣṇa never comes alone. Whenever, wherever maybe His expansion is there. But the expansion is also fully potent and potent word is very nice. Is it omnipotent? Isn't it a word? If I know English, am I correct? I don't know English? Omnipotent, potent, the Supreme living being, Who is completely in the control of all the potencies is known as omnipotent.

Krishna willing we shall continue to hear more nectar from Maharaj in the subsequent offerings.

Thank you very much. Yours in service of Srila Prabhupada and Srila Gurudeva, Krishnarati devi dasi Singapore.