Demigod Indra Çré Nirjala Ekadäsé Issue no:113 13th June 2019 ENVY : THE CHIEF OF ALL INteRNAL ENEMIES BIRTH OF THE MARUTS WHY IS ENVY THE CHIEF Srila Sukdeva Goswami OF ALL INTERNAL ENEMIES? Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura WHEN ENEMIES TURNS INTO FRIENDS His Divine Grace AVERSION TO LORD HARI A.C.Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada Srila Vrindavan Das Thakura ENVIOUS BRÄHMAËAS AND THOSE WHO ABANDON SRILA NAROTTAMA DAS THAKURA THEIR SPIRITUAL MASTER An excerpt from the life Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakura of Srila Narottama Das Thakura Circulaton 28, 715 Issue no 113, Page — 2 nityaà bhägavata-sevayä Indra with 49 Maruts BIRTH OF THE MARUTS he became deeply anxious. Srila Sukdeva Goswami Having grown weak and thin because of strictly following the principles of the vow, O pious King, who are ever-respectful unfortunately Diti once neglected to wash to everyone, lord Indra understood Ditis her mouth, hands and feet after eating and purpose, and thus he contrived a plan went to sleep during the evening twilight. to fulfill his own interests. Following the Seizing the opportunity, Indra, who has logic that self-preservation is the first law all the the yogic perfections like aëimä of nature, lord Indra wanted to break Ditis and laghimä, entered Ditis womb while promise. To this end he daily engaged she was unconscious, being in deep sleep. himself in the service of his aunt, Diti, After entering Ditis womb, Indra, took up who was now residing in an Ashrama. his thunderbolt and cut her fetus, which Indra served his aunt by bringing flowers, glowed like gold, into seven pieces. In fruit, roots and wood for yajïas from the seven places, seven different living beings forest. He also brought kusha grass, leaves, began crying. Indra told them, "Do not sprouts, earth and water, all exactly at cry," and then he cut each of them into the proper time. As the hunter of a deer seven pieces again. O King, those very becomes like a deer by covering his body aggrieved entities pleaded to Indra with with deerskin and befriending the deer, so folded hands, saying, "Dear Indra, we are Indra, although at heart the enemy of the the Maruts, your younger brothers. Why sons of Diti, became outwardly amiable are you trying to kill us?" When Indra and served Diti in a faithful way. All saw that they were actually his devoted along Indras purpose was malevolent. He followers, he said to them: "If you are all simply wanted to impede Diti as soon as my brothers, then you have nothing more he could find some fault in her discharge to fear from me." of the vows of the ritualistic ceremony. Sukadeva Goswami said: My dear King However, as he wanted to remain Pariksit, when you were being scorched undetected he served her very carefully. by the brahmästra of Ashvatthama, O master of the entire world, when Indra Lord Krishna entered the womb of your could find no faults, he thought, "How mother, and you were saved. Similarly, will there be good fortune for me?" Thus although the one fetus was cut into Bhāgavata Mahāvidyālaya www.ibmedu.org nityaà bhägavata-sevayä Issue no 113, Page—3 forty-nine pieces by the thunderbolt of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. If an Indra, the personalities thus created were intelligent man serves the most dear Lord, all saved by the mercy of the Supreme who gives Himself to His devotees, how Personality of Godhead. If one worships can he desire material happiness, which the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the is available even in hell? O my mother, original person, even once, he receives the O best of all women, I am a fool. Kindly benefit of being promoted to the spiritual excuse me for all of the offenses that I world and possessing the same bodily have committed. Your forty-nine sons features as Lord Vishnu. Diti worshiped have been born unhurt because of your Lord Vishnu for almost one year, adhering devotional service. As an enemy, I cut to a great vow. Because of this she them to pieces, but because of your great generated sufficient spiritual strength and devotional service they did not die. consequently the forty-nine Maruts were born. How, then, is it wonderful that those Sri Sukadeva Gosvami continued: Diti Maruts, although born from the womb of was extremely satisfied by Indras good Diti, became equal to the demigods by the behavior. Then Indra offered his respects mercy of the Supreme Lord? to his aunt with profuse obeisance, and Because of worshiping the Supreme with her permission he left for the heavenly Personality of Godhead, Diti was planets with his new brothers, the Maruts. completely purified. When she got up My dear King Pariksit, I have replied as from her rest, she saw her forty nine sons far as possible to the questions you have along with Indra. These forty nine sons asked me, especially in regard to this pure, were all as brilliant as fire and were all in auspicious narration about the Maruts. friendship with Indra. Seeing all this Diti Now you may inquire further, and I shall was very pleased. explain more. Diti said to Indra: My dear son, I —Çrémad-Bhägavatam » Canto 6: Prescribed Duties for adhered to this difficult vow just to get a Mankind » Chapter 18. Diti Vows to Kill King Indra » Verses 56-78. son to kill you twelve Adityas. I prayed for only one son, but now I see that there are WHEN ENEMIES TURNS INTO FRIENDS forty-nine. How has this happened? My His Divine Grace dear son Indra, if you know, please tell me A.C.Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada the truth. Please do not try to mislead me. Indra replied: My dear mother, because I was blinded by grossly selfish interests, When Diti, who is Indra's aunt, explained I lost sight of religion. When I understood to him without reservation what she had that you were observing a great vow in spiritual life, I wanted to find some fault in you. When I found such a fault, I entered your womb and cut the fetus to pieces. First I cut the unborn child into seven pieces, which became seven children. Then I cut each of the children into a further seven pieces. However, by the grace of the Supreme Lord, none of them died. My dear mother, when I saw that all forty- nine sons were alive, I was certainly struck with wonder. After some deliberation, I concludeded this was a secondary result of your executing regulated devotional service to Lord Vishnu. Although those who are solely interested in worshiping the Supreme Personality of Godhead do not desire anything material from Him and do not want even liberation from this material world, Lord Krishna fulfills all their desires. The ultimate goal of all ambitions is to become a servant of www.ibmedu.org Bhāgavata Mahāvidyālaya Issue no 113, Page — 4 Top left 4 nityaà bhägavata-sevayä An intermediate devotee is one who has developed love for the Supreme Lord Krishna, is affectionate and friendly to the Lord's devotees, is compassion- ate to the innocent and avoids the association of envious non-devotees. Very soon, on the strength of his devotional service and Krishna's mercy, an intermediate devotee becomes a first class devotee or uttama-adhikari. —Prema-Vivarta - Srila Jagadananda Pandita Translated by Sarvabhavana dasa. of being influenced by their worship of Vishnu, both Diti and Indra were purified of their incongruent intentions. .— Çrémad-Bhägavatam » Canto 6: Prescribed Duties for Mankind » Chapter 18. Diti Vows to Kill King Indra »Verses 71, Purport. THOSE WHO ABANDON THEIR SPIRITUAL MASTER Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakura The spiritual masters servants are Vaisnava. Devotees who are initiated by bonafide gurus and who have taken complete shelter at their spiritual masters feet are Vaisnavas. According to how well we serve the spiritual master, there are gradations in the quality of our service to Krishna. Those who abandon their spiritual master or who are envious of him are avaisnava (non-devotees). They are atheists possessed by a hellish mentality. Those who are envious of the spiritual master are also envious of the Supreme Lord. Actually, they are envious of the entire world. Only devotees who are fixed at the spiritual masters lotus feet and who are free of material desire are completely pure in heart. A person who is free from the influence of wealth, women, and the tigress of fame is a Vaisnava. He wanted to do, Indra also explained his is detached and pure-minded and can intentions to her. Thus both of them, influence the entire world. instead of being enemies, freely spoke the —Amåta Väëé: Nectar of Instructions of Immoratality His truth. This is the qualification that results Divine Grace Bhaktisiddhänta Sarasvaté Thakura Prabhupäda from contact with Vishnu. As stated in Compiled by Çrépäda Bhakti Mayukha Bhägavat Mahäraja. Çrémad-Bhägavatam (5.18.12): Adapted and Published by Éçvara däsa. Translated from Bengali by Bhumipati däsa. yasyästi bhaktir bhagavaty akiïcanä sarvair guëais tatra samäsate suräù WHY IS ENVY THE CHIEF OF ALL INTERNAL ENEMIES? If one develops a devotional attitude Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura and becomes purified by worshiping the Supreme Lord, all the good qualities are What is envy? Are envy and love certainly manifested in his body. Because Bhāgavata Mahāvidyālaya www.ibmedu.org nityaà bhägavata-sevayä Issue no 113, Page—5 The Krishna consciousness movement aims at creat- ing an atmosphere of non-envy. Of course, it is not possible for everyone to become Krishna conscious, but the Krishna consciousness movement can create an exemplary society wherein there is no envy.” Purport, Srimad Bhagavatam.